| Short cuts : | Home | Contents | Photos | Ramblings | Contacts | Whats new | : : : | : : : |
I know from my background reading that three writers are known as giants, or queens of the Golden Age of British Crime fiction. I have read or am reading books by Agatha Christie (the Miss Marple books) and by Dorothy Sayers ( The Lord Peter Wimsey books), so when I came across the first book in Margery Allingham's Albert Campion series, I thought I just had to give it a go for completeness. I have noticed that all three authors have tried to have their brilliant sleuths very much underestimated. Miss Marple, sitting quietly in a corner, is often overlooked and underestimated. This doesn't annoy me. But both Sayers and Allingingham try to portray their sleuths as foolish, gibberish speaking idiots. This works within the plot, but is very trying for the reader - me. I thought Lord Peter Wimsey was bad enough, but Albert Campion seems even worse. Oh woe is me ! Wimsey appeared first - Campion seems a copy.
Margery Allingham was born in 1904 in Ealing, London. Both her mother and father were writers. Soon after Margery's birth, the family moved to a small village in Essex near Colchester. Margery attended a local school, and then the Perse School for Girls in Cambridge. Margery was always writing, and, at the age of eight, got her first fee for a story published in her aunt's magazine. Margery returned to London in 1920, where she studied drama and speech training - and this cured her of a childhood stammer. She met her future husband Philip Youngman Carter, and they later married in 1927. Much, much later she and Carter wrote a Campion book together, and Carter later wrote two more Campions under his own name, and another with a different co-author.
Margery's first book was published in 1923 when she was 19, and she continued to write books, and plays but without commercial success. Her breakthrough came in 1929 with the publication of "The Crime at Black Dudley" which introduced her readers to Albert Campion, then thought to be a parody of Dorothy Sayer's Lord Peter Wimsey. Campion was especially well received in America and Allingham was encouraged to write more stories With practice her writing skills improved. Campion featured in over 17 novels and lots of short stories - spanning a writing career of about 40 years. "The Mind Readers" was published in 1965, a year before the author's death. "The Return of Mr Campion" is a collection of short stories published as late as 1989. Campion is a strange character, with reputed hints that he is of a family in the line of succession to the throne ! Sometimes he is a detective, sometimes an adventurer with connections to the shady world of criminality. His servant Lugg is an ex burglar. Eventualy he works closely with the police and MI6 counter intelligence. He falls in love, gets married, and has a child - in short, the novels and the writer change, develop and adapt as time goes by.
Margery Allingham suffered from breast cancer, and died in Colchester hospital in 1966. Her final Campion "Cargo of Eagles" was completed by her husband at her request and published in 1968.
I read this book in September, 2019.
This is the first book in the Albert Campion series, and is a novel introduction in that Campion is not the main detective - that is Dr George Abbershaw, a distinguished man of science whose book of pathology is required reading. Black Dudley is a huge country mansion that has seen better days. It has lots and lots of rooms, stairways, and secret passages. The head of the house is Colonel Gordon Coombe, but the real owner is his nephew Wyatt Petrie. The colonel regularly asks Petrie to invite lots of his young friends up to Suffolk for a weekend house party at Black Dudley. Wyatt asks his friend Abbershaw to come along. George Abbershaw is smitten with a young lady by the name of Margaret (Meggie) Oliphant, and agrees to come if Wyatt also arranges for Meggie to be there - which he does. Shy George can now socialise with Meggie. All sorts of perils befall the couple that weekend, George displays hitherto hidden bravery, and so George and Meggie eventually fall in love, get engaged and married.
It's a very complicated, very far fetched tale. As a party game, all the lights are extinguished (no electric at Black Dudley) and an ancient dagger, steeped in family history and mystery is passed between the participants. Meggie gets tapped on the shoulder in the dark by someone, and handed the dagger, but it's blade is covered in blood. The dagger is then snatched back and disappears. Worse, everyone is told that Colonel Coombe has suffered a heart attack (and died). Ominously he has to be cremated right away. In fact he was stabbed. So at one level we have a murder mystery in a lonely country mansion - familiar territory. Who did the evil deed ? Was it one of the two wicked looking personal friends keeping the Colonel company - Gideon and the German Benjamin Dawlish. Or was it one of Wyatt Petrie's young friends. Within this party is the mysterious Albert Campion - no one is sure who invited him. He seems a lunatic doing conjuring tricks and speaking incessant gibberish. Is he the murderer ?
The story now gets very complicated in a tale involving two competing criminal gangs who buy well thought out crime plans from a brilliant master criminal - none other than Colonel Coombe ! His latest plan has gone missing and Dawlish wants it back. Dawlish is the notorious head of a European crime syndicate, and he now has everyone held captive. All are to be tortured including Meggie - and George must save her. Surprisingly, it's the lunatic Campion who has the skill to save the day. So lots of climaxes, escapes, recaptures, and adventures. Somehow or other Abbershaw has worked out just what is going on, and keeps us informed within the complicated tale. At the very end Abbershaw gives Campion a lift back to London. "Just who are you ?" asks Abbershaw. Campion whispers his true very distinguished family name in Abbershaw's ear, but sadly this is not shared with us.
I thought it competently written, but really a load of unbelievable nonsense, and Campion a definite and annoying parody of Lord Peter Wimsey. But I've been told that the author, the character and the series improve with time, so I'll not abandon Margery Allinghm / Albert Campion yet.
Links to author index and home page
| Margery Allingham Heading | Author Index | Go to Home Page |
I read this book in January, 2020.
This is book two in Margery Allingham's Albert Campion series. Albert is an amateur detective who affects a silly ass manner of speech which he claims is involuntary - he can't help it. For most of this book Campion is serious, and his speech idiosyncrasy is not a problem.
The Mystery Mile is a lord of the manor dominated isolated village in Suffolk. The lord of the manor has died, leaving his two children Giles and Biddy to run the place, but with no money. Albert is a frequent visitor - he has a crush on Biddy, but a rival emerges in this book. Albert does all he can to help his rival in another matter, rescues Biddy from certain death, and is the better man, but strangely does not prevail in matters of the heart. Such is life.
I thought it was a good story, reasonably well told. It opens on an ocean liner. American judge Crowdy Lobbett is escaping the Sinister gang who have already made lots of attempts on his life. He is travelling with his two children, Marlowe and Isopel. A magician is setting up a disappearing apparatus for a stage act. A silly ass passenger with a pet mouse is in the audience, talking to a bore - a Turkish gentleman named Ali Fergusson Barber. Mr Barber appears throughout the story - he just can't be shaken off. The magician calls for a volunteer from the audience to be "disappeared" and judge Lobbett goes on stage. The silly ass young man pushes in front of him, and says his mouse Haig wants to be disappeared. "You are annoying us all" says the judge, but the silly ass young man puts Haig into the cabinet, and Haig is immediately electrocuted - charred to cinders. Albert is the silly ass who has just saved the judge's life. How Albert came to be there with a pet mouse is not explained.
Back in London, Marlowe seeks out Campion, and asks him to protect his father. The Sinister gang are deadly, but Albert agrees, and whisks the judge and his children away to the hoped for safety of the Mystery Mile. Marlowe and Biddy get on very well, as do Giles and Isopel. Poor Albert !
The adventure now unfolds at Mystery Mile, and I had to keep reading to see who the leader of the Sinister gang might be. Throughout Albert is helped by his man / major domo Lugg.
All in all, a good 1929 set adventure. Albert get his man (in a manner of speaking) but not his girl.
Links to author index and home page
| Margery Allingham Heading | Author Index | Go to Home Page |
I read this book in February, 2023.
This is book three in Margery Allingham's Albert Campion series. It's a somewhat dated, old fashioned adventure yarn set in a secluded Suffolk valley full of superstitious locals with strange supernatural beliefs, local gentry, an American professor, and gypsies on the heath.
Our hero is Albert Campion of 17, Bottle Street, Piccadilly, W1. Albert is a tall young man, with an inoffensive face, vague eyes, and huge horn rimmed glasses. He deliberately looks harmless and is usually underestimated. Albert's major domo is Mr Lugg. Albert's friend is Inspector Stanislaus Oates, of Scotland Yard. We also meet the Gyrth family - father Sir Percy Gyrth, son Val, and daughter Penny. They live in The Tower, in the village of Sanctuary, in our secluded valley in Suffolk, near Sudbury (a place we know well). Aunt Diane also lives in The Tower. Val is now estranged from his father. He married a young lady he met at Cambridge, the father disapproved and cut Val's allowance. The lady left Val, but came back when she was ill, and Val sold everything to care for her until she died. Now he is destitute. The Gyrth family were given their estates by the Crown centuries ago, and are guardians of a precious national and religious relic, a priceless chalice, over 1,000 years old. The Gyrth land will be forfeit if they fail to guard the chalice which is stored in the chapel of the Cup House and on public display every Thursday. The Crown visits every 10 years to check that the chalice is safe. The Tower seems to have a secret room with no doors but a powerfull guardian presence. The father shares the secret of the hidden room with his son on his 25th birthday. Also in Sanctuary is Tye Hall, rented at present by an American professor - Prof Cairey - there with his wife and daughter Beth. Cairey specialises in ancient treasures, but has allowed some gypsies to camp on his land and so has fallen out with Sir Percy. This is unfortunate because he wants to study the famous chalice.
The story opens with a complicated plan for Val Gyrth to meet Campion. Val, 24, is destitute but is given a shilling by a friendly policeman - he now has means of support and does not need to be arrested. He is still moved on though. Sitting on a park bench, Val sees an envelope addressed to himself, and curious, goes to the return address. It's a cafe with Mr Lugg behind the serving hatch. Lugg gives him another letter - this one contains £2, Albert's card, and a note telling him to come quickly. Val goes there, getting himself kidnapped en route but escaping. Albert shows Val a glossy magazine with a photograth taken at The Tower of his aunt Diane and the Gyrth chalice. This is the first published photo of the famous chalice, and Val is horrified. Albert tells Val of a society of anonymous wealthy untouchables who plan to steal the chalice. The Society has commissioned an agent to do this and the only way to prevent this is to kill the agent. Normally the Society keeps going until they succeed, but they have a rule / code of conduct to cease on the death of their agent. Albert tells Val he must make up with his father and return with Albert to The Tower. En route they stop for a meal, but Val is recognised by a loud mouthed woman who has entered the inn with some rough looking companions. She is Mrs Dick Shannon - she owns horse stables near Sanctuary. We will hear a lot more of Mrs Shannon. Lugg says he recognises one of her companions as the known villain Nutty Johnson. Apparently Nutty and companions are staying at The Tower as guests of Aunt Diane.
Back in Sanctuary Val meets his sister Penny who is with her new American friend Beth, daughter of Prof Cairey. Sanctuary is an old, old village complete with a local witch - Mrs Munsey. Val goes off with Penny, but Albert stays overnight at the village pub. He is wakened in the middle of the night by an agitated landlady. Albert has to go straight to The Tower. Aunt Diane is dead - she had heart problems and has suffered a heart attack when out wandering at night in the grounds. She was found laid out on the ground with a look of extreme fear in her eye. The family doctor is the local coroner. He says there is no need for an inquest - we will have a quick, quiet funeral. Penny shows Albert the clearing in the woods where the body was found. Old Mrs Munsey had put a curse on Aunt Di, but by reputation the clearing is haunted by something much worse than a ghost, or a witch. Aunt Di's friends had been taking photos and doing drawings of her posing with the chalice, but really the photos and drawings concentrated on the chalice - the gang planned to get a copy made and steal the chalice.
There are gypsies on the heath - Albert Campion's friends, especially their leader Mrs Sarah. They know him as Orlando. Campion has many names for different people. Seemingly Albert sometimes disappears for weeks - off to join his friends. He asks Mrs Sarah for some help. Talking of names, Branch, the old Gyrth servant knows Albert by another name - Rudolph K, where K stands for a well known English family. Albert quickly changed the subject. Mrs Shannon turns up at The Tower with a couple of friends. It's Thursday, and she wants to show them the chalice. Sir Percy agrees -it's the quickest way of getting rid of her. The chalice has gone but an agitated Sir Percy says he remembers now - it's off for cleaning, he says. Distressed he confers with Albert and Val. He tells Val if only you were 25 I could tell you more.
Albert has an idea where the chalice might be. He forces his company on Penny and Beth, off in Penny's sports car for a day in London. Well into the journey, they stop, and ask him to check if a tyre is soft. They then drive off, but Albert has outwitted them and is holding their suitcase. They return. They were taking the chalice away for safe keeping in some bank vault. He chides them - you hadn't thought it through, you'd have been ambushed further on, and the chalice really would be gone. He has a new plan. After meeting at a rendezvous, Albert, Penny and the suitcase continue to London, a disguised Val and Beth follow with the chalice. Yes, Penny and Albert are ambushed, the suitcase is stolen, but Albert gets to meet and recognise some of the kidnap gang. In London, Val and Albert take the chalice to a jewellery copyist Albert knows. Old Mr Melchezadek recognises the chalice but says its a dummy - a copy his grandfather made about 150 years ago. Prof Cairey, a world expert happens to be next door visiting Melchezaduk, and he confirms this. He explains that some relics are too precious to ever go on public display - dummy relics are not unusual. Where is the true chalice - probably in the secret room at The Tower ? A petty crook sells some information to Albert - but all he knows is the gang are lead by someone known as Daisy. Inspector Oates knows of many petty crooks called Daisy, but of no superiour ones.
Back in Sanctuary, Prof Cairey shows Albert a blurred photo of the Beast of the clearing - taken when it blundered through a trip wire rigged to a camera. Albert and the Prof decide to capture and net the Beeast that evening with help from Peck, a young estate worker. This part of the story is very well told - I won't spoil it for you. Surprisingly the escapade reveals the identity of Daisy.
Albert goes off to tackle Daisy, and so starts the build up to a series of exciting climaxes, involving a killer horse, and just in time gypsy reinforcements, but Daisy escaping and off to get the chalice. It's a good well told story - read it to learn more. Val does have his 25th, and now shares a dark secret with his father. After being thrown together so much, Val and Beth fall in love and are to be married. Maybe Penny had similar thoughts concerning Albert, but Mrs Sarah, the gypsy had told Penny she will never marry Albert.
There is one final footnote to the story when a VIP from the Crown arrives to do the 10 yearly check on the chalice. Albert and Prof Cairey are blindfolded, are taken into the secret room, and their blindfolds are removed. The chalice is magnificient but the guardian presence awesome. Afterwards Albert discusses what they have seen with the professor. Albert says, when Daisy looked into the secret room I thought I heard two voices. It's best not to dwell on such things, advises the professor.
Links to author index and home page
| Margery Allingham Heading | Author Index | Go to Home Page |
I read this book in November, 2022.
This is book 4 in Margery Allingham's Albert Campion series. It's a good ingenious story, well told, and it reads well, but of course a lot of the story line is very dated. As an example (it's only a slight spoiler) old aunt Caroline is being blackmailed by "cousin George" - he will bring scandal upon the household by revealing the birth of a black child into the family. Today, that would be quite unremarkable - and certainly not blackmail material.
First, I'll introduce the cast, and then come to the plots. Albert Campion resides at 17a Bottle Street, Piccadilly, with his faithful servant / factotum Lugg. Albert has a keen mind and intellect, but disguises this, hiding behind an habitual expression of contented idiocy. Marcus Fetherstone, a young lawyer, is a friend from Albert's Cambridge days, and Joyce Blount is Marcus's fiance. We now come to the inhabitants of a grand house in Socrates Close, Trumpinghton Road, Cambridge - stuck, frozen in a time of 60 years ago, i.e. as per 1870. Dr Faraday, Master of Ignatious, died leaving old Aunt Caroline, now 84, running the place with great presence , authority, and total command. Her various sons and daughters either never left home, or left, failed at business, had no money, and then had to return to Socrates Close. These relations are Uncle Andrew, Uncle William, Aunt Julia, and Aunt Kitty. It was Kitty who brought up Joyce Blount when her mum died. Joyce is now Aunt Caroline's companion/ house manager. The main house servant is Alice Nuddington, and Ann Held is Joyce's best friend.
The book opens with newly promoted DCI Stanislaus Oats out in the rain in London, and scurrying to a dry place to shelter, remembered from his days on the beat. Although he is being followed by a thick set man, he is not at all concerned. In the dry shelter he is surprised to find his old friend Albert Campion who is waiting to see a potential client - none other than Joyce Blount. She is very concerned that Uncle Andrew is missing. The man tailing Oats turns up, starts to tell him something, but sees and recognises Joyce, and scarpers. Joyce lies, saying she doesn't know this man. Next Campion gets an urgent telegram from Cambridge. It's terrible news, come immediately, we need your help, see the newspapers. Uncle Andrew's body has been found in the river Granta, bound by cord, and shot at close range through the head. Unusually Andrew and his brother William decided to walk home from Sunday Church, but parted when Andrew said he wanted to go via Grantchester, a very long, out of the way route. William arrived home, Andrew never did . William is the last person to see Andrew alive, but he claims to suffer from mental blackouts, and can't remember the details of leaving Andrew. I shoulld add most of the Socrates Close relatives live in a constant state of verbal warfare . Scotland Yard are called in - i.e. DCI Stanislaus Oats. Old Aunt Caroline knows Campion as the grandson of her friend, who is Campion's grandmother. She asks Campion to come to stay at Socrates Close and take on the case, but report directly to her. She will pay him £100 gns a month. Although frail, she still retains her keen intellect.
Next, Aunt Julie is poisoned. Campion eventually finds the source of the poison, via a doctored slimming pill she had been taking, but in secret. Who, at Socrates, knew of this ? It's obviously murder, by someone at Socrates Close, but who is left that might be the murderer ? There is then a strange attack on Uncle William, by what he says was a cat with sharp claws that somehow got into the room, although the door and windows were closed - an unlikely story. And finally, vile, blackmailing cousin George turns up and demands permanent food and lodgings, and head of house status.
That then is the mystery - who is the murderer and why ? I'll leave you to read the story. The explanation is quite remarkable, and not one that occured to me. A nice twist, Margery Allingham.
Links to author index and home page
| Margery Allingham Heading | Author Index | Go to Home Page |
I read this book in September, 2023.
This is book 5 in the Albert Campion series of adventures by Margery Allingham. It's very dated and reads like a "Boys' Own" yarn much like the John Buchan, Richard Hannay novels written slightly earlier / about the same time. There are references to colonisation, and to European countries whose names are long forgotten. We get clues and riddles hidden in poems, and have to collect 3 ancient items - a crown, parchment deeds, and a receipt from 1814 - to prove title to the Pallatinate of Averna for the Earl of Pontisbright, and the British Government. We have a band of intrepid adventurers helping Campion, against a clever, ruthless adversary in the shape of International Financier Brett Savanake. There are lots of digressions there only to add colour, but we don't know that at the time. It's well enough written, but dated and I didn't really care for it all that much.
Main Characters : The book opens with a page headed "Dramatis Personae", which I can't better. Albert Campion (32) (not his real name) is our hero, always attended by his wonderfully named ex burglar general factotum Magersfontein Lugg (Mr Lugg). There are three new friends / assistants Guffy Randall (28),Jonathan Eager-Wright, mountaineer and member of an old English Family, and Dicky Farquharson, son of Sir Joshua Farquharson. The story is mostly set in Pontisbright, in Suffolk, where live 4 more of Campion's crew, all members of the Fitton family, Mary, Hal (true Earl of Pontisbright), Amanda (17/18) beautiful, brave, marvellous, and American Harriet Huntingforest, Aunt Hatt. Their general handyman is old Scatty Williams. Amanda, sadly too young, has awakened feelings in Campion he thought never to experience again. Her non marriage proposal to Campion - "I have my own teeth, am of good temper, etc" - is a poignant ending to this tale. The opposition is the international financier and head of a vast global business empire, Brett Savanake, a 50 year old giant of a man, and his two initial low grade helpers Peaky Doyle, and Sniffy Edwards. Savanake soon calls in better helpers. Dr Galley is the local medic, mad, insane, and a diversion.
There are two plots, the main Pontisbright Averna inheritance, and the lesser Dr Galley one. The book opens with Guffy Randall (28) having taken an aunt to an Italian Spa, returning home via the French Riviera. He calls in at the Hotel Beauregard whose manager M. Fleury he knows. As Guffy arrives he sees a man climb out of a bedroom window with a suitcase and run off. Fleury is delighted to see Guffy - he has a problem. He has three guests and their servant Mr Smith staying there, all under false names. Someone's room has been ransacked, and Smith is accused. Fleury wants to know if the guests are royalty or crooks. Guffy observes the men from a hidden window, recognises them, and vouches for them. They are his three friends Albert Campion, Jonathan Eagers-Wright and Dicky Farquharson. Mr Smith is of course Mr Lugg. He goes to join them, but they pretend not to know him. Later, in private, they explain all. It's a strange tale dating back to the Crusades when England colonised an 800 acre plot of land later called Averna which stood on the Adriatic. Title was then given by the king to the Earl of Pontisbright, and later in 1814 the 15th Earl confirmed title by buying the deeds. The payment was financed by the British Government, and the Earl got a receipt at Metternich. The Earl had married Mary Fitton in secret, went off to war, and was killed at Crimea. The Earl's mum Josephine disapproved of lowly Mary Fitton, denied the marriage had ever taken place, and forced the local priest to remove the relevant page in the church records. Josephine sold the estate, had Pontisbright Hall levelled, and cleared off. However an earth quake had shattered a giant obstructing land mass, exposing Averna to the sea. It now had the potential to be a valuable Adriatic port. The British Government and a rival wanted to get title and register it at The Hague. The Government called in Albert Campion, and gave him free hand to establish title.
Hence we have Campion and friends touring Europe as targets to flush out the rival, and this seems to be working as already they are being followed and have been shot at. They identify their followers as two low grade villains Peaky Doyle and Sniffy Edwards. They commonly work for Brett Savanake, a powerful Financier, owner of a vast international business empire, and able to command almost unlimited resources. In short, a formidable opponent. It was Peaky who climbed out of the bedroom window, and from whose bedroom Mr Lugg had pinched an important letter. This told the crooks not to waste time on Campion, but to return straight away to Pontisbright. Lugg returns the letter to Peaky's room for Fleury to recover - Fleury had been under great pressure to do this, and not quite by coincidence the ultimate owner of Hotel Beauregard is Savanake. Three proofs are required to establish title - the Crown made years ago for Giles Pontisbright, the parchment deeds granted by Henry IV with his seal on them, and the Metternich receipt of 1814. Apparently there is a clue carved on a tree at Pontisbright. Guffy joins the Campion crew, and they hurry to Pontisbright in Suffolk, staying initially at the Gauntlet pub whose landlord Mr Bull is very helpful, and then at the local Mill, owned by the Fitton family. From the local paper Campion discovers that an American lady Miss Harriet Huntingforest has been attacked by an intruder who ransacked her home, but stole nothing. Campion wonders what Peaky wanted ? She is Aunt Hatt, now staying now staying with the Fittons. The Mill has seen better days, but Campion insists on paying 3 guineas per head, way over the odds. The Fittons are Mary, the oldest, brother Hal (16), and sister Amanda 17, but soon to be 18. Hal is the true Earl of Pontisbright if only he could prove his ancestor's marriage took place. Mary and Amanda are beautiful - and by the end of the book Guffy and Mary are engaged to be married. Amanda is remarkable, very clever with electrics, independent, loyal, and very, very brave. A female younger version of Campion ? Later she will impress as Campion's secret helper - not only that, although rightly terrified she will stand her ground, and be there to save Campion's life. For this she gets shot - but I am jumping ahead.
At the Mill there is hidden a section of an old oak that stood in Pontisbright grounds. Amanda shows it to Campion. It has a riddle / poem carved onto it which Campion copies on to a piece of paper. The riddle hints at three clues - a diamond, a Bell to sound again, and a drum. Amazingly Campion makes sure these clues are shared with Peaky and so Savanake, explaining that where riddles are involved, two heads are better than one. The story now takes off. Campion is summonsed to meet Savanake by a notice in the Times, which he does, although apparently suffering from bad toothache. Savanake knows all about Campion, his adventures and successes, even his real name. Campion is offered a job to work for Savanake and lead an uprising in Peru, but must leave immediately. There is no alternative. It looks as if Campion is complying, but by bribery he manages a visit back to Bootle Street to collect a coat, scarf and toothache mixture. Here there is an obviously preplanned switch, with Campion hiding in a wardrobe, and a friend taking his place on the boat to Peru. Campion's friends are desolated that he has abandoned them for more money, although Guffy is not so sure. The Mill is attacked, and all the crew are tied up, but Aunt Hatt eventually sets them free. Who freed Aunt Hatt ? Amanda announces she has come into money, namely £300, and is off to buy a car and some electric equipment. She refuses to say where she got the money from.
The drum of the oak tree rhyme is the Pontisbright drum, now an exhibit in a Norwich museum -and after a mix up when the Campion crew get in each others way it is recovered, only to be broken and it's lower half stolen. The crown too is discovered, and amazingly Campion turns up in Pontisbright. Amazingly too the old bell of Pontisbright even sounds again. It all builds to an exciting climax where Savanke himself turns up, fights with Campion and uses his giant strength to overpower him. They both plunge into the mill river. There are various hikers camped on the Heath - all Savanake helpers. All have to be outwitted. Amanda is an absolute hero but is shot and lies unconscious. I'll leave you to read the story, and learn how it all works out.
Two points before I finish. Dr Galley features throughout the story, patching up injuries, inviting everyone round for expensive port, and trying to scare Campion and crew away from the Bright Valley, known to the superstitious locals as Cain's Valley or Valley of the Accursed. He claims that the locals have built up inherited resistance to a skin disease deadly to visitors. Campion must leave immediately. He has been practising in Pontisbright for years and inherited his uncle's wine cellar and library. In the library were lots of books on ancient cures some of which he started to use on his patients. Sadly this developed into a study of the Occult, Witchcraft, and Devil summoning. The doctor is now quite mad, chants, and mistakes captured and tortured Peaky Doyle for a summonsed spirit. When Peaky, now skeletal, collapses and dies, the doctor thinks he now possesses and controls the spirit, draws a dagger, and intends to sacrifice the Campion crew. Quite, quite mad ! What this part of the story was for, I have no idea. The second point concerns lovely, courageous, clever but too young Amanda (18). She has been shot, is recovering in her bedroom, and wants Campion (32) to visit to tell how it all worked out.
"I'm very healthy, my teeth are good, I never snore, and my relations say I have a sweet temper. Don't be frightened", she tells him, "I'm not proposing marriage to you. But you might consider me as a partner in the business. I shan't be ready for about 6 years yet, but I'd like to be top of the list." A lot more is implied, Campion regards her honesty with such tenderness. She has torn open old scars, and revived old fires he believed extinct. I wonder what the future might hold ?
Links to author index and home page
| Margery Allingham Heading | Author Index | Go to Home Page |
I read this book in February, 2024.
This is book 6 in the Albert Campion (not his real name) series, by Margery Allingham. It's written in the 1930s. I read other books of this vintage, and don't comment that they are dated, but with Margery Allingham I always start off thinking this, but about half way through the book I get caught up in the plot, forget about this, and read on to find the author's ending. There are some very obvious red herrings / misdirections - a little more subtlety would be welcome. I'll stick to my usual Characters, Private lives and Main plots split, but sadly there is no private lives section here. Also there is mention whatsoever of Campions' general factotum Magersfontein Lugg (Mr Lugg) - I wonder what happened to him ?
Characters : The main character is Mr Albert Campion, not his real name, who lives in Bottle Street, London. His Scotland Yard police contact is DI Stanislaus Oates.
John Lafcadio was a famous painter (died 1912) who lived and worked in a large house with studios and grounds in Little Venice. He was survived by his wife Arabella (Belle) (75). She still lives in the Little Venice house with John's assorted followers and helpers - e.g. Donna Beatrice, his beautiful model and inspiration (real name is Harriet Pickering), Lisa Capella (65), his favourite model, Fred Rennie, his paint mixer and, in a studio in the grounds William and Claire Potter. William prints lithographs and visits schools as artmaster. Linda Lafcadio is John and Belle's granddaughter. She was engaged to Tom Dacre, another artist, but the engagement fell through when Tom married his model Rosa Rosa in order to get her entry into the UK. Tom shared a house with Matt Durfray. Max Fustian is a well connected artist's agent and caustic art critic.
Private Lives - no real story.
Main Plot .The story open slowly. Albert Campion is in Little Venice visiting an old friend Belle Lafcadio (70), wife and model for the now deceased famous artist John Lafcadio. Before his death in 1912 , John produced 12 paintings, but had them boxed up and sealed. He left instructions that after a gap of 10 years these should be unveiled and released, one a year, for the next 12 years. The unveilings are the famous Show Sundays attended by the cream of society . Several friends visit on the day before the public unveiling. They are an arty group full of chat and bitching. Lots of similar characters still live in the Little Venice house - as per the characters section. Also there is Max Fustian, John's sales agent - a very conceited art critic.
Campion visits again on the Show Sunday - the place is crowded. Later, when it's dark, and people are starting to leave, the lights go out. Campion goes to the cellar and puts a shilling in the meter, but notices a commotion on his return. Apparently someone has fainted - but it's worse than that, Tom Dacre has been stabbed and killed. Tom was Belle's granddaughter Linda's former fiance, but instead he married his beautiful model Rosa Rosa to get her a work permit / UK entry. This same Rosa Rosa is present at this Show Sunday , screaming "murder, it's the scissors !" She is referring to decorated scissors on sale at an art stall. Unfortunately Linda had made a point of criticising them, proclaiming "what a waste of good steel. " Campion wants the business handled properly and phones his friend Inspector Stanislaus Oates at Scotlnd Yard. Oates arrives, and follows police standard procedures, but tells Campion it's an obvious case - Linda did it. She had motive (i.e. Tom reneged on their engagement) and opportunity. But Linda had earlier told Campion that she didn't do it - and against all the odds, he believed her.
A Foreign Ambassador, and a man from the Foreign Office had been at the Show Sunday, and the whole affair was hushed up. However, there will be a second murder. Linda visits Campion again with a strange tale. All Tom Dacre's work had disappeared, work stored at home, and abroad. Campion had been a fan, and had recently taken delivery of a Dacre sketch ordered from his agent Max Fustian. When the parcel is now opened, amazingly too, there is no Dacre sketch - the picture frame is empty.
Claire and William Potter are also relics of the John Lafcadio period still living at Little Venice. Claire had a bad, but secret drink problem - this was strange to believe as they live in abject poverty, and cannot afford to buy whisky. William looks but can never find where Claire hides it. Anyway, Claire is the next victim - it's a very clever case of nicotine poison in her hidden whisky. Luckily Linda is abroad in Paris, and so has an alibi. Campion thinks that the murderer is Max Fustian. To save Belle embarrassment, Max had earlier made a stupid confession to the Dacre murder - obviously false as he got all sorts of details wrong. Oates had dismissed the confession. When Max visits to commiserate after the Claire killing, Inspector Oates jokes that "he has probably come to make a second confession." Later Campion witnesses a master class in selling at Max's gallery, and realises Max is not the fool they take him for. Campion now thinks the Fustian's "false" confession was a similar masterclass in deception. Max did it, but why, and how. Campion has no evidence, but explain his theory to Inspector Oates. He follows Campions logic, but says he cannot act without evidence.
Belle and Max argue about the best way forward following the incident at the recent Show Sunday (i.e. the death of Tom Dacre). Max wants to capitalise on the publicity, and sell all the Lafcadio paintings straight away. Belle wants to honour John's instructions. Belle has now put her life in danger by telling Fustian he can do what he likes when she (Belle) is dead, but not before. To protect his friend Belle, Campion agrees to act as her agent, and puts his own life in danger. Max invites Campion over for cocktails plus dinner, and Campion agrees, but first he visits his friend Inspector Oates.
Read the book to see how it all turns out. It's not often that Campion is outthought by such a conceited suspect.
I don't rave about this book, but accept that the plots are clever enough, well thought out, and Allingham is an educated writer. However I wouldn't put her in the same class as Agatha Christie or Dorothy Sayers. I've previously mentioned that Christie / Sayers / Allingham are usually bunched together as the Queens of British fiction. Perhaps only Agatha Christie deserves this title.
Links to author index and home page
| Margery Allingham Heading | Author Index | Go to Home Page |
I read this book in May, 2024.
This is book 7 in Margery Allingham's series featuring Albert Campion. Whenever I write about this author, I question if she deserves her place as one of the three Queens of British fiction - i.e. along with Agatha Christie and Dorothy Sayers. However this book has such a well crafted, terrific plot that maybe I should think again. We have the unravelling of the puzzle of a missing man's body in a locked room with the key on the outside, how can the body block the door entrance but yet the chief suspect enter and leave the room and not stumble on it, indeed why was he sent to the room to fetch a book in the first place, why does the story open with the news that someone else from the same firm went missing 20 years ago, and why mention someone's party trick - he can walk upstairs standing on his hands ? Everything is there for a reason, and it's all explained perfectly by chapter 19, then we get two more chapters where we discover the real reason. This is impressive crime fiction craftmanship.
I'll stick to my usual Characters, Private lives and Main plots split.
Characters : Mr Albert Campion still lives in his small flat above a police station in Bottle Street, Piccadilly. Mr Lugg, ex burglar, is his manservant and general factotem. Wardie Samson is Lugg's underground contact for key copying and cutting. Luckily he keeps a copy.
Various characters at Barnabus and Company, of 21/23 Horsecollar Yard include :
John Widdowson, MD, (61) senior of many cousins. Lives in middle flat at Horsecollar Yard, fierce protector of Company reputation. Housekeeper is Mrs Peel.
Paul Brande, director, has gone missing ( he's murdered). Has a mistress Mrs Teddie Bell still current after 14 years.
Gina Brande, is Paul's beautiful American wife. Her charwoman defender is Mrs Dorothy Austin (42).
Mike Wedgwood, (28), good looking junior director, youngest cousin, lives in ground floor flat. Mike and Gina are in love.
Miss Netty, secretary, into disguised blackmail.
Miss Florence Curley, Old Man Jacoby Barnabus's typist, been with company for 30 years, her opinions carry great weight.
Tom Barnabus, a junior partner in Barnabus, mysteriously disappeared in 1911, 20 years ago. Had a strange party trick - he could walk up stairs on his hands.
Richie Barnabus, Tom's brother, still with the firm, only cousin who got no shares, but has guaranteed job for life. Lives in attic, reads the submitted manuscripts, nicknamed "The Reader". An odd man with twitches, and disjointed speech, but sound mind. He too disappears in the final chapters.
Sir Alexander Barnabus, KC, old Jacoby Barnabus's only son, entered legal profession not the family publishing firm, famous criminal layyer and gifted orator.
Rigget, Barnabus employee, accountant, disreputable and job insecure.
Scruby, Barnabus commercial lawyer, not really a criminal lawyer.
The Police : Inspector Stanislaus Oates, of Scotland Yard, is away on holiday, but appears at the end of the story. DI Turner heads the case, with DS Pillow of Special Branch.
Sundry characters include :
Dr Gordon Roe, family doctor
Old Salky, the experienced and fair coroner.
Private Lives There is not much new to report about Albert Campion's private life. Campion's real name is a secret, but we now know the name of his godfather - a professor at the British Museum. Albert still lives in Bottle Street with his ex criminal manservant Mr Lugg, who has a part in this story. Lugg now frequents a more up market drinking club where he is mixing with proper butlers, and is trying to play the role of a refined gentleman's gentleman.
Main Plot .It's a complicated story full of lots of characters. Chapter 1 is a crucial introduction and key. It's 1931, and we meet the old established publishing firm of Barnabus and Company, founded 1801. Reputation is all. They have the original of Congreve's Gallivant manuscript, but refuse to publish it, judging it too racy. Ambitious partner Paul Brande wants it displayed at an international exbibition but MD John Widdowson and respected employee Miss Curley still refuse, but there is another reason for this. Paul wont take no for an answer. We are told two employees have simply disappeared - Tom Barnabus in 1911, 20 years ago, and now Paul Brande. Tom we are told, was able to walk up stairs on his hands. Later Campion investigates his apparent miraculous disappearance into thin air - he vaulted a high brick, vanishing out of sight using circus like skills whose significance reappears in the final chapter.
It's Sunday, and Paul Brande has been missing since Thursday. His wife Gina is in her flat hosting the weekly company gathering, when there is a knock at the door. Mike Wedgwood answers it, and admits Albert Campion, whom Gina had asked to call round and investigate her husband's Paul's disappearance. She had checked that Paul was not visiting his mistress, Mrs Bell. The MD John Widdowson wants a book from the company basement vaults, and sends Mike to fetch it, which he does. Next morning, there are screams when a female employee enters the same vault and trips over Pauls dead body lying on the floor at the immediate entrance. The vault had been locked with the key on the outside. How could Mike have fetched the book without seeing the dead body - one of many factors that later make him chief suspect. Paul had not treated Gina well, and she wanted a divorce, but after consulting a solicitor knew that this could not happen without Paul's assistance. She and Paul were to meet over dinner at 7:30 on the fateful Thursday, but he never turned up. Instead she later went out to the cinema with Paul's cousin Mike who had been her escort on numerous accasions. Mike hated the way Paul ignored / treated Gina and, in brief, Mike and Gina had fallen in love, but had not slept together. This however gave Mike a motive for wanting rid of Paul - i.e. another reason to make him chief suspect.
Albert Campion visits the vault on several occasions. The first time he finds a hidden vent in the wall between the vault, and the adjoining garage where Mike parked his car. Campion suspects carbon monoxide poisoning, but Dr Roe, summoned when the body was found, also came to the same conclusion from it's pink skin. He cannot sign the death certificate, and alerts the coroner and police. Later at the inquest, the coroner will record a formal verdict of death by carbon monoxide poisoning but also add "at the hands of Mr Mike Wedgwood." Gina was not named as an accessory, there being no real evidence of an affair. Mike was arrested pending trial at the Old Bailey, and Campion advised Gina not to write to him as her letters would be opened. It's an immediate press sensation and headline news. John Widdowson gets a telegram from old Jacoby Barnabus's son, now a famous criminal lawyer, Sir Alexander Barnabus, KC. The telegram says the crime is a family reputational disaster, and he is on his way. In brief, the evidence against Mike is considerable and Campion says the police would never charge him unless they were convinced he was the murderer.
Campion is getting on well with Richie Barnabus who is helping him all he can. Security at Barnabus is non existent, the vault key hangs up in Miss Curley's office for anyone to use. Richie steals secretary Miss Nettly's bank deposit book - she usually leaves it lying on her desk at work - and gives it to Campion. They find numerous mysterious bank deposits amounting to some £18 (significant, but not a fortune in 1931). What is this about, who made them, and why? Campion subcontracts this part of the investigation to a retired police inspector friend. The same inspector later puts Campion in touch with PC Livingston. He had been there all these years ago and seen Tom Barnabus literally vanish out of the corner of his eye, but could not report this officially, fearing ridicule.
What was Paul Brande doing in the vault ? Alerted by a clue, Albert asks Lugg where in Campden would he go to get a safe or vault key copied, no questions asked. Lugg takes him to old Wardie Samson who trusts Lugg, and confirms he copied a key for Paul Brande, and also kept a copy. Lugg sends Campion out, and negotiates with Wardie to buy this key for a "fair price" which includes a substantial cut to be split between Wardie and Lugg. That is how it is done / what is expected, explains Lugg, later giving Albert back his share of the overpayment. Armed with the key, Campion revisits the vault, helped by Richie. Going alone down to the vault, Albert sees a light ahead, evidence that someone else is there. There is a terrific fight before eventually Campion prevails. He has knocked out Riggget, the accountant. He admits he had been searching for something to secure his future against dismissal, perhaps evidence of tax avoidance, etc. He had been there before, and seen Paul's dead body in a far corner, but could hardly admit breaking and entry even though it would collaborate Mike's story that he did not see any dead body. Albert marches Rigget round to the defence lawyer - it will help muddy the case against Mike. However someone killed Paul, Mike remains the chief suspect, and eventually is on trial at the Old Bailey, the attorney general prosecuting, and Alexander Barnabus defending.
I've jumped over quite a lot of the story, but I always try not to write too much. However I should mention that Wardie's key had opened a huge safe in the vault, where Albert found the Gullivant manuscript,and "borrowed" a page which Albert's godfather, a professor at the British Musuem confirmed was a forgery on paper of a later date manufacture. Who knew of this, and what were they prepared to do to keep this secret ? I will also mention a little of the double ending. Albert breaks the murderer's alibi, and the murderer is found dead, also appropriately killed by carbon monoxide poisoning. Was this suicide or another murder? Also Richie has disappeared. DI Stanislaus Oates has returned and discusses the case with Albert. They are aware that it might be murder, but are happy to leave it as suicide, and are not searching for any killer. In the final chapter, Albert and Mike go off abroad to escape, and tour the continent for 4 months, staying in big but not main regional cities. Albert has found his prey in a small travelling circus - two vanished but reunited brothers.
In brief, I was impressed by the cleverness of the plot - well worth a read.
Links to author index and home page
| Margery Allingham Heading | Author Index | Go to Home Page |