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judyward's review against another edition
3.0
I'm a fan of classic mysteries written during the "Golden Age" of the 1920s, 30s, and 40s. This book was originally published in 1938 and, so far, it is my favorite of the Ngaio Marsh boooks that I've read. This may be because the detective, Roderick Alleyn, is in the story from the start rather than entering about a third of the way through the book. It's the London society season and prominent society women are being blackmailed. Alleyn asks his friend, Lord Robert Gospell, to help him unmask the blackmailer. Lord Robert is a favorite in the society set and is in a perfect position to help. And, in fact, he discovers what is going on. But, before he can reveal his information to Alleyn, Lord Robert is asphyxiated in a taxi cab and Alleyn is determined to find his killer. A very intriguing solution reveals itself in the final pages.
the_maggieg's review
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
shlee64's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
sadiqua_fatima's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
indywonder05's review against another edition
5.0
This is one of my favorites and least favorites all rolled into one. I gave it five stars so I guess you know which one won. Most of the time Ngiao does not give you time to get to know or like the person that is killed this is not the case in Death in a White Tie. I found I was sad and distracted a bit by his death and a little angry which in the end helped because Chief-Inspector Alleyn was angry too so I got inside his head a bit. I did not like how the plot was appearing to go but in the end I had guessed wrong so it worked out just fine.
emcbee's review against another edition
4.0
I don't usually read mysteries, especially not old ones. However, I loved this book. In addition to an engaging mystery, the setting was very well rendered. My only complaint was that I had a hard time keeping track of all the characters.
jinjaritia's review against another edition
hopeful
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Murder, Grief, and Classism
Minor: Death of parent, Car accident, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Racial slurs, Physical abuse, and Body shaming
me2brett's review against another edition
3.0
A great audiobook - abridged, of course. Read by Benedict Cumberbatch, who does a fantastic (and sometimes hilarious) job with all the voices. I can't say it was the most amazing mystery ever, but a fun romp in the Gentleman Detective genre.