New York Magazine
It's time to compare Christie to Marsh instead of the other way around.
Library Journal
A serial killer has been strangling young women; his trademark is broken beads and flowers strewn over the bodies. But Singing in the Shrouds is no bloody, psychological thriller; instead, it is a gentle, mannered "cozy" by a famous classic mystery writer. When a victim is found on the docks, an incognito Inspector Alleyn becomes a passenger on a departing vessel. The other nine passengers include a TV talk show star; a middle-aged femme fatale; a crotchety, retired schoolmaster; and a sober spinster. As the ship sails to the tropics, Alleyn tries desperately to discover who the killer is and then to protect the other passengers. James Saxon does an outstanding reading job; his vocalization of a woman's "masculine voice" is particularly admirable. Unfortunately, while this late work by Marsh follows the standard golden age format, the classic simplistic plot is accompanied by a set of characters who are remarkably one-dimensional, even for the subgenre. Still, someone looking for light listening could do much worse. Recommended for all medium to large libraries.DI. Pour-El, Des Moines Area Community Coll., Boone, IA Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.
Times Literary Supplement
Ngaio Marsh at her intelligent best.
From the Publisher
"It's time to start comparing Christie to Marsh instead of the other way around." --New York magazine
