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The Crime at Black Dudley (Albert Campion Mystery, #1)

Margery Allingham

Start date: May 1, 2017

Finish date: May 31, 2017

Discussion: Group reads

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Group reads

* November 2025 group read - Winner!
By Judy · 20 posts · 32 views

last updated Sep 17, 2025 08:43AM

* Sept 25: Lonesome Road (#3 Miss Silver Mysteries) by Patricia Wentworth
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last updated Sep 19, 2025 01:03PM

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What Members Thought

Apr 05, 2022 Julie Durnell rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, england-uk

I found this mystery somewhat confusing and strange. Albert Campion is definitely quirky and somewhat strange himself, but I thought he took a backseat to pathologist George Abbershaw in solving the murder. Maybe they work together in solving crimes in the next books?

5 likes · Like · see review

Sep 22, 2017 Christine PNW rated it it was ok · review of another edition

I read this one for Country House Murder, and it is a good example of that particular type of mystery. It would also work for Murder Most Foul and Amateur Sleuth.

The Crime at the Black Dudley is designated as the first of the Albert Campion mysteries, but as others have noted, his appearance is pretty minimal. The main character is Dr. George Abbershaw, who seems to be at Black Dudley primarily to cement his relationship with the adorable Meggie.

Shades of The Big Four, Abbershaw and his frie ...more

4 likes · Like · see review

Oct 18, 2016 Laura rated it really liked it

Shelves: anglophilia, crime-mystery-fiction, british-golden-age-mysteries

I read somewhere that Margery Allingham is J.K. Rowling's favorite golden age mystery novelist. Now there's a recommendation! I really liked this one and am interested to see how Albert Campion develops as a character. ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Jan 15, 2015 Ruskoley rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, book-1

This is a vintage mystery novel that largely takes place in a British country home. (aka The Black Dudley). It is also the first Albert Campion novel. All of those facts being said, this really isn't a good novel. Mainly, I kept reading it and wondering why it was still continuing. Several chapters are retreads of previous chapters and characters frequently spin their wheels and the plot stalls out. Further, Campion isn't the main character and we really don't learn anything about him anyway. On ...more

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Nov 06, 2016 Nanosynergy rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, series, mysteries-thrillers-espionage, fiction-1920s, 2019read

First book in Margery Allingham’s Albert Campion series. Campion is a quirky, Columbo-like character. He plays a low-key role in the first book. Part of the plot reminded me a bit of A Man Lay Dead. ...more

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