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  • Tied Up in Tinsel

  • By: Ngaio Marsh
  • Narrated by: James Saxon
  • Length: 7 hrs and 20 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (243 ratings)
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Tied Up in Tinsel cover art

Tied Up in Tinsel

By: Ngaio Marsh
Narrated by: James Saxon
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Summary

Christmastime in an isolated country house and, following a flaming row in the kitchen, there’s murder inside.

When a much disliked visiting servant disappears without trace after playing Santa Claus, foul play is at once suspected - and foul play it proves to be. Only suspicion falls not on the staff but on the guests, all so unimpeachably respectable that the very thought of murder in connection with any of them seems almost heresy.

When Superintendent Roderick Alleyn returns unexpectedly from a trip to Australia, it is to find his beloved wife in the thick of an intriguing mystery....

©1972 Original Text of 1972 by Ngaio Marsh (P)2015 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"The brilliant Ngaio Marsh ranks with Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers." ( Times Literary Supplement)
"So entertaining that I recommend it unreservedly." ( Daily Telegraph)
"Agreeably effortless telling." ( Guardian)
"One of her best and most baffling mysteries." ( Daily Express)

What listeners say about Tied Up in Tinsel

Average customer ratings
Overall
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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Tolerable Story, Tolerable Narration.

This is my 2nd Ngaio Marsh audiobook read by this narrator. The first book was great, although the narration was awful. This however, was much better! However, the story was a bit long winded and, there was no real evidence of how the crime was solved! It seemed like pure guess work really.

I would suggest that this is a rainy day or holiday listen.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Excellent Christmas listen

A very good Christmas listen very well narrated. The story is a little thin, but nevertheless, the twists and turns are well organised and the reading is brilliant. Definitely worth a listen especially if you are a Ngaio Marsh fan.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Marsh is wonderful.

While not quite up to the "detecting" standard of some of her other novels, this is a wonderfully ditzy whodunnit where it's setting at Christmas is purely incidental. James Saxon, contrary to some of the reviews I've read, is superb throughout. His range of characterization is bewilderingly good and he has a quite beautiful voice for narration. He catches the period superbly with a richness of vocal texture that fits the story, and Ngaio Marsh's characters, to perfection.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

What a loss

The untimely death of James Saxon deprived us of a skilled narrator of the Alleyn books. Characterisations are wonderful, clearly recognisable but never tip over into caricature. I can listen to him over and over again.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A Cracker of an Alternative Christmas Read!

N Marsh is always good read with her wit , charm and expert yet cosy plotting -in this case solved more in the background as Carôle says but I would argue that the very ambiguity of the suspected victim's vital status and the level of background description and atmosphere she found tad long winded is what drew me in. It of the cosy school of crime as I have said and has it tongue firmly panted in its cheek and it knows it while never going so far as there to be and justifiable claim to mocky or parody of the form. Oh and how Marsh solves the post war staffing shortage is just brilliant, though I won't spoil how, the eclectic cast of characters superbly brought to life by Mr Saxson,. Merry Christmas to all and to all happy listening!

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great Golden-era Murder Mystery

This is a really good, traditional murder story, with all the best ingredients!
Ngaio Marsh at her finest.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

A Bit of Fun

Well read. Nice simple Christmassy tale with a touch of sleuthing. Didn't guess who dunnit til near the end.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Camp Christmas Caper

Crime queen Ngaio Marsh sets a Christmas crime story in a house staffed entirely by murderers. The results are unspectacular but diverting for a festive read. James Saxon brings a wealth of character to his performance, putting a welcome emphasis on Marsh's camp comedy.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A different sort of murder mystery

Brilliant narrator brought this to life. Twisted logic that ultimately work for a novel. Enjoyable novel

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A Christmas murder

Troy Alleyn is staying at the country home of the eccentric Hilary while she paints his portrait. Hilary, a wealthy philanthropist, has a an unusual domestic staff consisting of former convicts, all convicted of murder. Also staying in the house are his beautiful fiancée, Cressida, his uncle and aunt, Colonel and Mrs Forester, and his adopted uncle, Bill Smith. When the Foresters manservant, Molt, mysteriously disappears during a Christmas party, you know it won’t be long before Inspector Alleyn is involved.
A highly entertaining mystery with some great characters, very well read, all the characters very well done and very amusing. The plot is perhaps a little far fetched, but it is Christmas after all.

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