Ngaio Marsh
Clutch of Constables
Inspector Alleyn #25
$ 9.99
We do love a man in a uniform, but the “Constables” in question are not policemen but paintings—the landscapes, specifically, of the 19th-century painter John Constable. Agatha Troy (the artist wife, you’ll remember, of Inspector Alleyn) has a special fondness for Constable’s work, so she jumps at the chance to take a river-cruise through “Constable Country” in the east of England. Her enthusiasm dims a little when it becomes clear that the ticket became available at the last minute only because a previous passenger was murdered in his cabin—and murdered, it seems, by a notorious international criminal known as the “Jampot.” (How we long for the days when notorious international criminals had really cute names.) Besides the pleasure of Agatha Troy's company, Clutch of Constables is also notable for its narrative structure: It is told through a series of lectures Inspector Alleyn gives at a police training in the United States.
"Interesting characters, cosily murderous atmosphere, the usual excellent writing"—Edmund Crispin, Sunday Times
Who's likely to like this: Fans of Agatha Christie and Margery Allingham
2015 • Fiction/Mystery • 240 pages • ISBN: 9781631940422
