Final Curtain

Final Curtain
Ngaio Marsh

A country house murder, artistic insight and the post-war reunion of Alleyn and Troy combine in Ngaio Marsh’s wittiest and most readable novel.Agatha Troy, world famous portrait painter, is inveigled into accepting a commission to paint the 70-year-old Sir Henry Ancred, Bart., the Grand Old Man of the stage. But just as she has completed her portrait, the old actor dies.The dramatic circumstances of his death are such that Scotland Yard is called in – in the person of Troy’s long-absent husband, Chief Detective-Inspector Roderick Alleyn…

NGAIO MARSH

Final Curtain

Dedication (#ulink_2fb35150-ed26-5f57-8580-6941209a2bc1)

For Joan and Cecilwith my love

Contents

Cover (#u72bcae75-6a27-54c5-90b0-3cbdaf3ef126)

Title Page (#u7b2bab34-ce11-5fb2-a3d6-84d3001be6ee)

Dedication (#u72df72e1-daba-5012-be1d-2d7fea911add)

Cast of Characters (#u51ab070e-de22-511b-901a-d5d1b41671b5)

1. Siege of Troy (#ue9c71070-c4a9-52e3-84b7-241d98dc02e3)

2. Departure (#u85e6ceb7-8518-59fd-8c26-3baf6450f5f7)

3. Ancreton (#u22897177-3fdb-55b7-abf6-8adeed02bb64)

4. Sir Henry (#u1064f64c-e3cc-5b45-83bd-a393f16e078b)

5. The Bloody Child (#u4f0c6cc1-d36c-5688-adcc-eb7b6be40eb3)

6. Paint (#litres_trial_promo)

7. Fiesta (#litres_trial_promo)

8. Big Exit (#litres_trial_promo)

9. Alleyn (#litres_trial_promo)

10. Bombshell from Thomas (#litres_trial_promo)

11. Alleyn at Ancreton (#litres_trial_promo)

12. The Bell and the Book (#litres_trial_promo)

13. Spotlight on Cedric (#litres_trial_promo)

14. Psychiatry and a Churchyard (#litres_trial_promo)

15. New System (#litres_trial_promo)

16. Positively the Last Appearance of Sir Henry Ancred (#litres_trial_promo)

17. Escape of Miss O. (#litres_trial_promo)

18. The Last Appearance of Miss O. (#litres_trial_promo)

19. Final Curtain (#litres_trial_promo)

Keep Reading (#litres_trial_promo)

Also by the Author (#litres_trial_promo)

Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)

About the Publisher (#litres_trial_promo)

Cast of Characters (#ulink_08a734b4-1773-53ef-a611-0fff97c050cf)

AGATHA TROY ALLEYN

KATTI BOSTOCK

NIGEL BATHGATE

SIR HENRY ANCRED, Bart

CLAUDE ANCRED, his elder son (absent)

THOMAS ANCRED, his younger son

PAULINE KENTISH, his elder daughter

DESDEMONA ANCRED, his younger daughter

MILLAMANT ANCRED (wife to Henry Irving Ancred, deceased), his daughter-in-law

CEDRIC ANCRED, His heir apparent (Millamant’s son)

THE HON. MRS. CLAUDE ANCRED (Jenetta), his daughter-in-law (wife to Claude Ancred)

FENELLA ANCRED (her daughter)

MISS SONIA ORRINCOURT

MISS CAROLINE ABLE

BARKER, butler at Ancreton Manor