Artists in Crime

De: Ngaio Marsh

Narrado por: Benedict Cumberbatch

It started as a student exercise, the knife under the drape, the model's pose chalked in place. But before Agatha Troy, artist and instructor, returns to the class, the pose has been re-enacted in earnest: the model is dead, fixed for ever in one of the most dramatic poses Troy has ever seen.

It's a difficult case for Chief Detective Inspector Alleyn. How can he believe that the woman he loves is a murderess? And yet no one can be above suspicion.

©1938 Ngaio Marsh (P)2008 Hachette Digital

Very Enjoyable Indeed

I listened to this audiobook – read by the ever-wonderful Benedict Cumberbatch – in one sitting, and had a great deal of fun doing so. True, I did work out "whodunnit" before the detective himself did, but I didn't particularly mind, having grown rather fond of Alleyn, and therefore finding myself more than happy to excuse his slowness.

Besides, I simply enjoyed the world created in this tale. And the subtle romance. And the marvellous voice of the narrator, who rather surprised me with his ability to make me forget that there was just one man behind the multiplicity of characters. You know how it goes.

As if in the room!

what an amazing find! the writing is so vivid and of course the performance! bravo!

A new addiction

Yes, I bought it because it was Benedict Cumberbatch reading it. He is wonderful with the different voices and accents. He didn't just read. It truly was a performance. Good job Benedict! I am hooked on this series. Beautifully written and rich detail and feeling. I love the gentle humor as well. You truly enjoy these characters. I've bought several more in the series although he has only read two others. One word of warning on this series. Do not buy the ones that Nadia May reads. Dull and flat and she sounds like she needs to blow her nose. Pick another performer. Ben! Read some more please!

Ngaio Marsh and Benedict Cumberbatch together!

Would you listen to Artists in Crime again? Why?

Ngaio Marsh is one of my very favorite authors. Her mysteries are tight, settings - 1930s and later, usually British - charming, detective and cronies are wonderful people with whom to spend time, and stories are a bit edgier than Christie's. We meet Agatha Troy in this book; she returns in subsequent Det. Alleyn mysteries. I reread Marsh books frequently, and now will re-listen as well.

What about Benedict Cumberbatch’s performance did you like?

He has a charming voice which is very easy to listen to and understand, and he does a nicely reasonable job of varying character voices. His female characters don't sound ridiculous, though his fortunately-infrequent attempt at voicing an American woman from the south is an unintentional riot.

an abridged version but Cumberbatch 's performance

makes up for it. I enjoyed it tremendously
I think I will get the other Cumberbatch recordings of March's work