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Title details for Death of a Fool by Ngaio Marsh - Available

Death of a Fool

#19 in series

by Ngaio Marsh
Wanda McCaddon
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
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1 of 1 copy available

A ritual dance becomes a murderous mambo...

The village of South Mardian always observes the winter solstice with an ancient, mystical sword dance, complete with costumed performers. But for one of them, the excitement proves too heady, and his decapitation turns the fertility rite into a pageant of death. Now Inspector Roderick Alleyn must penetrate not only the mysteries of folklore but the secrets and sins of an eccentric group that includes a surly blacksmith, a domineering dowager, and a not-so-simple village idiot.

From her first book in 1934 to her final volume just before her death in 1982, Ngaio Marsh's work has remained legendary and is often compared to that of Agatha Christie, Margery Allingham, and Dorothy L. Sayers. So sit back, draw the curtains, lock the doors, and put yourself in the hands of the Grande Dame of detective novels.

  • Creators

  • Series

    Rodderick Alleyn

  • Publisher

  • Awards

  • Release date

    March 22, 2005

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9781481579131
      • File size: 257411 KB
      • Duration: 08:56:16

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Ancient ritual and murder combine for a romp through merry old England. Nadia May's narration covers territory throughout Britain and Germany. She enlivens an eccentric cast of characters led by the town matriarch, a crotchety old blacksmith, and the village idiot. As a folklore connoisseur delves a little too deeply into local tradition, a fertility rite turns into a ceremony of death. May's narration soars as the granddaughter of the deceased practices vocal exercises and further complicates matters with her romantic entanglement and family history. Before Inspector Roderick Alleyn gets his man, misogyny, greed, and the mysteries of folklore are revealed. J.J.B. (c) AudioFile 2002, Portland, Maine
    • Library Journal

      August 12, 2002
      The Dance of the Five Sons has been performed at the winter solstice for over 200 years. William (a.k.a "The Guiser") Andersen, the village blacksmith, maintains the old traditions, vigorously rehearsing his sons in their accustomed roles. This year the Guiser's never-before-seen granddaughter has come for a visit. Another newcomer is Mrs. Bonz, the morris dance fanatic; her relentless questions and constant snooping are annoying the whole village. Even worse, Ernie, the youngest Andersen brother, has become dissatisfied with his customary role. Still, the performance goes on as usual, at least until the finale. The Guiser's character is supposed to rise from the dead; instead, he is discovered with his head cut off. Scotland Yard detective superintendent Roderick Alleyn is called in, investigates, and, as always, solves the case. Alas, the descriptions are excessively long and tedious. Even Nadia May's flexible voice and expert reading cannot impart interest to the rather wooden detective and his scanty deductive processes. Fortunately, the supporting characters, while stereotypical, radiate warmth and charm. Death of a Fool may be one of the worst books ever written by this first-class mystery author. Recommended for moderate to large libraries with a strong demand for classic mysteries. I. Pour-El, Des Moines Area Community Coll., Boone, IA

      Copyright 2002 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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