Customer Reviews

The China Governess

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3 star:		(1)
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Young Timothy Kinnet is all set to marry the girl of his dreams, when he finds out that he's not who he thought he was. He had always believed that he was an illegitimate relation of the Kinnets, taken in when the Blitz destroyed east London. But he finds out that he was in fact, a foundling. So he sets off to uncover his true identity.

But Allingham's books are never that simple. When Timothy becomes the chief suspect in a housebreaking and later a suspicious death, his fiance enlists the help of Albert Campion. This is Allingham at her best. Nothing is ever quite as simple as it seems, but the gang is all here--Lugg, Charlie Luke,--only Amanda is missing. But the story goes at a fast pace and is a pleasure to read.

Highly recommended and worth searching for.

This was the last Margery Allingham book that I hadn't read, and it took a bit of trouble to find it, but it was worth the effort. I have loved Margery Allingham and her Albert Campion for years and this book did not disappoint, I am only sad now that I have finished reading her work. Miss. Allingham is truly one of my all-time favourites and her books never disappoint. I would highly recommend that if you love good mystery writing, then do not pass this author up. In this book Campion and his wonderful friend Charles Luke are on the trail or what looks to be a very evil person who pursues destruction with cold-hearted efficiency. We are also introduced to a bunch of wonderful new characters and Mrs. Broome is one of the best Allingham creations yet. We also have two appealing star-crossed lovers and a search for identity that lands these two into a heap of trouble. But Campion comes to the rescue and he unravels the many mysteries.

Sadly, this is one of the last books of the Campion series; I'm going to really miss these books when I've finished. Sigh. Oh well, I suppose that's why I keep these things forever so that someday I can go back and reread them. In the prologue, a council flat is vandalized to such an extent that it gives one of its occupants a fatal stroke upon her discovery of the damage. Then on to the main part of the novel: Timothy Kinnit and Julia Laurell are a young couple engaged to be married. Both are from upper class families, and are happy as can be. However, Julia's father decides that the marriage will not happen, due to rumors that are being passed along about Tim's parentage. Although Julia does not care, Tim is determined to seek the truth about his identity, but as he investigates he runs up against several obstacles -- and needs the help of Albert Campion. Once again we find Campion in the background, not as active as in the earlier part of the series -- here lending his cool-headedness and deductive prowess. However, the story was quite good, but then at the end I got a bit confused and had to backtrack to figure out what it was I missed. I love these books, but sometimes they can get bogged down with dialogue that detracts from the main part of the story. I'd recommend it to classic mystery fans, those who like British mysteries and those who are considering the series. However, to the latter I say do NOT start with this one, but go back and start with the first one so you can watch the development of Campion's character. Personally, I liked him better in the older books.

The adopted heir to a rich aristocratic family is determined to find his true parents before he marries the girl he loves. Allingham's serial detective, Albert Campion is called in to dig up the dirt around the heir's real family tree.

Timothy Kinnit has been adopted into a rich, but eccentric family whose past history includes a Victorian governess who supposedly killed her lover, the music master, then drowned herself in the village horsepond. One of the secrets that is shaken out of the Kinnit family tree during the course of this novel is what really happened to the music master.

Timothy himself was an infant when he was evacuated from London in the fall of 1939, as a precaution when it appeared as though England was going to war with Germany. He ended up on the Kinnit estate, and was adopted by the family when his real mother disappeared. The realization that he had been born in one of the worst slums in London, rather than into England's upper crust causes him to put his engagement on hold until he discovers his true parents.

Unfortunately his genealogical sleuthing sets another tragedy in motion. Someone does not want Timothy to learn his true heritage, and is willing to use any means possible to derail his quest.

The author is an acute observer of human nature, and as always, her writing is stylish, but there is one character in "The China Governess" whom I really grew to despise: Timothy's old nurse, whose romantic view of life allows her to blunder about, dropping secrets left and right, and who bawls like a hysterical baby when she doesn't get her own way. She believes her 'kiddy-widdies' can do no wrong, and harms the people she rushes in to protect. I really wanted to strangle that woman by the end of the book.

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)