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Death in a White Tie by Ngaio Marsh
Reader Reviews 3 of 3 people found the following review helpful: A Society Murder with Plenty of Class, February 3, 2002 Reviewer: gft from Biloxi, MS USA Although not in the same league with BLACK AS HE'S PAINTED or DEAD WATER, Ngaio Marsh's DEATH IN A WHITE TIE is a highly satisfying novel that meets the expectations readers have of this particular author: it is literate, witty, peopled with fully rounded characters, and set against an interesting backdrop--in this case the London debutant season. In this particular novel, Inspector Allen is called upon to investigate rumors of a blackmailer at work in London's high society, and he accordingly recruits Lord "Bunchy," a well known and decidedly fatherly figure. Bunchy is quick to identify the blackmailer--but just as the blackmail plot seems about to unravel murder steps in, and Allen must not only uncover the blackmailer but a killer as well. As is often the case in a Marsh novel, some readers will spot the killer long before the book's finish--but as typical of Marsh, getting there is most of the fun. A number of favorites return in this novel, including painter Agatha Troy, previously introduced in ARTISTS IN CRIME, and Allen's charming mother; the novel also includes a number of romantic subplots that Marsh handles with considerable effectiveness. Neither newcomers nor old fans will be disappointed; recommended.
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