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melissa_who_reads's review
3.0
Enjoyable for the most part. I found some of the coronor's proceedings a bit overdone - but once it was past that, it moved a long at a good clip to the fairly satisfying end. All mysteries are solved, even (and perhaps most importantly) the 20-year-old disappearance of Mr. Tom Barnabas into thin air.
When is cousin is murdered 20 years later, the clues point to another cousin ... until Mr. Campion ferrets out the extenuating circumstances that point in quite a different direction.
When is cousin is murdered 20 years later, the clues point to another cousin ... until Mr. Campion ferrets out the extenuating circumstances that point in quite a different direction.
mumsie_2's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
littletaiko's review against another edition
3.0
One of the Golden Age mysteries featuring Albert Campion. The mystery focuses on a family publishing firm and the mysterious disappearance of one of the relatives. When he is found dead in a locked basement, the family turns to Campion to sort out the problem. Interesting enough book but not a series that I think I'll pursue. Never quite warmed to Campion particularly when he was interacting with his servant.
laurareadsdaily's review
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.75
ssejig's review
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
In London, there is a family publishing firm, Barnabas. There are a number of people working there including cousins: Mike (who always just misses the next big thing, Ritchie (handsome but intelligent) and Paul (a known liar and bragger who is currently missing but no one seems concerned.There are also some other assorted family members: John (irascible), Miss Curly (seems to know the people she works with rather well), Gina (Paul's American wife) as well as one or two others. Peter Riggett who becomes a witness for the court though he knows more than he was telling.
One of the cousins is found dead in a locked room. The problem is that the body has been dead for several days; he was not in the room the night before. And it is that point that gets one of the other cousins arrested for murder. It will be up to Campion to solve the mystery.
This was a well crafted story that was a little convoluted but highly enjoyable.
One of the cousins is found dead in a locked room. The problem is that the body has been dead for several days; he was not in the room the night before. And it is that point that gets one of the other cousins arrested for murder. It will be up to Campion to solve the mystery.
This was a well crafted story that was a little convoluted but highly enjoyable.
sajiya_khalik's review against another edition
5.0
Why isn't Albert Campion more famous than Poirot? He deserves to be. And Allingham should be read more, much more than Christie. With Christie, I find the prose is almost always interesting, but there's the hint of racism in her language, and while there's the trend of separating the work from the artist, I find it difficult to overlook the human being behind the work. And Allingham wins me over there, same as P.D. James, or Donna Leon, their stories touch upon human psych, and the motives behind the horrible act are always relatable.
This particular story kept me guessing since the beginning, the fantastical start of a man vanishing in thin air was perfect to introduce the characters. And what a cast, why isn't this an adaptation?
Allingham writes in third person which is the perspective I relate to the most, and all her characters get highlight in the course of the story, and we understand them as humans, how they look, the way they speak, all of them have a different way of speaking, and that's easily understandable through her writing, it never feels as if you're reading! And that's why I feel Margery Allingham should be counted amongst great writers, and not just Mystery geniuses, mysteries are as much a study of human nature, as any other fiction/non-fiction.
Well, I loved this story and the ending made a lot of sense to me!
This particular story kept me guessing since the beginning, the fantastical start of a man vanishing in thin air was perfect to introduce the characters. And what a cast, why isn't this an adaptation?
Allingham writes in third person which is the perspective I relate to the most, and all her characters get highlight in the course of the story, and we understand them as humans, how they look, the way they speak, all of them have a different way of speaking, and that's easily understandable through her writing, it never feels as if you're reading! And that's why I feel Margery Allingham should be counted amongst great writers, and not just Mystery geniuses, mysteries are as much a study of human nature, as any other fiction/non-fiction.
Well, I loved this story and the ending made a lot of sense to me!
bookpossum's review
3.0
I really enjoyed this excursion with Mr Campion, and in particular found the ending very satisfactory. Good fun.
temi_m's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.25
bev_reads_mysteries's review
4.0
Although this is the seventh Albert Campion book written, it was my first introduction to Allingham's gentleman sleuth and his former burglar manservant, Magersfontein Lugg. Compared to many of the Golden Age queens of mystery (Christie, Sayers, Marsh, etc.), I came late to Allingham's work. It wasn't until I was married and living in a very tiny town with a very tiny public library that I found her.
But...back to Flowers for the the Judge. This story begins with the strange disappearance of Tom Barnabas--a member of a family who owns a leading publishing house in London. He disappeared in broad daylight while walking down a London street. There is an investigation, but Tom is never found and the mystery soon loses public interest. The rest of the family keep the business going...and then twenty years later another member of the family goes missing. Enter Albert Campion. Universal uncle and friend to the family, Campion is called upon to investigate what happened to the missing cousin. This time the family is not left in doubt...the missing man is found dead in the manuscript vault. Suspicion falls on the youngest Barnabas cousin who was known to be in love with the dead man's wife. It is up to Campion to search through the family history to expose the murderer--but, as so often happens, he finds more than he bargained for.
I remember being very taken with Albert Campion and Lugg. Like Lord Peter Wimsey, Campion obviously came from a wealthy, upper-crust family. He was definitely a gentleman. But he chose to go in disguise, so to speak, taking on an assumed name. I also enjoyed his relationship with Lugg. Lugg was certainly no Bunter. He was not the ideal "gentleman's gentleman," but he most definitely had qualities that were very useful to Campion. A very entertaining mystery that urged me to seek out more of Allingham's work
But...back to Flowers for the the Judge. This story begins with the strange disappearance of Tom Barnabas--a member of a family who owns a leading publishing house in London. He disappeared in broad daylight while walking down a London street. There is an investigation, but Tom is never found and the mystery soon loses public interest. The rest of the family keep the business going...and then twenty years later another member of the family goes missing. Enter Albert Campion. Universal uncle and friend to the family, Campion is called upon to investigate what happened to the missing cousin. This time the family is not left in doubt...the missing man is found dead in the manuscript vault. Suspicion falls on the youngest Barnabas cousin who was known to be in love with the dead man's wife. It is up to Campion to search through the family history to expose the murderer--but, as so often happens, he finds more than he bargained for.
I remember being very taken with Albert Campion and Lugg. Like Lord Peter Wimsey, Campion obviously came from a wealthy, upper-crust family. He was definitely a gentleman. But he chose to go in disguise, so to speak, taking on an assumed name. I also enjoyed his relationship with Lugg. Lugg was certainly no Bunter. He was not the ideal "gentleman's gentleman," but he most definitely had qualities that were very useful to Campion. A very entertaining mystery that urged me to seek out more of Allingham's work
verityw's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this. Not as frenetic or as danger filled as some murder mysteries - and the body count's not huge, but still a really good and interesting read. I love Lugg, I can't help it. I've read a fair few Margery Allinghams now - and I'll keep my eye out for more.