A Wreath for Rivera [Hardcover]

Ngaio Marsh (Author)

Product Details

• Hardcover
• Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (1944)
• ASIN: B000ZH22IQ
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Death of a Cad, March 8, 2005

By 

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

Lord Pastern and Bagott is England's most eccentric nobleman, egotistical, publicity hungry, and given to sudden and bizarre enthusiasms that tend to land him on the front page. His latest enthusiasm is to become a drummer with jazz band, and much to the horror of his long-suffering wife he manages to use his title to buy his way into one. In the process, however, his step-daughter Felicite falls for ultra-oily band member Carlos Rivera--and when Lord Pastern and Bagott and Carlos Rivera take to the stage the result is pure murder. Fortunately for all concerned, Inspector Alleyn happens to be in the audience at the time.

Ngaio Marsh is among the great masters of the British mystery novel, and her particular claim to fame is not so much in her plots as in her remarkable gift at creating character and setting. In WREATH FOR RIVERA she displays her ability to the full, peopling her novel with a host of memorable individuals and rushing the reader from the Pastern and Bagott household to a London night spot and back again. In this instance certain aspects of her plot are transparent, but she also handles the mystery quite well, and it will be the rare reader who spots the killer before Inspector Alleyn tells all.

Although WREATH FOR RIVERA is expertly written and in terms of plot may well be among Marsh's best efforts, I must admit that it is not among my favorites; like COLOUR SCHEME, which was written about the same time, the characters tend to emerge as extremely abrasive--cousins Carlisle and Edward are the exception--and in consequence it is less appealing than most of her other titles. Recommended nonetheless.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A very tricky murder mystery, September 26, 2002

By 

snowy "Lorne Vallen" (Singapore) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Wreath for Rivera (Mass Market Paperback)

No one would be expected to shed any tear when piano-accordionist Carlos Rivera was killed during a performance. His boss Breezy Bellairs could replace him. His team mates weren't too keen on him. Even his unofficial fiance Felicite De Suze seemed to have changed her mind about him just before the performance. To all appearances, Carlos was killed by a make-shift dart fired from a gun held by Lord George Pastern as part of the performance, minus the dart of course.

Inspector Alleyn happened to be among the spectators and of course, he was asked to take the lead in the investigation. It would be a tricky investigation. Lord Pastern was known to be eccentric and showy, changing hobbies like seasonal fashion. His wife had been determined to break off her daughter's facsination with Carlos, and Lady Pastern had roped in two relatives, Carlisle Wayne and Edward Manx, to support her.

Ngaio Marsh painted an almost comical family of misfits with the Pasterns and relatives. In all appearances, their interrelationship were critical to the solution of the mystery. However, this was where Marsh could not measure up to the other great mystery writers such as Sayers and Christie.

Her investigators went painstakingly over the details several times. However, experienced mystery readers would quickly be able to identify non-relevant details, which for some reason Marsh repeated in more than one chapter.

Her analysis were also not as brilliant. Evidently, the family members had turned to a magazine columnist known only as G.P.F. (Guide, Philosopher and Friend) for confidential advice. I had correctly deduced the true identity of G.P.F. while Marsh's Alleyn had been badly misled. Given the clues he had, how he could have jumped to the errornous conclusion was unforgivable.

The only saving grace, besides creating an interesting family such as the Pastern, was the murder was a real mystery worth reading.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Laurels for Ngaio, November 27, 2000

By 

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

This review is from: A Wreath for Rivera (Mass Market Paperback)

Probably Marsh's very best mystery plot. Underestimated by those looking for details on New Zealand or the theatrical world. Those who love good, traditional English mystery plots will love this one.