Death in Ecstasy

By: Ngaio Marsh

Narrated by: James Saxon

The poison was cyanide, slipped into the sacred wine of ecstasy just before it was presented to Miss Cara Quayne at the House of the Sacred Flame.

The victim was a deeply religious initiate who had trained for a month for her last ceremony. She was also a very beautiful woman.... The suspects were the other initiates and the high priest. All claimed they were above earthly passions. But Cara Quayne had provoked lust, jealousy - and murder.

Roderick Alleyn suspected that more evil still lurked behind the Sign of the Sacred Flame....

©1936 Original Text of 1936 by Ngaio Marsh (P)2015 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"A novelist of glittering accomplishment." ( Sunday Times)

"She writes better than Christie!" ( New York Times)

Gotta Love Inspector Allen!

Interesting take on a made up religion and the poor souls mixed up in it.

A fine and amusing story.

In this novel NM let’s her sense of humor shine thru. The usual mix of suspects and highly engrossing back stories but lots of laugh moments. It’s also time to ‘out’ Rattisbone the ever recurring solicitor. He appears without fanfare or comment in many books but in this novel a character asks Alleyn “do you know this person?” And Alleyn replies “slightly” - of course they have shared many a story and Rattisbone deserves much better of his creator. Loved the story as usual.

Mystery Maven

Another great entry. These stories are set in a time long gone but the relevance of this installment is right on. Different narrator who did well. On to the next.

Great story

Would recommend listening to this story. Keeps your interest. Was not able to solve the mystery.

Dated but enjoyable

Not the best in the series but full of amusing touches. Characters are more than usually stereotypical. Unfortunate homophobia creeps in that is offensive even for the time the book was written. Excellent narration.