Kiwi Icon: Ngaio Marsh

Who loves a good crime novel?
New Zealand was the birthplace and home of one of the “Queens of Crime.” Ngaio Marsh whose novels about Detective Roderick Alleyn are still enjoyed all over the world
She was born in Christchurch to bank clerk Henry Marsh and his wife Rose probably on April 23 1895 - there is some uncertainty about it since her father did not register her birth until 1900.
When she was 7 her family moved to Cashmere where, her father built a house in Valley road. It was to be her home for the rest of her life.
During her school years, Ngaio was much involved in literary and dramatic arts before going to the Canterbury College School of Art and doing some private tutoring.
She shared a studio with other artists on Cashel Street, making friends she would keep throughout her life.
She wrote articles, poems and stories many of which were published in the Christchurch Sun.
Despite joining a Shakespeare company and then a comedy company, Ngaio thought of herself as a painter. Despite exhibiting she never managed great success.
In 1928 she went to England returning in 1932. She had completed a novel A man lay dead sending it to Agatha Christie’s agent who sent it to a publishing house.
Between 1934 and 1982 she wrote 32 detective novels.
Ngaio quickly became a star in the detective novel literary world. Four of the books are set in New Zealand and many contain references to New Zealand.
She was unofficially engaged to Edward Bristed who died in action in 1917 in the First World War. After that she never married or had any children.
She gained many honours including becoming an officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1948 and a Dame in 1966.
Her home has been preserved as a museum and the University of Canterbury has a theatre named after her as is a retirement home in Christchurch.
Ngaio also wrote her own biography - called Black beech and honey dew in 1966 -
and revised it in 1981 just before her death.
Before her death she systematically destroyed many of her papers, letters, manuscripts and documents.
Nevertheless - a book she had started during the Second World War called Money in the Morgue was released after it was finished by Stella Duffy in 2018.
A number of her books have been adapted for television and radio dramas.
Ngaio died in Christchurch on February 18, 1982 and was buried at the Church of
the Holy Innocents in Mount Peel.
Photo from Te Papa’s collection.​