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  • Light Thickens

  • By: Ngaio Marsh
  • Narrated by: Philip Franks
  • Length: 7 hrs and 19 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (94 ratings)
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Light Thickens cover art

Light Thickens

By: Ngaio Marsh
Narrated by: Philip Franks
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Summary

Peregrine Jay, owner of the Dolphin Theatre, is putting on a magnificent production of Macbeth, the play that, superstition says, always brings bad luck.

But one night the claymore swings, and the dummy's head is more than real: murder behind the scene.

Luckily, Chief Superintendent Roderick Alleyn is in the audience....

©1982 Ngaio Marsh (P)2015 Hachette Audio

What listeners say about Light Thickens

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

There's nothing light about this :/

Seriously, struggled to finish this.
Had I wanted a book about the production of Macbeth I'd have looked for one. 4/10.
Franks narrates well.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Dull and dated

The novel purports to be an Inspector Alleyne mystery, but no crime is committed until part 2 chapter 6, well over four and a half hours into a seven hour book. That first section should have been condensed into forty minutes. The characters were tedious and unsympathetic. At first I thought the narrators RADA voice was appropriate for actORs, but after an hour it really began to pall especially the simpering female voices, and there was no difference between the voice of the inspector and the main character, Perry. I only wish I had taken up the Audible offer to exchange the book. I just kept thinking it must improve. It didn't.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

slow

slow and predictable. ....... .....
...... ....... ....... ....... ...... ... .. .... ..
.....................

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Great narration but…

This is very well narrated by Philip Franks. The story however is pretty awful in my humble opinion. It gives a detailed and lengthy description of the rehearsals for a high-profile production of MacBeth which ends in tragedy. Alleyne appears late on and there is no clever detection - just a lucky break and a confession. I’ve enjoyed others by this author but this is disappointing.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Superb!

I love this story and I think Philip Frank’s wonderful narration is perfect! Thank you

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent! Traditional! Murder/Mystery

Written in the fine, easy to read prose of Ngaio Marsh, a well told tale of mystery and murder in the English theatre.
Gripping to the last and plays by the rules of The Detection Club. (it is fair to its readers)

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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Does anyone care whodunit?

Feels like a murder is tacked on to a book about how to stage a performance of the Scottish play. Any real interest ebbs away after the first night. The death comes later.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A Marsh classic

This is best enjoyed after Death at the Dolphin. I often listen to them both in a day when I am busy in my workshop. And it is a testament to a good story, well told, that you can enjoy this again and again.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Very well done

Excellent reading/acting. Highly recommended. One of Ngaio Marsh's evocations of a theatre company at which she excelled.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

If you are REALLY interested in staging Macbeth...

Marsh loved, and was very knowledgeable, about Shakespeare and theatre. As a traditional whodunit, the story is swamped by the play and the murderer is obvious even before the crime is committed. But if you love theatre production, this could be for you. The reader is excellent.

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