These are timeless

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It was such a pleasure to read one of Marsh's mysteries again. I first read these when I was in my teens and was struck by the development of the characters, especially of detective Roderick Alleyn. It was a further pleasure to discover that this is the book when Alleyn meets Agatha Troy, artist.

The two first meet on a cruise, and there is awkwardness on both sides. Later, when both are home and a murder happens in Troy's studio, Alleyn realizes he has not forgotten the artist.

It is something of a classic mystery, with a set of suspects, almost a locked-room situation, so the detective and his trusty Fox focus on the students who were living at the studio. When I read this I had to remember that many of these detective stories from the 30s-50s take place in old British manor houses, houses with many bedrooms and with servants. So it is here. Plenty of room for everyone.

The victim is a live model, killed in a way that limits the number of suspects considerably. But there are always possibilities that someone is not telling the truth and is thus messing up the timeline.

While investigating the murder, Alleyn makes some efforts to be professional yet not unapproachable to Troy. In this he mostly does not succeed. She misreads his signals and he hers. It is rather classic in that respect as well.

Overall, satisfying and, for me, does not suffer from its age.

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Roderick Alleyn, a famous invertigator from Scotland Yard, is called to the scene of a murder involving a model for an art class at the home of painter Agatha Troy, an artist he has just met and who has almost captured his heart! A must-read-to-the-end to solve this one!

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Alleyne becomes acquainted with Troy in this book. One of my favorites.

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Murder in an artists colony...unusual characters...

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