• Death and the Dancing Footman

  • By: Ngaio Marsh
  • Narrated by: James Saxon
  • Length: 11 hrs and 39 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (215 ratings)

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Death and the Dancing Footman  By  cover art

Death and the Dancing Footman

By: Ngaio Marsh
Narrated by: James Saxon
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Publisher's summary

A winter weekend ends in snowbound disaster in a novel which remains a favourite among Marsh readers.

It began as an entertainment: eight people, many of them enemies, gathered for a winter weekend by a host with a love for theatre. They would be the characters in a drama that he would devise.

It ended in snowbound disaster. Everyone had an alibi - and most had motives as well. But Chief Detective Inspector Roderick Alleyn, when he finally arrived, knew it all hung on Thomas, the dancing footman....

©1942 Original Text of 1942 by Ngaio Marsh (P)2015 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"On the plane of art." ( Tatler)
"She is astoundingly good." ( Daily Express)
"The brilliant Ngaio Marsh ranks with Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers." ( Times Literary Supplement)

What listeners say about Death and the Dancing Footman

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

NOT PHILIP FRANKS READING!!!

I love James Saxon reading Ngaio Marsh. I have every Marsh he's ever read that audible offers. However, Death and the Dancing Footman is not my favorite of his readings, which is why I thought I would have Philip Franks reading of it, as Philip Franks is a WONDERFUL reader and I hope that he will do every single one of Marsh's books for us in the near future. This, however, is NOT Philip Franks reading, it is James Saxon reading . Buyer beware.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Reader well past his best

What would have made Death and the Dancing Footman better?

Another reader!

What didn’t you like about James Saxon’s performance?

Mr Saxon's performance sounded as if he had just of the stage of a Victorian melodrama. His characterisation of the females was almost as bad as his German accent! I have only just recently finished a couple of Philip Franks renditions of Ngaio Marsh novels and the difference is extreme.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

The only Ngaio Marsh book I don't enjoy

I've been reading Ngaio Marsh books for years and have enjoyed them all, but somehow I missed "Death and the Dancing Footman", so I was delighted to see a previously unread (by me) Inspector Alleyn book here on audible.

Unfortunately, for me this book lacks the character and the spark of the author's other books. Sure, some are better than others, but for me, this one is the bottom of the barrel. The narrator wasn't bad, but the story never really pulled me in. Most of the characters were either blah or unpleasant, the concept is contrived - and I don't mind a contrived concept with great characters, but this wasn't that. And after throwing so many red herrings at us, some of which would have made for an interesting ending, the person I felt was the most obvious was who done it.

If you're looking for a classic who done it featuring a house party full of people who either don't know each other or hate each other, could be worth a listen.

I think I'll go re-listen to "Surfeit of Lampreys" to clean my palette.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Never guessed it!

Once again, she had me hooked all the way to the end wondering who did it and exactly how? A peculiar and unsettling set-up this time, tinged with wartime jitters, with lots of snow and a number of unlikable suspects. The dancing footman proves to be a key witness, but the few moments he witnesses are hard to piece together even after they are recapped over and over. This is okay, of course, for the story is meant to be intricate in that way. And despite the malevolent intentions of many, I loved it.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Narrator is not Philip Franks

Philip Franks beautifully narrated two other books in this series, but not this one. The narrator is James Saxon. His style is far less natural and appealing.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

One of my favorites

I have been listening to audiobooks on the Ngaio Marsh series from the first book, in order and I enjoyed this one very much. I look forward to the rest.

Great characters. Really intricate murders and sleuthing. She really keeps you guessing to the end in most cases.

My only complaint with this recording was there were some muffled areas throughout this particular recording that were not indicative of the regular quality.

However, most of it was good.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

One of her best!!!

Superb reader. Clever plot. Delightful exposure of English aristrocracy in WWII. She is a wonderful writer.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

This is the book of Ngiao Marsh’s which broke out as far as her language

Beautifully written. It’s the first of her books that I read and the first paragraph hooked me. A fantastic Country house murder with the snow storm that isolates the house from the outside world. Great stuff! Great production and reading.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Ok but not great

Even tho the writing is as good as usual this one reads more like a contractual obligation with no really like able characters and a slightly boring mystery.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

classic manor house murder

A classic manor house murder in the play fair tradition. Beautifully acted by Saxon. Highly recommended

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