It was planned as an act of charity: a new piano for the parish hall, an amusing play to finance the gift. But its execution was doomed when Miss Campanula sat down to play. A chord was struck, a shot rang out, and Miss Campanula was dead.
Who in the quiet village of Chipping would kill wealthy spinster Idris Campanula? Plenty of people, among them her fellow cast members from the troubled charity production. Miss Campanula was a spiteful gossip, gleefully destroying others' lives merely for her own excitement. But once Inspector Roderick Alleyn arrives, he quickly realizes that the murderer might have killed the wrong woman—and may soon stage a repeat performance.
This case of sinister infatuation will test the sharp intellect and skill of the brilliant Alleyn.
Download and start listening now!
"One of my favourite things about Marsh's book is that she spends quite a bit of time on the set up for the mystery-if you like action from the very beginning this book is not for you. I love the fact that we see so much scene development and character development in a mystery. For me, the scene and the atmosphere are as important as the mystery itself. DO NOT read the chapter titles, unless you like spoilers. If I had to pick my two favourite detectives ever, I would pick Poirot and Alleyn. Alleyn is as enjoyable for me to read as Poirot. Another classic 1930's mystery, and really, what's not to love about a booby-trapped piano as the murder weapon?"
— Doina (4 out of 5 stars)
“Admirably mysterious.”
— Daily Mail (London)" This kept me guessing until the last as I kept changing my mind about the guilty party "
— Teotakuu, 2/15/2014" In my view Ngaio Marsh surpasses Agatha Christie as a writer of crime fiction, Overture being one of her best. Listening to this (or any of her books) narrated by Wanda McCaddon, aka Nadia May, merely increases the pleasure of reacquainting myself with this old friend. One of her many novels with a theatre theme. "
— Maya, 2/13/2014" This kept me guessing until the last as I kept changing my mind about the guilty party "
— Teotakuu, 2/10/2014" An interesting mystery set in a small village in England with some very different characters. Had never read any of this author's work before. This was read for a bookgroup and was borrowed from the library. Probably will not buy any of her other books but might borrow more in the future. I understand why she's well regarded but this is not one of my favorites. Prefer Agatha Christie's mysteries to this one as well as Dorothy Sayer's. "
— Connie, 2/6/2014" I really enjoyed this audiobook, though the ending was a little predictable once you got into the meat of the mystery. For Agatha Christie fans, this is a great contemporary of the Grand Dame of the Mystery Genre! That's all I'm gonna say in order to avoid spoilers. "
— Ryan, 2/2/2014" An old-fashioned English murder mystery. Enjoyable. "
— Monica, 1/27/2014" I liked this one the best so far; Rory Alleyn seems to have finally hit his stride, or maybe I'm just getting used to him. Loved the description of the piano music and the spinsters. "
— Michale, 1/27/2014" Marsh manages to work the oddest things into a murder mystery. Okay, so the old lady only knew one song, but for the piano to shoot her? I like the workings of villages and the class system in Britain at that time. It's just an interesting slice of history/life and a mystery, too. "
— Kyrie, 1/25/2014" Scheming spinsters fighting over the vicar. "
— Cindy, 1/23/2014" My first experience w/ Marsh and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Great character development and atmospheric scene setting. "
— Karen, 1/19/2014" Wow, I am so impressed with Ngaio Marsh's Roderick Alleyn. This book is well written and very interesting. The story is well established. The characters are well established and there is actually a raport with them. "
— Maria, 1/19/2014" The murderer was obvious halfway through the book, but Marsh's deft writing kept me interested. "
— Kim, 1/12/2014" I enjoyed the way this book allows the reader a glimpse of an earlier age. "
— Helen, 1/8/2014" An old-fashioned English murder mystery. Enjoyable. "
— Monica, 1/7/2014" A classic from the Golden Age of British cozy mysteries. "
— Barbara, 1/3/2014" It's a good book. Marsh is one of my favorite writers. She's always so enjoyable. Here she's hit the point where she is more novel than genre. She plays honest. You guess the killer about 100 pages from the end. She should have cut more out of the last 50 pages. "
— Lee, 1/1/2014" Scheming spinsters fighting over the vicar. "
— Cindy, 12/15/2013" I really enjoyed this one. The murder method is a hoot "
— Michael, 12/5/2013" I enjoyed this book. I figured out who the murderer was pretty early on but I could not figure how the deed was done. It kept me wondering, guessing and playing along even though I knew (or was pretty sure I knew). "
— Elizabeth, 12/1/2013" I love this series, they're really interesting and a fairly light quick read "
— Lesley, 11/27/2013" I love this series, they're really interesting and a fairly light quick read "
— Lesley, 11/25/2013" I listened to both the Abridged and Unabridged versions of this from Audible. The narrator for the Unabridged was less "
— Sorcha, 11/22/2013" I really enjoyed this one. The murder method is a hoot "
— Michael, 11/17/2013" Alleyn is always a treat, though this features one of those hysterical spinsters that occasionally inhabit her books. She always did have a taste for the grotesque (remember how the man was killed in A Surfeit of Lampreys, one of my favorites??). "
— Caro, 11/12/2013" I liked this one the best so far; Rory Alleyn seems to have finally hit his stride, or maybe I'm just getting used to him. Loved the description of the piano music and the spinsters. "
— Michale, 11/12/2013" Brilliant. Who doesn't love a booby-trapped piano? "
— Starfish, 10/26/2013" Brilliant. Who doesn't love a booby-trapped piano? "
— Starfish, 10/21/2013" Scheming spinsters fighting over the vicar. "
— Cindy, 9/23/2013" I really enjoyed this audiobook, though the ending was a little predictable once you got into the meat of the mystery. For Agatha Christie fans, this is a great contemporary of the Grand Dame of the Mystery Genre! That's all I'm gonna say in order to avoid spoilers. "
— Ryan, 8/27/2013" It's a good book. Marsh is one of my favorite writers. She's always so enjoyable. Here she's hit the point where she is more novel than genre. She plays honest. You guess the killer about 100 pages from the end. She should have cut more out of the last 50 pages. "
— Lee, 5/21/2013" Alleyn is always a treat, though this features one of those hysterical spinsters that occasionally inhabit her books. She always did have a taste for the grotesque (remember how the man was killed in A Surfeit of Lampreys, one of my favorites??). "
— Caro, 3/24/2013" Brilliant. Who doesn't love a booby-trapped piano? "
— Starfish, 3/2/2013" Wow, I am so impressed with Ngaio Marsh's Roderick Alleyn. This book is well written and very interesting. The story is well established. The characters are well established and there is actually a raport with them. "
— Maria, 12/23/2012" Written in 1939, therefore dated but still good. "
— Teresa, 11/28/2012" Wow, I am so impressed with Ngaio Marsh's Roderick Alleyn. This book is well written and very interesting. The story is well established. The characters are well established and there is actually a raport with them. "
— Maria, 8/23/2012" I love this series, they're really interesting and a fairly light quick read "
— Lesley, 8/3/2012" It's a good book. Marsh is one of my favorite writers. She's always so enjoyable. Here she's hit the point where she is more novel than genre. She plays honest. You guess the killer about 100 pages from the end. She should have cut more out of the last 50 pages. "
— Lee, 4/27/2012" This kept me guessing until the last as I kept changing my mind about the guilty party "
— Teotakuu, 4/13/2012" A classic from the Golden Age of British cozy mysteries. "
— Barbara, 3/18/2012" Marsh manages to work the oddest things into a murder mystery. Okay, so the old lady only knew one song, but for the piano to shoot her? I like the workings of villages and the class system in Britain at that time. It's just an interesting slice of history/life and a mystery, too. "
— Kyrie, 3/8/2012" Marsh manages to work the oddest things into a murder mystery. Okay, so the old lady only knew one song, but for the piano to shoot her? I like the workings of villages and the class system in Britain at that time. It's just an interesting slice of history/life and a mystery, too. "
— Kyrie, 3/4/2012" Written in 1939, therefore dated but still good. "
— Teresa, 1/22/2012" My first experience w/ Marsh and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Great character development and atmospheric scene setting. "
— Karen, 11/10/2011" The murderer was obvious halfway through the book, but Marsh's deft writing kept me interested. "
— Kim, 8/8/2011" Ngaio Marsh loves killing people off as part of a performance in full view of an audience. This is another of those plots, with a fairly clever murder mechanism. As usual, the characters and build up to the murder are the best part. "
— Jill, 8/4/2011" Alleyn is always a treat, though this features one of those hysterical spinsters that occasionally inhabit her books. She always did have a taste for the grotesque (remember how the man was killed in A Surfeit of Lampreys, one of my favorites??). "
— Caro, 7/10/2011" I really enjoyed this one. The murder method is a hoot "
— Michael, 7/9/2011" I liked this one the best so far; Rory Alleyn seems to have finally hit his stride, or maybe I'm just getting used to him. Loved the description of the piano music and the spinsters. "
— Michale, 6/15/2011" I really enjoyed this audiobook, though the ending was a little predictable once you got into the meat of the mystery. For Agatha Christie fans, this is a great contemporary of the Grand Dame of the Mystery Genre! That's all I'm gonna say in order to avoid spoilers. "
— Ryan, 6/8/2011" I liked this one the best so far; Rory Alleyn seems to have finally hit his stride, or maybe I'm just getting used to him. Loved the description of the piano music and the spinsters. "
— Michale, 6/7/2011" Ngaio Marsh loves killing people off as part of a performance in full view of an audience. This is another of those plots, with a fairly clever murder mechanism. As usual, the characters and build up to the murder are the best part. "
— Jill, 3/20/2011" This kept me guessing until the last as I kept changing my mind about the guilty party "
— Teotakuu, 3/2/2011" This kept me guessing until the last as I kept changing my mind about the guilty party "
— Teotakuu, 3/2/2011" This kept me guessing until the last as I kept changing my mind about the guilty party "
— Teotakuu, 3/2/2011" I really enjoyed this one. The murder method is a hoot "
— Michael, 12/6/2010" Alleyn is always a treat, though this features one of those hysterical spinsters that occasionally inhabit her books. She always did have a taste for the grotesque (remember how the man was killed in A Surfeit of Lampreys, one of my favorites??). "
— Caro, 12/6/2010" I really enjoyed this one. The murder method is a hoot "
— Michael, 12/6/2010" Alleyn is always a treat, though this features one of those hysterical spinsters that occasionally inhabit her books. She always did have a taste for the grotesque (remember how the man was killed in A Surfeit of Lampreys, one of my favorites??). "
— Caro, 12/6/2010" I really enjoyed this one. The murder method is a hoot "
— Michael, 12/6/2010" Brilliant. Who doesn't love a booby-trapped piano? "
— Starfish, 3/9/2010" Brilliant. Who doesn't love a booby-trapped piano? "
— Starfish, 3/9/2010" Brilliant. Who doesn't love a booby-trapped piano? "
— Starfish, 3/9/2010" Written in 1939, therefore dated but still good. "
— Teresa, 10/6/2009" Written in 1939, therefore dated but still good. "
— Teresa, 10/6/2009" Written in 1939, therefore dated but still good. "
— Teresa, 10/6/2009" It's a good book. Marsh is one of my favorite writers. She's always so enjoyable. Here she's hit the point where she is more novel than genre. She plays honest. You guess the killer about 100 pages from the end. She should have cut more out of the last 50 pages. "
— Lee, 6/24/2009" It's a good book. Marsh is one of my favorite writers. She's always so enjoyable. Here she's hit the point where she is more novel than genre. She plays honest. You guess the killer about 100 pages from the end. She should have cut more out of the last 50 pages. "
— Lee, 6/24/2009" It's a good book. Marsh is one of my favorite writers. She's always so enjoyable. Here she's hit the point where she is more novel than genre. She plays honest. You guess the killer about 100 pages from the end. She should have cut more out of the last 50 pages. "
— Lee, 6/24/2009" 8th in series, first published in 1939 <br/>Fun to read, not deep, but good for a rainy afternoon with tea and scones. "
— Jz, 2/24/2009" 8th in series, first published in 1939 <br/>Fun to read, not deep, but good for a rainy afternoon with tea and scones. "
— Jz, 2/24/2009" 8th in series, first published in 1939 <br/>Fun to read, not deep, but good for a rainy afternoon with tea and scones. "
— Jz, 2/24/2009" Ngaio Marsh loves killing people off as part of a performance in full view of an audience. This is another of those plots, with a fairly clever murder mechanism. As usual, the characters and build up to the murder are the best part. "
— Jill, 10/19/2008" Ngaio Marsh loves killing people off as part of a performance in full view of an audience. This is another of those plots, with a fairly clever murder mechanism. As usual, the characters and build up to the murder are the best part. "
— Jill, 10/19/2008" Ngaio Marsh loves killing people off as part of a performance in full view of an audience. This is another of those plots, with a fairly clever murder mechanism. As usual, the characters and build up to the murder are the best part. "
— Jill, 10/19/2008" The murderer was obvious halfway through the book, but Marsh's deft writing kept me interested. "
— Kim, 8/10/2008" The murderer was obvious halfway through the book, but Marsh's deft writing kept me interested. "
— Kim, 8/10/2008" The murderer was obvious halfway through the book, but Marsh's deft writing kept me interested. "
— Kim, 8/10/2008" I enjoyed this book. I figured out who the murderer was pretty early on but I could not figure how the deed was done. It kept me wondering, guessing and playing along even though I knew (or was pretty sure I knew). "
— Elizabeth, 3/5/2008" I enjoyed this book. I figured out who the murderer was pretty early on but I could not figure how the deed was done. It kept me wondering, guessing and playing along even though I knew (or was pretty sure I knew). "
— Elizabeth, 3/5/2008" I enjoyed this book. I figured out who the murderer was pretty early on but I could not figure how the deed was done. It kept me wondering, guessing and playing along even though I knew (or was pretty sure I knew). "
— Elizabeth, 3/5/2008" A classic from the Golden Age of British cozy mysteries. "
— Barbara, 12/30/2007" A classic from the Golden Age of British cozy mysteries. "
— Barbara, 12/30/2007" An old-fashioned English murder mystery. Enjoyable. <br/> "
— Monica, 10/26/2007" An old-fashioned English murder mystery. Enjoyable. <br/> "
— Monica, 10/26/2007" Scheming spinsters fighting over the vicar. "
— Cindy, 9/3/2007" Scheming spinsters fighting over the vicar. "
— Cindy, 9/3/2007Ngaio Marsh (1895–1982), born in New Zealand, wrote over thirty detective novels. Many of her stories had theatrical settings, as her real passion was for the theater. She was both an actress and a producer and almost single-handedly revived the New Zealand public’s interest in live theater. In 1966 she was made Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
Wanda McCaddon (d. 2023) narrated well over six hundred titles for major audiobook publishers, sometimes with the pseudonym Nadia May or Donada Peters. She earned the prestigious Audio Award for best narration and numerous Earphones Awards. She was named a Golden Voice by AudioFile magazine.