Series
Publication
Vintage Books (2006), 256 p.
Original publication date
1936
1936-02
Collections
Genres
Subjects
Description
Gentleman sleuth Albert Campion tries to solve the murder of a prominent publisher in this "vivid and witty" British mystery (The New York Times). Scandal hits the prestigious publishing house of Barnabas when one of the directors is found dead in a locked cellar. All eyes are on the other partners at the firm-cousins of the dead man with much to gain from his demise-and all rumors hint at a connection to the disappearance of another director decades earlier. Desperate to salvage their reputation, the cousins turn to Albert Campion-but will his investigations clear the Barnabas family name, or besmirch it forever? "My very favourite of the four Queens of Crime is Allingham." -J. K. Rowling "Ms. Allingham has a strong, controlled sense of humour and is never dull." -Times Literary Supplement.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member rocalisa
Paul Brande is found dead in his publishing firm's strong room under puzzling circumstances. At the inquest, this death is ruled to be murder and his cousin, Mike, is arrested for the crime. Certain his young friend is innocent and asked to investigate by Brande's neglected widow, Gina, Albert
I found as I read my way through this that, despite what I initially believed, I hadn't read it before. I didn't really miss anything. Others on the mailing list finished it before me and their verdicts weren't particularly effusive. I have to agree. There is a flatness to Flowers for the Judge that hasn't been present in the other Campion books I've reread lately. In this one, Allingham seems to have put so much work into the Coroner's Court and the Old Bailey trial that she forgot about characterisation. This is a book about courts and trials, not a book about people. As such, if fails in its attempt to capture the reader's concern for the characters. Instead, it all becomes a very academic exercise.
Mike and Gina, who are supposed to be the thwarted hero and heroine are instead cardboard cutouts. We never even meet the victim, Paul, so our sympathy for him is non-existent. The murderer is pompous and annoying but never particularly sinister. Even Campion and Lugg are poorly defined here, compared to other novels. The only characters that really appealed to me were Uncle Ritchie, who was a delight, and poor Teddie Dell, who appeared briefly and swiftly disappeared.
Flowers for the Judge felt like a sleight of hand trick with a very long and somewhat boring set-up that was only revealed as a trick right at the very, very end. This is a solid book, but not a particularly inspiring one.
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Campion tries to discover what really happened. I found as I read my way through this that, despite what I initially believed, I hadn't read it before. I didn't really miss anything. Others on the mailing list finished it before me and their verdicts weren't particularly effusive. I have to agree. There is a flatness to Flowers for the Judge that hasn't been present in the other Campion books I've reread lately. In this one, Allingham seems to have put so much work into the Coroner's Court and the Old Bailey trial that she forgot about characterisation. This is a book about courts and trials, not a book about people. As such, if fails in its attempt to capture the reader's concern for the characters. Instead, it all becomes a very academic exercise.
Mike and Gina, who are supposed to be the thwarted hero and heroine are instead cardboard cutouts. We never even meet the victim, Paul, so our sympathy for him is non-existent. The murderer is pompous and annoying but never particularly sinister. Even Campion and Lugg are poorly defined here, compared to other novels. The only characters that really appealed to me were Uncle Ritchie, who was a delight, and poor Teddie Dell, who appeared briefly and swiftly disappeared.
Flowers for the Judge felt like a sleight of hand trick with a very long and somewhat boring set-up that was only revealed as a trick right at the very, very end. This is a solid book, but not a particularly inspiring one.
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LibraryThing member bcquinnsmom
#7 in the Albert Campion series. This installment finds our good friend Mr. Campion involved in a mystery in which a man is found dead in a publishing company's basement. A man is found to be guilty of his murder at the coroner's inquest, but is really the killer? He, of all of the possible
I REALLY enjoyed this one. There's enough of the old smart-mouthed Campion in here (especially in his banter with Lugg), mixed in with the newer, serious Albert Campion to provide a good balance in his character. The mystery keeps you guessing up until the end and it's an all-around good mystery read. Fans of British mystery should really enjoy this one, but do start with #1.
Now I must go out and buy the PBS dvd to add to my growing collection of Campion dramatizations. -sigh - Peter Davison is the perfect Campion, if you ask me!
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suspects has the means, motive and opportunity, but Albert suspects that he's being framed and must find the guilty party before it is too late.I REALLY enjoyed this one. There's enough of the old smart-mouthed Campion in here (especially in his banter with Lugg), mixed in with the newer, serious Albert Campion to provide a good balance in his character. The mystery keeps you guessing up until the end and it's an all-around good mystery read. Fans of British mystery should really enjoy this one, but do start with #1.
Now I must go out and buy the PBS dvd to add to my growing collection of Campion dramatizations. -sigh - Peter Davison is the perfect Campion, if you ask me!
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LibraryThing member Figgles
Having been disappointed by "Coroner's Pidgin" and slightly revived by "More work for the Undertaker" I was delighted to see that this earlier work is vintage Allingham. Essentially a locked room mystery set in a London publishing house (echoes of PD Jame's Original Sin) this story tells of love,
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pride and brilliantly realised court scenes (echoes of Dorothy Sayer's "Strong Poison" 1930) . The fog and the finish in France prefigure elements of "Tiger in the Smoke" Very very enjoyable. Show Less
LibraryThing member cmbohn
Sedate publisher Paul Brande goes missing. His wife calls in Albert Campion to find him. But his body is discovered by the firm's typist and his cousin is arrested for his murder. Campion is not satisfied and investigates. It seems this firm has lots of secrets and a puzzling habit of keeping
I enjoyed this one. There's a great BBC adaptation of this one which is very good.
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things hidden.I enjoyed this one. There's a great BBC adaptation of this one which is very good.
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LibraryThing member antiquary
Te title refers to a bouquet of flowers traditionally given a judge to protect him from the disses (or stench) of the prisoners.
LibraryThing member DeltaQueen50
Originally published in 1936, Flowers For the Judge by Margery Allingham is the 7th in her Albert Campion series. In this book, Campion is called upon to help clear a friend of a murder charge. Although the evidence against him is mostly circumstantial, it is very clear that he is in love with the
Although the story unfolds against the backdrop of a family run publishing business, and an old and valuable manuscript is part of the plot there was really very little reference to the book industry. This was very much a character driven story and once all the characters were in place and known to the reader, it was pretty easy to determine who the murderer was. I was surprised that the second murder was so easily dismissed by the police but I suspect Campion smoothed the way for it to be taken as a guilty party’s suicide.
Written in her usual witty style, Flowers For the Judge, with it’s locked room mystery, interesting characters, and slightly quirky resolution was another delightful entry in this series.
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murdered man’s neglected wife which give the police enough motive to charge him. Of course Campion is able to put the pieces together but before he can be arrested, the real murderer is found dead in his bath – a suicide or another murder?Although the story unfolds against the backdrop of a family run publishing business, and an old and valuable manuscript is part of the plot there was really very little reference to the book industry. This was very much a character driven story and once all the characters were in place and known to the reader, it was pretty easy to determine who the murderer was. I was surprised that the second murder was so easily dismissed by the police but I suspect Campion smoothed the way for it to be taken as a guilty party’s suicide.
Written in her usual witty style, Flowers For the Judge, with it’s locked room mystery, interesting characters, and slightly quirky resolution was another delightful entry in this series.
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LibraryThing member Matke
After a few tries, I’ve found a Campion mystery that’s a complete delight. A member of a staid publishing house has been missing for three days when his wife decides to call in our hero. Almost immediately theman is found dead under suspicious circumstances.
This witty character study is very
This witty character study is very
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much worth a read. Campion isn’t fatuous, Lugg isn’t annoying, and the remainder of the cast is fascinating. Truly enjoyable, this book made an Allingham fan out this somewhat reluctant reader. Show Less
LibraryThing member Helenliz
It's been a while since I've read a Campion story, and so this was a refreshing change. Set at a publisher's we start 20 years earlier, with one cousin of the family vanishing into thin air. In the [resent of the book, another cousin is found dead, leaving a neglected wife that was finding
It is all quite satisfyingly complicated and there is a resolution that is equally satisfying in it's rightness.
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friendship with another cousin. Mike is then arrested for murdering Paul (which, frankly, sounds like a service to mankind). And so the police start going about their business, the family rally round and Campion, as a friend of the family, tries to make headway. It is all quite satisfyingly complicated and there is a resolution that is equally satisfying in it's rightness.
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LibraryThing member EricaObey
Very solid outing. Some passages funny enough to read out loud.
Language
Original language
English
ISBN
9780099492825
Physical description
256 p.; 5.1 inches
Other editions
Flowers for the Judge by Margery Allingham (Digital audiobook)
Pages
256