The Recurring Cast
Character guide · 32 books · 1934 to 1982 · Set in London

Ngaio Marsh

Crime and mysteryPolice proceduralGolden Age

Chief Inspector Roderick Alleyn of Scotland Yard, gentleman detective, solves murders in country houses, theatres and Marsh’s native New Zealand, and meets the painter Agatha Troy on a voyage home from New Zealand.

Best estimate, compiled from series guides, publisher descriptions and reviews where available, and from memory otherwise. Book level only, not chapter level. Minor includes cameos and brief references. Each book carries a confidence rating in its tooltip. Money in the Morgue, completed by Stella Duffy, is left out.

Vote for Ngaio Marsh as a favourite author, and for books and characters below. See the favourites

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Who appears in which book

Click a name to follow that character from book to book, or a book title to see its cast.

LLeadMMajor·MinorHas a note
The chart needs JavaScript. The reading order and character list below work without it.

Ngaio Marsh books in order

Each series in publication order, with its lead characters. Where the story runs in a different order, switch to Story order. Crossover books are marked and listed under their main series. Use My books to track what you have read.

Roderick Alleyn

32 books · Set in LondonGolden AgePolice procedural
  1. 1A Man Lay Dead1934With Roderick AlleynBuy on Amazon
  2. 2Enter a Murderer1935With Roderick AlleynBuy on Amazon
  3. 3The Nursing Home Murder1935With Roderick AlleynBuy on Amazon
  4. 4Death in Ecstasy1936With Roderick AlleynBuy on Amazon
  5. 5Vintage Murder1937With Roderick AlleynBuy on Amazon
  6. 6Artists in Crime1938With Roderick AlleynBuy on Amazon
  7. 7Death in a White Tie1938With Roderick AlleynBuy on Amazon
  8. 8Overture to Death1939With Roderick AlleynBuy on Amazon
  9. 9Death at the Bar1940With Roderick AlleynBuy on Amazon
  10. 10Surfeit of Lampreys1941With Roderick AlleynBuy on Amazon
  11. 11Death and the Dancing Footman1941With Roderick AlleynBuy on Amazon
  12. 12Colour Scheme1943With Roderick AlleynBuy on Amazon
  13. 13Died in the Wool1945With Roderick AlleynBuy on Amazon
  14. 14Final Curtain1947With Roderick AlleynBuy on Amazon
  15. 15Swing, Brother, Swing1949With Roderick AlleynBuy on Amazon
  16. 16Opening Night1951With Roderick AlleynBuy on Amazon
  17. 17Spinsters in Jeopardy1953With Roderick AlleynBuy on Amazon
  18. 18Scales of Justice1955With Roderick AlleynBuy on Amazon
  19. 19Off with His Head1957With Roderick AlleynBuy on Amazon
  20. 20Singing in the Shrouds1958With Roderick AlleynBuy on Amazon
  21. 21False Scent1959With Roderick AlleynBuy on Amazon
  22. 22Hand in Glove1962With Roderick AlleynBuy on Amazon
  23. 23Dead Water1963With Roderick AlleynBuy on Amazon
  24. 24Killer Dolphin1966With Roderick AlleynBuy on Amazon
  25. 25Clutch of Constables1968With Agatha TroyBuy on Amazon
  26. 26When in Rome1970With Roderick AlleynBuy on Amazon
  27. 27Tied Up in Tinsel1972With Roderick AlleynBuy on Amazon
  28. 28Black as He’s Painted1974With Roderick AlleynBuy on Amazon
  29. 29Last Ditch1977With Roderick AlleynBuy on Amazon
  30. 30Grave Mistake1978With Roderick AlleynBuy on Amazon
  31. 31Photo Finish1980With Roderick AlleynBuy on Amazon
  32. 32Light Thickens1982With Roderick AlleynBuy on Amazon

Characters

5 recurring and key characters, with the book each one first appears in.

Alleyn and his circle