Ngaio Marsh
Last Ditch
Inspector Alleyn #29
$ 9.99
Ricky Alleyn—perhaps you know his father, Roderick?—first appeared in Spinsters in Jeopardy, as a child. He’s now 21, and has taken himself off to a secluded island to write a novel. Or think about writing a novel. Or look for distractions so he can avoid writing a novel. The distractions abound, mostly in the form of colorful local characters (and a rather dishy one), so all is beer and skittles (well, except for the novel) until Ricky stumbles across a murder and then gets himself kidnapped. Which is too bad for Ricky (and the murder-victim), but dandy for the reader, as it brings Inspector Alleyn to the island, and he’s on top form. A sub-theme involving drug-running may strike a jarring note, but remember, Last Ditch was first published in 1977, and as such, it offers a remarkable look at what happens when the characters and conventions of the Golden Age fetch up in the distinctly tarnished present.
"Impeccably written and suspenseful"—Publishers Weekly
Who's likely to like this: Fans of Margery Allingham and Agatha Christie
2016 • Fiction/Mystery • 288 pages • ISBN: 9781631940521
