Death In Ecstasy - Ngaio Marsh

Nigel Bathgate, now firmly established in the cast of characters as Alleyn’s Watson, looks out of the window of his small London flat on a rainy Sunday, hoping for something exciting or eccentric – an adventure to counter the ennui of a rainy Sunday in London, essentially - and notices a small local chapel he’s never paid much attention to before.

Out he dashes, carrying his hat in his hand, and walks, being Bathgate, straight into a murder..

To be honest I didn't want to like this book so much. I found Marsh's portrayal of the inner circle of the chapel unnecessarily harsh, and certain comments made by Alleyn and Bathgate turned me off them a bit. And while I understand (of course) that it’s no use judging a 1930s book by 2019 standards it’s worth noting that both Marsh and her detectives were much more forgiving of moral lapses in the first three books. 

So why so judgmental here?

That said, I did enjoy it. Very much. Marsh writes the hysterical and overheated (almost incestuous) atmosphere of the inner circle of the chapel really well, and makes it entirely believable that otherwise intelligent people can be pulled in by this sort of thing, behaving in ways they would never normally behave. Even become jealous they they are not the person being taken advantage of by their charismatic leader.

Other pluses are a lot of good old fashioned police work (as well as some completely unorthodox methods), and a neat tying up at the end.

I also enjoyed seeing Bathgate in a central role, since I seem to remember that Alleyn is in the antipodes for Vintage Murder, and comes back for book number six to find Bathgate and his Angela settling down to married life. Unlike those other Bright Young Things Tommy and Tuppence, I don’t think we see them centre stage again.   

A Small Chapel in Central London
 What shocking secrets hide behind these doors?