M is for Mystery Writers, including Ngaoi Marsh

There are so many M's that I want to comment on, I decided to split them into several posts:

Marsh, Ngaio: Ngaio Marsh is a Golden Age mystery writer. She created Inspector Alleyn. I enjoy her mysteries and even feel somewhat nostalgic about them. My first encounter with Marsh was in college. Whenever I was about to fly home, I would go to the mystery fiction section of the BYU Bookstore and pick out a new Marsh to get me through the plane ride.

My favorite is Killer Dolphin, which introduces one of her best secondary characters, Peregrine Jay. I also quite like Grave Mistake and Singing in the Shrouds, although the murder in the latter is downright daft (and the kind of thing that would ordinarily lead to a detective being called on the carpet).

I have mixed feelings about Marsh herself. I discuss her more here. 

McCrumb, Sharyn: Sharyn McCrumb writes mysteries that are mostly set in Appalachia. I mostly read the Elizabeth MacPherson books, including Missing Susan that takes place on a British tour. Very good writer!  

Meirer, Leslie: Leslie Meier's tales take place in a made-up town in Maine. I read a number of the tales years ago. I recently tried to read a few more. However, her novels fall into "investigator goes around and talks to people, which leads to someone trying to kill her--end of mystery." I prefer investigators who put clues together, not investigators who get attacked, often by accident or because they haven't figured out the murderer yet.