From the Bookshelf of Reading the Detectives…
Find A Copy At
Group Discussions About This Book
*
Nominations for December 2025 group read
By Judy · 2 posts · 3 views
By Judy · 2 posts · 3 views
last updated 3 hours, 23 min ago
*
Oct 25: Murder Included (#1 D.I. Price) by Joanna Cannan
By Susan · 5 posts · 11 views
By Susan · 5 posts · 11 views
last updated 5 hours, 25 min ago
showing 9 of 9 topics
view all »
Other topics mentioning this book

By Judy · 4475 posts · 483 views
last updated May 21, 2019 12:15PM
May 2017 - The Crime at Black Dudley by Margery Allingham
By Judy · 81 posts · 55 views
By Judy · 81 posts · 55 views
last updated May 23, 2017 01:27AM
The Crime at Black Dudley - SPOILER thread
By Judy · 57 posts · 33 views
By Judy · 57 posts · 33 views
last updated May 23, 2017 12:08AM
February 2018 - Mystery Mile by Margery Allingham
By Judy · 31 posts · 34 views
By Judy · 31 posts · 34 views
last updated Feb 21, 2018 01:06AM
Kindle Deals etc up to August 2020
By Judy · 1128 posts · 176 views
By Judy · 1128 posts · 176 views
last updated Aug 31, 2020 12:50PM
What mysteries are you reading at the moment? (2024-2025)
By Judy · 986 posts · 163 views
By Judy · 986 posts · 163 views
last updated 11 hours, 22 min ago
What Members Thought

I think I have finally decided that Margery Allingham's Albert Campion books are not for me. I have read several and can appreciate that they are well written but they just don't grab me and I always find it something of a chore to finish them.
In this book Albert is part of a very strange house party at a house called Black Dudley in the Suffolk countryside. It is clear from the start that there is something odd about the house party and a haunted dagger is the least of the strange things encoun ...more
In this book Albert is part of a very strange house party at a house called Black Dudley in the Suffolk countryside. It is clear from the start that there is something odd about the house party and a haunted dagger is the least of the strange things encoun ...more

Jul 19, 2023
Lady Wesley
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
mystery-golden-age-or-similar,
house-party
Review of the audiobook narrated by David Thorpe.
This is Margery Allingham's first Campion book, and oddly Campion seems to have a bit part. It was a bit of a disappointment but good enough.
Many Audible reviewers did not like the narration, but I have listened to many books by David Thorpe (especially those from the British Library Crime Classics series) and think he is quite good. ...more
This is Margery Allingham's first Campion book, and oddly Campion seems to have a bit part. It was a bit of a disappointment but good enough.
Many Audible reviewers did not like the narration, but I have listened to many books by David Thorpe (especially those from the British Library Crime Classics series) and think he is quite good. ...more

Review originally published at The Bookwyrm's Hoard.
The Crime at Black Dudley introduces Margery Allingham’s affable, deceptively foolish young amateur detective, Albert Campion. Like Lord Peter Wimsey, Campion is from an aristocratic family and adopts a silly-ass, never-serious persona. Unlike Wimsey, however, Campion himself is a bit of a mystery. We know very little of him – even his real identity. Campion is just one of his many aliases, at least one of which is mentioned in this book. T ...more
The Crime at Black Dudley introduces Margery Allingham’s affable, deceptively foolish young amateur detective, Albert Campion. Like Lord Peter Wimsey, Campion is from an aristocratic family and adopts a silly-ass, never-serious persona. Unlike Wimsey, however, Campion himself is a bit of a mystery. We know very little of him – even his real identity. Campion is just one of his many aliases, at least one of which is mentioned in this book. T ...more

I read this primarily as it is the book in which Allingham introduces her sleuth Albert Campion. Unfortunately it feels dated with ludicrous gender stereotyping and class distinctions ( and I understand the original had a character referred to as "The Jew" who is thankfully simply referred to by name in my edition) and the mystery itself is confused and ultimately solved using information not available to the reader. I am pressing on with the series as I understands it improves with time and I h
...more

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.

Albert Campion was barely in this... that said I raced through it in one night so it's pretty entertaining. (shrug emoji)
...more

Interesting introduction to the series protagonist. I'm curious to see what POVs the other books are told from and how Campion is depicted/presented in them.
...more

3.5 stars.

Jan 30, 2016
Kat
added it

Sep 19, 2016
Tracey
marked it as to-read

Oct 17, 2016
Thomas
added it




Jun 25, 2020
Layton
marked it as to-read

Apr 09, 2021
ChrisGA
marked it as to-read

May 20, 2021
Becky
marked it as to-read

Dec 17, 2023
Vanessa
marked it as to-read