Death of a Fool: Inspector Roderick Alleyn #19 (Volume 19)

Name: Death of a Fool: Inspector Roderick Alleyn #19 (Volume 19)
Price: 15.99 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.3 (932 reviews)
Author: Ngaio Marsh

by Ngaio Marsh

Mystery Thriller Historical Fiction

4.3 (932)

4.3 stars from 932 reviews. Top 91% of Mystery Thriller books we track.

288 pages~4.8 hr readPublished by Collins [for] the Crime ClubPublished 1956-01-01

$15.99At peak price

Last checked: Jun 2, 2026

Price history: $0.99 – $15.99

Full price — consider adding to your watchlist for a better deal.

Price range: $0.99 – $15.99

Buy on Amazon - $15.99

0 readers are tracking this book's price

Fans of these authors will like this...

Agatha Christie
Dorothy L. Sayers
P.G. Wodehouse

Fans of these books will like this...

The Body in the Library
Gaudy Night
The Nine Tailors

Perfect for you if...

You enjoy mysteries where the detective's bemused observations are half the fun, especially when the setting is eccentric English villages full of peculiar customs.
You appreciate locked-room logic and genuine puzzle-solving without gritty violence or psychological darkness.
You like classic crime fiction from the 1950s where the writing itself—witty, precise, slightly arch—matters as much as the whodunit.

Maybe not for you if...

You want fast-paced procedurals or detective work that feels urgent and contemporary rather than leisurely and civilised.
You prefer dark, morally complex protagonists over competent professionals who maintain their composure and dry wit.
You're looking for graphic violence or psychological horror, not a beheading that's treated with darkly comic understatement.

About this book

In the village of South Mardian, an English community devoted to preserving old traditions, a murder disrupts the peace. Set in 1957, the village maintains eighteenth-century customs including a blacksmith, a village idiot, and an elaborate fertility ritual performed at the winter solstice. When one of the ritual's main participants is found beheaded—killed by a ritual sword—Inspector Alleyn arrives to investigate. Alleyn must navigate the village's attachment to pre-Industrial ways while solving the case. Though he finds the community's embrace of traditions like morris dancing somewhat amusing, he works to identify the killer and restore order to South Mardian.

Get the best deal every time

We track price drops, sale patterns, and predict when this book will go on offer next.

Price History

Kindle price over time. Green zones = periods when the book was free.

$0.99 – $15.99

Price has dropped 35 times over the last 5 years. Goes on sale roughly every 49 days. Typically stays discounted for 3 days.

Sales Rank

Amazon sales rank: lower number = better selling book. #1 is the bestseller.

Currently around #52K in the Kindle store — a steady mid-list seller.

Rating & Reviews

Purple line = star rating over time. Blue area = total review count growth.

Currently 4.3★ from 932 reviews

Gaining approximately 10 new reviews per month. Rating has remained stable at 4.3 over the tracking period.

Sale Prediction

Actual Predicted

This book goes on sale roughly every 49 days. Next drop estimated in about 7 weeks. Typical discount: 94% off.

Prices shown in USD from Amazon US. We continuously pull new data to improve tracking. If dates look old, it usually means there has been no significant change since the last data point.