The Beckoning Lady [Import] [Paperback]

Margery Allingham (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 233 pages
• Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd; New Ed edition (1960)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140014179
• ISBN-13: 978-0140014174
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,069,044 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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5.0 out of 5 stars Also titled 'The Estate of the Beckoning Lady' (1955), August 6, 2011

By 

E. A. Lovitt "starmoth" (Gladwin, MI USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Beckoning Lady (Paperback)

In the 15th Campion novel, Uncle William, who appeared in two of the previous entries in this long-running series ("Police at the Funeral" (1931) and "Dancers in Mourning" (1937)) dies shortly before the annual garden party at the estate of the Beckoning Lady. Albert Campion, Allingham's popular serial detective is investigating another murder at this location, and begins to suspect that Uncle William might have been bumped off, too.

What an undignified end for the charming old buffer!

"The Beckoning Lady" was Allingham's personal favorite among her novels. According to the Margeret Allingham Society: "there are strong autobiographical elements in the narrative: Minnie Cassands is something of a self-portrait, and her husband Tonker is derived from Youngman Carter [Allingham's husband]. The celebration at the Beckoning Lady 'mirrors something of what a summer party could be like at Tolleshunt D'Arcy [Allingham's home],' and the absurd routines imposed on Minnie by her income tax adviser clearly had their origin in a real-life frustration."

The setting is Pontisbright, and Campion and his wife, Amanda are next-door neighbors of Minnie and Tonker. Charlie Luke, the detective first introduced in "More Work for the Undertaker" (1948) is convalescing with the Campions, and sadly, falls in love with a real prune.

This mystery takes place over the course of several days while the annual party at the estate of the Beckoning Lady is being planned and executed. Tension is already running high as Minnie and Tonker, the estate's owners are being harassed by England's equivalent of the Internal Revenue Service, and the locals have trouble getting into a party mood while corpses keep showing up on the estate.

This is the only full-length novel where Campion's son, Rupert plays a minor role.

Here is a complete list of the Campion novels that Allingham wrote ("Cargo of Eagles" was completed by her husband after her death in 1966). There are also short story collections and Campion novels that were written by her husband, Youngman Carter, which I didn't include in this list.

1. The Black Dudley Murder aka The Crime at Black Dudley (1929)

2. Mystery Mile (1930)

3. Look to the Lady aka The Gyrth Chalice Mystery (1931)

4. Police at the Funeral (1931)

5. Sweet Danger aka Kingdom of Death aka The Fear Sign (1933)

6. Death of a Ghost (1934)

7. Flowers for the Judge (1936)

8. The Case of the Late Pig (1937)

9. Dancers in Mourning aka Who Killed Chloe? (1937)

10. The Fashion in Shrouds (1938)

11. Traitor's Purse aka The Sabotage Murder Mystery (1941)

12. Pearls before Swine (1945)

13. More Work for the Undertaker (1948)

14. The Tiger in the Smoke (1952)

15. Estate of the Beckoning Lady (1955)

16. Tether's End (1958)

17. The China Governess (1963)

18. The Mind Readers (1965)

19. Cargo of Eagles (1968)