Ask anyone to name a famous fictional detective, and the chances are that Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple will be top of the list (and deservedly so.)
The name of Inspector Roderick Alleyn, although well known to murder mystery aficionados, will not immediately spring into the minds of the uninitiated. And yet his creator, Ngaio Marsh produced over thirty detective novels, several of which have been featured in a television series starring Patrick Malahide in the title role.
One should not compare her to Agatha Christie – their styles and their literary creations are completely different. Poirot is more akin to Sherlock Holmes in that neither of them are given much of a background and have virtually no family life – they are unencumbered by domestic concerns. Alleyn, on the other hand, has an aristocratic mother, siblings, an on-going romance with a talented young artist and ultimately, a son. And of course, another big difference is that whilst Christie’s detectives are both amateurs (notwithstanding Poirot’s previous career in the Belgian police force,) Roderick Alleyn is a professional policeman.
Maybe one reason that Roderick Alleyn is not as universally popular as Poirot or Miss Marple is that although one can respect him, it is difficult to feel any great affection for him. There is a remoteness about him (and also about the love of his life Agatha Troy) that prevents the reader from feeling any great degree of involvement
Ngaio Marsh’s plots are clever, though sometimes a trifle convoluted and many of them have a theatrical background. Several are set in her native New Zealand. Although these stories cannot equal the devious brilliance of those of Agatha Christie; nevertheless Marsh’s novels are most enjoyable and will keep the reader guessing.
Inspector Alleyn Selection
Murder Mystery Blog: Inspector Alleyn
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