tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post47170285172857769..comments2024-03-28T10:31:55.774-07:00Comments on The Passing Tramp: Swan Song: Light Thickens (1982), by Ngaio Marsh, a sequel of sorts to Death at the Dolphin (1966)The Passing Tramphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09830680639601570152noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-39772102960493984672019-03-21T16:52:21.234-07:002019-03-21T16:52:21.234-07:00Sorry I missed your take, I will add it. I was a ...Sorry I missed your take, I will add it. I was a but hesitant with this one, for I know a lot of people like it, but it just didn't grab me, outside of the first chapter. I often see things differently so maybe it's not surprising I liked the later book better. I really enjoyed her intertwining real murder with Macbeth, even if her powers were starting to wane, I hope you like it, it doesn't seem to get much attention compared to other books by her. <br /><br />Incidentally, one of Perry's sons comments on how handsome Alleyn is, I kid you not! Charming to the end, that gent.The Passing Tramphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09830680639601570152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-8791678339918587032019-03-21T13:04:08.796-07:002019-03-21T13:04:08.796-07:00I liked Death at the Dolphin more than you did (an...I liked Death at the Dolphin more than you did (and will make so bold as to add a link to my post http://clothesinbooks.blogspot.com/2015/12/tuesday-night-club-ngaio-marshs-death.html ), though with reservations - but there are very few theatre-set mysteries that I don't enjoy. That said, I have never read The Light Thickens, having heard such criticism of it, but your review is sending me right out to get hold of it... <br />Clothes In Bookshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14680610242823846662noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-3602680521048559282019-03-19T22:06:17.508-07:002019-03-19T22:06:17.508-07:00I do, but I'm not posting them. I get into en...I do, but I'm not posting them. I get into enough trouble as it is on this blog.The Passing Tramphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09830680639601570152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-60652284446859663492019-03-18T14:19:54.491-07:002019-03-18T14:19:54.491-07:00Excellent analysis as usual, but the following pas...Excellent analysis as usual, but the following passage had me laughing out loud:<br /><br /><i>"At best, it seems to me, it's simply a trifling amiable fantasy about nice people putting on a nice show at a nice theater, with a discordantly not-nice murder perfunctorily thrown in so that it can be called a mystery. Given that I've just admittedly described a lot of modern mysteries, this may actually be the sort of thing a lot of modern mystery readers enjoy."</i><br /><br />Do you have specific examples of such "modern" mystery writing? ;) Xavierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05702919450638993709noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-55676828535476756422019-03-18T13:02:04.729-07:002019-03-18T13:02:04.729-07:00I wish I liked Dolphin more, it just doesn't d...I wish I liked Dolphin more, it just doesn't do it for me though. But you have Anthony Boucher and Edmund Crispin on your side, which ain't bad company!<br /><br />I have my complaints about Ngaio, but I admire her commitment to her writing and her successful struggle to finish her last book is truly inspiring to me. Her art was her life and did right by it.The Passing Tramphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09830680639601570152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-41328987172292203622019-03-18T08:17:26.732-07:002019-03-18T08:17:26.732-07:00I remember Dolphin with a bit more affection than ...I remember <i>Dolphin</i> with a bit more affection than you do, but couldn't agree more with your verdict on <i>Thickens</i>, which novel I much enjoyed for what it is. I hadn't realized until reading your account quite how old and close to the end of her life Marsh was when she wrote it -- many thanks for that insight. It makes her achievement all the more remarkable.noirencyclopediahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02843963811822980754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-26146641871258634632019-03-17T16:23:58.126-07:002019-03-17T16:23:58.126-07:00There I moved resoundingly seven words over so the...There I moved resoundingly seven words over so there wouldn't be any confusion with the adverb and the conjunction of verbs and what's being modified. Hope future readers enjoy that sentence better now.The Passing Tramphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09830680639601570152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-9136044567540185842019-03-17T16:21:00.282-07:002019-03-17T16:21:00.282-07:00I was thinking more of the declaring, lol, but the...I was thinking more of the declaring, lol, but the adverb probably should be moved over a few words, thanks so much for pointing that out. I actually thought about that before posting, yes indeed.<br /><br />I think there was a Postern of fate that Christie wanted to write that would have been better than the one she wrote. Maybe they should try that.The Passing Tramphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09830680639601570152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137677673775151256.post-50828123007123081232019-03-17T16:13:44.672-07:002019-03-17T16:13:44.672-07:00Can you cut a ribbon "resoundingly"? I&#...Can you cut a ribbon "resoundingly"? I'm sure Marsh could!<br /><br />In these days of postquels, couldn't somebody write the Postern of Fate Christie wanted to write?Lucy R. Fisherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08632983296994349550noreply@blogger.com