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Photo Finish and Two Other Great Mysteries
Photo Finish and Two Other Great Mysteries Author:Ngaio Marsh In 'Photo Finish,' Dame Ngaio Marsh -- writing in the grand Christie tradition -- scores another hit as her elegant detective, Roderick Alleyn, solves the murder of a world-famous diva. — The setting is the opulent, isolated New Zealand island estate of an American tycoon, Montague Reece. Chief Superintendent Alleyn has been summoned to investiga... more »te the complaints of Reece's mistress--the world-famous diva, Isabella Sommita -- against an unknown photographer. The man, who calls himself "Strix," has been tracking her around the world, snapping embarrassing pictures that later appear in the tabloids.
Upon arrival at Reece's retreat, Alleyn and his wife, Troy, who has come along to paint La Sommita's portrait, find themselves in the midst of the music world's elite -- all summoned by La Sommita to hear a premier performance of an opera written especially for her by her current lover, Rupert Bartholomew.
It seems almost everyone but the singer knows Bartholomew's work is a hopeless howler. But what starts out as just a dreadful embarrassment suddenly turns into a deadly emergency when a violent storm cuts the island off from the outside world -- just as La Sommita is found murdered in her bedroom. An ornamental dagger has been plunged not only through her heart but also through a fresh "Strix" photo that could only have been taken that very day!
Chief Superintendent Alleyn has his work cut out for him as he pursues leads involving the vexing photographer, an ancient family feud and rumors of drug trafficking.
Combined with two earlier novels -- 'A Wreath for Rivera' (in which Alleyn gets involved in a night-club slaying) and 'Death and the Dancing Footman' (in which a quiet manor house becomes the scene of an attempted drowning, a brutal killing and a tragic suicide) -- 'Photo Finish' is a classic Marsh that is certain to be a joy for her many fans everywhere whether it is their first, second or thirty-second of her masterful mystery stories.« less