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Roderick Alleyn #12
Colour Scheme
Often regarded as her most interesting book and set on New Zealand's North Island, Ngaio Marsh herself considered this to be her best-written novel. It was a horrible death -- Maurice Questing was lured into a pool of boiling mud and left there to die. Chief Inspector Roderick Alleyn, far from home on a wartime quest for German agents, knew that any number of people could have killed him: the English exiles he'd hated, the New Zealanders he'd despised or the Maoris he'd insulted. Even the spies he'd thwarted -- if he wasn't a spy himself!
314 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1943
304 people are currently reading
1,234 people want to read
About the author
Ngaio Marsh
202Ìýbooks782ÌýfollowersDame Ngaio Marsh, born Edith Ngaio Marsh, was a New Zealand crime writer and theatre director. There is some uncertainty over her birth date as her father neglected to register her birth until 1900, but she was born in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand.
Of all the "Great Ladies" of the English mystery's golden age, including Margery Allingham, Agatha Christie, and Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh alone survived to publish in the 1980s. Over a fifty-year span, from 1932 to 1982, Marsh wrote thirty-two classic English detective novels, which gained international acclaim. She did not always see herself as a writer, but first planned a career as a painter.
Marsh's first novel, A MAN LAY DEAD (1934), which she wrote in London in 1931-32, introduced the detective Inspector Roderick Alleyn: a combination of Sayers's Lord Peter Wimsey and a realistically depicted police official at work. Throughout the 1930s Marsh painted occasionally, wrote plays for local repertory societies in New Zealand, and published detective novels. In 1937 Marsh went to England for a period. Before going back to her home country, she spent six months travelling about Europe.
All her novels feature British CID detective Roderick Alleyn. Several novels feature Marsh's other loves, the theatre and painting. A number are set around theatrical productions (Enter a Murderer, Vintage Murder, Overture to Death, Opening Night, Death at the Dolphin, and Light Thickens), and two others are about actors off stage (Final Curtain and False Scent). Her short story "'I Can Find My Way Out" is also set around a theatrical production and is the earlier "Jupiter case" referred to in Opening Night. Alleyn marries a painter, Agatha Troy, whom he meets during an investigation (Artists in Crime), and who features in several later novels.
Series:
*
Of all the "Great Ladies" of the English mystery's golden age, including Margery Allingham, Agatha Christie, and Dorothy L. Sayers, Ngaio Marsh alone survived to publish in the 1980s. Over a fifty-year span, from 1932 to 1982, Marsh wrote thirty-two classic English detective novels, which gained international acclaim. She did not always see herself as a writer, but first planned a career as a painter.
Marsh's first novel, A MAN LAY DEAD (1934), which she wrote in London in 1931-32, introduced the detective Inspector Roderick Alleyn: a combination of Sayers's Lord Peter Wimsey and a realistically depicted police official at work. Throughout the 1930s Marsh painted occasionally, wrote plays for local repertory societies in New Zealand, and published detective novels. In 1937 Marsh went to England for a period. Before going back to her home country, she spent six months travelling about Europe.
All her novels feature British CID detective Roderick Alleyn. Several novels feature Marsh's other loves, the theatre and painting. A number are set around theatrical productions (Enter a Murderer, Vintage Murder, Overture to Death, Opening Night, Death at the Dolphin, and Light Thickens), and two others are about actors off stage (Final Curtain and False Scent). Her short story "'I Can Find My Way Out" is also set around a theatrical production and is the earlier "Jupiter case" referred to in Opening Night. Alleyn marries a painter, Agatha Troy, whom he meets during an investigation (Artists in Crime), and who features in several later novels.
Series:
*
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 291 reviews
June 26, 2020
I was a bit disappointed by this mystery, as the other three in the collection had been so wonderful�
My main problem with this book was that there wasn’t a single character I liked. And I understand that even though you’re not supposed to like them, I am a happier reader when at least one character appeals to me in some way. It was also clear from the beginning of the book who was going to die. As is usual with Marsh, it took a while for it to happen but as I knew who it was this time, it was boring to wait for it to happen. Half the fun of her mysteries is figuring out who will be the victim, and then who did it.
Which is the other thing� I was able to predict who had done it. I didn’t predict how, but it did deflate my excitement for the mystery. Which is a large percentage of the fun in reading this genre.
The things that I liked were the fact that this murder mystery was set in New Zealand. It felt refreshing to have a new city like this one, and one we don’t get to see often too! There was also mention of the natives on the island and they were included in the story. I liked having that representation as well.
But the hugest problem for me had to be the female portrayal. There was one young female in this book who was single and basically eligible. A series of men threw themselves at her, but even in the process of doing that none of their reasons felt believable. They all seemed to be thinking of an idea of her and not who she was. And for the most part, they scolded her, or treated her like a child, or played with her emotions. None of which I was okay with.
So, in the end, this book did have some faults. But it isn’t necessarily a bad mystery per se. It was just that I was able to see some things coming. If you manage to read this one without predicting anything, I think you will enjoy it a lot more than I did!
This review and others can originally be found on Olivia's Catastrophe:
My main problem with this book was that there wasn’t a single character I liked. And I understand that even though you’re not supposed to like them, I am a happier reader when at least one character appeals to me in some way. It was also clear from the beginning of the book who was going to die. As is usual with Marsh, it took a while for it to happen but as I knew who it was this time, it was boring to wait for it to happen. Half the fun of her mysteries is figuring out who will be the victim, and then who did it.
Which is the other thing� I was able to predict who had done it. I didn’t predict how, but it did deflate my excitement for the mystery. Which is a large percentage of the fun in reading this genre.
The things that I liked were the fact that this murder mystery was set in New Zealand. It felt refreshing to have a new city like this one, and one we don’t get to see often too! There was also mention of the natives on the island and they were included in the story. I liked having that representation as well.
But the hugest problem for me had to be the female portrayal. There was one young female in this book who was single and basically eligible. A series of men threw themselves at her, but even in the process of doing that none of their reasons felt believable. They all seemed to be thinking of an idea of her and not who she was. And for the most part, they scolded her, or treated her like a child, or played with her emotions. None of which I was okay with.
So, in the end, this book did have some faults. But it isn’t necessarily a bad mystery per se. It was just that I was able to see some things coming. If you manage to read this one without predicting anything, I think you will enjoy it a lot more than I did!
This review and others can originally be found on Olivia's Catastrophe:
November 13, 2018
This is the twelfth Inspector Alleyn mystery, although Inspector Alleyn does not feature until fairly late in the novel.
Published in 1943, this is more of a spy story than a murder mystery. It is set in New Zealand, in a hot springs resort, run by Colonel Edward Claire, his wife, Agnes, and their grown children, Barbara and Simon. Among those staying at the resort are Dr James Ackrington, brother of Agnes, and the objectionable Mr Maurice Questing. Colonel Claire owes money to Questing, who is threatening to take over the springs and throw the Claire’s out. As well as these threats, Questing is suspected, by some of the others, of indulging in espionage.
Into this strange mix of characters comes Geoffrey Gaunt, a Shakespearian actor, his secretary and valet. Before long, arguments are brewing, Barbara is causing a lot of male confusion and one of the party goes missing�
Of course, Ngaio Marsh was from New Zealand, and there is much about the Maori’s in this novel, which is very interesting. Her other loves being art and the theatre, she does manage to get, at least, the theatre into this novel, with Mr Gaunt. Both Gaunt, and Dr Ackrington, are irascible and the various characters flare up into almost constant arguments and conflict. I must admit that certain parts of the plot were a little obvious to me and I was not that keen on this mystery. However, generally, I am enjoying Ngaio Marsh and her wonderful Inspector Alleyn, and I do intend to read on.
Rated 3.5
Published in 1943, this is more of a spy story than a murder mystery. It is set in New Zealand, in a hot springs resort, run by Colonel Edward Claire, his wife, Agnes, and their grown children, Barbara and Simon. Among those staying at the resort are Dr James Ackrington, brother of Agnes, and the objectionable Mr Maurice Questing. Colonel Claire owes money to Questing, who is threatening to take over the springs and throw the Claire’s out. As well as these threats, Questing is suspected, by some of the others, of indulging in espionage.
Into this strange mix of characters comes Geoffrey Gaunt, a Shakespearian actor, his secretary and valet. Before long, arguments are brewing, Barbara is causing a lot of male confusion and one of the party goes missing�
Of course, Ngaio Marsh was from New Zealand, and there is much about the Maori’s in this novel, which is very interesting. Her other loves being art and the theatre, she does manage to get, at least, the theatre into this novel, with Mr Gaunt. Both Gaunt, and Dr Ackrington, are irascible and the various characters flare up into almost constant arguments and conflict. I must admit that certain parts of the plot were a little obvious to me and I was not that keen on this mystery. However, generally, I am enjoying Ngaio Marsh and her wonderful Inspector Alleyn, and I do intend to read on.
Rated 3.5
May 2, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. A combination of crime and spying set in a New Zealand hot springs setting. A genteel English immigrant family struggling to survive in 1943. Maurice Questing an unlikeable businessman who is planning to call in his loan and take over the hot springs. Mr Gaunt a famous shallow Shakespearean actor goes to the springs for his health and with his secretary Dikon and Colly his dresser. Barbara the attractive daughter of the owners provides the love interest.
Ships are sunk off the coast by enemy submarine. Questing is seen on the volcano at night doing suspicious activities it appears he is not up to any good. Could he be a spy?
Beside the Hot Springs is a Maori reserve with legends of buried treasure on the extinct volcano where the dead were buried and is tapu or sacred. Septimus Falls the other guest takes control when the murder occurs. Not a pleasant way to die as well! Overall not the best Marsh novel I have read but entertaining and I deduced who was the murderer.
One bugbear Maori is singular and plural. There is no such word as Maoris.
Ships are sunk off the coast by enemy submarine. Questing is seen on the volcano at night doing suspicious activities it appears he is not up to any good. Could he be a spy?
Beside the Hot Springs is a Maori reserve with legends of buried treasure on the extinct volcano where the dead were buried and is tapu or sacred. Septimus Falls the other guest takes control when the murder occurs. Not a pleasant way to die as well! Overall not the best Marsh novel I have read but entertaining and I deduced who was the murderer.
One bugbear Maori is singular and plural. There is no such word as Maoris.
October 30, 2019
I like Ngaio Marsh's mysteries in a lukewarm sort of way. They are not as mind-bending as Dame Agatha's, nor literary like those of Dorothy Sayers or P. D. James. However, they are very old-world and cosy; eminently readable; and Roderick Alleyn is a likeable sleuth. And in almost all of them, you can find elements of Shakespearean drama - a result of the author's long love affair with the stage, no doubt - and the plots themselves are inherently dramatic.
This novel is set, not in England, but Dame Ngaio's very own New Zealand. Colonel Edward Claire and his wife Agnes are running a sort of spa near a clutch of sulphurous springs, bathing in which is supposed to cure skin and muscular ailments. It is located near a Maori reservation, with their own tapu (taboo) sacred ground; also, there are boiling pools which mean sure death if one steps into them by mistake.
The good colonel and his wife are clueless in the running of a commercial establishment. The presence of Agnes's irascible brother Dr. James Ackrington, their uncouth daughter Barbara, rebellious son Simon, and the alcoholic Albert Smith as general handyman adds to the pandemonium. To make things worse, there is the insufferable Maurice Questing, who has a financial hold over Colonel Claire and is planning to acquire the spa and Barbara too, as a bonus.
Into this potpourri arrives Geoffrey Gaunt, the stage legend with his secretary Dikon Bell and servant Alfred Colly; also the mysterious Septimus Falls. The Maori chief Rua Te Kahu, his great-grandchild Huia (who is a servant at the spa), and the half-caste Eru Saul complete the dramatis personnae.
It is wartime - and the presence of fifth columnists are suspected: a suspicion reinforced by the sinking of Allied ships off the New Zealand coast. Simon is sure that Questing is the spy, while the Maoris suspect him of being involved in stealing their artifacts. So when in proper whodunit tradition, this obnoxious character gets bumped off by being lured into a boiling pool towards the middle of the narrative, everyone is a suspect...
...Until the sleuth unveils the face of the murderer dramatically at the end, that is.
***
As whodunits go, this one is rather simplistic. The final twist, the one clue which makes sense of a whole lot of puzzling incidents, and which allows the reader to see things in a new light, is clever - but it can be guessed with a little effort. What stood out for me, however, was the backdrop of New Zealand, her wild natural beauty and her fascinating aboriginal culture: something which we rarely encounter in mysteries, as they are usually set in British or American towns and villages. For that alone, this novel is worth reading.
This novel is set, not in England, but Dame Ngaio's very own New Zealand. Colonel Edward Claire and his wife Agnes are running a sort of spa near a clutch of sulphurous springs, bathing in which is supposed to cure skin and muscular ailments. It is located near a Maori reservation, with their own tapu (taboo) sacred ground; also, there are boiling pools which mean sure death if one steps into them by mistake.
The good colonel and his wife are clueless in the running of a commercial establishment. The presence of Agnes's irascible brother Dr. James Ackrington, their uncouth daughter Barbara, rebellious son Simon, and the alcoholic Albert Smith as general handyman adds to the pandemonium. To make things worse, there is the insufferable Maurice Questing, who has a financial hold over Colonel Claire and is planning to acquire the spa and Barbara too, as a bonus.
Into this potpourri arrives Geoffrey Gaunt, the stage legend with his secretary Dikon Bell and servant Alfred Colly; also the mysterious Septimus Falls. The Maori chief Rua Te Kahu, his great-grandchild Huia (who is a servant at the spa), and the half-caste Eru Saul complete the dramatis personnae.
It is wartime - and the presence of fifth columnists are suspected: a suspicion reinforced by the sinking of Allied ships off the New Zealand coast. Simon is sure that Questing is the spy, while the Maoris suspect him of being involved in stealing their artifacts. So when in proper whodunit tradition, this obnoxious character gets bumped off by being lured into a boiling pool towards the middle of the narrative, everyone is a suspect...
...Until the sleuth unveils the face of the murderer dramatically at the end, that is.
***
As whodunits go, this one is rather simplistic. The final twist, the one clue which makes sense of a whole lot of puzzling incidents, and which allows the reader to see things in a new light, is clever - but it can be guessed with a little effort. What stood out for me, however, was the backdrop of New Zealand, her wild natural beauty and her fascinating aboriginal culture: something which we rarely encounter in mysteries, as they are usually set in British or American towns and villages. For that alone, this novel is worth reading.
January 14, 2019
Hard to write a review after the miserable ending I simply abhorred. The majority of the book was a very entertaining read, however.
Within the first 43 pages or so I was in hysterics and glad no one was around to hear me hooting. The characters Dame Marsh populated this book with are gems. She also placed the action in New Zealand, her home ground, and included interactions with the Maori, all adding interest to the story.
It all starts in wartime with a family of "genteel" Brits tired of life in India deciding to take a chance on something new and opening a Mud-Bath Spa. The father is a Colonel, mother is set on proprieties, daughter is sheltered and shy and son is independent and snarky. Another resident is the mother's brother, a hilariously irascible retired doctor. Dr. Ackrington has all the best lines.
Among the guests visiting the Spa is a well-known British Shakespearean actor with his dresser and secretary.
A nefarious type looms over the tranquility of the resort, a man who made a loan to the Colonel some years ago with the intention of taking over the business when the man could not repay the loan. He becomes a focus for many looking for a spy that signaled from their hillside prior to ships sinking in the sea below.
I do know there were television productions in New Zealand of some of these Alleyn books including this one, but it does not appear to be available any longer.
Within the first 43 pages or so I was in hysterics and glad no one was around to hear me hooting. The characters Dame Marsh populated this book with are gems. She also placed the action in New Zealand, her home ground, and included interactions with the Maori, all adding interest to the story.
It all starts in wartime with a family of "genteel" Brits tired of life in India deciding to take a chance on something new and opening a Mud-Bath Spa. The father is a Colonel, mother is set on proprieties, daughter is sheltered and shy and son is independent and snarky. Another resident is the mother's brother, a hilariously irascible retired doctor. Dr. Ackrington has all the best lines.
Among the guests visiting the Spa is a well-known British Shakespearean actor with his dresser and secretary.
A nefarious type looms over the tranquility of the resort, a man who made a loan to the Colonel some years ago with the intention of taking over the business when the man could not repay the loan. He becomes a focus for many looking for a spy that signaled from their hillside prior to ships sinking in the sea below.
I do know there were television productions in New Zealand of some of these Alleyn books including this one, but it does not appear to be available any longer.
September 22, 2021
I have always enjoyed Marsh's books. Her detective, Roderick Alleyn is educated, sophisticated, low-key and smart as a whip. But this book doesn't live up to my expectations and Alleyn doesn't appear until almost the end of the story .
The story takes place on the North Island of New Zealand (the author's home country), and the setting is interesting but as another reviewer said, I can't stand the characters. Are there really people like that all in one place? The murder occurs late in the book and the build up is slow and doesn't seem to be going anywhere. Disappointing and not my cup of tea.
The story takes place on the North Island of New Zealand (the author's home country), and the setting is interesting but as another reviewer said, I can't stand the characters. Are there really people like that all in one place? The murder occurs late in the book and the build up is slow and doesn't seem to be going anywhere. Disappointing and not my cup of tea.
January 30, 2020
On second read.
She got me. She totally got me. And I can't even tell you the details of how she did it because it would spoil everything that I enjoyed about this book.
I know I've read it before but I think it was only my 2nd or 3rd Marsh so on first read I didn't have any expectations as to how it should go. On second read, having read a bunch of Marsh by now, I had expectations. And she used those expectations to bamboozle me. Masterfully.
Characters were just as colorful as I remember, like Simon, who is unable to speak in anything but a "truculent roar." Even inanimate objects have character, like armchairs that belong to the Claires, the European family who owns a hot springs hotel in New Zealand, sitting in a Maori meeting house "looking mildly astonished at their own transplantation." And the landscape. Now that I've seen the landscape of this area in person, her descriptions make so much more sense, which I guess can be considered a negative review since on first read, she couldn't make the place come alive for me with words alone. But in her defense, that landscape rather defies description. "Rangi's Peak was a clear blue. The trees on its flank looked as if they had been blobbed down by a water-colorist with a full and generous brush. The hill by the spring basked in the sun and high above it the voices of larks reached that pinnacle of shrillness that floats on the outer margin of human perception. The air seemed to hold the rumour of notes rather than an actual song. "
So entertaining.
FIRST READ
Another Marsh cozy. I love these things for many reasons; I enjoy mystery and WWII era behavior and mores and Brits. But the real reason I keep returning to Marsh is this; consider how she introduces the character of Maurice Questing;
"Maurice Questing was about fifty years old and so much a type that a casual observer would have found it difficult to describe him. He appeared in triplicate at private bars, hotel lounges, business meetings and race-courses. His features were blurred and thick, his eyes sharp. His clothes always looked expensive and new. His speech, both in accent and in choice of words, was an affair of mass production rather than selection. Yet though he was as voluble as a radio advertiser, shooting out his machine-turned phrases in a loud voice, and with a great air of assurance, every word he uttered seemed synthetic and quite unrelated to his thoughts."
A wordsmith if there ever was one. And, again, the murder almost seems unnecessary (in this one, it doesn't happen until almost half-way through) as one is so taken with the character studies and the chemistry of relationships.
I recommend that you pick these small masterpieces up at your local used bookstore when you see them and save them for a rainy day or an afternoon on the beach. Wonderful stuff.
She got me. She totally got me. And I can't even tell you the details of how she did it because it would spoil everything that I enjoyed about this book.
I know I've read it before but I think it was only my 2nd or 3rd Marsh so on first read I didn't have any expectations as to how it should go. On second read, having read a bunch of Marsh by now, I had expectations. And she used those expectations to bamboozle me. Masterfully.
Characters were just as colorful as I remember, like Simon, who is unable to speak in anything but a "truculent roar." Even inanimate objects have character, like armchairs that belong to the Claires, the European family who owns a hot springs hotel in New Zealand, sitting in a Maori meeting house "looking mildly astonished at their own transplantation." And the landscape. Now that I've seen the landscape of this area in person, her descriptions make so much more sense, which I guess can be considered a negative review since on first read, she couldn't make the place come alive for me with words alone. But in her defense, that landscape rather defies description. "Rangi's Peak was a clear blue. The trees on its flank looked as if they had been blobbed down by a water-colorist with a full and generous brush. The hill by the spring basked in the sun and high above it the voices of larks reached that pinnacle of shrillness that floats on the outer margin of human perception. The air seemed to hold the rumour of notes rather than an actual song. "
So entertaining.
FIRST READ
Another Marsh cozy. I love these things for many reasons; I enjoy mystery and WWII era behavior and mores and Brits. But the real reason I keep returning to Marsh is this; consider how she introduces the character of Maurice Questing;
"Maurice Questing was about fifty years old and so much a type that a casual observer would have found it difficult to describe him. He appeared in triplicate at private bars, hotel lounges, business meetings and race-courses. His features were blurred and thick, his eyes sharp. His clothes always looked expensive and new. His speech, both in accent and in choice of words, was an affair of mass production rather than selection. Yet though he was as voluble as a radio advertiser, shooting out his machine-turned phrases in a loud voice, and with a great air of assurance, every word he uttered seemed synthetic and quite unrelated to his thoughts."
A wordsmith if there ever was one. And, again, the murder almost seems unnecessary (in this one, it doesn't happen until almost half-way through) as one is so taken with the character studies and the chemistry of relationships.
I recommend that you pick these small masterpieces up at your local used bookstore when you see them and save them for a rainy day or an afternoon on the beach. Wonderful stuff.
June 7, 2012
What passes for mediocre is better than the best from many mystery writers. This isn't the worst that Miss Marsh penned. (That dubious honor must go to the plodding .) But Colour Scheme suffers from one of the same setbacks: Inspector Alleyn isn't introduced until too late in the novel. (Actually, I didn't realize he was in the novel until late in the 11th chapter!) The description of Rotorua on the North Island was enchanting; I loved learning about the Maoris and the thermal springs. However, the Claires were stereotypical Poms and the resolution to the mystery wasn't very plausible. Colour Scheme simply doesn't rank with Marsh's better works, such as , , or .
Most readers will prefer the very next novel Ngaio Marsh wrote, , which is likewise set in New Zealand. It provides a different glimpse into the country, this time at life on New Zealand's sheep stations, but the story is more absorbing and more lively, and, happily, Inspector Alleyn in introduced right from the start. The latter, by itself, is enough to make all the difference!
Most readers will prefer the very next novel Ngaio Marsh wrote, , which is likewise set in New Zealand. It provides a different glimpse into the country, this time at life on New Zealand's sheep stations, but the story is more absorbing and more lively, and, happily, Inspector Alleyn in introduced right from the start. The latter, by itself, is enough to make all the difference!
February 14, 2019
2019 Reread
This one worked better on reread. The New Zealand setting is novel. The characters are fairly interesting. The secondary romance is reasonably well developed. I wish Alleyn had showed up a bit earlier, but it's not as bad as some. Not my favourite, but unique enough to be readable.
2016
I'm beginning to think I'm being unfair to Ngaio Marsh. From time to time, I'm annoyed with her for not being Dorothy Sayers, but why should she be? She's a perfectly good mystery writer, even if I don't love her as I do Sayers. That's hardly her fault, given the subjective nature of story.
I told myself for the first two thirds of this, that I didn't like it very well. Except that I finished it in less than a day, and seem to be devouring this series.
Look, it's not perfect. There's the requisite case of insta-love that seems to crop up in so many of these, although this one is relatively well done and kind of interesting. But upon reflection, the reason that I think I resent the frequent cases of insta-love related to the case is not the improbability of so many random couples falling in love over the course of a murder investigation and the related improbability of so many relationships formed under such extreme circumstances lasting, but rather that the cases of insta-love are not the relationship I want to hear about. In my heart of hearts, I'm convinced that Alleyn and Troy's relationship is probably more interesting, and that is rarely discussed. I think I resent the relationships-of-the-case, because the other is apparently happening off-page.
As is often the case with Marsh, the victim was fairly universally hated. Although, in the end, he actually wasn't quite as terrible as he was made out to be by everyone (he was still fairly terrible - ).
But there were also multiple discussions of Shakespeare. And I realized near the end that the only reason I hated the victim so much was that I had developed a fondness for the central family fairly early on. Which is probably a sign of good writing/character development.
Also, I like Alleyn's role in this, even if he doesn't show up until midway through.
And I really liked the New Zealand setting. I don't think I'd read any books set in New Zealand before Marsh. I like this one. I like how the Maori are characterized. I like how she treats the country. And to be honest, I'd never given a thought to what it would have been like in New Zealand during WWII until now. My suspicion is now that it was somewhat like Canada, except that events in the Pacific were rather more prominent.
So, you know what? This is really quite a good mystery novel.
This one worked better on reread. The New Zealand setting is novel. The characters are fairly interesting. The secondary romance is reasonably well developed. I wish Alleyn had showed up a bit earlier, but it's not as bad as some. Not my favourite, but unique enough to be readable.
2016
I'm beginning to think I'm being unfair to Ngaio Marsh. From time to time, I'm annoyed with her for not being Dorothy Sayers, but why should she be? She's a perfectly good mystery writer, even if I don't love her as I do Sayers. That's hardly her fault, given the subjective nature of story.
I told myself for the first two thirds of this, that I didn't like it very well. Except that I finished it in less than a day, and seem to be devouring this series.
Look, it's not perfect. There's the requisite case of insta-love that seems to crop up in so many of these, although this one is relatively well done and kind of interesting. But upon reflection, the reason that I think I resent the frequent cases of insta-love related to the case is not the improbability of so many random couples falling in love over the course of a murder investigation and the related improbability of so many relationships formed under such extreme circumstances lasting, but rather that the cases of insta-love are not the relationship I want to hear about. In my heart of hearts, I'm convinced that Alleyn and Troy's relationship is probably more interesting, and that is rarely discussed. I think I resent the relationships-of-the-case, because the other is apparently happening off-page.
As is often the case with Marsh, the victim was fairly universally hated. Although, in the end, he actually wasn't quite as terrible as he was made out to be by everyone (he was still fairly terrible - ).
But there were also multiple discussions of Shakespeare. And I realized near the end that the only reason I hated the victim so much was that I had developed a fondness for the central family fairly early on. Which is probably a sign of good writing/character development.
Also, I like Alleyn's role in this, even if he doesn't show up until midway through.
And I really liked the New Zealand setting. I don't think I'd read any books set in New Zealand before Marsh. I like this one. I like how the Maori are characterized. I like how she treats the country. And to be honest, I'd never given a thought to what it would have been like in New Zealand during WWII until now. My suspicion is now that it was somewhat like Canada, except that events in the Pacific were rather more prominent.
So, you know what? This is really quite a good mystery novel.
October 14, 2018
Many people have said that this isn't one of Marsh's better books, but I beg to disagree. Yes, Inspector Alleyn isn't introduced until late into the story, but if you read the blurb at all you'd already know that. And in this case, the character setup is almost more important than the investigation, so I think it would have suffered if there had been less of the secondary cast to begin with. I have to admit that the Claire family, including Uncle James, just about made me want to tear out my hair, but they were saved by the introduction of Dikon Bell. This book reminded me of the very first Alleyn story, which is told from the POV of Nigel Bathgate. In this one, Dikon Bell serves the same purpose but without any kind of ulterior motive (such as Bathgate's desire for a news story). But what I liked best about this one was that Marsh's love and understanding of New Zealand and the Maori culture absolutely shines through. It's in every word of every description having to do with the landscape and the people. It makes the Colonialism of the Claire family even harder to stomach, but for the time period it's probably very accurate, and possibly a bit of a lampoon. I recognized Alleyn as soon as he entered the story and enjoyed his part in it even more because he wasn't supposed to be himself this time. I don't give five stars readily, but this one deserves them. My main suggestion: don't read this book the same way you read other mysteries. Instead, revel in the atmosphere and sense of place that Marsh provides through her own love of New Zealand. I doubt that I'll ever be able to visit but I feel like I've seen a small part of it thanks to Ngaio Marsh.
January 20, 2021
After my enthusiasm for the last one I read in this series, I'm back to dim interest. The New Zealand setting was refreshing. The rest I found slow to get to the point while being tediously dramatic. I'll hope for more success with the next one.
August 25, 2018
Bla, bla, blither-blither blah. How very dull and dire.
At first it reads like a bad imitation of a Noel Coward society comedy, but none of the characters is remotely sympathetic, so it's just bad. For a moment I thought I had picked up . After that, Marsh takes us on a tour of her idea of spyland, but only from the outside. Nothing really happens until about halfway through the book, and what little of that goes on off the page. Tell not show. Once someone gets snuffed, investigation and all is wrapped up in about 48 hrs, thanks to the superior talents of Reinforcements from Back Home, in the shape of a particularly unconvincing Roderick Alleyn.
There's no humour in this installment, but a great deal of Empire classism, racism, sexism and uglyism, not helped by Marsh's feeble attempt to inject a little Ro-mance into the text at all the wrong moments. She's done the thing with the Maori mere before, and it added very little at all to the plot this time around.
Yawnfest. One star because I must. Even on audiobook, with a decent reader, I was just waiting for it to be over. Marsh is no Christie.
At first it reads like a bad imitation of a Noel Coward society comedy, but none of the characters is remotely sympathetic, so it's just bad. For a moment I thought I had picked up . After that, Marsh takes us on a tour of her idea of spyland, but only from the outside. Nothing really happens until about halfway through the book, and what little of that goes on off the page. Tell not show. Once someone gets snuffed, investigation and all is wrapped up in about 48 hrs, thanks to the superior talents of Reinforcements from Back Home, in the shape of a particularly unconvincing Roderick Alleyn.
There's no humour in this installment, but a great deal of Empire classism, racism, sexism and uglyism, not helped by Marsh's feeble attempt to inject a little Ro-mance into the text at all the wrong moments. She's done the thing with the Maori mere before, and it added very little at all to the plot this time around.
Yawnfest. One star because I must. Even on audiobook, with a decent reader, I was just waiting for it to be over. Marsh is no Christie.
April 5, 2025
I really enjoyed the plot on this one, but the reader on Audible kind of ruined it for me.
March 31, 2020
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The kind of story that's cleverer in retrospect than at the time of reading it. Far too much time elapses before the murder takes place (I hope this isn't becoming a theme for this series) and there aren't many genuine motives for it, but the solution really is table-turning stuff! The are lots of tolerably neurotic characters, some funny outbursts, and even a cute romance, but Marsh's proclamation that this was her best novel feels indicative of how artists never seem to agree with what their critics champion. More likely, the cultural aspect of this New Zealand-set story made it a very personal story for her, but it didn't fully work for me.
The kind of story that's cleverer in retrospect than at the time of reading it. Far too much time elapses before the murder takes place (I hope this isn't becoming a theme for this series) and there aren't many genuine motives for it, but the solution really is table-turning stuff! The are lots of tolerably neurotic characters, some funny outbursts, and even a cute romance, but Marsh's proclamation that this was her best novel feels indicative of how artists never seem to agree with what their critics champion. More likely, the cultural aspect of this New Zealand-set story made it a very personal story for her, but it didn't fully work for me.
December 22, 2018
Possibly Spoilerific....Read at your own risk if you have any desire to read Ngaio Marsh's mysteries.
So...the last time I read Ngaio Marsh's Colour Scheme (1946), I gave it a very unenthusiastic two stars. Unfortunately, I have to report that I still don't think much of it. If you'd like a review that goes a bit more in-depth, then please see my earlier review (). This time around, I'd just like to reiterate what a very long wait we have for A. the murder and B. for Alleyn to show up. And it's not like first-time readers are going to know that it's Alleyn when he does show up. Other than, obviously, the series says that it's all about Inspector Roderick Alleyn. When he does show up, there isn't the usual investigation. Quite honestly, most of the detective work goes on off-stage and the only point where alibis and what-not are examined is when the household gathers for a little pow-wow while the local police are off collecting clues or some such thing.
The best thing about the book is the way Marsh brings Maori culture and people into the story without making a major production of it. It's just there, so to speak, and the reader absorbs it along the way without having to think about it or be distracted by it too much. Her descriptions of the countryside are particularly good as well. And I do like the characters of Dikon Bell and Barbara Claire...as well s Barbara's uncle, Dr. Akrington, and his bickering relationship with his brother.
Currently, this is my lowest-rated Marsh book. I'm on a mission to reread her novels (most of them as part of the Ngaio Marsh Reading Challenge this year and next on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ), so we'll see if any others disappoint me in the future.
First posted on my blog .
So...the last time I read Ngaio Marsh's Colour Scheme (1946), I gave it a very unenthusiastic two stars. Unfortunately, I have to report that I still don't think much of it. If you'd like a review that goes a bit more in-depth, then please see my earlier review (). This time around, I'd just like to reiterate what a very long wait we have for A. the murder and B. for Alleyn to show up. And it's not like first-time readers are going to know that it's Alleyn when he does show up. Other than, obviously, the series says that it's all about Inspector Roderick Alleyn. When he does show up, there isn't the usual investigation. Quite honestly, most of the detective work goes on off-stage and the only point where alibis and what-not are examined is when the household gathers for a little pow-wow while the local police are off collecting clues or some such thing.
The best thing about the book is the way Marsh brings Maori culture and people into the story without making a major production of it. It's just there, so to speak, and the reader absorbs it along the way without having to think about it or be distracted by it too much. Her descriptions of the countryside are particularly good as well. And I do like the characters of Dikon Bell and Barbara Claire...as well s Barbara's uncle, Dr. Akrington, and his bickering relationship with his brother.
Currently, this is my lowest-rated Marsh book. I'm on a mission to reread her novels (most of them as part of the Ngaio Marsh Reading Challenge this year and next on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ), so we'll see if any others disappoint me in the future.
First posted on my blog .
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 15, 2011
One of the strongest of Marsh's books in terms of setting and culture. A New Zealand spa, built around a set of natural hot mud pools, is practically within shouting distance of a Maori village. The village leader, an ancient and retired Member of Parliament, is an endearing character who helps us see the endearing side of the awkward Claire family who run the spa.
Maurice Questing is so close to his goal of grabbing the spa away from the Claires that he is scouting for business. He entices Geoffrey Gaunt, star Shakespearean actor, into settling in for a cure in the mud pools. The ensuing scenes between Questing and the Claires and their staff provide enchanting entertainment for Gaunt -- until Questing goes too far, and everyone including the reader wants to kill him. Praise be, someone does at last. That's where it becomes too real for Gaunt. Ultimately all the characters are stripped of protective artifice.
This is a strong example of Marsh's talent, but I don't think I'm going to buy the audio. The atmosphere is pretty dark.
Maurice Questing is so close to his goal of grabbing the spa away from the Claires that he is scouting for business. He entices Geoffrey Gaunt, star Shakespearean actor, into settling in for a cure in the mud pools. The ensuing scenes between Questing and the Claires and their staff provide enchanting entertainment for Gaunt -- until Questing goes too far, and everyone including the reader wants to kill him. Praise be, someone does at last. That's where it becomes too real for Gaunt. Ultimately all the characters are stripped of protective artifice.
This is a strong example of Marsh's talent, but I don't think I'm going to buy the audio. The atmosphere is pretty dark.
August 2, 2018
Enjoyable murder mystery set during WW2 in New Zealand. The Claires are a decayed gentry family running a health spa at Wai-at a-tapu among hot springs and pools of boiling mud. Mrs Claire's irascible brother, Dr Ackrington, is convinced that the vulgar Mr Questing, a resident of Wai-ata-tapu,is a Nazi spy, and keeps writing to the authorities about him. A famous actor from England arrives to stay at the spa, accompanied by his long suffering secretary, and charms the Claires' gauche daughter, Barbara. BUt Mr Questing also has his eye on her. THings eventually come to boiling point.
there are some interesting characters in this story, and the descriptions of the extraordinary landscape are fascinating. HOwever, I guessed who the murderer was quite early on, and though I would have liked to be proved wrong, I wasn't. ACtually, I think this story would have been quite interesting even without a murder, which in any case doesn't occur until more than halfway through the book.
there are some interesting characters in this story, and the descriptions of the extraordinary landscape are fascinating. HOwever, I guessed who the murderer was quite early on, and though I would have liked to be proved wrong, I wasn't. ACtually, I think this story would have been quite interesting even without a murder, which in any case doesn't occur until more than halfway through the book.
August 21, 2018
12th inÌýthe Scotland Yard Chief Inspector Detective Roderick Alleyn series, though Alleyn only enters midway through and without Fox, Bailey, and the others on the Scotland Yard police force. This one's set in New Zealand at (fictional) Wai-ata-tapu Hot Springs spa and lodge in Harpoon Inlet, near the real town ofÌýRotorua on the North Island, a place teeming with geothermal activity and Maori culture (the Maoris are integral to the story). The spa is run by the hapless Claire family (parents, son, daughter, and brother/uncle), who from the start of the novel seem to variously resent, fear, suspect, and work to appease Maurice Questing, a businessman staying there. When he dies in horrifying circumstances, there's no lack of suspects. This wasn't a favourite for me, though I gather from online reviews that for many who've read the series, it is. The scenery is dramatic, but I prefer Alleyn throughout and in full police persona. Also, I figured out a key piece of the solution fairly early in the plot.
May 5, 2010
If I had not know going in that this was a murder mystery, I wouldn't have guessed it in the first half of the book. We meet various colorful characters at a spa in New Zealand, where they mostly bicker. Also there are some descriptions of the traditions of the local Maoris. The only hint of mystery is the conviction of some members of the family that owns the spa that someone, perhaps their unpleasant guest Questing, is an enemy spy and gave information leading to the recent torpedoing of a ship nearby.
Finally, two thirds of the way through, someone disappears on the way home at night and the police are called. Once that happens the usual detective stuff happens in short order: alibis and motives and examined and precise times of whereabouts and details about articles of clothing are checked, and soon everything is solved. The end. Very odd pacing.
Incidentally, my 1971 paperback says "100th anniversary edition," but the book was first published in 1943. Dunno.
Finally, two thirds of the way through, someone disappears on the way home at night and the police are called. Once that happens the usual detective stuff happens in short order: alibis and motives and examined and precise times of whereabouts and details about articles of clothing are checked, and soon everything is solved. The end. Very odd pacing.
Incidentally, my 1971 paperback says "100th anniversary edition," but the book was first published in 1943. Dunno.
May 20, 2018
This book is full of disagreeable people and hardly features Mr. Alleyn at all. It's extremely dated and hardly worthy of Ms. Marsh. It's got a dreadful attitude to the native New Zealand population, a hearty disrespect for the transplanted Britishers who one supposes are the protagonists, and the murder victim is a disgusting lecherous creep. Even the romance doesn't quite come off. The only saving grace is that I borrowed the audiobook from the library and so don't have to own it.
I continued to listen to the end because I am reading all of the Alleyn books in order, but I have to say you could totally skip this one. It doesn't further Roderick or Troy's story at all, except to tell one that Roderick is in NZ as part of his foreign office war work.
I continued to listen to the end because I am reading all of the Alleyn books in order, but I have to say you could totally skip this one. It doesn't further Roderick or Troy's story at all, except to tell one that Roderick is in NZ as part of his foreign office war work.
July 30, 2020
Colour Scheme certainly takes an entirely different path than earlier books in the series, but I credit this with preventing the routine of the police investigations from getting stale. We are transported to the lush and primordial landscape of rural New Zealand, where a motley band of characters gather together at a thermal spa resort. Tempers flare, personalities clash, and you know trouble is not far behind. This is easily a book that you could read out of sequence, and is enjoyable for its over-the-top characters and nearly improbable murder method.
November 26, 2021
2 stars - This didn't do it for me. In terms of the mystery it was pretty lacklustre and many of the male characters seemed pretty interchangeable. However it was the treatment of the female characters that I disliked most. Whilst I understand this is a piece written during the period it depicts, the way the menfolk treated the women was pretty bad and having read Agatha Christie, who also wrote during the period, she was a lot better at writing three dimensional female characters and not always having the men treat them poorly.
June 17, 2016
3.5*
While I enjoyed the north New Zealand setting, this WW2 mystery/spy thriller struck me as more dated than some of her more traditional mysteries. Even though this came across to me as more of a spy story than a murder mystery, Marsh did 'play fair' with the clues being there for the observant reader (which wasn't me this time!)
I did appreciate how Marsh managed to get in a touch of the theater world even among the mud pots of Rotorua with visiting actor Gaunt and his entourage! :)
While I enjoyed the north New Zealand setting, this WW2 mystery/spy thriller struck me as more dated than some of her more traditional mysteries. Even though this came across to me as more of a spy story than a murder mystery, Marsh did 'play fair' with the clues being there for the observant reader (which wasn't me this time!)
I did appreciate how Marsh managed to get in a touch of the theater world even among the mud pots of Rotorua with visiting actor Gaunt and his entourage! :)
May 2, 2021
Suspected German agents in WWII New Zealand. You don't read that every day. A lot in this book was fun but the depiction of the Maori characters was . . . well, it may have seemed progressive in its time, but it doesn't in ours.
June 22, 2021
just a little complicated for me so many of the voices of the men sound alike. I totally missed the evil doer as a suspect. I did not even know he existed. I think this was too long for the kind of story it was.
February 15, 2022
In a nutshell, this one was spectacularly okay. Ngaio Marsh clearly pays a lot of attention to the cast of characters maybe even more than the mystery, but it still made for an entertaining story. There were a few great twists at the end. What was particularly intriguing to me in this story is the interface between the Maoi people with the English migrants, and how they interacted with each other. I don’t think I’ve read a novel based in New Zealand before, much less in the WW2 era.
The setting is an English health resort run by the comically dysfunctional Claire family. The father, Colonel Claire, is beset by a slimy money-grabber, appropriately named Questing, who is slowly taking possession over the property. In an attempt to boost the resort’s business, Questing invites famous actor Geoffrey Gaunt, his secretary Dikon Bell, and his dresser to receive treatment from the resort’s famous mud spas for his bad leg. The Claire family is on friendly terms with the Maoi people, on whose lands the health resort is situated. Their maid Huai is a granddaughter of the chieftain Rua. Huai is courted by half-Maoi loiterer Eru Saul as well as general employee Herbert Smith, who is a particular friend of Simon, the son of Colonel Claire. Col Claire’s brother in law, Dr James Ackrington, is a cantankerous long-time resident of the resort, and he is followed by a guest of the resort, Septimus Falls. Questing steps on all the wrong toes and most people have a motive to kill him when he eventually winds up in a pit of boiling mud.
I mean, you can kinda tell from the above that this story is very much character-driven. In fact, the mystery doesn’t even start proper until about halfway through the book. In the meantime, we learn everything about the dynamics between all the above characters and how things lead up to the actual murder. The tone of the book is always kept rather light-hearted so despite the huge cast of characters, things never feel too dense to handle.
The most interesting character to me is probably Rua, and what we learn about him and his tribe. He is said to have been a journalist and an MP, but in his old age he has returned to govern his tribe. Unlike many novels where we see white characters being incredibly racist and intolerant to other cultures and practices, this novel seems to present a fairly tolerant and harmonious relationship between the white and Maoi characters, at least as much as can be expected for something written in the WW2 era. We also get references about Maois enlisting for the war effort against Germany too, and just a tiny glimpse about the whole politics behind that. There is even a Maoi concert held to which the Claires and their guests are invited, and during which important plot events happen. When the white characters are caught by surprise by Maoi practices that they aren’t used to, they don’t usually fall back on racist comments or insults. So if anything, this book has just made me even more curious about what the whole climate is like back then between the Maoi and the European migrants to New Zealand. I would be hesitant to call a book written in the early 1940s as progressive, but the treatment of Maoi tribes, folklore, and characters was generally a breath of fresh air in this one, and if anything I’d remember this book for this point especially.
The setting is an English health resort run by the comically dysfunctional Claire family. The father, Colonel Claire, is beset by a slimy money-grabber, appropriately named Questing, who is slowly taking possession over the property. In an attempt to boost the resort’s business, Questing invites famous actor Geoffrey Gaunt, his secretary Dikon Bell, and his dresser to receive treatment from the resort’s famous mud spas for his bad leg. The Claire family is on friendly terms with the Maoi people, on whose lands the health resort is situated. Their maid Huai is a granddaughter of the chieftain Rua. Huai is courted by half-Maoi loiterer Eru Saul as well as general employee Herbert Smith, who is a particular friend of Simon, the son of Colonel Claire. Col Claire’s brother in law, Dr James Ackrington, is a cantankerous long-time resident of the resort, and he is followed by a guest of the resort, Septimus Falls. Questing steps on all the wrong toes and most people have a motive to kill him when he eventually winds up in a pit of boiling mud.
I mean, you can kinda tell from the above that this story is very much character-driven. In fact, the mystery doesn’t even start proper until about halfway through the book. In the meantime, we learn everything about the dynamics between all the above characters and how things lead up to the actual murder. The tone of the book is always kept rather light-hearted so despite the huge cast of characters, things never feel too dense to handle.
The most interesting character to me is probably Rua, and what we learn about him and his tribe. He is said to have been a journalist and an MP, but in his old age he has returned to govern his tribe. Unlike many novels where we see white characters being incredibly racist and intolerant to other cultures and practices, this novel seems to present a fairly tolerant and harmonious relationship between the white and Maoi characters, at least as much as can be expected for something written in the WW2 era. We also get references about Maois enlisting for the war effort against Germany too, and just a tiny glimpse about the whole politics behind that. There is even a Maoi concert held to which the Claires and their guests are invited, and during which important plot events happen. When the white characters are caught by surprise by Maoi practices that they aren’t used to, they don’t usually fall back on racist comments or insults. So if anything, this book has just made me even more curious about what the whole climate is like back then between the Maoi and the European migrants to New Zealand. I would be hesitant to call a book written in the early 1940s as progressive, but the treatment of Maoi tribes, folklore, and characters was generally a breath of fresh air in this one, and if anything I’d remember this book for this point especially.
January 15, 2021
This is only the second Roderick Alleyn novel I have read--I gave the other 3 stars as well. I have quite mixed feelings about these books and can't help but think I might enjoy at least one of hers as long as there was someone I really liked to root for.
The problem with this book is that it was hard to really like any of the POVs. There was one I did at first, but when he started calling Barbara, the young woman there, "child" and other patronizing terms it really got my goat. Plus, Marsh's way of describing her awkwardness due to being alone with her family did Marsh no favours in my mind. Plus, even though I know it is realistic to the times, certain things she does with Barbara's mother really got my goat.
In any event, none of this has to do with the story, but of course there is a blurb that says more and I am not always in the mood to write my own (obviously I don't make my living writing reviews, and couldn't this way--I'd have to suck it up and always do that). But suffice to say it is a murder mystery set in New Zealand and it is one of the Roderick Alleyn books (shocking, I know, considering I just mentioned that at the start).
I chose this one specifically to fit with several different challenges, but perhaps next time will read one someone who knows my tastes thinks is one I will really like. And, please, no weak women, or at least one strong, bright woman who stands up for herself that is also likable. The other one I have read is Clutch of Constables.
The problem with this book is that it was hard to really like any of the POVs. There was one I did at first, but when he started calling Barbara, the young woman there, "child" and other patronizing terms it really got my goat. Plus, Marsh's way of describing her awkwardness due to being alone with her family did Marsh no favours in my mind. Plus, even though I know it is realistic to the times, certain things she does with Barbara's mother really got my goat.
In any event, none of this has to do with the story, but of course there is a blurb that says more and I am not always in the mood to write my own (obviously I don't make my living writing reviews, and couldn't this way--I'd have to suck it up and always do that). But suffice to say it is a murder mystery set in New Zealand and it is one of the Roderick Alleyn books (shocking, I know, considering I just mentioned that at the start).
I chose this one specifically to fit with several different challenges, but perhaps next time will read one someone who knows my tastes thinks is one I will really like. And, please, no weak women, or at least one strong, bright woman who stands up for herself that is also likable. The other one I have read is Clutch of Constables.
December 20, 2020
It takes a really long time for the murder to happen, the narrative before the murder about people at a shabby hot springs in rural New Zealand early in the second world war gets a bit tedious, the murder itself isn't particularly dramatic or interesting, the solution isn't terribly compelling, and the depictions of Maori people (though fairly positive for the time) haven't worn well. Altogether, not one of her best. But even a mediocre book by Ngaio Marsh isn't a waste of time. Or maybe I'm just tired and cranky these days. That is quite possible.
December 6, 2022
With the actual murder occurring around three quarters of the way in, this book is an masterclass in increasing tension! As with so much of Marsh's writing, this book deserves to be read not just as a detective fiction, but as a piece of great literature!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 2, 2023
A fun mystery! Quite a lot of set up for an ending that felt just a bit rushed, but the hilariously unlikeable characters and beautiful descriptions of the New Zealand countryside make this a great read.
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