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Overture to Death (The Alleyn Mysteries) [Paperback]

Ngaio Marsh (Author)

4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews) |

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Product Details

Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Harper Collins (1990)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0006167594
ISBN-13: 978-0006167594
Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.4 x 0.8 inches
Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces

Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)

Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,960,781 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

11 Reviews

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

Average Customer Review

4.1 out of 5 stars (11 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars howlingly funny - marsh at her best, September 6, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Overture To Death (Dead Letter Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

For Ngaio Marsh fans, this book is a must. The usual deft and scathing descriptions of small-town characters had me rolling on the floor. I can never play the Rachmaninoff opening bars again without collapsing in laughter. Tight plot, smoothly balanced progression to a classic Marsh finish. The book includes a sweet romantic sub-plot, handled nicely. Beware, if you are particularly sensitive about remarks that make fun of spinsters, you may not find this book as funny as I did.

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Deadly Rachmaninov, November 27, 2000

c. john evans (Northport, AL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Overture To Death (Dead Letter Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

Death by a Rachmaninov Prelude is surely one of Marsh's most inspired murder methods. In addition, we have a great village setting, a good mystery plot and Marsh's typical wit. For Christie fans unfamiliar with Marsh, this one is a great introduction.

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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Marsh Mystery I've Read (so far)!, June 28, 2000

MK Writer "hedwig_owl" (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Overture To Death (Dead Letter Mysteries) (Mass Market Paperback)

Overture to Death is Marsh's best for a few reasons: 1) The background of the murder (English village life) is extremely well drawn. 2) The characters are so well-defined, you feel as if you know them. 3) The method of murder is the cleverest I've seen yet, from Dame Marsh, and is completely plausible. One of the reasons that people look down on mystery novels, is that often they are about plot with scant attention paid to the literary aspects. Not so with Ngaio Marsh.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars a very slow start
Those familiar with Ngaio Marsh and her Roderick Alleyn novels know that her writing style isn't the frenzied roller-coaster ride so popular today. Read more

Published 10 months ago by Miss Ivonne

4.0 out of 5 stars English Village Murder
Scotland Yard's Inspector Rodrick Alleyn is called in to investigate the clever murder of Idris Campanula. Read more

Published 18 months ago by Nash Black

2.0 out of 5 stars An unfair, cruel attack against a fellow author; not a great read
In many ways, "Overture to Death" is a typical early Marsh mystery. Alleyn, with the help of his assistant, Inspector Fox, and his Watson, Nigel Bathgate, is called in by an... Read more

Published 19 months ago by Charlene Vickers

5.0 out of 5 stars Listening to the Unabridged Version of Overture to Death
I'm uncertain exactly where to locate a review of the unabridged audio version of the book but this seems about as good a place as any. Read more

Published 20 months ago by drkhimxz

5.0 out of 5 stars One of her best
I have read about a dozen Marsh mysteries and found this to be among her best, for several reasons. The characters are distinct, some almost Dickensian in quality. Read more

Published on February 14, 2009 by Lawyer

4.0 out of 5 stars Punny title--4.5 stars
Marsh introduces Nigel Bathgate (my favorite supporting character with the possible exception of Agatha Troy) in this book (and Troy by the device of a letter--similar to some of... Read more

Published on February 1, 2009 by Neal J. Pollock

4.0 out of 5 stars No One writes a puzzle mystery like Ms. Marsh.
Ms. Marsh is definitely one of the top writers of the classic English puzzle mystery, and this book bears that out. Read more

Published on August 10, 2004 by S. Schwartz

4.0 out of 5 stars Top of the genre.
An example of Marsh at her best (although not in the top 5, hence the 4 star rating) it contains every element that's wonderful about the Inspector Alleyn series. Read more

Published on October 19, 2003 by frumiousb

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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!

Inside This Book (learn more)
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First Sentence:
JOCELYN JERNIGHAM was a good name. Read the first page

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
prompt corner, top lane, gravelled path, soft pedal, church lane, parish hall

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Miss Prentice, Miss Campanula, Eleanor Prentice, Idris Campanula, Dinah Copeland, Selia Ross, Miss Wright, Miss Copeland, Sergeant Roper, Georgie Biggins, Great Chipping, Henry Jernigham, Gladys Wright, Good Lord, Miss Dinah, Brer Fox, Inspector Fox, Master Henry, Venetian Suite, Jernigham Arms, Scotland Yard, Reading Circle, Jocelyn Jernigham, Duck Cottage, Good God

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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!

Citations (learn more)

This book cites 4 books:

What Of by Skip Fox on page 318
Final Curtain by Ngaio Marsh in Front Matter
Death of a Peer (Dead Letter Mysteries) by Ngaio Marsh in Front Matter
The Ball and the Cross by G. K. Chesterton on page 196

35 books cite this book:

on 4 pages
Light Thickens by Ngaio Marsh in Front Matter, and Back Matter
Spinsters in Jeopardy by Ngaio Marsh in Front Matter (1), and Front Matter (2)
Killer Dolphin by Ngaio Marsh in Front Matter, and Back Matter
A Wreath for Rivera by Ngaio Marsh in Front Matter (1), and Front Matter (2)

See all 35 books citing this book

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