I thought it was about time I sampled one of the Queens of Crime whose books I've never read. Encouraged by the Secret Life of Books podcast, I started with Ngaio Marsh's Vintage Murder, which is actually her fifth book about Detective-Inspector Roderick Alleyn. Though Alleyn is based in London, in Vintage Murder, he is on holidays on New Zealand (given the book was published in 1937, that is quite a commitment for a holiday -- about six weeks' sea voyage each way!) Marsh was herself a New Zealander and this was the first time she'd ventured 'home' in fiction.
Ngaio Marsh seems to belong firmly to the puzzle school of murder mystery authors, with the solution turning on entrances and exits and who in the large cast of suspects had the opportunity to access the scene of the crime. The reader can compare each character's account of events on the crucial night and spot the discrepancies, just like a real detective. However, to me, this is the least interesting aspect of the story. I enjoyed Marsh's observations about New Zealand, its incredible scenery and the locals' colonial deference to the Scotland Yard expert. The Maori character of Dr Te Pokiha is mostly sensitively drawn, though there are a couple of moments of wince-inducing racism.
I think I will try another Marsh, mostly for the period detail, but I did enjoy Vintage Murder, even if the mystery itself was on the humdrum side. The murder, however, was truly spectacular, involving a jereboam of champagne smashing down on the victim's head.
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