Death in a White Tie

Death in a White Tie
Ngaio Marsh

A body in the back of a taxi begins an elegantly constructed mystery, perhaps the finest of Marsh’s 1930s novels.The season had begun. Débutantes and chaperones were planning their luncheons, teas, dinners, balls. And the blackmailer was planning his strategies, stalking his next victim.But Chief Detective Inspector Roderick Alleyn knew that something was up. He had already planted his friend Lord Robert Gospell at the scene.But someone else got there first…

Ngaio Marsh

Death in a White Tie

The Characters in the Tale (#ulink_7d3ee42b-174d-5d64-b33c-592df27803a3)

Table of Contents

Cover Page (#u9de90ab9-90eb-59bb-82fd-e694904abf10)

Title Page (#u129dcf8d-7e21-5d80-8538-e2b058cfb2ff)

The Characters in the Tale (#u95a7f53f-fff4-5db5-b463-d5ba92f3fb68)

Chapter 1 The Protagonists (#u6eb5d9c2-db41-5ae9-a25d-539addf1edc7)

Chapter 2 Bunchy (#ub56e1902-b883-5b75-bd7b-c2d0d4b859a7)

Chapter 3 Sequence to a Cocktail-party (#ubfa88bda-735c-5843-b501-51ebb7c3384b)

Chapter 4 Blackmail to Music (#uc0865416-3120-5533-9d43-78d7252c7c08)

Chapter 5 Unqualified Success (#u6caf31d2-0c6a-538c-80cb-f3ec0aca4eb6)

Chapter 6 Bunchy Goes Back to the Yard (#u3883ebf3-26d4-516f-8838-fcfa4d6c43de)

Chapter 7 Stop Press News (#u7553bb30-d760-53cf-bc39-fcb49f046344)

Chapter 8 Troy and Alleyn (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 9 Report from Mr Fox (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 10 Donald (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 11 Captain Withers at Home (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 12 Report from a Waiter (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 13 Dimitri Cuts His Fingers (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 14 Davidson Digresses (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 15 Simple Soldier-man (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 16 Lady Carrados Looks Back (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 17 The Element of Youth (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 18 Predicament of a Secretary (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 19 The General (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 20 Rose Birnbaum (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 21 Statement by Lucy Lorrimer (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 22 Night Club (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 23 Donald on Wits (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 24 The Dance Is Wound Up (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 25 Benefit of Clergy (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 26 Alleyn Plots a Denouement (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 27 Interlude for Love (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 28 Alleyn Marshals the Protagonists (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 29 Climax (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 30 Confessions from Troy (#litres_trial_promo)

Epilogue (#litres_trial_promo)

Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)

About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo)

CHAPTER 1 The Protagonists (#ulink_d349a77a-3889-576c-9d5c-06141c95a570)

‘Roderick,’ said Lady Alleyn, looking at her son over the top of her spectacles, ‘I am coming out.’

‘Out?’ repeated Chief Detective-Inspector Alleyn vaguely. ‘Out where, mama? Out of what?’

‘Out into the world. Out of retirement. Out into the season. Out. Dear me,’ she added confusedly, ‘how absurd a word becomes if one says it repeatedly. Out.’

Alleyn laid an official-looking document on the breakfast-table and stared at his mother.

‘What can you be talking about?’ he said.

‘Don’t be stupid, darling. I am going to do the London season.’

‘Have you taken leave of your senses?’