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Light Thickens

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Light Thickens

By: Ngaio Marsh
Narrated by: Philip Franks
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About this listen

Peregrine Jay, owner of the Dolphin Theatre, is putting on a magnificent production of Macbeth, the play that, superstition says, always brings bad luck.

But one night the claymore swings, and the dummy's head is more than real: murder behind the scene.

Luckily, Chief Superintendent Roderick Alleyn is in the audience....

©1982 Ngaio Marsh (P)2015 Hachette Audio Cosy Crime Thrillers Mystery Suspense Thriller & Suspense Traditional Detectives Fiction Thriller Crime Detective

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It is an odd book really. I like her writing despite a few flaws. This story has a common flaw of longer books, which is a great load of not really much happening that isn't needed for the mystery before the murder happens. But this book is mainly a description of the rehearsals for Macbeth. It's like what she was really interested in writing was how a play is put on. Then a very weak mystery she didn't care about was bunged on the end to justify it. Maybe there was a deadline to meet or her heart wasn't in it. Who knows? It is interesting but not as a whodunnit.

Not one of her best

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This is best enjoyed after Death at the Dolphin. I often listen to them both in a day when I am busy in my workshop. And it is a testament to a good story, well told, that you can enjoy this again and again.

A Marsh classic

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The late great Dame's last novel is a very good rather than a great listen because it is more an homage to her spiritual home - the stage - than a full fat detection whodunit. Of course, it's possible that some may view it as both, but the interesting minutiae of Marsh's stage craft is the clear majority focus of Light Thickens. It is quite literally a tale of two halves: the formation of the play, and how all parts function in this process consumes the first half before any whiff of a crime kicks off in the second half. The pacing of the novel is negatively impacted as a result of this choice. Philip Franks is excellent as the narrator but he only has so much to play with. A worthy ending to Inspector Alleyn's (60-year!) career in the police force but the Dame should have allocated greater time to the story as the killer is made obvious in the first half, and becomes relatively apparent in the second half where only one character has the singular required attribute to commit the crime.

Theatre homage.

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This is very well narrated by Philip Franks. The story however is pretty awful in my humble opinion. It gives a detailed and lengthy description of the rehearsals for a high-profile production of MacBeth which ends in tragedy. Alleyne appears late on and there is no clever detection - just a lucky break and a confession. I’ve enjoyed others by this author but this is disappointing.

Great narration but…

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Marsh loved, and was very knowledgeable, about Shakespeare and theatre. As a traditional whodunit, the story is swamped by the play and the murderer is obvious even before the crime is committed. But if you love theatre production, this could be for you. The reader is excellent.

If you are REALLY interested in staging Macbeth...

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Excellent reading/acting. Highly recommended. One of Ngaio Marsh's evocations of a theatre company at which she excelled.

Very well done

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Written in the fine, easy to read prose of Ngaio Marsh, a well told tale of mystery and murder in the English theatre.
Gripping to the last and plays by the rules of The Detection Club. (it is fair to its readers)

Excellent! Traditional! Murder/Mystery

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I love this story and I think Philip Frank’s wonderful narration is perfect! Thank you

Superb!

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Feels like a murder is tacked on to a book about how to stage a performance of the Scottish play. Any real interest ebbs away after the first night. The death comes later.

Does anyone care whodunit?

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slow and predictable. ....... .....
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slow

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