The Allingham Casebook

Albert Campion #short stories

by Margery Allingham

Eighteen succulent mysteries from the Queen of Crime, guaranteed to baffle the most ingenious of armchair detectives - and even, at times, the imperturbable Albert Campion himself.

Enjoy Margery Allingham at her witty best as she spins delicious tales of high risk heists and domestic deceptions in this exquisite short story collection.

CONTENTS :
Tall Story
Three is a Lucky Number
The Villa Marie Celeste
The Psychologist
Little Miss Know-All
One Morning They'll Hang Him
The Lieabout
Face Value
Evidence in Camera
Joke Over
The Lying-in-State
The Pro and the Con
Is There a Doctor in the House?
The Border-Line Case
They Never Get Caught
The Mind's Eye Mystery
Mum Knows Best
The Snapdragon and the C. I. D.

'A perfectly splendid collection of short stories, richly imbred with that unique flavour Miss Allingham distilled so well' - H. R. F. Keating

Genres: Mystery, Short Stories, Fiction, Crime, British Literature, Detective, Golden Age Mystery

246 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1969

About the author

Aka Maxwell March.

Margery Louise Allingham was born in Ealing, London in 1904 to a family of writers. Her father, Herbert John Allingham, was editor of The Christian Globe and The New London Journal, while her mother wrote stories for women's magazines as Emmie Allingham. Margery's aunt, Maud Hughes, also ran a magazine. Margery earned her first fee at the age of eight, for a story printed in her aunt's magazine.

Soon after Margery's birth, the family left London for Essex. She returned to London in 1920 to attend the Regent Street Polytechnic (now the University of Westminster), and met her future husband, Philip Youngman Carter. They married in 1928. He was her collaborator and designed the cover jackets for many of her books.

Margery's breakthrough came 1929 with the publication of her second novel, The Crime at Black Dudley . The novel introduced Albert Campion, although only as a minor character. After pressure from her American publishers, Margery brought Campion back for Mystery Mile and continued to use Campion as a character throughout her career.

After a battle with breast cancer, Margery died in 1966. Her husband finished her last novel, A Cargo of Eagles at her request, and published it in 1968.

Also wrote as: Maxwell March

Reviews

[Always Pouting · Rating 2 out of 5]

A book of eigthteen short mysteries and I don't want to go on and on in this review. I just didn't enjoy any of the stories, maybe like two or three were bearable but that's about it. They just didn't hold my interest and some of them felt quite obvious. I don't think I've read anything by Margery Allingham in the past so maybe I'm missing something and this is just her writing style? Not quite sure. There just wasn't much substance wise to most of the stories and the mysteries tended not to make up for it because they felt contrived.

[Miriam · Rating 3 out of 5]

1) Tall Story: **
2) Three is a lucky number: ****
3) The Villa Marie Celeste: ***
4) The Psychologist: *****
5) Little Miss Know-All: ***
6) One morning they'll hang him: ****
7) The Lieabout: ***
8) Face Value: ***
9) Evidence in camera: **
10) Joke over: **
11) The Lying-in-state: ***
12) The Pro and the Con: ***
13) Is there a doctor in the house?: ***
14) The Borderline Case: **
15) They never get caught: ****
16) The Mind's eye mystery: ***
17) Mum knows best: ***
18) The Snapdragon and the C.I.D.: ***
______________________
An enjoyable collection of short stories for all lovers of classical crime.

[Judy Lesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an e-ARC of this collection of short stories through NetGalley and Ipso Books. Thank you.

I seem to be reading a lot of short stories lately. Quite often they just don't measure up. That's why it was such a delight to read the 18 stories included in this collection and to be so satisfied with the whole thing when I finished reading. I could sit down and read one or several of the stories at my leisure and look forward to getting back to the book as soon as possible. The biography included in this book states that Allingham wrote over 20 short stories so most of them are included in this volume. I didn't keep precise count, but it seems to me that approximately half the stories include Campion and either Inspector Charlie Luke or Superintendent Stanislaus Oates. Allingham doesn't always give a precise ending to a story, instead allowing the reader to think for a moment before having that "Oh, now I get it" moment. One story I still haven't quite figured out even though I read it twice.

Margery Allingham has always been one of my favorite mystery novel authors because she makes her characters possess not just intelligence, but also wit and charm. This was a thoroughly enjoyable collection of entertaining short stories. At the end of the stories there is a sample of the Allingham novel Traitor's Purse. There is something here for readers who are already firm fans of this author plus intriguing glimpses into the high quality of the writing you will find if you read the full length novels. Try this sampler then go for the main course. You almost can't go wrong with any book you pick. Super sleuth Albert Campion made his first appearance in "The Crime at Black Dudley" (not his best showing according to me) and became the main character of the Allingham books in "Mystery Mile".

[Kirsty · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Allingham Casebook consists of eighteen mystery- and crime-based stories. I was really looking forward to dipping in; Allingham is a great author, just as good as Agatha Christie, I feel, and she deserves to be read more widely. I found some of the inclusions in this collection to be far more clever and surprising than others. It is certainly a varied collection, in spite of its common theme. Some of the stories here did not really grab my attention, but others proved gripping and memorable. Whilst The Allingham Casebook was an interesting read on many levels, it did not quite have the wit and consistency which I was expecting. Allingham really flourishes in her full-length work, where she has more space and time in which to craft characters and create more intricate plots.

[M.H. Thaung]

A fairly enjoyable collection of mystery shorts by an author whose other work I haven’t (yet) explored. Probably better appreciated if you don’t read them back to back.

I don’t know whether it was the time period or social setting, but everything felt very cosy and safe. After the first couple of stories, I was pretty sure that no innocents would come to harm, and that the villains would always get their comeuppance before they did any damage.

By around halfway through, I was getting a distinct sense of similarity between the stories, even though the intricacies of each plot varied. And they were indeed intricate: contrived, even. But that’s fine, because these mysteries are puzzles rather than portrayals of realistic human behaviour.

[Janette Townend · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are a vintage post war crime buff you will enjoy this collection of short stories. I loved how simple life seemed to be then and the innate judgement and snobbery of London's upper and middle class, which is hinted at with, "She's another good type" and, "He behaved like a gentleman and his pale eyes behind the horn rims were not unintelligent". Albert Campion the protagonist in most of the stories seems to take a back seat as he supports the police in their investigations. He is a sort of unofficial consultant and after work drinking buddy of the talented story teller Charley Luke, Divisional Detective Chief Inspector. There are however, a few stories which do not include Campion my favourite being the gentle tale of 'The Lieabout' and a few more locked door mysteries, not to mention Crippin like wife murders which don't quite go to plan. All in all a good vintage read.

[Fran Burdsall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Margery Allingham is like the British O'Henry of short story writers. Her short stories often twist and mislead the reader to pull a surprise ending out of the hat. Some were very humorous and some were so British that I was lost from the beginning... Most were clever and fun. I shall be reading more of her work.

[Christopher Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun collection of various tales, mostly mystery or crime type tales. Some involve Allingham's main characters Campion and Luke, others have different characters. Campion is a main character in only a couple of tales.

There are some funny stories, some thoughtful ones, and all of them cleverly done. A few even have a touch of noir hardboiled language, which was interesting to read from a more contemporary female British author.

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of Allingham's novels, less so of her short stories. The 18 stories here are at best very slight, with a few that are poor; I suspect that's the reason these remained uncollected until after her death. The one exception to the general rule is "The Psychologist", a memorable tale of small-scale malice.

[Merrilee Gibson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a long-time admirer of Margery Allingham’s work, so when we were asked to view this book by Camilla of the Allingham Society, I was pleased to do so.

This is a collection of short stories, many, but not all, featuring Albert Campion. Of necessity, they must make their point quickly, presenting the case as economically as possible. One must be quick to catch the essentials of each story--to try to discover the clues to the solution. The Allingham qualities I like most, the vibrant descriptions, discovering the dimensions of some very intriguing characters, are best suited to full-length novels, I think.

I liked the first offering “Tall Story”, that gave us a chance to observe Charles Luke and Albert Campion working in tandem. “Three is a Lucky Number” was amusing, as was “Little Miss Know-All” with its luxurious sapphire mink. “The Lieabout” was narrated by a person who remained unnamed throughout, a device that I thought matched well with the enigmatic character of the story itself. In all, there are 18 stories to enjoy, ending with “The Snapdragon and the C.I.D.” which offers Albrt Campion and Stanislaus Oates in a Christmas Day story featuring discovery of a body partially covered in mistletoe.

Short stories need to be clever, and these certainly are--as ingeniously constructed as anything Christie wrote. The cleverness extends to the titles, for those paying attention. Allingham excels at these stories, as she does in everything she writes. But I did not enjoy reading them as much as I do her full-length works. Still, this is a fetching array of intriguing treats. As a parting gift the book concludes with the first chapter of Traitor’s Purse.

My thanks to the Allingham Society for providing an advance copy of these delightful stories.

[Crittermom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Margery Allingham is one of the best early writers of crime fiction.  Her stories have stood the test of time, and practically every mystery lover is familiar with her iconic detective - Albert Campion.  I was delighted to have the opportunity to review this anthology.  It more than lived up to my expectations.  

Readers feast on an assortment of short stories, all unique.  What they do have in common is how clever they are.  Often there is a seemingly insurmountable puzzle, the unraveling of which is a delight.  Many, but not all feature Albert Campion.  More than a few throw in a dash of humor.  Allingham is a consummate storyteller, able to bring vastly different characters to vibrant life and never using the same plot twice.  These stories satisfy, not only because the puzzles are clever but also because justice is done.  There is murder, but there is no graphic violence.  These stories challenge the intellect but comfortably provide an understandable resolution.  I absolutely adore this collection of Allingham's short works.  I recommend it to anyone who enjoys classic mysteries, challenging puzzles or who is looking for a light satisfying read that is a departure from the norm.

5 / 5

I received a copy of The Allingham Case-book from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

--Crittermom

[Marilyn Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a big fan of Margery Allingham's work. Her plots are always a little bit thought provoking and with a twist. Sometimes the plot is slightly macabre and often has a surprise ending. But the Era that she wrote in, what we refer to as the Golden Age of Mysteries, produced such works and thankfully are around today. I have not read a book of hers that I did not enjoy immensely. The language of the book invokes an old fashioned "who dunnit it" spread among the delightful background of England in the 1930's and 1940's.

The Allingham Casebook is a jewel of a Book filled with such short stories. Each one of these allow the words of a master storyteller to entertain you. The Reader, lulled into a London of many years ago,will find the plots and stories are excellent. I particularly like the way Allingham sets up her characters. Some are cockney, with a dialogue of London like this one, "cold and thick as a Landlady's kiss."

Many, include a quiet, fair man in horn- rims who belongs to an aristocratic family, Mr. Albert Campion. In him I have found a favorite character. I hope as you read these short stories you will too

[Tofu · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a collection of very old-fashioned mystery stories which were entertaining to read for the most part, but certain stories became repetitive after a while. The story I enjoyed reading the most was the Brownrigg story because of how different it was to the others, which seemed just like excerpts taken from her other books. I personally was not a fan of the Campion stories because of how out-of-context they were and weren’t at all interesting. The overall feel I had while reading this novel was like eating a piece of white bread and coming across the occasional sprinkle of bland jam.
Coming into this, I had not previously read any of Allingham’s actual novels, but hearing how she was one of four crime queen novelists, my expectations were quite high. I don’t believe that this compilation did her justice, and based on the Brownrigg story, I believe her to be a well-equipped writer - I think the stories of choice were just so bland.

[Krystyna · Rating 5 out of 5]

A favourite of Agatha Christie and J K Rowling

Wonderful mix of bite size puzzles that you can develop into at your leisure. All different bur all having a gentle charm and relating to a more gracious type of living just post war. A favourite of Agatha Christie and some of these are clear reminders of some plots that she used to great effect in her full length novels. No violence to speak of, so great for older children, but with a decided tendency to have us use the 'little grey cells'. A wonderful snapshot of the intricate plots that she woven into her full length novels and as shown she did have an influence on later great writers in the Golden Age of Crime that we know and love.

[Carlton · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of Allingham’s short stories, including a number involving Albert Campion, her aristocratic amateur detective featured in a series of novels.
Very much light relief, or a palate cleanser between more substantial books, these are enjoyable and also provide interesting details of London’s social history in the mid-twentieth century, for example the description of the quiet of Holborn at the weekend in the story/anecdote The Lieabout.
Although the glimpses of Albert Campion in these stories are brief, they are warming for readers of Allingham’s Campion novels, with the final short story, The Snapdragon and the CID, being an enjoyable Christmas flourish, heralding the imminent retirement of Campion stalwart, Superintendent Stanislaus Oates.

[LeAnne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading these short stories by Margery Allingham on my Kindle, although there were two or three which left me a little puzzled and one that I actually thought that a page had been skipped. I've been reading mysteries for many, many years, but I didn't get it, even after reading it twice. In most of these stories, Campion comes along and points out the culprit or tells the Inspector what clue was missed. In some of them, Campion doesn't appear, but we are supposed to "get it" as we read the last page or paragraph. Most of those I got, but not one or two. I much prefer her full-length novels.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the Allingham Estate for my review copy.

There are eighteen witty short stories in this Casebook. They do not represent Allingham at her very best, since the form does not really allow for the multi-layered plotting at which she excelled, but are stlill well-worth-reading.

The Margery Allingham favourites, Campion, Oates and Luke, all feature, appearing in just over half of the tales.

There is something to enjoy in all of them : the amusing tale of how Charles Luke got his start in the CID, the clever take on the “brides in the bath” story, the mysterious disappearance of a couple, the man with money to burn. There are con men conned, jewels stolen and recovered, the tables turned on would-be murderers.There are photographs, paintings, mink coats, alibis and disguises, a great potpourri of crimes to savour.

This was an enjoyable and relatively untaxing read, a book which would make a good Christmas gift for a lover of Classic Crime.

[Keeley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic collection of mostly short mystery stories told from all sorts of different perspectives.
As someone who grew up a fan of Donald J Sobol's Two-Minute Mysteries, it's delightful to discover that one of the greats of the Golden Age of British crime fiction also wrote bite-size puzzle mysteries. Campion I can take or leave, but I will read some more of her books and see if he grows on me. In this collection, I most enjoyed "Pro and Con" and was left perplexed by "Face Value."

[Deborah Replogle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of Margery Allingham. This volume is a collection of many of her short stories, some with her famous detective Albert Campion. While I'm no authority on the subject this would be among those of reader os Dorothy Sayer's Lord Peter Wimsey. Similar but not the same. It was an entertaining read, but sometimes the plot lines were simplistic and the reader could see where it was heading. But I'm glad it was available to read, and will fit in with one's full Allingham novel collection.

[Edith · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars. Enjoyable, lightweight, many with Allingham's sleuth, Albert Campion. (I've come to prefer him to Lord Peter Wimsey, to whom he bears more than a passing resemblance. He's from the same era and social class [his mother is whispered to be a member of the royal family], but he is a bit more human.) Particularly charming is a story in which Allingham is a character. The mysteries are not very hard to solve, but the writing is (mostly) very good, and they are such a picture of their day. Worth reading if you are fond of Golden Age mysteries or Albert Campion.

[Darinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of 18 short stories. Light and enjoyable.

The stories:
1. Tall Story
2. Three is a Lucky Number
3. The Villa Marie Celeste
4. The Psychologist
5. Little Miss Know-All
6. One Morning They'll Hang Him
7. The Lieabout
8. Face Value
9. Evidence in Camera
10. Joke Over
11. The Lying-in-State
12. The Pro and the Con
13. Is There a Doctor in the House?
14. The Border-Line Case
15. They Never Get Caught
16. The Mind's Eye Mystery
17. Mum Knows Best
18. The Snapdragon and the CID

[Annette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my introduction to Ms Allingham’s skill as a writer.

I found that her mind worked in a very interesting way. Each of these short stories took me in a different direction, with different characters and new terrific plots.
The only consistency is Albert Campion. He listens, he listens very hard and he figures out solutions.

I liked this anthology a great deal. I look forward to reading all the full length novels I have on my Kindle.

I am very glad I found this book of stories.

[Richard Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book of Margery Allingham I have read and I feel ashamed that it has taken me so long to discover surely the most literary of the 'Big Four' Queens of Detective Fiction. There is something almost Runyonesque about her cops and crooks and her dialogue is a joy to read. Her cast of characters cross class lines and her nuanced observations are delivered with wit. Each short story is a little gem and I look forward to reading her longer works next.

[Kirsten]

-Tall Story
-Three is a Lucky Number
-The Villa Maria Celeste - 4 out of 5 stars
-The Psychologist
-Little Miss Know-All
-One Morning They'll Hang Him
-The Lieabout
-Face Value
-Evidence in Camera
-Joke Over
-The Lying-In-State
-The Pro and the Con
-Is There a Doctor in the House?
-The Borderline Case
-They Never Get Caught
-The Mind's Eye Mystery
-Mum Knows Best
-The Snapdragon and the C.I.D.

[Gregory Strong · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite enjoyable! In these short stories, Margery Allingham created interesting characters and clever situations and puzzles. In more than one story, I had to go back and scan the story to be sure I had read what I thought I was reading on the first pass through the story; this because of the intelligence in her writing.

[Siobhan J · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this!

I don't know what I was expecting, I picked it up largely on a whim (and to fill a gap in my reading schedule), but what I got was AMAZING. This is a series of crime short stories, some of them featuring Albert Campion and some of them stand alones. Most of them involve murder, some of them involve lesser crimes and some of them involve near misses.

And I loved pretty much every story in this collection. My favourite was probably Three is a Lucky Number ("WHAT THE HELL!" I screamed at the end) or They never get caught ("WHAT THE ACTUAL HELL!" I screamed at the end), but really I adored all of them. This is just a set of incredibly high standard crime stories, with intricate plots and absolutely fantastic writing.

I really enjoyed it. Such a good book!

[Nicki · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of short stories about an assortment of murders and mysteries in post-war Britain. The tales range from despicable deaths to jewellery heists, murderous husbands to shrewd wives.

I've never read Margery Allingham before this anthology tempts me to pick up a full-length novel by her. I like her style of writing, dialogue and character development. Enjoyed this.

[AVANTI KUMAR · Rating 3 out of 5]

With three exceptions, many of the storylines are rather slight; however, the author's somewhat graceful style compensated for this. Am giving it the 3-star rating (my rating for a solid, crafted work) but I think her full length works will provide a better experience for most addicted crime fiction addicts.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Champion and more

A clever series of short stories. Allingham always has some clever surprises. Champion shows up just enough. I was pleasantly surprised by the stories that did not include him.

[Little Red Readinghood · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not a fan of Campion but he really shines in these short stories. It takes a master to develop a story and finish it and leave you feeling satisfied as the mystery reader. Not all stories featured him a few were independent but all were enjoyable.