Photo Finish [Paperback]

Ngaio Marsh (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 15, 1983

Murder and mayhem strike when a small group of people are confined to an island in the middle of a New Zealand lake in one of Ngaio Marsh's last -- and best -- novels. The luxury mansion on New Zealand's Lake Waihoe was the ideal place for the world-famous soprano to rest after her triumphant tour. Chief Superintendent Alleyn and his wife were among the house guests -- but theirs was not a social visit. When tragedy struck, the peace of the island was shattered. With a houseful of suspects, now isolated by one of the lake's sudden storms, Alleyn was to face one of his trickiest cases...

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'Vintage Marsh -- presents a neat puzzle, sparkling writing and the civilized veneer that characterize most of her books.' NEW YORK TIMES 'If my other authors can write as well as this in celebration of their 80th birthday, the Crime Club list will be assured for a very long time to come.' ELIZABETH WALTER, Ngaio Marsh's editor 'A brilliant, vivacious teller of detective novels.' NEWS CHRONICLE 'The finest writer in the English language of the pure, classical puzzle whodunit. Among the crime queens, Ngaio Marsh stands out as an Empress.' THE SUN --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 she received what she called her 'damery' in 1966. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Jove (October 15, 1983)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0515075051
• ISBN-13: 978-0515075052
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,686,860 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Unusually Witty, December 5, 2001

By 

Gary F. Taylor "GFT" (Biloxi, MS USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Photo Finish (Mass Market Paperback)

Marsh was noted for her ability to draw memorable characters, and PHOTO FINISH is no exception, with the novel revolving around famous opera soprano "La Sommita"--an individual of such colorful bombast that her presence dominates both every one around her and the novel as a whole. Coaxed into assisting "La Sommita" when his artist wife is asked to paint her, Inspector Allen begins the case in an effort to track down a photographer who has made a career of photographing the diva in the most unflattering ways possible--and then selling the photographs to newspapers in cities where she is appearing. Upsetting for the diva--and extremely amusing for the reader--but is there actual danger afoot? There most certainly is, and once more Allen is called upon to investigate a particularly nasty murder, this time with possible Mafia connections. Some readers may spot the killer long before the inspector himself, but even so Marsh's vivid way with words makes PHOTO FINISH a vastly entertaining read.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Diva chews up the scenery, the score, young men, etc., April 28, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Photo Finish (Mass Market Paperback)

This book has another of those delicious, overwrought artists that are always so well-done by Marsh (she must have known many in her long career in the theater). In what's probably a take-off on the Maria Callas-Aristotle Onasis relationship, a dripping-rich magnate and a perpetually hysterical singer create the perfect setting for her genius on a remote island, where the murder occurs during (you guessed it) a storm that cuts the island off from civilization just long enough for Our Hero to figure out whodunit. Hey, that kind of thing still works for me. The improbable ending diappointed me a little, but that's hardly a criticism in the genre, and it's a darn good read anyway.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Modern Mystery, Modern Issues, June 20, 2001

By 

Tracy Davis (California, United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Photo Finish (Mass Market Paperback)

In Ngaio Marsh's "Photo Finish", Inspector Alleyn travels to Marsh's back yard -- New Zealand -- to consult with an Opera diva who is being stalked by a mysterious photographer. Unflattering photos of 'The Sommita', as she is known, have driven her -- as well as her 'patron' and his staff -- to distraction. Alleyn, along with his artist wife, Agatha Troy (who is to paint a portrait of the singer), journey to a remote island hideaway where murder -- no surprise -- quickly occurs. Marsh peppers the story with well-drawn characters: a young composer, surly Italian servants, mysterious millionaire...but frankly, I guessed who the murderer was early on, as well as the motive. The novel is still enjoyable, but other Alleyn mysteries are more exciting and more, well, 'mysterious'.