Ngaio Marsh : her life in crime / Joanne Drayton.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 296-320).

One of the celebrated Queens of Crime Ngaio Marsh was probably New Zealand's first million copy author. Her tightly written, stylish whodunits were perennial favourites, rating alongside Agatha Christie and Dorothy L Sayers. She was also seriously in love with the theatre, and her triumphant return to New Zealand to establish the Court Theatre in Christchurch saw her feted and honoured with the title Dame of the British Empire. With her coterie of 'luvvies' - the handsome gay boys who were a part of her entourage and her proteges in many fields of the arts, and her impeccable landed gentry upbringing, Dame Ngaio dominated the New Zealand performing arts scene for many years before her death. Dr Jo Drayton, award winning art historian and writer was awarded the Alexander Turnbull fellowship for 2007 and has used the time to complete the research and writing of this her most exciting book to date. Here is the fascinating biography of Ngaio Marsh, a young woman of ambiguous sexuality who reveled in the abandon of the Bohemian Riviera, whose spurned suitor committed suicide and whose scintillating murder mysteries all took their inspiration, setting or characters from the heady life she enjoyed.