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Murder and mayhem strike when a small group of people are confined to an island in the middle of a New Zealand lake in one of Ngaio Marsh's last -- and best -- novels. The luxury mansion on New Zealand's Lake Waihoe was the ideal place for the world-famous soprano to rest after her triumphant tour. Chief Superintendent Alleyn and his wife were among the house guests -- but theirs was not a social visit. When tragedy struck, the peace of the island was shattered. With a houseful of suspects, now isolated by one of the lake's sudden storms, Alleyn was to face one of his trickiest cases...

Dame Ngaio Marsh was born in New Zealand in 1895 and died in February 1982. She wrote over 30 detective novels and many of her stories have theatrical settings, for Ngaio Marsh's real passion was the theatre. She was both actress and producer and almost single-handedly revived the New Zealand public's interest in the theatre. It was for this work that the received what she called her 'damery' in 1966.

'Vintage Marsh -- presents a neat puzzle, sparkling writing and the civilized veneer that characterize most of her books.' NEW YORK TIMES 'If my other authors can write as well as this in celebration of their 80th birthday, the Crime Club list will be assured for a very long time to come.' ELIZABETH WALTER, Ngaio Marsh's editor 'A brilliant, vivacious teller of detective novels.' NEWS CHRONICLE 'The finest writer in the English language of the pure, classical puzzle whodunit. Among the crime queens, Ngaio Marsh stands out as an Empress.' THE SUN