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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
One of those classic mysteries with a solution so original (at least when it was written), that I can never forget it. I still enjoy rereading it, but I'm never going to forget it.
After three books, for the first time, Allingham takes Campion out of the thriller genre and into a much more traditional manor house murder mystery. And while she doesn't leave the solution as apparent as, say, Agatha Christie might, most of the major clues are on open display to the reader, and there is every possibility they will be able to guess at the solution before it is revealed. Allingham shows her skill at misdirection to the point where the solution, when it comes, feels almost obvious. How could you miss that? But you do. It's very clever.
Part of Allingham's misdirection is, as always, her presentation of tremendously vivid characters. This time, there's a whole houseful, lorded over by the tiny but dominating personality of eighty-six-year-old Caroline Faraday, who keeps a raven's watchful eye on her flighty and selfish family. We are reminded again and again that all emotion seems to have been driven from her personality in her attempt to keep control, and it is to this end that she enlists Campion as her personal eyes and ears during the investigation. The intellectual dance they keep up through the novel is almost beguiling: one, masked in stoicism, the other, masked as a fool. Their interactions lead to a delightful and surprising resolution.
Police at the Funeral comes at the end of an intense writing period for Allingham, which may explain the lackluster title; after this, she took a longer-than-usual break before the next in the series. Perhaps she even contemplated ending it here. Had that been the case, it doubtless would have ended Mr. Campion's adventures on a very high note; this is a strong, assured piece of work, very engaging and well on-par with more famous mysteries of the period. Like Mr. Campion himself, it deserves better recognition.
Part of Allingham's misdirection is, as always, her presentation of tremendously vivid characters. This time, there's a whole houseful, lorded over by the tiny but dominating personality of eighty-six-year-old Caroline Faraday, who keeps a raven's watchful eye on her flighty and selfish family. We are reminded again and again that all emotion seems to have been driven from her personality in her attempt to keep control, and it is to this end that she enlists Campion as her personal eyes and ears during the investigation. The intellectual dance they keep up through the novel is almost beguiling: one, masked in stoicism, the other, masked as a fool. Their interactions lead to a delightful and surprising resolution.
Police at the Funeral comes at the end of an intense writing period for Allingham, which may explain the lackluster title; after this, she took a longer-than-usual break before the next in the series. Perhaps she even contemplated ending it here. Had that been the case, it doubtless would have ended Mr. Campion's adventures on a very high note; this is a strong, assured piece of work, very engaging and well on-par with more famous mysteries of the period. Like Mr. Campion himself, it deserves better recognition.
Another great Albert Campion novel. This was particularly interesting because it's the first time I have encountered a murderer of this sort. An ingenious string of mysterious murders.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I read a lot of mystery novels, but I have to admit that the ending of this one caught me by surprise. A really good read.
a certain particularly horrible racial slur is used like 30% of the way through as part of describing a magic trick. was kind of shocked to see it, although i guess a certain agatha christie novel was published with it in the title for decades afterwards so i probably shouldn't be as surprised but still. disgusting
ok so after finishing it, very cleverly written, lots of red herrings and an incredibly unlikely but still convincing resolution. dangles something at you near the start which is frustrating but it's ok. but. BUT. in the ending while wrapping up things a solution to one minor thing is HORRIBLY racist. like disgustingly so. my mouth was agape reading it. it's hideous. incredibly disappointing horrible end.
ok so after finishing it, very cleverly written, lots of red herrings and an incredibly unlikely but still convincing resolution. dangles something at you near the start which is frustrating but it's ok. but. BUT. in the ending while wrapping up things a solution to one minor thing is HORRIBLY racist. like disgustingly so. my mouth was agape reading it. it's hideous.
Spoiler
a character was blackmailing the matriarch by threatening to reveal he's mixed race - he was the kid of a brother or something and his mother was mixed race (described using innuendo i.e "bad type of person") and they had a first child who had black skin and this was the biggest scandal possible so OBVIOUSLY they got packed off and just ugh it'd disgusting
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racial slurs, Murder, Classism
