all of marsh's stories are reliably entertaining and filled with quirky appealing characters.
such fun.

Yes! Nothing like finding a copy of a book by a beloved author that you've read before but don't remember! I read Death at the Bar back when I made my resolution to read all the Marsh novels, and I have an ancient copy from some book sale somewhere, but I didn't remember it--in fact, what I thought I remembered was wrong, so I was thrown by the actual outcome! Bonuses all around.

Well described and well written, but none of the characters are especially captivating and the love interest development is pretty haphazard. Still: what a treat to read a "new" Marsh! Moral of the story: check the back row of your bookshelf when it's a cold and dreary January and you want something to read!

A classic how was he murdered puzzle. The characters just didn’t interest me. There wasn’t anyone likeable among the suspects.

Christie is fun and traditional, but Marsh is a genius. Her Alleyn novels are far superior in plot, characterization and writing.

My only complaint about this book is that I can't re-read it because I clearly remember who dunnit.

While it hasn't the intricacies of Christie or the depth of Du Maurier, there's something quite charming about Marsh's work and in particular, the Inspector Allyn series.
In some ways this has aged rather poorly but it is over a century since first publication and allowances should be made. Worth reading.

I am going to have to go ask this in the question section, but did anyone else’s book end with a date? I thought they would be a big reveal with all of the cast of characters like is normal in Marsh’s books, but that’s not how this one ended.

All and all, this was a good mystery. Spoilers ahead. I have rarely seen an author who makes the culprit so obvious throughout the book and constantly points them out as the most obvious suspect, then actually has them be the killer. That’s why I love the golden age of mysteries. They were making the rules and then breaking them and making them different and I love it. Give me a good old-fashioned mystery any day of the week. I think thrillers are cheap trash—there, I said it.

Anyhow, are good detective is casually married now and he gets to spend a summer week at a small seaside town. But before that we meet the cast of characters.

A lawyer, an actor, and a painter are in town staying at the local in for vacation. There’s love, there’s lust, there’s communists, there’s lots of good sherry, and then there’s a murder. Like the last couple novels, the author introduces the murder victim and makes him pretty likable. I actually think that does a lot to make you more interested in the story because you care about the victim.

This book had the biggest cliffhanger in the end of a chapter that I have seen in any of the authors books so far. When I thought something was going to happen to Fox, I literally gasped out loud and had to keep reading ahead. You get some good character development nuggets here as we see Rodrick and Fox bicker back and forth.

I also want to say I could really picture the inn and the little town where it was set. That was very vivid in my mind without the author wasting too much time describing it to me.

All and all, this was a good addition to the series.