Marsh, Ngaio - Final Curtain (1947)

Another book of the same title was written by Frank Kane.

Review by Nick Fuller

5/5

The author’s masterpiece, possibly superior even to Overture to Death. Alleyn being away in New Zealand, Troy accepts a commission to paint a portrait of Sir Henry Ancred, Bt., a famous actor whose private life is a mixture of Kings Cophetua and Lear’s, and becomes involved with his large and excessively temperamental family, all but four of whom are notably unsympathetic. The expected occurs: Sir Henry dies, apparently poisoned with arsenic, on the night he changes his will and quarrels with his family, and suspicion falls on the one person who benefits: the gold-digger fiancée. What sets the book apart from others of its type are the characterisation (the family, admittedly two-dimensional, are painted with all Marsh’s skill, and are markedly more convincing than the ghastly Lampreys, while Alleyn’s relationship with Troy is treated in a more mature fashion than in the earlier books, as Marsh escapes from the shadow of Sayers); the quality of the detection (Alleyn actually thinks and reasons, showing every sign of being a devoted admirer of Dr. Thorndyke); and a well-constructed plot which combines a murder for gain from which the culprit derives no benefit, and a good, original poisoning (anticipating Christie by twelve years). The fiend is well-hidden, but psychologically convincing.

Final Curtain is a WW2 book. Although not published during the war (1947) nor even set in the War (the setting is immediately post-war), war-time events hang heavily over the book. It may be usefully compared to Allingham's Coroner's Pidgin and possibly More Work for The Undertaker. The former is most relevant, however. In both cases the writer's protagonists are returning from long absences from their wives - Campion has been doing 'secret' work in Europe (of which we never learn any details) while Alleyn has been seconded to New Zealand - the subject of Colour Scheme and Died in the Wool. There the similarity ends - in Coroner's Pidgin Amanda is an off-screen presence, where in Final Curtain Troy is a central character. And her dilemma must have been one faced by many women at the time - how would her relationship with Alleyn be affected by this 3 year (3 years, 7 months and 24 days as Alleyn accurately notes) separation.

Marsh wants to go beyond the merely conventional here and it is fascinating that she chooses to do so by using Troy who has been a pretty marginal figure up to now (with the exception of course of Artists in Crime). NickF makes the excellent point that here Marsh emerges from Sayers's shadow - or perhaps Troy from Harriet Vane's? My own reaction is that she succeeds admirably in conveying the mixture of anticipation and fear which must exist in this situation ; this despite the fact that the sexual and physical side of this has to be conveyed in the most nuanced manner.. "a smile of extraordinary intimacy broke across her face".

Marsh seems however to also be preparing the ground for a new departure in the series where Troy would become a more central character: so Alleyn's rule that his home and work lives should be rigidly separated is laid to rest by Troy. However this was not, as far as I can recall, followed through very much - other than in the delightful Clutch of Constables. Perhaps she was just leaving her options open.

Despite my admiration for Marsh's portrayal of Troy and Alleyn and their relationship and the whole 'resumption of normal life' feel of the book, and my admiration for the cast of characters and the plotting, I still do not share NickF's admiration for this book. I have been trying on this re-re-read to analyse why and have concluded that it is largely to do with the second murder. And I do not mean the murder of the cat (although I have met - in cyber-space - people who regard cat murder as the most vile atrocity; they will happily read of bizarre serial killers but refuse anything which involves a cat - and I was very sorry for the cat!). No I mean the second human murder.

This seems to me to be quite unnecessary and very rushed (it occurs right at the end of the book). But beyond that I get the feeling that Marsh is just disposing of a character she does not like. My own sympathies within the book are very different. Interestingly in the TV adaptation (I do not intend to open another adaptation debate but will say that I think that the TV adaptations are better than they are usually credited to be) this second murder was, as far as I can recall, omitted. All that this demonstrates, I suppose, is that my reaction to a book can be adversely affected by an emotional response - highly uncritical! But it remains an excellent Marsh even if not as high on my personal list as on NickF's.

NickH.