An absolute delight, Margery Allingham's books are unique in the crime genre. We might be dealing with death and destruction, but always there's a tongue placed very firmly in the cheek. Nowhere is this more obvious than in her choice of hero - Albert Campion, younger son of a noble family who takes on the profession - a vocation he calls it - of being a general purpose sleuth and adventurer. In itself this wouldn't be remarkable were it not for Campion's uninspiring appearance and his almost permanent affectation of an apparently harmless, goofy character that is pure P. G. Wodehouse. Another plus for Campion is the way he ages with his author rather than staying suspended animation. Brilliant. I've put the dates after the title, partly because it gives the sequence of stories and also because Allingham still reads so well that it's easy to forget how long ago some Campion books were written.

For more information on Margery Allingham, see the Margery Allingham Society website.

Cargo of Eagles (1968).
The very last Campion, finished off by Margery Allingham's husband after her death. This only shows in a rather more confusing presentation than usual. Mysterious happenings in a village on the Essex coast bring Campion, Lugg, an American friend and a female doctor into the familiar territory of danger and excitement. Campion, working for the secret service, is not always exactly helping the police. Mixes traditional Campion with some 'trendy' elements like bikers. Not the greatest Campion, but a must for all collectors.   New 13 January 1999

The Case of the Late Pig (1937).
When Albert Campion attends the funeral of Pig Peters, an unpleasant acquaintance from school, he doesn't expect to find the man's dead body, freshly killed, five months later. Only to have it disappear soon after. While at this distance in time it's possible to wonder how the bumbling Chief Constable, whose daughter Campion is dallying with, earns the respect he does, it's still an excellent period piece. Unusually for a Campion, it is narrated by Albert himself - I miss the descriptions of his vacuous appearance, but otherwise it's an interesting twist.  New 13 January 1999

The China Governess (1963).
Campion deals with a strange problem bridging the old world of class distinctions and families who 'do the right thing' and a flagship block of council flats at the location of a once terrible slum. Not the greatest of Campions, as the great man takes something of a back seat, and most of the time the reader feels the urge to give the young hero a clip round the ear, but as always with Allingham the surprise revelations are a delight. ... New 25 June 1998

Coroner's Pidgin (?).
It is Mr. Campion's first moment of peace after three years of nameless service in the war. Catching his train is his only worry. But his peace is rudely interrupted by the discovery he makes as he steps out of the bath. Fascinating if only for its picture of London immediately after the war, when the boundaries between peace and wartime were still blurred. One of the weaker Campion stories in the way it develops, though the initial premise is excellent. ... New 9 February 2002

The Crime at Black Dudley (1929).
An early Campion (probably the first), where our hero doesn't always take centre stage, and his ramblings are particularly foppish. This tale of dark doings in a country house when a fiendish master criminal (a foreigner, of course) attempts to recover his missing plans for a crime is not one of Allingham's best, but it rattles along with energy. ... New 9 June 1998

The Fashion in Shrouds (?).
Two people died with suspicious convenience for the actress, Georgia Wells. Albert Campion must go to any lengths to protect Valentine, his sister who Georgia might be after. But Campion's efforts may not be enough. This is an important book for any Campion lover as it's the one where Albert and Amanda get back together. It's a must. ... New 9 February 2002

Flowers for the Judge (1936).
The director of an old established publishing firm is found dead in a locked room. The police have arrested the wrong man, and it is only Campion's apparently random interferences that save the day. Fascinating parallels with P.D. James' Original Sin, to the extent that it's hard not to assume that James was intending a tribute to this book. ... New 9 June 1998

Hide my Eyes (?).
A strange one this - Campion is only a bit player, but don't let that put you off. It's a tour-de-force in the way Allingham portrays the villain - an affable, roguish, mass murderer. The setting is wonderful and some of the touches along the way keep the pages turning with ease. To be honest, the ending is a bit of a let down, but this is still a classic Allingham, even though there's little room for our Albert. ... New 9 February 2002

Look to the Lady (1931).
One of the more unlikely Campion tales finds him trying to protect the ancient Gyrth chalice from high class robbers who only steal items which are incredibly precious but can't be sold. It seems the only way to foil them is to kill the person masterminding the theft. Some of the key underlying concepts - that the family honour to keep hold of a trinket is more important than someone's life, for instance - seem highly uncomfortable today, but it's a rattling yarn.  New 23 June 1998

The Mind Readers (1965).
A late Campion that strays into science fiction, but maintains the usual Allingham flair.  New 25 June 1998

More Work for the Undertaker (1949).
One of Campion's most intricate tangled plots, and a real gem. Strange deaths in a bizzare family, once rich now impoverished, a jolly undertaker who is in the habit of moving coffins in the middle night, poisonings, a young girl who changes her clothes on the roof and more. This is a rather more sober (married with children) Campion, but he and the inestimable Lugg still wander through the world, gently coming to the truth.  New 23 June 1998

Mystery Mile (1950).
Judge Crowdy Lobbett knew too much about the sinister Simister gang. So Simister had him followed wherever he went and tried to kill him. He followed him across America across the Atlantic to the heart of England to mystery mile where he encountered Albert Campion. (In fact he encountered him on the liner, but that's a different story.) A classic Campion with Albert at his most infuriatingly irrelevant. It's perhaps a little easier to spot the villain than Allingham intended, but that doesn't make this an excellent addition to the canon. ... New 9 February 2002

Police at the Funeral (1939).
Uncle Andrew is dead, Aunt Julia is poisoned, Uncle William attacked and Albert Campion once again comes to the rescue. An early Campion, and a bit of a disappointment after Sweet Danger, but well worth adding to your library.. New 9 February 2002

Sweet Danger (1933).
A delightful tale of a tiny kingdom suddenly given strategic importance and the search for the treasures which will prove the rightful owner. Anyone who enjoyed Enid Blighton's Famous Five as a child will find a very familiar storyline, but here in the adult version as Campion and the dour Lugg come to the rescue with some chums. Campion fans must have this one, if only for the meeting with his wife-to-be, Amanda Fitton. US edition is called The Fear Sign - thanks to Lynn Daniels for pointing this out.  New 9 June 1998

The Tiger in the Smoke (1950).
Word goes round that Jack Havoc, jail-breaker and knife-artist, is at large again, carving his way into more-or-less-innocent lives. The hunt goes on. Together Albert Campion and Chief Inspector Luke draw a tight net round the man-eater loose in London's November smog. It's almost misleading to call this a Campion book - while Albert and Amanda do appear, they are very much bit players. In fact this is a much more serious book than most Campions - at its heart it's an analysis of sin, of the way that some people kill themselves as human beings by giving in totally to evil. As such it's a very impressive novel, and highly recommended, but don't expect more of the usual. New 9 February 2002

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