Mr. Campion's Farthing

Albert Campion #20

by Youngman Carter

Murder and bad publicity stalk the inhabitants of Inglewood Turrets, the outrageous Victorian mansion where Lottie Cambric has recreated the best of the turn of the century for wealthy foreign culture-vultures. But when it becomes evident that this is a matter of highest state security the inimitable Mr. Campion takes a hand.All books in the Albert Campion series are standalone titles and can be read in any order.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, British Literature, Crime, Detective, Golden Age Mystery, Classics

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1969

About the author

Philip "Pip" Youngman Carter was a journalist, writer, and artist who designed over 2,000 book-wrappers. He was a frequent collaborator of his wife Margery Allingham; completing her final novel and continuing her Albert Campion series after her death.

Reviews

[Les Wilson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a scrap compared to Marjorie. Campion may as well have been left out of it. Not worth reading.

[Nancy Oakes · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you're read quite a lot of Allingham's work, you can definitely tell that this is not the way she would have written it.

"Mr. Campion's Farthing" is really a Kopeck -- one Vassily Kopeck who has seemingly defected from the USSR (let us not forget that this was written in 1969 originally and thus we're into the cold war years). Kopeck was last seen at a quaint house/hotel called The Turrets, which tries ever so hard to stay in Victorian character and is often used by those in the public eye that want to have a little unpublic fun. The owner of the Turrets is one Lottie Cambric, and she is possibly the last one to have seen Kopeck. Now everyone seems to be after him; Campion wants to know why this man is so important.
Just kind of a mediocre read; nothing at all like the earlier novels that I've enjoyed so much. With this book, I will probably say goodbye to Mr. Campion, whose exploits have provided me with hours upon hours of good reading time.
You may want to read it if you're involved with the rest of the series (but don't do them out of order, please), or if you want something dealing with UK-USSR tensions during the Cold War. Other than that, well,it's just not our good old Albert Campion here.
bye-bye, Bertie....I'll miss you.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

While not as good a writer as Ms. Allingham, her husband acquits himself satisfactorily in this Campion book written after her passing.

[Stven · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mr. Campion, the occasionally rather wonderful character invented by Margery Allingham, is here supplied after her death with a further exploit (published 1969) by the author's surviving husband, Youngman Carter. The resulting prose is anything but sprightly. We get some of the flavor but not the texture of a genuine Campion story. The plot is convoluted and moves ploddingly, sometimes revealing promising characters or interesting details but always taking just too long to get around to things.

This one is for Campion completists only, I'm afraid.

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful tale of Campion

I would believe this was written by Margery Allingham herself. Obviously her husband worked with her on the books. It is a wonderful story.

[Victor · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very strong entry in the series . This being a 100% Youngman Carter effort it was surprising how good it was. The "voice " was exactly as Allinghams . The story itself is intricately plotted with typical highbrow set and spy elements of the later Books since Mind readers . There are a couple of dead bodies in evidence but this one is mostly about espionage and a Russian defector in limbo . The Inglewood tower scenes are as vivid as Allinghams earlier Books like Shrouds but for me personally ,these are a bit difficult to visualize .Hence ,I think I enjoyed A Cargo of eagles more but this one was a very pleasant read because I am revisting the Allingham country after 6 years or more . Those who are not sure what to expect out of this Youngman Carter effort,my advise would be to wade in .I am very sure that these are much closer to the originals than those by Mike Ripley. I have read a single page of his Campion and it was enough for me .

[Penelope · Rating 3 out of 5]

MY RATING GUIDE: 3.5 Satisfied Stars. MR CAMPION’S FARTHING was rather dry in tone and slowly paced; if there was humor, I missed it. It won’t fall among my favorite in this Classic Mystery series but I appreciated the chapters which moved more quickly and certain thought provoking content provided food for thought. As the 2nd to last book in the series, FARTHING begins wrapping up Campion’s adventures, with just bk 21 finishing his life’s work in professional (his war efforts) and amateur investigations.

1= dnf/What was that?; 2= Nope, not for me; 3= this was okay/fairly good & I might or might not read it again (as part of the series); 3.5= I ENJOYED THIS & might read it again; 4= I liked it a lot & would read it again; 5= I Loved this; it was great! & most likely will read again (I SELDOM give 5 Stars).

September, 1969, England ~
Albert Campion, the younger brother of a notable English Duke, has talents and interests in entirely different areas than his older brother. Unbeknownst to others, except those closest to him, when Campion was in his 20’s, he began working hand-picked jobs for England’s War Office and the Special Intelligence branch off and on up and until the ending of WWII. As the global arena began settling down, Campion gradually turned his attention to performing discreet private investigations which eventually began replacing his war assignments. Campion met a woman through one of his cases and eventually married.

In MR CAMPION’S FARTHING the setting is around 1969 and Albert Campion, nearly 60, is again working a case in cooperation with his old friend and mentor “Elsie” Cochran, recently retired Head of England’s Intelligence & Security Division. One of their past colleagues, still working in the Intelligence arena, finds herself in a precarious position when a Russian scientist flees to her for temporary sanctuary. The man is in possession of information he fears and which must not be released into the “wrong” hands. A trail of spies, various government officials and assassins track him, determined to obtain the prize whatever the cost.

Comments ~
1) MR CAMPION’S FARTHING is book 20 of 21 in Allingham’s Albert Campion Classic Mystery series, published between 1929 -1969. MR CAMPION’S FARTHING was written/published in 1969 by Phillip Youngman-Carter on the bequest of his (then) recently deceased wife, Margery Allingham. FARTHING is a literary Mystery novel, with a considerable nod to events inside England during that period. The details are meticulous and, imo, make it a ‘weighty’ read. After MR CAMPION’S FARTHING, Youngman-Carter completed/published one last book titled MR CAMPION’S QUARRY (US)/MR CAMPION’S FALCON (UK) before his own death 3yrs following his wife, in 1969.
2) I feel the books in this series are best enjoyed read in order as the MC develops and ages with each book. The series spans the adult lifetime of the main character, Albert Campion, from age 28 to age 60. Each book has its own conflicts and resolution, however, so each could be read as a standalone book or out of order. I am nearly finished reading through the series and have enjoyed certain titles more than others.
3) Allingham (b1904-d1966) published the 1st of her 22 Albert Campion books + (2) short mystery Collections in 1928. She wrote and published Campion Mysteries throughout her lifetime.
4) Just as Allingham aged, so does her main character Campion age and mature throughout the series. Campion, a viscount, is the 2nd son from a noble English family (possibly a cousin of the King) and is in his late 20’s-early 30’s in the earliest books. In the latest books of the series Campion is a mature man of 60. Campion is an amateur detective/criminologist who oftentimes works alongside Scotland Yard solving certain crimes, similar to Dorothy Sayer’s Lord Peter Whimsey character (and to a lesser extent Christie’s Hercule Poirot who was a retired Belgium Police Inspector).
5) The Albert Campion Mystery series is character driven with reappearing secondary characters including widowed Scotland Yard Superintendent Charles Luke and Campion’s loyal and ever-capable butler, Lugg. Campion’s oldest son, Rupert, appears in FARTHING, a capable lad in his 20’s. Certain titles are lighter and faster moving than others and, I find, more fun to read. I found MR CAMPION’S FARTHING a ‘meatier’ read which took more effort but was worth it.
6) Margery Allingham wrote during the Golden Age of British Crime writing along with Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh (the Inspector Richard Alleyn series) and Dorthy Sayers (the Lord Peter Whimsey series), each earning the recognition as Queen of British/Classic Crime fiction/Mysteries. Comparing their series is quite satisfying. Individually, and as a group, they present a perspective of a past period through their mention of social concerns, issues, technology, and entertainment. SWEET DANGER and 3 other Campion novels were broadcast on BBC television’s Mysteries series years ago. It was through these broadcasts I was first introduced to Albert Campion, along with Hercule Poirot (A Christie), Inspector Roderick Alleyn (Ngaio Marsh) and Lord Peter Whimsey (Dorothy Sayers) mysteries.
7) As a Classic British Mysteries reader, this series is among my favorite. I recommend it to readers who enjoy:
> Classic British Mysteries.
> Mysteries set in the 1900’s.
> Historical Mysteries.
> Character-driven Mystery series.
> Police Procedural Mysteries.
> Seasoned characters (the MC ages by the latter half of this series).
> Mysteries with a generally dry tone, at times a touch of humor and low angst with minimal/no romance (The 3 televised titles noted above include Campion’s wife and family, his courtship and cases that followed).

READER CAUTIONS ~
PROFANITY - Minimal, if any.
VIOLENCE - PG. This is a murder mystery, more mysterious than dark or violent.
SEXUAL SITUATIONS - None.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Not quite the genuine article," as Campion said in an earlier story. It was written very much in Allingham's spirit, though not in her style of prose. The whole thing felt as if it was written in a rush, with plot points materializing out of thin air often enough to make me think that I didn't just miss something mentioned earlier in the book. As per usual in the later books the title character isn't given nearly enough time in the center of the action. Still, if you know and love Albert Campion this is well worth your time, especially for the glimpses given of his son, Rupert, as a young man.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Still moving more towards the spy genre than the murder mystery, Campion is older, his son Rupert now takes a part in his investigations, and the plot is fast paced. Sometimes one wonders how people can get away with the things they do that endanger life and property just to get their own way. I kept wanting them to call in the police or at the very least to report the happenings to the press. Two things going on at once confused the issue, but I was firmly in Lottie's camp the whole way.

[Mbuye · Rating 3 out of 5]

Partly espionage during the Cold War era, partly a standard cosy murder mystery, Mr Campion's Farthing made for elegant reading. Campion's actual rôle is downplayed a little, so to me there appeared little difference between the original and the posthumous detectives. On the whole, an enjoyable crime novel, if not an actual golden age vintage crime classic.

[Susie James · Rating 4 out of 5]

In my dipping back and forth among the titles in this lengthy series, I recently read "Mr. Campion's Farthing" by Ms. Allingham's widower, Youngman Carter, in which I was introduced to the amateur sleuthing of the Campionses' son and future daughter in law, Rupert and Perdita. A swell effort!

[Lynne · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dreadfully dated, confused and convoluted plotting with poor characterisation. Having read a lot of Allingham in the past, this is rather a poor posthumous finishing job by her husband.

[Darinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

The 20th book in the Albert Campion series. This book was written after Margery Allingham's death by her husband. Light and entertaining, but doesn't deliver as well as the earlier books.

[Eleanor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, it wasn't bad, but it wasn't Allingham either, though Carter claimed it was an idea of hers that he worked up into this book.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

In his forward, Youngman Carter says that his wife Margery Allingham originated the idea for this book, but it is his own work. She wanted to write it before Cargo of Eagles, her last book, but changed her mind. He finished Cargo of Eagles after she died.

I have to say that I didn't enjoy this one as much as I usually do a Campion book. The plot has to do with politics, the Russians, and Whitehall, as much as with people. The descriptions of the 'Edwardian evenings' were okay but not terribly interesting. But it got better as the plot thickened, especially at the end. Several of the characters, notably stubborn Lotte, were not really likeable, even though they were probably intended to be. I still gave it three stars because I stuck with it.

[Andrea]

First of a couple of Campion novels written after Allingham's death by her husband, Youngman Carter. This is primarily a cold-war espionage novel with aspects of mystery. Not a bad story, and we get to see a little of Campion's son Rupert as an adult. Definitely not a place for a reader to start, however.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a brilliantly written story of cold war espionage with a slightly tongue-in-cheek twist. Not a detective story at all.

As another reviewer pointed out, you can tell that it was not written by Allingham and I think that Youngman Carter, quite rightly, didn't even attempt to imitate her. This was an homage to her based on an idea she had had.

Excellent.

[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

For my full review click on the link below:
https://crossexaminingcrime.wordpress...

[Darcy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Allingham's last book, finished perfectly by her widower, who had collaborated on every plot line anyway.

[Katie Hilton · Rating 3 out of 5]

An entertaining Campion Cold War thriller, written by Margery Allingham's husband based on a plot the two of them discussed before her death. I prefer her earlier works, but this is a good read.