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Death and the Dancing Footman

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Death and the Dancing Footman

By: Ngaio Marsh
Narrated by: James Saxon
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About this listen

A winter weekend ends in snowbound disaster in a novel which remains a favourite among Marsh readers.

It began as an entertainment: eight people, many of them enemies, gathered for a winter weekend by a host with a love for theatre. They would be the characters in a drama that he would devise.

It ended in snowbound disaster. Everyone had an alibi - and most had motives as well. But Chief Detective Inspector Roderick Alleyn, when he finally arrived, knew it all hung on Thomas, the dancing footman....

©1942 Original Text of 1942 by Ngaio Marsh (P)2015 Hachette Audio Cosy Crime Fiction Espionage Fiction International Mystery & Crime Mystery Spies & Politics Thriller & Suspense Traditional Detectives Detective Crime Winter

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Critic reviews

"On the plane of art." ( Tatler)
"She is astoundingly good." ( Daily Express)
"The brilliant Ngaio Marsh ranks with Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers." ( Times Literary Supplement)
All stars
Most relevant
I much prefer Ngaio Marsh to Agatha Christie, and this is my favourite of her Inspector Alleyn books. Her story telling is wonderful and she creates a thoroughly authentic atmosphere. Although the culprit is perhaps the most obvious of her murderers, the story is so well told that it really doesn't matter. James Saxon is, as always, magnificent in his characterisations, and it really is easy to forget he is one man, rather than a whole cast.

A superb reading of an excellent story

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I first discovered Ms.Marsh's detective stories over half a century ago, was mesmerized by, and loved, them. Her characters spring to life, like watching them through a telecope, one which also allows for the conversations to be hrard, and her detailed accuracy of location, be it driving in a a snow and ice covered countryside to the interior of a house room bring the surrounding clearly into focus with minimum effort. Even though set in an earlier era - the isolated country house of seventy years ago - Death and the Dancing Doorman didn't even really feel dated. Despite the largely unpleasant characters within, the book was thoroughly enjoyable, a who-dun-it peppered with clues to allow the reader to get the solution before the reveal.

I have mixed feelings about the narrator, James Saxon, whose deep, rich timbre seemed very fitting for the time of original publication (1942), somewhat reminiscent of broadcasters of that era. Although giving a good performance, with fine upper class English accent except when a protagonist foreign accent was required,, and maintaining good verbal texture throuhout, a lighter timbre was needed to lift this story of the party arranged for drama deliberately gone horribly wrong.The

A very enjoyable read, overall, and recommended to all appreciating the closed house, who-dun-it detective novels, similar to, but arguably better than, Agatha Christie.

"I boggle at the cloak."

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The story rambles on from the beginning as do other books in the series, introducing characters and muddying the waters. So far, so usual but Alleyn appears very late in the proceedings and plays, I think, a lesser part than previously. The story is still a good one and the confusions are not resolved until the last few minutes but I didn't feel it was quite as good as the earlier books.

Not much Alleyn in it.

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An excellent Golden Era murder/mystery, written by one of the finest writers of the genre. Thoroughly enjoyable.

Fine Traditional Murder Mystery!!

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Another wonderful classic whodunit by one of the grand dames of the genre: wonderfully read by James Saxon, as always, who brings every character to life. Roderick Alleyn is one of the most perfect creations in literary fiction.

Classic Marsh.

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