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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
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.
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!
I enjoyed this one. There's a great BBC adaptation of this one which is very good.
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.
This witty character study is very
It is all quite satisfyingly complicated and there is a resolution that is equally satisfying in it's rightness.