Grave Mistake [Paperback]

Ngaio Marsh (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1994

The death of wealthy hypochondriac Sybil Foster at fashionable Greengages is looked into by Superintendent Roderick Alleyn and Sybil's friend, Verity Preston, both of whom are puzzled by the absence of motives and suspects. Reissue.

Editorial Reviews

Review

In a jubilant comeback from last year's rather pallid Last Ditch, Dame Ngaio re-establishes herself as a peerless practitioner of the slightly surreal, English-village comedy-mystery. Knowingly old-fashioned but astoundingly fresh in her highspirited attack, Marsh gives us the last word in murder victims - rich, vain hypochondriac Sybil Foster, who goes off for a rest cure to posh Greengages and is promptly found dead, a supposed suicide. Suicide? Of course not, and the suspects investigated by ageless Roderick Alleyn include Sybil's seductive doctor (a professional cad), her ne'er-do-well, unsanitary stepson (known to all as "Charmless Claude"), a Scots-accented gardener named Gardener, and a nouveau-riche tycoon neighbor who has been coveting Sybil's gorgeous Georgian house. The only benefits missing: a surprise ending and Alleyn's painter wife, Troy, who is much talked about but never appears. Still - a generous stageful of embraceable characters and an unforced triumph of the grand, smiling style. (Kirkus Reviews) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Dame Ngaio Marsh was born in New Zealand in 1895 and died in February 1982. She wrote over 30 detective novels and many of her stories have theatrical settings, for Ngaio Marsh's real passion was the theatre. She was both actress and producer and almost single-handedly revived the New Zealand public's interest in the theatre. It was for this work that the received what she called her 'damery' in 1966. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Berkley (April 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425142434
• ISBN-13: 978-0425142431
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,156,282 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Personal Favorite, April 18, 2002

By 

Gary F. Taylor "GFT" (Biloxi, MS USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Grave Mistake (St. Martin's Minotaur Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

Although the solution to the crime becomes increasingly apparent as the novel progresses, GRAVE MISTAKE--along with BLACK AS HE'S PAINTED and DEAD WATER--remains one of my three favorite Marsh novels. Why? Because it is a showcase for Marsh's skill in creating and presenting memorable characters, and this tale of lost treasure and multiple murder not only abounds with them, it is told with unusual wit even for the always witty Marsh.

The story concerns the extremely rich Sybil Foster--who is also very much the hypocondriac. But on this occasion she has good reason to feel particularly under the weather: she is about to run afoul of her extremely unattractive step-son by her late first husband, who is determined to find an extremely valuable stamp his father concealed somewhere on the estate shortly before his death. Rather than cope with "Charmless Claude," she takes her self off to Greengages, a private rest home popular with the wealthy seeking a week's relaxion. But instead of relaxation, Sybil finds one crisis after another--and ultimately mysterious death.

This is one of Marsh's most brilliantly written novels, dripping with atmosphere, and of the many memorable portraits it offers the character Verity Preston--Sybil's sometime friend--is Marsh writing at the top of her skill. As noted above, savvy readers will spot the killer before Inspector Allen does, but GRAVE MISTAKE is so beautifully done that even those who do figure it out shouldn't mind in the least. A personal favorite, and strongly recommended.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Much better than i anticipated., August 28, 2000

By 

Elsie Wilson (Aberystwyth, Cymru) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Grave Mistake (St. Martin's Minotaur Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

First Marsh i've read in, oh, probably twentyfive years. I recall being a little unimpressed previously, which must be why i never went back to her. I am here to confirm, after this book, that i made a grave mistake in writing her off. More reviews of her work will doubtless feature here in the future, as i shall continue to read her. Like P.D. James, Marsh has the ability to create believable, likable or unlikable characters, and put them into situations in which they act and react properly. Also like James, she can create a nice twist in the tale. The mystery here is not as hard to penetrate as, for example, Christie at the height of her powers; nevertheless, it is terribly satisfying to know that i had figured out, along with Alleyn and Fox ~ the policemen involved ~ just who had killed whom and why. I love books in which the characters make me stop reading for a moment or two because i'm frustrated with what they've said or done, because it's so true and so annoying. This book made me do that several times, with several of the characters ~ Sybil Foster, the victim, Dr. Schramm, the man with a past ~ and this involuntary action is a tribute to the writing.

4.0 out of 5 stars Vivid Characters, August 15, 2010

By 

Nash Black "Troubadour" (Jamestown, KY) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Grave Mistake (Hardcover)

Vivid characters step off the page in Ngaio Marsh's GRAVE MISTAKE. Each fills his role till the last shovel of dirt is poured on his grave. From the premises that a too good character is always suspect it is rather easy to discover the killer, but the fascination arrives by watching how Ms. Marsh brings him to justice.
Dedicated hypochondriac Sybil Foster is murdered while a resident in her favorite health spa and her doctor is named the major recipient of the estate unless her daughter follows her instructions to marry into the peerage.
Superintendent Roderick Alleyn has a problem on his hands to find a way into the closed society of rural Kent until his wife's talent and fame paves his way.
A fine read at any time.
Nash Black, author of SINS OF THE FATHERS.