As a long-time fan of Ngaio Marsh's meticulous and mannered murder mysteries, I looked forward to reading her autobiography. In the end, it both satisfied and disappointed. Ms. Marsh describes her childhood amidst the remarkable New Zealand landscape vividly and with deep love. Her reminiscences give an interesting glimpse into the post-Victorian quasi-gentry culture of the early 20th century and some insight into the tone, backgrounds and characters which appear in her books. However, much of "Black Beech and Honeydew" is devoted to Ms. Marsh's adventures acting in, directing and promoting live theatre in New Zealand, particularly Shakespearean plays. Although there are interesting anecdotes in this and some of it might be useful to those with a real interest in theatre, I would have preferred a more intimate view of her life and a deeper insight into the writing of and inspiration for her Inspector Alleyn stories. The book is also a bit rambling, and her rather prim reticence on many personal topics (romances, illness, relationships with friends and family) keeps it from coming truly alive as autobiography. When I finished the book, I felt much as though I'd had a long, comfortable conversation with a good friend. Not a riveting conversation, perhaps, but still well worth the time spent.Read full review
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