In the pantheon of Golden Age detective fiction, few names shine as brightly as Agatha Christie. Yet for devoted mystery readers, another name deserves equal recognition: Ngaio Marsh. Despite producing some of the finest detective novels of the 20th century, the New Zealand-born author remains somewhat overshadowed by Christie's immense legacy.

Dame Ngaio Marsh (1895-1982) crafted 32 detective novels featuring her aristocratic Scotland Yard inspector, Roderick Alleyn. Beginning with "A Man Lay Dead" in 1934 and concluding with "Light Thickens" in 1982, Marsh maintained a remarkable consistency over nearly five decades of writing. Unlike many of her contemporaries, Marsh led a dual creative life. While Christie dedicated herself primarily to writing, Marsh divided her time between detective fiction and theater, becoming a respected director and producer in New Zealand particularly known for her Shakespearean productions.

This theatrical background infused her mysteries with rich settings and characters. Many of her most memorable works, including "Vintage Murder," "Enter a Murderer," and "Light Thickens," feature theatrical backdrops. Her insider knowledge of stage dynamics allowed her to create tension and drama that felt authentic and compelling. The theatrical elements also gave her mysteries a distinctive flair that set them apart from her contemporaries.

Marsh's writing often demonstrated greater literary sophistication than Christie's more straightforward approach. Her prose was elegant, her dialogue witty, and her character development nuanced. Inspector Alleyn himself evolved from a somewhat stereotypical aristocratic detective in the early novels into a complex, fully realized character in later works, particularly after his marriage to painter Agatha Troy. Critics have long praised Marsh's technical excellence. Her plots were meticulously constructed, her clues fairly presented, and her solutions satisfyingly logical. P.D. James once noted that Marsh wrote "better-constructed plots than Christie and better-drawn characters than Sayers."

Despite these strengths, several factors have contributed to Marsh's relative obscurity compared to Christie. Christie produced 66 detective novels to Marsh's 32, maintaining a more consistent publishing schedule. Christie's publishers also invested heavily in promoting her as the "Queen of Crime," helping to cement her position in the public consciousness. While Christie's direct, clean prose appeals to a broad audience, Marsh's more literary style and theatrical settings can feel less accessible to casual readers seeking a straightforward puzzle.

The adaptation factor cannot be overlooked. Christie's works have been adapted countless times for film and television, introducing new generations to her stories and characters. Marsh's novels, while occasionally adapted (most notably for the BBC's "Inspector Alleyn Mysteries" series), never achieved the same cultural penetration. Being based primarily in New Zealand also placed Marsh at a geographical disadvantage in the London-centered publishing world of her era, limiting her promotional opportunities and media exposure.

For readers willing to venture beyond Christie, Marsh offers rich rewards. Her mysteries combine the best elements of the Golden Age—ingenious puzzles and satisfying resolutions—with literary flourishes and psychological insights that often surpass her more famous contemporary. Her theatrical knowledge gives her work a unique dimension, with vivid sensory details and dramatic tension that pull readers into the story.

The relative neglect of Marsh's work represents one of the great oversights in detective fiction. Those who discover her typically find themselves wondering why her name isn't mentioned in the same breath as Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, and other luminaries of the genre. In a literary landscape that regularly rediscovers overlooked talents, perhaps it's time for Ngaio Marsh to step out of Christie's shadow and take her rightful place in the spotlight. Her body of work stands as a testament to her remarkable skill and deserves to be celebrated alongside the very best of mystery fiction.

Josephine Tey’s "The Daughter of Time" stands as a landmark in crime fiction, and a closer look at its author reveals how her singular approach shaped this timeless work. Tey, a pseudonym for Elizabeth MacKintosh, brought a unique perspective to the genre that set her apart from her contemporaries. A reclusive Scottish writer with a keen interest in history, Tey combined meticulous research with an innovative storytelling method, culminating in a novel that is as much a historical investigation as it is a mystery.

Born in 1896, Elizabeth MacKintosh lived a life that, while outwardly quiet, was steeped in creativity. A former teacher turned full-time writer, she first achieved success as a playwright under the name Gordon Daviot before turning to crime fiction in the 1930s. As Josephine Tey, she created a number of celebrated detective novels featuring Inspector Alan Grant, yet she never sought the public spotlight. Instead, Tey remained a highly private figure, preferring to let her work speak for itself. This choice to remain out of the public eye perhaps allowed her the freedom to experiment, and experiment she did.

When "The Daughter of Time" appeared in 1951, it startled and delighted readers by defying conventions of detective fiction. Tey, in essence, turned the genre inside out. Instead of presenting a conventional murder scene, a string of suspects, and a hunt for clues, she locked her detective in a hospital room and asked him—and her readers—to reexamine history itself. The “case” at hand was no contemporary crime but a centuries-old mystery: did Richard III murder the Princes in the Tower? By framing the novel around a historical conundrum, Tey blended her passions for history, research, and detective storytelling into a seamless, thought-provoking narrative.

Tey’s deep knowledge of history and her meticulous attention to detail are evident in every page. She was not a professional historian, but her dedication to thorough research gave her the authority to challenge prevailing historical views. This boldness set her apart from many of her crime-writing peers. Where other authors often leaned on tried-and-true detective formulas, Tey ventured into uncharted territory, crafting a narrative that relied on intellectual inquiry rather than action. In doing so, she demonstrated her belief in the detective’s ultimate tool: the power of reasoning and evidence.

Yet for all its innovation, "The Daughter of Time" is still distinctly Tey’s in style. Her sharp wit and elegant prose are evident throughout, drawing readers into the story and keeping them engaged even when the action remains entirely within the confines of a hospital room. She understood that character development and a compelling central question could carry a novel without the need for traditional set pieces. This restrained, intellectual approach highlights Tey’s confidence as a storyteller, a confidence born from years of honing her craft under multiple names and across multiple genres.

Tey died in 1952, not long after her famous book was published, and her influence endures. The book stands as a testament to Tey’s innovative spirit, her rigorous research, and her ability to fuse history with fiction in a way that remains fresh and engaging to this day. More than a brilliant novel, it is the ultimate reflection of an author who was unafraid to break new ground and challenge conventional thinking.

Every crime writer has heard the advice, “Kill your darlings.” The original quote was “Murder your darlings,” which is more apt to the genre. Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch coined the phrase.
 
But like most writing advice (“Write what you know”), it’s easily misunderstood. (More on “Write what you know” later.)
 
And the underlying assumption is that you don’t know what you’re doing, most of what you write is garbage, and you should consign it all to the trash bin. This sort of soul-destroying advice, if it makes you start to doubt yourself and your abilities, is the surefire way not to get published.
 
If in doubt, set it aside, sure. Make a file labeled OUTTAKES, like I do. Or call it what you like, maybe INVENTORY. But kill or murder your darlings? Never.
 
Throw nothing away. It’s all inventory.

I am often asked for help by people who have written a book or who wish to write a book, but don't know how to reach a traditional publisher. Often these books I'm asked about are memoirs or historical novels or perhaps nonfiction books on a self-help topic.

Unfortunately, I know nothing about anything except the mystery novel market and even then, there are gaps in my knowledge, even after years at this game. I have referred several mystery novelists to my agent, but that's really the best I can do for them, all I have time to do. It really is a fulltime job just keeping to my own deadlines.

It's very hard to make anyone understand there are no magic shortcuts to success in this business. If I knew what they were, I would use them myself.

But here is some advice for those who don't know how to get started. Just know a good query letter is your key to success, and there are a ton of resources out there to help you.

Crafting Your Query Letter: The Gateway to a Literary Agent
Breaking into traditional publishing isn’t easy, and securing a literary agent is the biggest hurdle. The query letter is your first—and often only—chance to make an impression. It’s your introduction, your pitch, and your opportunity to convince an agent your book is worth their time. My agent, Mark Gottlieb of Trident Media Group, offers an online course in how to craft the query letter.

Agents receive many hundreds of queries every month, and they’re searching for the one that sparks excitement. Your letter has to stand out. It needs to be concise, polished, and specific to the agent you’re querying. Think of it as a snapshot of your story and your ability to write it. Hook them with your premise, show them the stakes, and demonstrate why you’re reaching out to them in particular. Let them know about your writing awards or special expertise. Don't be shy ... but don't boast, either.

Here’s the truth: you’ll usually only get one shot with an agent. If your letter doesn’t resonate, they’ll move on. That’s why your query letter and sample chapters must be as strong as possible. If you've written a nonfiction book, you'll need a chapter-by-chapter summary. Revise and seek feedback, then revise again.

Resources like QueryTracker and AgentQuery can help. These sites allow you to search for agents based on genre, track your submissions, and connect with fellow writers.

Nearly every NYT-bestselling author started with a query letter and the hope that someone would say yes. Write yours with care, passion, and confidence—it might just be the beginning of your publishing journey.

The Story Behind Vanished: A Novella

Have you ever experienced a burst of creativity so intense it feels as though the universe has conspired to hand you an idea fully formed? That’s how Vanished: A Novella came into being. It wasn’t planned, and I wasn’t even sure I was going to write that day. But sometimes, the best stories find you when you least expect them.

Vanished began several years ago, on a flight back from a book event in Dallas. There’s something about being in the enforced stillness of a plane—no distractions, no escape, just you and your thoughts. I wasn’t particularly interested in the book I’d brought along, and rather than dwell on the fact that I was sitting in a tin can hurtling through the sky, I started to write. What unfolded was something I can only describe as writing in a white heat. The words poured out as if they had been waiting for just this moment of clarity.

True Crime Meets Fiction
I've always been captivated by true crime cases that seem to defy explanation. Like so many of us, I’ve been mesmerized by the way journalists like Keith Morrison and Andrea Canning weave the threads of a story, keeping us riveted as the mystery unfolds. Their mastery of pacing and suspense inspired me to try my hand at something similar—but with one key difference. I tried to build on a story that captured the immediacy of true crime while giving readers a satisfying but imaginary resolution.

Many of the stories we see on Dateline or similar shows can only be reported once someone has been charged and found guilty. In Vanished, I wanted to sidestep those constraints and offer my own take on how a case might unfold. You could call it fan writing, or maybe wishful thinking—a writer's response to the unanswered questions in real-life mysteries.

What makes Vanished different, I think, is its blend of realism and imagination. It’s a story that invites you to follow the clues, experience the tension, and—hopefully—be completely caught off guard by the ending. More than one person has told me they never saw the ending coming, and that’s a reaction I treasure as a writer.

Vanished is available on Amazon. If you’re a Kindle Unlimited subscriber, you can download it (as of now) for "free"; otherwise, it’s a few dollars. Either way, I’d be thrilled if you gave it a read. And if you enjoy it, I’d love it if you left a review. Hearing from readers is one of the best parts of this whole journey.

So, if you’re a fan of true crime, suspense, or just an intriguing story, I invite you to check out Vanished: A Novella. Who knows? It might just make your next plane ride a little more exciting.

London Between the Wars by G.M. Malliet

Reprinted by kind permission of Janet Rudolph, editor of Mystery Readers Journal.

Between the two World Wars, London became the home of what came to be called the Golden Age of Detective Fiction. Using the city’s cosmopolitan backdrop, authors like Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, Margery Allingham, and Anthony Berkeley crafted stories that mirrored society’s fascination with crime and played on the chaos of an unstable world, with few suspecting that the Great War was not the war to end all wars. These crime writers catered to a population craving escapism from lingering hardships with stories where sleuths and detectives restored law and order to an upended society.

The popularity of today’s true crime books and podcasts may be a modern-day twist on this craving, if often without the satisfying tying off of clues offered by the Golden Agers. Post-WWI, London’s contrasting neighborhoods helped feed the genre’s popularity. The difference between affluent Mayfair and the poverty-stricken East End fed the social commentary within many of these novels, where crime underlined the differences between the haves and have-nots. London’s foggy streets and stuffy drawing rooms created settings ripe for tales of intrigue where war’s atrocities could be reproduced in contained, domestic miniature.

In Agatha Christie’s The Seven Dials Mystery (1929), she took readers into a dodgy London club to expose layers of conspiracy, demonstrating how even high society could be marred by corruption and criminality. Perhaps like me you prefer her village mysteries, but London always offered more scope for her international thriller-style adventures.

Dorothy L. Sayers was another master of the London-based mystery, using the city as a canvas for her iconic detective Lord Peter Wimsey. In Murder Must Advertise (1933), set in a London advertising agency, Sayers made her mark with themes of consumerism and amorality. Since she worked at an ad agency herself, it is difficult to escape the certainty this book was based on her (unpleasant) experience there. Lord Peter works undercover in this his eighth mystery, solving a crime with links to London’s high and low societies.

Margery Allingham gave us Albert Campion, another detective who moves fluidly between London’s upper-class society and its criminal fringes. The Tiger in the Smoke (1952) is the book most think of as her London book, with its sky “yellow as a duster.” But one of her best books was written in 1940 in stolen moments between air raids, and although not entirely set in London, it includes London-based elements as it follows Campion through a high-stakes wartime mystery. Tense and atmospheric, Traitor’s Purse (1941), in which Campion effectively loses his mind, captures the fear and uncertainty of wartime.

Anthony Berkeley, creator of the popular amateur sleuth Roger Sheringham, embroidered his books with inventive plots and keen psychological insights. The Poisoned Chocolates Case (1929) is a famous hallmark of interwar crime fiction, with its witty satire shot through an intriguing whodunit. The novel features different solutions to a single crime, showcasing Berkeley’s innovation and feeding the era’s fascination with puzzle stories. By viewing the solution(s) through the prism of the London club where his characters convene to solve the mystery, Berkeley uses the city’s club culture and its posh denizens to expose the rifts in society.

The success of London-set crime novels between the wars stemmed from their clever plots and memorable characters, but also from their London backdrops. Many of the stories could have been transplanted to another city, but too much would have been lost in the move. By capturing the essence of interwar London—a city simultaneously recovering from one war and dreading another—crime writers offered readers both a thrilling escape and a sense of certainty in uncertain times.
In that way, these stories have never seemed more timely.

G.M. Malliet is the author of three mystery series—DCI St. Just, the Rev. Max Tudor, and PI Augusta Hawke—and many short stories featuring London-based, between-the-wars amateur sleuth Magdalene Duchateau. Her first novel was named one of the ten best novels of the year by Kirkus Reviews.