I finished the first two books in the Albert Campion mystery series by Marjory Allingham and truly enjoyed them. A lot more than I expected. In fact, I think I may have enjoyed them more than the TV series.
slight spoilers
possibly ahead
but probably not
Let’s start with who Albert Campion is
I think the best way to describe him is as sort of a take-off of Scarlet Pimpernel. Without the French Revolution interfering. I’ve only read the first two books but in the TV series I’m pretty sure he does wear a disguise or two. So there’s that.
Also, like the Scarlet Pimpernel, he plays the fool at times but gets the job done. Whatever that job is. That’s where things get interesting, though. He’s not so much a detective as a fixer. If there’s a problem that needs to be solved, he solves it. That may require a bit of detecting on the side but it’s not so much the main focus as an added bonus. As a result the stories so far feel more like adventures than mysteries.
Now that may settle down later but we’ll see. If the TV series is any indication then probably not a lot. What I mean is that I’ve looked at the backlist and recognize some of the titles as episode titles. Several of those qualify as straight up mysteries. But not all of them by a long shot. There is still enough adventuring that I suspect it’s always going to be part of what he does and who he is.
There are hints that he’s part of the aristocracy. Possibly even a lesser royal. He also goes by many names. In fact, he comes right out and admits Albert Campion isn’t his real name.
The Crime at Black Dudley (1929)
(U.S. title: The Black Dudley Murder)
It’s interesting how he was introduced in The Crime at Black Dudley too. Campion shows up at the same house party as our nominal detective and no one seems to know who invited him. If anyone did. For the bulk of the story he’s lurking around as a background character doing his best to appear the fool. That is until things get rather intense. Then he bounds in and mostly takes care of their current predicament.
Then, weirdly, he fades back into the background again.
Leaving the supposedly main characters to wonder what just happened. Almost but not quite a “Who was that masked man?” moment. It’s fascinating. I mean, apparently by accident, the author created this extremely intriguing character as a side character. And not even that major of a side character either. I can honestly see why publishers wanted her to continue with Albert Campion. I already can’t even remember the original detective’s name. It’s not that he was a bad detective, either. More that Campion is so, well, Campion.
Mystery Mile (1930)
This one was adapted into one of the TV episodes so I was already somewhat familiar with the story. Oddly, though, it was the very last episode which threw me when I realized it was the first book to feature Campion. He’s also very much in his role as a fixer but not nearly as much the fool. At least not all the time. Quirky, yes, but definitely not as much a fool.
This one is about an American judge visiting England accompanied by his two adult children. And apparently being pursued by the criminal underworld. Campion swoops in and whisks the endangered family away to some obscure part of England where they can be safe. Yeah, right. Which is where the adventure part of the story comes in. The mystery part is figuring out who the criminal mastermind is that’s pursuing the judge. Reading the story I was already spoiled by seeing the episode but I also remember being very surprised by the identity of the big bad the first time I saw it. So there’s that.
Final thoughts and a question
I really liked both books and am definitely reading more of the series. Allingham is very good at letting things play out for the reader to discover. Which is what I appreciate in a mystery writer. And there is just something about the female golden age mystery writers, too.
One curious thing I discovered is that apparently Allingham is J. K. Rowling’s favorite author. So I’ve been asking myself who in the Harry Potter series is patterned after Campion? I mean I can see some of Campion in the way Dumbledore speaks but not enough, I think. So, who?
1 Comment