Published two years after “Blow His Head Off” (the pace of Miss Marsh’s work slowed markedly in the ’50s), “Nocturnal Singing” is markedly different not only from other works of that period, but also from most of the other adventures of the elder Inspector Alleyn. The novel contains much more exciting narrative in the style of a "novel of manners" and much less formal investigation. Alleyn finds himself in the role of a simple passenger traveling incognito; he cannot conduct the investigation “openly” and is deprived of the direct assistance of his colleagues. Accordingly, the narrative is more reminiscent of an ordinary story, rather than a detective retrograde reconstruction of past events.