''Photo Finish (novel)'' is a

detective novel Detective fiction is a subgenre of crime fiction and mystery fiction in which an investigator or a detective—whether professional, amateur or retired—investigates a crime, often murder. The detective genre began around the same time as s ...

Ngaio Marsh Dame Edith Ngaio Marsh (; 23 April 1895 – 18 February 1982) was a New Zealand mystery writer and theatre director. She was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1966. As a crime writer during the "Golden Age of Det ...

; it is the thirty-first, and penultimate, novel to feature

Roderick Alleyn Roderick Alleyn (pronounced "Allen") is a fictional character who first appeared in 1934. He is the policeman hero of the 32 detective novels of Ngaio Marsh. Marsh and her gentleman detective belong firmly in the Golden Age of Detective Fiction, ...

, and was first published in 1980. Set in a millionaire's island mansion on a lake in New Zealand's South Island, it is the last of Ngaio Marsh's four New Zealand set novels - the others being

Vintage Murder ''Vintage Murder'' is a detective novel by Ngaio Marsh; it is the fifth novel to feature Roderick Alleyn, and was first published in 1937. Based in New Zealand, the plot centres on a travelling theatrical troupe and prominently features Doctor ...

(1937),

Colour Scheme In color theory, a color scheme is the choice of colors used in various artistic and design contexts. For example, the "Achromatic" use of a white background with black text is an example of a basic and commonly default color scheme in web de ...

(1943) and

Died in the Wool ''Died in the Wool'' is a detective novel by Ngaio Marsh; it is the thirteenth novel to feature Roderick Alleyn, and was first published in 1945. The novel concerns the murder of a New Zealand parliamentarian on a remote sheep farm on the Can ...

(1945).

Plot summary

Inspector Alleyn and his wife, the painter Agatha Troy, are invited to the luxury home of millionaire Montague V Reece, newly built on a lake in New Zealand's South Island for his mistress, the international opera star Isabella Sommita. Alleyn's commission is to investigate and stop the activities of a masked paparazzo who has been persecuting Sommita with unauthorised, unflattering photos published under the name of 'Strix'. Troy is commissioned to paint the diva's portrait. An extended house party gathers for the world premiere of a new opera 'The Alien Corn' (based on the biblical Ruth story and featuring La Sommita's famous high note A 'in alt'), composed by a Byronically handsome young composer scooped up as her latest lover by the formidable Sommita, who lacks the judgement and taste to see that the opera is no good. "Corn is right", as her longtime vocal coach Signor Lattienzo comments. The premiere is an embarrassing fiasco and La Sommita is found dead in her bedroom, stabbed through the heart with a photo of herself impaled on the dagger.

Background and commentary

The theme of artistic integrity, the abusive behaviour of a temperamental but talented star performer and her devoted but long-suffering entourage echoes Marsh's 1960 novel

False Scent A false scent or false trail is an incorrect scent which may mislead an animal which hunts by smell, especially a hound. This may be the result of deliberate interference by a hunt saboteur or it may be a form of control by the master. Aniseed, a ...

, with La Sommita the latest in a long line of fictional artists, theatricals, stars or divas in Marsh novels whose behaviour is arrogant, egotistical or insufferable, and who are sadly liable to become victims of homicide. The character of La Sommita's protector, the Italian-American Montague V Reece, is the third of the exotic, plutocratic multi-millionaires who feature in Marsh's later novels (following Vassily Conducis in

Death at the Dolphin ''Death at the Dolphin'' is a detective novel by Ngaio Marsh. It is the twenty-fourth novel to feature Roderick Alleyn, and was first published in 1966 as ''Killer Dolphin'' in the United States. The plot centres on a glove once owned by Hamnet ...

and Nikolas Markos in

Grave Mistake ''Grave Mistake'' is a detective novel by Ngaio Marsh; it is the thirtieth novel to feature Roderick Alleyn, and was first published in 1978. The plot concerns the supposed suicide of a wealthy widow in a chic rest spa, and involves a rare and fa ...

). Marsh biographer

Joanne Drayton Joanne Drayton is a New Zealand art historian, biographer and nonfiction writer. Drayton graduated from the University of Canterbury, Christchurch in 1998 with a PhD on "Edith Collier: Her life and work (1885–1964)". She adapted her thesis f ...

Drayton, Joanne, Ngaio Marsh: Her Life in Crime, Harper Collins 2008, , page 403 quotes TV presenter Max Cryer reporting that Marsh told him in an interview at the time of the novel's publication, that the character of Isabella Sommita was inspired by Maria Callas, an identification that is readily understood.

References

Roderick Alleyn novels 1980 British novels Novels set in New Zealand Collins Crime Club books {{1980s-mystery-novel-stub