Ngaio Marsh

Ngaio Marsh, one of the four “Great Ladies” of English mystery writing, had a career that spanned approximately fifty years, beginning in 1932 and ending with her death in the 1980s. While her mysteries are less well-known in the United States than those of Agatha Christie, Marsh’s characterizations are less cartoonish and her solutions more plausible than Christie’s.

Note #1: Marsh was born and died in New Zealand. “Ngaio” is a Maori word meaning “reflections on the water”. And no, I don’t know how to pronounce it either.


Aftertaste:
Once again, my mother was irritated by an English mystery novelist's class snobbery.

Availability:
Everywhere.

Other Recommendations:
Anything by Agatha Christie

Any of the mysteries by Georgette Heyer

Anything by Josephine Tey

Anything by Dorothy Sayers

Website:
http://www.ngaio-marsh.org.nz/ -