Ngaio Marsh Books in Order

Dame Ngaio Marsh is a celebrated New Zealand crime writer and theatre director. Born Edith Ngaio Marsh, her birth date remains uncertain due to her father's delayed registration, although it is confirmed she was born in Christchurch, New Zealand. As one of the "Great Ladies" of the English mystery's golden age, Marsh stands out as the only author to publish in the 1980s, alongside the likes of Margery Allingham, Agatha Christie, and Dorothy L. Sayers. Over a fifty-year span, from 1932 to 1982, Marsh penned thirty-two classic English detective novels, garnering international acclaim. Initially aspiring to be a painter, Marsh's writing career flourished, with her debut novel, A MAN LAY DEAD, introducing the iconic detective Inspector Roderick Alleyn in 1934. Alleyn, a unique blend of Lord Peter Wimsey and a realistic police official, became the central figure in Marsh's works, appearing in every novel. Her novels often incorporate her passions, including theatre and painting, with several set against theatrical backdrops, such as Enter a Murderer and Opening Night.