Series
Publication
Vintage Books (2007), 256 p.
Original publication date
1931-10
Genres
Subjects
Description
From the Golden Age mystery author comes "a richly detailed and entertaining romp, with a fascinating resolution and an unconventional and winning sleuth" (Chicago Tribune). Albert Campion heads to Cambridge as a favor to a friend, whose fianc�e is employed by the elderly Faraday family, to investigate the disappearance of her uncle Andrew. What the self-proclaimed "Deputy-Adventurer" finds is foul play of the most heinous kind: murder. Andrew is found floating in a river, bound and shot in the head. Needless to say, in a household of unlikable characters-presided over by an authoritarian widow-he's not sorely missed. But fear has pervaded the dour family, bringing up decades of suppressed hatreds, petty jealousies, and nasty impulses-all of which lead to a second shocking killing. As the number of Faradays dwindle, so should the number of suspects. But Campion discovers that in a family this dysfunctional, it's hard to stop what hatred has set in motion. Praise for Margery Allingham "Margery Allingham stands out like a shining light." -Agatha Christie "The best of mystery writers." -The New Yorker "Allingham was a rare and precious talent." -The Washington Post "Margery Allingham deserves to be rediscovered." -P. D. James, New York Times-bestselling author "Don't start reading these books unless you are confident that you can handle addiction." -The Independent From the Golden Age mystery author comes "a richly detailed and entertaining romp, with a fascinating resolution and an unconventional and winning sleuth" (Chicago Tribune). Albert Campion heads to Cambridge as a favor to a friend, whose fianc�e is employed by the elderly Faraday family, to investigate the disappearance of her uncle Andrew. What the self-proclaimed "Deputy-Adventurer" finds is foul play of the most heinous kind: murder. Andrew is found floating in a river, bound and shot in the head. Needless to say, in a household of unlikable characters-presided over by an authoritarian widow-he's not sorely missed. But fear has pervaded the dour family, bringing up decades of suppressed hatreds, petty jealousies, and nasty impulses-all of which lead to a second shocking killing. As the number of Faradays dwindle, so should the number of suspects. But Campion discovers that in a family this dysfunctional, it's hard to stop what hatred has set in motion. Praise for Margery Allingham "Margery Allingham stands out like a shining light." -Agatha Christie "The best of mystery writers." -The New Yorker "Allingham was a rare and precious talent." -The Washington Post "Margery Allingham deserves to be rediscovered." -P. D. James, New York Times-bestselling author "Don't start reading these books unless you are confident that you can handle addiction." -The Independent… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member rocalisa
On a Margery Allingham list I'm on, someone accidently posted a message that was meant to go to a different Allingham list - one for group reads of the Campion books. This seemed like an excellent idea and I nipped over and joined. They are still early in the series (this is the fourth book) so I
The story appears simple: an old friend of Campion's asks his to ease his fiance's fears about the disappearance of her uncle. However, the story gets murkier and nastier and more confusing with each passing page. The lost Uncle Andrew is part of a decidedly dysfunction family still living in the 1890's or so (the book is set in 1931) and run with an iron fist by Great Aunt Caroline who keeps her middle-aged children (William, Julia and Kitty) and nephew, Andrew, at home with her and treats them as if they were still in the nursery.
By the time Campion arrives in Cambridge, Uncle Andrew has been found dead. By the time he's been there a couple of days, Aunt Julia is dead under mysterious circumstances and Uncle William is under suspicion of murder. It is up to Campion to solve the mystery, save the family name and hopefully prevent any more deaths.
It is in this book that Allingham's writing becomes much deeper and more serious than it was in the earlier Campion books, which have a certain Boy's Own Adventure atmosphere to them. This novel, despite a strong and moody description of London at the very beginning, looks like it may be the same. Campion, lurking in a deliberately dramatic hidden meeting place and dressed in a Holmes-style deerstalker cap, waits to meet a young woman and soothe her worries with a performance as the "clever detective". But it is soon clear her troubles are real ones and Campion abandons his frivolity at the same moment he abandons the cap, becoming serious about the case. Despite his sometimes contradictory appearance, he is to remain so in his following adventures in print. Allingham's skill in description also comes to the fore, as the forbidding house in Socrates Close almost becomes a character in its own right - and a disturbing and dangerous character too.
As I said, I couldn't remember who the murderer was as I re-read Police at the Funeral. Up to the revelation I still didn't. I was both surprised and disappointed. The solution was clever, although the character's immediately assumption to why it had all been done did seem rather simplistic to me. However, I think that is just a difference in seventy year's perspective. We try to make some things more complicated these days.
This is a good book and I enjoyed spending time with Campion again. I am looking forward to re-reading Sweet Danger with the list. Yay, I'll get to meet Amanda all over again.
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jumped in with glee. I've read Police at the Funeral before, but on starting it, I couldn't remember exactly what happened or who "dunnit". In fact, as I kept reading, I still couldn't remember. While my terrible memory (made worse by all my years of CFS) is often a detriment, in this case it was a great advantage. The story appears simple: an old friend of Campion's asks his to ease his fiance's fears about the disappearance of her uncle. However, the story gets murkier and nastier and more confusing with each passing page. The lost Uncle Andrew is part of a decidedly dysfunction family still living in the 1890's or so (the book is set in 1931) and run with an iron fist by Great Aunt Caroline who keeps her middle-aged children (William, Julia and Kitty) and nephew, Andrew, at home with her and treats them as if they were still in the nursery.
By the time Campion arrives in Cambridge, Uncle Andrew has been found dead. By the time he's been there a couple of days, Aunt Julia is dead under mysterious circumstances and Uncle William is under suspicion of murder. It is up to Campion to solve the mystery, save the family name and hopefully prevent any more deaths.
It is in this book that Allingham's writing becomes much deeper and more serious than it was in the earlier Campion books, which have a certain Boy's Own Adventure atmosphere to them. This novel, despite a strong and moody description of London at the very beginning, looks like it may be the same. Campion, lurking in a deliberately dramatic hidden meeting place and dressed in a Holmes-style deerstalker cap, waits to meet a young woman and soothe her worries with a performance as the "clever detective". But it is soon clear her troubles are real ones and Campion abandons his frivolity at the same moment he abandons the cap, becoming serious about the case. Despite his sometimes contradictory appearance, he is to remain so in his following adventures in print. Allingham's skill in description also comes to the fore, as the forbidding house in Socrates Close almost becomes a character in its own right - and a disturbing and dangerous character too.
As I said, I couldn't remember who the murderer was as I re-read Police at the Funeral. Up to the revelation I still didn't. I was both surprised and disappointed. The solution was clever, although the character's immediately assumption to why it had all been done did seem rather simplistic to me. However, I think that is just a difference in seventy year's perspective. We try to make some things more complicated these days.
This is a good book and I enjoyed spending time with Campion again. I am looking forward to re-reading Sweet Danger with the list. Yay, I'll get to meet Amanda all over again.
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LibraryThing member delphica
(#25 in the 2008 book challenge)
Another in the Albert Campion mystery series -- it's in that comfortable genre place where everything is somewhat predictable but still enjoyable. Unfortunately Allingham has a knack for picking quickie plot points that are insanely dated now -- it's almost uncanny.
Grade: B-
Recommended: I think you would need to be a stalwart fan of the Golden Age of manor house mysteries to truly enjoy this, but if you are, you will.
Another in the Albert Campion mystery series -- it's in that comfortable genre place where everything is somewhat predictable but still enjoyable. Unfortunately Allingham has a knack for picking quickie plot points that are insanely dated now -- it's almost uncanny.
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You'd figure at least some of the time she'd hit upon things that don't jump off the page at you, but no. In this one, Albert goes to investigate a series of murders taking place in Cambridge, all within an old and established family that is stuck in Victorian times.Grade: B-
Recommended: I think you would need to be a stalwart fan of the Golden Age of manor house mysteries to truly enjoy this, but if you are, you will.
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LibraryThing member souloftherose
Another outing for Albert Campion, this time he's called to an old Cambridge house where the formidable Great Aunt Caroline rules over her children, nephews and nieces. The residents of the house all loathe each other so when the body of Uncle Andrew is found dead in the river there are no shortage
The only thing that prevented this book being a four star read for me was the explanation behind the killings. I know murder mysteries of this era aren't generally known for their realism, but I couldn't suspend my disbelief enough to accept the ending. Otherwise an enjoyable book but I came away feeling disappointed.
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of suspects. Well, until the other occupants of the house also start to die in mysterious circumstances.The only thing that prevented this book being a four star read for me was the explanation behind the killings. I know murder mysteries of this era aren't generally known for their realism, but I couldn't suspend my disbelief enough to accept the ending. Otherwise an enjoyable book but I came away feeling disappointed.
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LibraryThing member mmyoung
A much better story lies beneath the surface of the book I just read. The flaw is that Allingham needed to bring Campion onto the scene--which distracts from a rather chilling and compelling story of the ways in which the "staid" constrictions of Edwardian life could result in an entire generation
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of profoundly psychologically damaged people. The book is, of course, shot through with classism and racism that makes it difficult to stomach and suffers from not being willing to let the core story stand on its own. Remove Cousin George from the story and a tighter and more chilling (and less racist) tale would remain. Show Less
LibraryThing member riverwillow
Campion is called in by an old friend to investigate the disappearance of his fiancée's uncle, Andrew Seeley. Until his disappearance Seeley lived in a house ruled, and run on strict Victorian rules, by Caroline Faraday and inhabited by Great Aunt Caroline's children and impecunious relatives. But
Although some might feel that the book is dated, it is marvellously evocative both of the attitudes and mores of the period, but also of the kind of claustrophobic and closed environment in which evil flourishes.
Wonderful.
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evil lurks in the house and soon there are a couple of murders, which Campion, in his unorthodox manner, sets out to solve while simultaneously protecting Joyce, his friend Marcus's fiancée. Although some might feel that the book is dated, it is marvellously evocative both of the attitudes and mores of the period, but also of the kind of claustrophobic and closed environment in which evil flourishes.
Wonderful.
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LibraryThing member Helenliz
I'm slowly working my way along himself's shelf of Allingham books. This is number 4 and Campion has now matured as a character, he's more rounded and complete than he was in the first book. This book has Campion investigating a disapperance that turns into a murder, then a sequence of murders and
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accidents set in one house on the outskirts of Cambridge. The Family concerned is full of real characters (read really difficult, eccentric or downright obnoxious people). The matriarch rules with a rod of iron, but even she has to bring in reinforcements, in the form of Campion. He stands as a buffer between the old lady and the shocks that will come, while continuing to investigate the crimes. It all turns out to be quite a surprising solution, not centering on the disreputable nephew, but on of the inhabitants of the house and a petty case of revenge and a disordered mind. The cast of characters is an interesting one, and the solution is an intriguing one. Show Less
LibraryThing member gpangel
Police at the Funeral by Margery Allingham is a 2013 PFD books publication.
This is the fourth book in the Albert Campion series originally published way back in 1939. I stumbled across this little gem scrolling through the Kindle Lending Library last month. They have several of the books in this
A wealthy matriarch who is burdened with a crew of underachieving middle aged relatives, runs a tight ship, which causes a lot of tension in the household. But, when one of the family members, Andrew Faraday, disappears, Joyce, a second generation family member, seeks answers, thus persuading her fiance, Marcus, to hire Albert Campion to look into matters. But, before he gets a good start, it is discovered that Andrew is dead, an apparent murder victim. Directly on the heels of this development, another family member dies of poisoning. With a household full of suspects, a good old fashioned mystery develops, with a hint of suspense, as the family wonders who might be next.
Golden age mysteries are always fun to read. These books were written with mild language, no sexual content, and non-graphic violence. The focus is on the characters, their possible motives, the atmosphere, the dialogue and the clues, always giving the reader a good brain teaser, as we attempt to guess whodunit and why.
Albert is an enigma in many ways, and has an interesting history which he chooses to avoid dealing with. I found the family and this gloomy mansion they resided in to be very interesting and odd. These were some strange birds to be sure, but I found the relationship between Marcus and Joyce most curious. The engaged couple never even spoke to each other, I don't think. Joyce had rather deep conversations with Campion, but Marcus interacted with his fiance once, and only when she was incredibly upset, and he still didn't speak to her, he only put his arm around her.
The mystery did get bogged down and lost it's focus around the midway mark, but in the end, I was stunned by the outcome.
Overall, I am keen to check out more these mysteries. Reading a few reviews about this series, it has come to light there was a TV show based on the these mysteries too. So I'll have to look into that as well, but I am so happy to see these books have been released into digital format and are available in the Kindle store.
4 stars
This is the fourth book in the Albert Campion series originally published way back in 1939. I stumbled across this little gem scrolling through the Kindle Lending Library last month. They have several of the books in this
Show More
series, so at some point I would like to begin reading them from the beginning. I love the older British mystery novels, and I hate to admit this, but this series was way under my radar. It may be familiar to many, but I had never heard of it. So, I'm thrilled to have found this one! A wealthy matriarch who is burdened with a crew of underachieving middle aged relatives, runs a tight ship, which causes a lot of tension in the household. But, when one of the family members, Andrew Faraday, disappears, Joyce, a second generation family member, seeks answers, thus persuading her fiance, Marcus, to hire Albert Campion to look into matters. But, before he gets a good start, it is discovered that Andrew is dead, an apparent murder victim. Directly on the heels of this development, another family member dies of poisoning. With a household full of suspects, a good old fashioned mystery develops, with a hint of suspense, as the family wonders who might be next.
Golden age mysteries are always fun to read. These books were written with mild language, no sexual content, and non-graphic violence. The focus is on the characters, their possible motives, the atmosphere, the dialogue and the clues, always giving the reader a good brain teaser, as we attempt to guess whodunit and why.
Albert is an enigma in many ways, and has an interesting history which he chooses to avoid dealing with. I found the family and this gloomy mansion they resided in to be very interesting and odd. These were some strange birds to be sure, but I found the relationship between Marcus and Joyce most curious. The engaged couple never even spoke to each other, I don't think. Joyce had rather deep conversations with Campion, but Marcus interacted with his fiance once, and only when she was incredibly upset, and he still didn't speak to her, he only put his arm around her.
The mystery did get bogged down and lost it's focus around the midway mark, but in the end, I was stunned by the outcome.
Overall, I am keen to check out more these mysteries. Reading a few reviews about this series, it has come to light there was a TV show based on the these mysteries too. So I'll have to look into that as well, but I am so happy to see these books have been released into digital format and are available in the Kindle store.
4 stars
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LibraryThing member saroz
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
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.
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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.
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LibraryThing member DeltaQueen50
Police At the Funeral by Margery Allingham is the fourth book in series that features the man of mystery Albert Campion. Neither a detective nor a spy, he seems to have his fingers in many pies and, it also seems he is a member of a very highly placed family, maybe even one of royalty. In this
Great Aunt Caroline rules the roost at Socrates Close, her word is law and the rest of the relatives that live there despise each other and chaff under the rules but as Great Aunt Caroline holds the purse strings, they obey. When suddenly one of the uncles and then one of the aunts are murdered, both terror and mystery are unleashed.
Another fun outing that has Albert Campion solving an intricate mystery. With lots of running around in the night, and strange cryptic symbols appearing on the windows, the author knows exactly how to elevate the tension and keep the reader turning the pages. With it’s witty writing, dry humor and plenty of red herrings strewn about, Police At The Funeral was an engaging puzzler.
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outing he is called upon to assist an old friend who is concerned for his fiancée who lives with many members of her family at a large house called Socrates Close in Cambridge.Great Aunt Caroline rules the roost at Socrates Close, her word is law and the rest of the relatives that live there despise each other and chaff under the rules but as Great Aunt Caroline holds the purse strings, they obey. When suddenly one of the uncles and then one of the aunts are murdered, both terror and mystery are unleashed.
Another fun outing that has Albert Campion solving an intricate mystery. With lots of running around in the night, and strange cryptic symbols appearing on the windows, the author knows exactly how to elevate the tension and keep the reader turning the pages. With it’s witty writing, dry humor and plenty of red herrings strewn about, Police At The Funeral was an engaging puzzler.
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LibraryThing member EricCostello
One of the earlier novels in the Campion series. Campion is brought into a situation by a friend, who has a fiancee living at a rather ominous house in Cambridgeshire. Ominous, in the sense that there's a lot of poisonous (literally?) personalities about coming into conflict. And some of those
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personalities start dying. A bit of police not picking up on things (or the Detective choosing not to be obvious), but the writing carries this story, and keeps your interest, and the solution is logical. Above average for Golden Age stuff. Show Less
LibraryThing member reading_fox
Campion is less strange than in some of the earlier stories and short story collections. We learn a little bit more about his background and how he's come to be the consulting detective he is.
The ruling grandmother of a traditional family is concerned about her reputation when a wastrel son is
The ruling grandmother of a traditional family is concerned about her reputation when a wastrel son is
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found dead in peculiar circumstances. Show Less
Language
Original language
English
ISBN
9780099507345
Physical description
256 p.; 5.1 inches
Other editions
Police at the Funeral by Margery Allingham (Digital audiobook)
Pages
256