It's 1972, and while Elton John and Alice Cooper may be topping the charts, Inspector Alleyn's latest case is set in that most gloriously retro environment: The country-house party.
A Christmas party, as it happens, where Agatha Troy is enjoying the local holiday pageant and also painting the host's portrait.
The painting's coming along fine, but the pageant goes a little pear-shaped when one of the players disappears.
Could one of the party's eccentric guests (are there any other kind?) have been involved? Or--perhaps more likely--could the finger of blame come to rest on one of the manor-house servants, each of whom happens to be a recent prison parolee? What luck Inspector Alleyn is on hand to wrap up the questions into the perfect Christmas parcel.
About the Author: Ngaio Marsh was one of the celebrated queens of the golden age; she is the author of 32 novels in the Inspector Alleyn series.
In addition to writing, her great passion was theater.
She was born in New Zealand.
| Environment | The countryhouse party |
|---|---|
| Author | Ngaio |
Felony & Mayhem Tied up in tinsel: inspector roderick alleyn #27, paperback/ngaio marsh
