Series
Publication
Vintage Books (2007), 144 p.
Original publication date
1937
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Description
A man is killed five months after his funeral, in a tale by "one of the greatest mid-20th-century practitioners of the detective novel" (Alexander McCall Smith). Private detective Albert Campion is summoned to the village of Kepesake to investigate a particularly distasteful death. The body turns out to be that of Pig Peters, freshly killed five months after his own funeral. Soon other corpses start to turn up, just as Peters's body goes missing. It takes all Campion's coolly incisive powers of detection to unravel the crime. The Case of the Late Pig is, uniquely, narrated by Campion himself. In Allingham's inimitable style, high drama sits neatly beside pitch-perfect black comedy. A heady mix of murder, romance, and the urbane detective's own unglamorous past make this an Allingham mystery not to be missed. "My very favourite of the four Queens of Crime is Allingham."-J. K. Rowling "Margery Allingham deserves to be rediscovered."-P.D. James.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member lahochstetler
Albert Campion is a gentleman inspector in the style of Dorothy Sayers's Lord Peter Wimsey. Here Campion finds himself investigating the death of a former classmate. Pig Peters was a nasty child who grew into a nasty adult. Few people are sorry to see him die, even if he does appear to die twice.
While reading this I was struck by the many similarities between Campion and Lord Peter Wimsey. Both are sons of minor gentry waiting to inherit. Both are dilettantes assisted by faithful valets. I found Campion's valet, Lugg, somewhat difficult to
comprehend. He is presented as a large, hulking, almost ogre-like man who dons aprons and makes tea. I was unable to figure out how and why he is with Campion. Presumably this is explained earlier in the series. Jumping into the middle of the series made it somewhat difficult to understand all of the characters' quirks.
This book is notable among recent mysteries I've read in that its ending is wholly satisfying. Generally when I read mysteries I enjoy the build-up and then find the ending to be a disappointment. With this book I had the opposite reaction. There were points where I got bored with the build-up, but the ending was full of suspense and intrigue.
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Campion attends Peters's funeral after reading a notice in the newspaper. Months later he happens upon a second funeral, also purported to be that of Pig Peters. The second time around Campion views the body in the morgue. It is unmistakably Peters. Who was buried at the first funeral? How did one or two people meet their death? These are the questions Campion sets out to answer. While reading this I was struck by the many similarities between Campion and Lord Peter Wimsey. Both are sons of minor gentry waiting to inherit. Both are dilettantes assisted by faithful valets. I found Campion's valet, Lugg, somewhat difficult to
comprehend. He is presented as a large, hulking, almost ogre-like man who dons aprons and makes tea. I was unable to figure out how and why he is with Campion. Presumably this is explained earlier in the series. Jumping into the middle of the series made it somewhat difficult to understand all of the characters' quirks.
This book is notable among recent mysteries I've read in that its ending is wholly satisfying. Generally when I read mysteries I enjoy the build-up and then find the ending to be a disappointment. With this book I had the opposite reaction. There were points where I got bored with the build-up, but the ending was full of suspense and intrigue.
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LibraryThing member Eat_Read_Knit
A short but very entertaining whodunnit: amateur sleuth Albert Campion is rather surprised to come across the freshly-murdered corpse of a man whose funeral he attended several months before (well, you would be, wouldn't you?) and sets out to investigate. The writing is tight and well-paced, the
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characterisation solid, and the denouement a lovely mixture of the blindingly obvious and the wholly unexpected. Show Less
LibraryThing member AlexTheHunn
Allingham writes with humor as she lets her little mysteries unfold. This book is no exceptions. We find the urge to complete the story irresistable, reading this slim volume cover to cover in a single day. Enjoy!
LibraryThing member rocalisa
In January, the combination of an obituary in The Times and an anonymous letter featuring a mole, send Campion and Lugg to a funeral. The deceased is an old school mate (friend would not be an appropriate term) of Campion's; Rowland Peters, more commonly known as Pig. By July, Campion has forgotten
Campion's investigation becomes more confusing and frankly creepy as time progresses, as the body is stolen then found, the local doctor tries of assist with almost ghoulish glee and interpersonal relationships get complicated, not to mention Lugg and Campion both being in danger of losing their lives.
For a little book (only 138 pages in my edition), this one sure packs in a lot. I believe this was the first Campion story I ever read, and I wasn't sure if it was going to live up to my memories. One the whole, it did. I could remember how the murder was done (and ingeniously too), and I was pretty sure about who did it and some of the why. Even so, I enjoyed the story all over again, and found myself awaiting the end in a state of slightly nervous uncertainty despite my foreknowledge.
The tale is told in the first person from Campion's point of view, but while pleasant, this was also a little disappointing. He remained the same enigmatic character he always is, not really letting us into his thought processes. Instead, there are hints - 'it was then that I had the whole case under my nose' - but no development of his understanding. Instead, we get an explanation at the end as usual. I still couldn't tell if Campion was being deliberately or naturally vague when he was telling me about it, for example, and I found that something of a waste of the first person narrative.
All the same, it's a fun story with a lovely set of characters. Leo and all the other men rallying around Poppy is a delight, and the villains are suitably villainous. Whippet is rather vague, but he's little more than the plot device to keep the story going - and admits such himself - so perhaps that was deliberate. I did have a feeling there was more of an explanation of why Janet was out of sorts with Campion, but now I can't decide it I missed it on this reading or if I'm mixing it up with another book. How many girls does Campion have strewn behind him anyway?
This is a good place to pick up Campion's adventures if anyone is looking for a place to start. Not too long, featuring Lugg as well as Campion, and with a clever plot and satisfactory resolution. A good little tale, indeed.
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the incident. When he is called to the village of Kepesake to investigate the death of the disagreeable Oswald Harris, who had a stone geranium urn dropped on his head, he is startled to find the dead many to be none other than Pig himself, who is supposed to have been dead for six months rather than less than twenty four hours. Campion's investigation becomes more confusing and frankly creepy as time progresses, as the body is stolen then found, the local doctor tries of assist with almost ghoulish glee and interpersonal relationships get complicated, not to mention Lugg and Campion both being in danger of losing their lives.
For a little book (only 138 pages in my edition), this one sure packs in a lot. I believe this was the first Campion story I ever read, and I wasn't sure if it was going to live up to my memories. One the whole, it did. I could remember how the murder was done (and ingeniously too), and I was pretty sure about who did it and some of the why. Even so, I enjoyed the story all over again, and found myself awaiting the end in a state of slightly nervous uncertainty despite my foreknowledge.
The tale is told in the first person from Campion's point of view, but while pleasant, this was also a little disappointing. He remained the same enigmatic character he always is, not really letting us into his thought processes. Instead, there are hints - 'it was then that I had the whole case under my nose' - but no development of his understanding. Instead, we get an explanation at the end as usual. I still couldn't tell if Campion was being deliberately or naturally vague when he was telling me about it, for example, and I found that something of a waste of the first person narrative.
All the same, it's a fun story with a lovely set of characters. Leo and all the other men rallying around Poppy is a delight, and the villains are suitably villainous. Whippet is rather vague, but he's little more than the plot device to keep the story going - and admits such himself - so perhaps that was deliberate. I did have a feeling there was more of an explanation of why Janet was out of sorts with Campion, but now I can't decide it I missed it on this reading or if I'm mixing it up with another book. How many girls does Campion have strewn behind him anyway?
This is a good place to pick up Campion's adventures if anyone is looking for a place to start. Not too long, featuring Lugg as well as Campion, and with a clever plot and satisfactory resolution. A good little tale, indeed.
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LibraryThing member bcquinnsmom
I believe this is the only one in the series so far which has Mr. Albert Campion as the narrator of the story.
Campion is reading the newspaper one morning and learns of the possible death of one of his old school fellows. He decides to attend the funeral to see if this is indeed that person, and
This is one of the better Campion mysteries; I didn't see the end coming until the last couple of chapters. I love this series, and if you follow the series, I think you'll agree this is one of the better ones. Very straightforward and the use of Campion as narrator worked well.
recommended
Campion is reading the newspaper one morning and learns of the possible death of one of his old school fellows. He decides to attend the funeral to see if this is indeed that person, and
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comes across some rather odd people there. Six months later, he is in the same little village, where a man has just died. Albert goes to look at the dead man and guess what? It's the same man whose funeral he had attended 6 months earlier! So now he must get down to the bottom of things and figure what's going on.This is one of the better Campion mysteries; I didn't see the end coming until the last couple of chapters. I love this series, and if you follow the series, I think you'll agree this is one of the better ones. Very straightforward and the use of Campion as narrator worked well.
recommended
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LibraryThing member Jargoneer
A very English detective story set between the wars.
Allingham, and her sleuth Albert Campion, are one of the mainstays of the classic English detective story.
All the traits are there - Campion is the usual fop, who is not quite as foppish as he seems; Lugg, his valet, is a thug with a heart of
In this one, Campion investigates the murder of 'Pig', a school bully turned nasty businessman. To say more could possibly reveal too much.
To criticise this book for not having any deeper meaning would be like criticising Plato for not writing detective stories. It is an easy read, relatively well-plotted, although with supporting characters that are cliches (was this written before they became cliches?) and the murderer is slightly too easy to spot.
It's a National Trust detective novel, and if thats what you like you will enjoy this novel. If you want grit, psychology, and reality, don't bother.
Allingham, and her sleuth Albert Campion, are one of the mainstays of the classic English detective story.
All the traits are there - Campion is the usual fop, who is not quite as foppish as he seems; Lugg, his valet, is a thug with a heart of
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gold; Campion knows all the right people and visits all the nicest houses. In this one, Campion investigates the murder of 'Pig', a school bully turned nasty businessman. To say more could possibly reveal too much.
To criticise this book for not having any deeper meaning would be like criticising Plato for not writing detective stories. It is an easy read, relatively well-plotted, although with supporting characters that are cliches (was this written before they became cliches?) and the murderer is slightly too easy to spot.
It's a National Trust detective novel, and if thats what you like you will enjoy this novel. If you want grit, psychology, and reality, don't bother.
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LibraryThing member Figgles
Early Campion mystery. Enjoyable but not particularly notable, apart from being told in the firstperson by Albert Campion himself. One for the fans!
LibraryThing member auntieknickers
Excellent entry in this series, read a long time ago.
LibraryThing member bfister
Fun, fairly light mid-series Campion, narrated by himself.
LibraryThing member bsquaredinoz
I think I always knew that golden age detective fiction wasn’t really my bag (the inimitable Dame Christie aside) but participating in Crimes of the Century has confirmed it. This month’s foray into 1937 introduced me to Margery Allingham’s most famous creation: Albert Campion. I now know
In his favour Albert Campion did not irk me quite as much as Ms Sayers’ Lord Peter Wimsey (who I met last year) but that’s not actually saying a lot. I suppose I was predisposed to irritation given the first lines of the story
“The main thing to remember in autobiography, I have always thought, is not to let any damned modesty creep in to spoil the story. This adventure is mine, Albert Campion’s, and I am fairly certain that I was pretty near brilliant in it in spite of the fact that I so nearly got myself and old Lugg killed that I hear a harp quintet whenever I consider it.”
I’m not much of a one for an unfettered ego. The rest of the characters meld into a couple of stereotypes in my memory; insipid for the women, in-bred old school chum for the chaps. Not counting Lugg of course who is Campion’s … manservant I suppose…and an ex (?) criminal whose purpose was lost on me.
The story was a complicated thing to do with disguised bodies, dodgy doctors and some fairly obvious wordplay. When reading the print version I had no clue what was going on by the end because I just wasn’t interested enough to pay attention. So I had another go at it by downloading the audio book and listened while stuck in traffic. That format was more agreeable (or there was less for me to be distracted by) and at least I cottoned on to the salient points of the plot but it still seemed to be one of those golden age novels that was telling a story that no one could ever mistake for reality, not even for a moment. Or maybe there was a world in which people acted and spoke like utter gits but if so it’s not a world I’m particularly engaged by.
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that this story is something of an aberration in that it is told in the first-person point of view by Campion but I’m not sure a more straight-forward narrative would endear the character to me more strongly. He is, to me, (yet another) upper crust Englishman surrounded by a phalanx of servants, private school chums and cap-doffing sycophants and the whole set up makes me squirm.In his favour Albert Campion did not irk me quite as much as Ms Sayers’ Lord Peter Wimsey (who I met last year) but that’s not actually saying a lot. I suppose I was predisposed to irritation given the first lines of the story
“The main thing to remember in autobiography, I have always thought, is not to let any damned modesty creep in to spoil the story. This adventure is mine, Albert Campion’s, and I am fairly certain that I was pretty near brilliant in it in spite of the fact that I so nearly got myself and old Lugg killed that I hear a harp quintet whenever I consider it.”
I’m not much of a one for an unfettered ego. The rest of the characters meld into a couple of stereotypes in my memory; insipid for the women, in-bred old school chum for the chaps. Not counting Lugg of course who is Campion’s … manservant I suppose…and an ex (?) criminal whose purpose was lost on me.
The story was a complicated thing to do with disguised bodies, dodgy doctors and some fairly obvious wordplay. When reading the print version I had no clue what was going on by the end because I just wasn’t interested enough to pay attention. So I had another go at it by downloading the audio book and listened while stuck in traffic. That format was more agreeable (or there was less for me to be distracted by) and at least I cottoned on to the salient points of the plot but it still seemed to be one of those golden age novels that was telling a story that no one could ever mistake for reality, not even for a moment. Or maybe there was a world in which people acted and spoke like utter gits but if so it’s not a world I’m particularly engaged by.
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LibraryThing member DeltaQueen50
The Case of the Late Pig by Margery Allingham is the 8th book in her crime series that features the dapper Albert Campion and his personal thug of a valet, Lugg. I was very happy that this outing featured Lugg in a fairly major way, as he always livens up the story.
The Pig that is mentioned in the
Apparently this is the only book in the series that is actually narrated by Campion himself. It is quite short but there is plenty of action and Allingham delivers this mystery with a light hand and quite a bit of subtle humor. The Case of the Late Pig is a fun addition to the series.
The Pig that is mentioned in the
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title is an old school rival of Campion’s and the book opens with Lugg reading the obituaries to Campion of which one is for the late R. I. “Pig” Peters. Campion attends his funeral but five months later he receives a call from an old friend and mentor to help solve a murder. When he arrives and examines the body, he finds it is none other than Pig. To complicate matters others who also attended the first Pig funeral arrive in the village and all too soon, Campion finds himself matching wits with a madman that has planned more than a few murders. To make matters even more confusing, Campion is dealing with a number of romantic high-jinks as well.Apparently this is the only book in the series that is actually narrated by Campion himself. It is quite short but there is plenty of action and Allingham delivers this mystery with a light hand and quite a bit of subtle humor. The Case of the Late Pig is a fun addition to the series.
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LibraryThing member Auntie-Nanuuq
I liked the plot & story, I didn't like how it was written... The writing and going around & around was confusing...
Albert Campion's valet, Lugg, reads the Death notices to Campion every morning while Campion has his breakfast. The current notices include a funeral for Pig Perry, a childhood
Months go by and Albert is called upon by a friend to investigate the death of a man who was plotting the hostile take-over of a quiet country hotel, a sort of club for the older gentlemen of the town. A drunken man seemingly goes to sleep in a lawn chair and killed when he's hit on the head by a falling cement flower urn which has been in place for hundreds of years!
The problem is the man bears an exact resemblance to the late Pig Perry... Could it be that Pig had a brother? During the investigation of the death of Pig's "brother", they odd woman from the funeral turns up as do the others from the funeral. No one it seems is who they purport to be.
Albert Campion's valet, Lugg, reads the Death notices to Campion every morning while Campion has his breakfast. The current notices include a funeral for Pig Perry, a childhood
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tormentor of Albert and so he attends. Oddly there are few others in attendance, the Vicar, an odd young woman, an older man, and another man whom Albert & Pig also knew as a child.Months go by and Albert is called upon by a friend to investigate the death of a man who was plotting the hostile take-over of a quiet country hotel, a sort of club for the older gentlemen of the town. A drunken man seemingly goes to sleep in a lawn chair and killed when he's hit on the head by a falling cement flower urn which has been in place for hundreds of years!
The problem is the man bears an exact resemblance to the late Pig Perry... Could it be that Pig had a brother? During the investigation of the death of Pig's "brother", they odd woman from the funeral turns up as do the others from the funeral. No one it seems is who they purport to be.
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LibraryThing member Helenliz
This is unusual. It's narrated in the first person by Albert Campion himself, which is not how the remainder of the series have been written so far.
It starts with a funeral in January of Pig Peters, someone who Campion went to school with and at whose hands he suffered being bullied.
Come June and
From the varied range of people present in the environs, Campion has to work out who is what they say they are and who is dissembling. There's a lot of misdirection, and a close call at the end before the villain is exposed.
It's entertaining and engaging.
It starts with a funeral in January of Pig Peters, someone who Campion went to school with and at whose hands he suffered being bullied.
Come June and
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there's a body turned up in a country village of some friends of his, and so Campion goes to try and sort it out - only to find that the body appears to be that of Pig himself. This time he has had is head bashed in by a giant flower urn from a parapet - no chance of rising from the dead this time, although the body does go walkabouts at one point - Pig appears to be a particularly active corpse. From the varied range of people present in the environs, Campion has to work out who is what they say they are and who is dissembling. There's a lot of misdirection, and a close call at the end before the villain is exposed.
It's entertaining and engaging.
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LibraryThing member quondame
Albert Campion should know that more is going on than the apparent but this is a tale of bungling as much as anything as he sees the body of a man whose funeral he attended months before.
Language
Original language
English
ISBN
9780099477747
Physical description
128 p.; 5.1 inches
Other editions
The Case of the Late Pig by Margery Allingham (Digital audiobook)
Pages
128