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A review by christinecc
Traitor's Purse by Margery Allingham
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
When, oh when will I learn to love Albert Campion?
Don't get me wrong, Peter Davison is a marvelous Albert Campion in the tv adaptation, but Campion on the page just doesn't have the same depth.
"Traitor's Purse" is a wartime story that opens with Campion in hospital. He has no recollection of who he is nor how he got there, and the nurses around him say he "slugged a policeman." All the while, Campion has the nagging sensation that he has a matter of the utmost (possibly national) importance to attend to.
The good news is that "Traitor's Purse" boasts a wonderful cast of returning characters such as Lugg (the best reformed-thief-turned butler), Amanda Fitton, and Inspector Stanislaus Oates (although, sadly, the book criminally under-uses Oates this time around). The problem is that Campion never opens up to any of these characters, which means he never opens up to the reader. We get the surface version and some of Campion's thoughts, but it's never enough.
The mystery plot is fine but feels improvised. Constant turns here and there, with convenient times where Campion gets into a car and just knows where to drive without actually knowing where he's headed. Campion also doesn't confess to having lost his memory for the longest of times, even to those he thinks he may trust. It creates tension at first but quickly seems contrived given the supposed gravity of the situation.
Recommended as one of the better Campion stories, but only if you're already familiar with the recurring characters. Gosh, now I have to try ANOTHER Campion novel and hope that one sticks.
Don't get me wrong, Peter Davison is a marvelous Albert Campion in the tv adaptation, but Campion on the page just doesn't have the same depth.
"Traitor's Purse" is a wartime story that opens with Campion in hospital. He has no recollection of who he is nor how he got there, and the nurses around him say he "slugged a policeman." All the while, Campion has the nagging sensation that he has a matter of the utmost (possibly national) importance to attend to.
The good news is that "Traitor's Purse" boasts a wonderful cast of returning characters such as Lugg (the best reformed-thief-turned butler), Amanda Fitton, and Inspector Stanislaus Oates (although, sadly, the book criminally under-uses Oates this time around). The problem is that Campion never opens up to any of these characters, which means he never opens up to the reader. We get the surface version and some of Campion's thoughts, but it's never enough.
The mystery plot is fine but feels improvised. Constant turns here and there, with convenient times where Campion gets into a car and just knows where to drive without actually knowing where he's headed. Campion also doesn't confess to having lost his memory for the longest of times, even to those he thinks he may trust. It creates tension at first but quickly seems contrived given the supposed gravity of the situation.
Recommended as one of the better Campion stories, but only if you're already familiar with the recurring characters. Gosh, now I have to try ANOTHER Campion novel and hope that one sticks.