Alleyn Mysteries

I like this series very well. I agree with the previous reviewer that the casting was not the best, in particular that of Agatha Troy. I do, however, think that Ngaio Marsh's supporting characters in her books are considerably more fleshed out than her lead characters. So, taking that into account I feel that the creators of this television series had plenty of leg room in deciding who to cast and how to have each actor play the parts. I wish the series had lasted long enough to include all 30+ novels. I do not know what led to the series' demise but I would guess that like other failed mystery series (Campion comes to mind) the ratings were probably not high enough to warrant the vast expenditures that period drama requires. The fact that Ngaio Marsh's books are rather dry and slow in pace compared to Agatha Christie's adds additional problems, making an exact transfer to television difficult. Still, the show is great and is well worth the money on DVD.

When it comes to crafting intelligent and entertaining television mysteries, the English simply do it better than anyone else. This excellent 1993 BBC1 series takes place in post-WWII England (c. 1948), even though Dame Ngaio Marsh's novels were set prior to the war. The production effectively captures the rather gray atmosphere so prevalent throughout the country after the war, from the drabness of the period's clothes to the exhaustion in the character's personalities. Patrick Malahide plays Chief Inspector Roderick Alleyn, and Belinda Lang portrays his love interest Agatha Troy, both remnants of Britain's post-war fading upper class. William Simons rounds out the cast as Alleyn's working-class assistant Detective Inspector Fox. The crimes are clever and their solutions sensible, surely to satisfy any mystery fan. My wife and I have viewed this series many times and find something new and enjoyable with each viewing. Highly recommended!

After watching the eight episodes made with Patrick Malahide, I began re-reading Ngaio Marsh's books. I discovered her as a teenager, probably around the time this series aired, but never had an inclination to read them again. And after watching this series I know why. Marsh's description of Alleyn was so nebulous- basically tall, dark, thin, and handsome with a fastidious face in one instance or a monkish one in the other. He's a dapper silhouette, complete with hat and an excellently cut suit, but still a shadowy figure. Troy and Fox were easy to visualize, in fact apart from Belinda Lang's longer hair and William Simons' lack of a mustache, they are exactly as I pictured them, but Alleyn remained elusive. After seeing Malahide as Alleyn, it's so much easier to read the books because Malahide gives Alleyn a face and voice. I must admit I wasn't thrilled with Simon Williams' performance of Alleyn in the first episode. At times he had the "Handsome Alleyn" look, but that's about all.

The episodes take liberties with some of Marsh's plots (Troy wasn't in A Man Lay Dead, subplots are added or changed), but overall very well done and worth a watch (or two or three). Of course, this is not your more current type of entertainment where the scenes shift constantly to keep up with an audience that has an attention span of 30 seconds. Characters and plots develop at a more leisurely pace, rather like a train ride through the English countryside, but never to the point where one feels the writers were padding the script to fill the time slot. Malahide, Simons, and Lang have wonderful chemistry in their scenes together, and the supporting actors are top notch.

Someone asked me what is are good English murder mystery to read and to watch. He had seen a lot of Agatha Christies' novels on the screen but was quite sick of them. I told him about Alleyn mysteries written by New Zealander Ngaio Marsh. The books are great and this short series are brilliant. Patrick Malahide is a perfect Roderick Alleyn and when I read the books I immediately picture Patrick as the main character. Belinda Lang suits the role as Troy and Inspector Fox is a likable person. The cases are terrific, my personal favourite being a man lay dead but they are all good. You'll find yourselves glued to the screen and as I said to my friend, this is what traditional English mysteries are like... a must watch.

We are avid consumers of BBC mysteries, and the Alleyn Mysteries are one our favorites. The acting from the lead players is subtle and involving (and far better than anything on American TV) and the usual variety of excellent British actors appear throughout the series. The stories are well written, the dialogue is convincing, the character development is enjoyable, and the directors respect the intelligence of the viewer. Highlights are the nuanced development of the relationship between Alleyn and his love interest Agatha Troy, and the delightful exchanges between the aristocratic Alleyn and his middle class next-in-command, Inspector Fox. The only disappointment is the limited number of these shows.