Dancers in Mourning [Paperback]

Margery Allingham (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1990

Strange pranks are being played on dancer Jimmy Sutane, star of London's Argosy Theatre. When they spread to the Sutanes' country estate, it becomes apparent that someone wants Jimmy's famous feet to tap their final dance. Campion never dreamed the big show-stopper would be murder--and a case that promises to test his mind and break his heart.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Miss Allingham's strength resides in the power of her characterizations, in her striking talent for painting vivid social backgrounds, and in her skillful use of language. --Manchester Guardian --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Margery Allingham was born in London in 1904. Her first novel was published when she was seventeen. In 1929 she published The Crime at Black Dudley and introduced the character who was to become the hallmark of her writing - Albert Campion. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Bantam Books (December 1990)
• ISBN-10: 0553248529
• ISBN-13: 978-0553248524
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,415,654 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cupid Agonistes, April 15, 2001

By 

Marc Ruby™ "The Noh Hare™" (Warren, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Dancers in Mourning (Hardcover)

No doubt Allingham fans will remember Uncle William from "Police at the Funeral." William's near miss with the British legal system and the death of his mother having left him at loose ends, so he decides to write his memoirs. Having lived an unexceptional life, William decides to make it up out of whole cloth. Unexpectedly, the book, "Memoirs of an Old Buffer," becomes a comic bestseller. To ice the cake, a musical review, starring Jimmy Sutane, the dancer, is a runaway success. All should be roses.

Unfortunately, this is not the case. Freak accidents and practical jokes have dogged the cast of the play, and nerves are running high. Uncle William calls in Albert Campion to help resolve the problems and return things to normal. After a backstage visit Campion accepts an invitation to Sutane's country house, where he meets Sutane's long time friend Squire Mercer, his understudy Benny Konrad, supporting actress Chloe Pye, and many other players in the drama about to unfold. Much to Campion's shock he find's himself stricken by Suntane's wife, Linda. Everything comes to a head when Chloe Pye falls off a road bridge directly in front of Sutane's moving vehicle. The inquest is inconclusive, unable to decide if se was pushed, fell, or jumped.

Completely befuddled by his feelings for Linda, Campion has difficulty focussing on the case. He withdraws, providing help only sporadically. Not even the sudden tragedy of the bombing murder of Benny Konrad, which leaves 15 people dead or injured, seems to rouse him from this state. Finally, it is the pleas of Linda herself that arouse him to the hunt again. Even so, it is an unwilling Campion that follows the trails to their inevitable, tragic conclusion.

This is one of Allingham's most difficult books. Truly, we are not used to an unwilling Campion. Without the precious antics of Magersfontein Lugg, Campion's manservant, the overall tone of the book would be darkly somber. Yet the writing is some of her best. Character depictions are deep and well made. There are moments in the dialog and narrative that attain an almost poetic clarity. The plot is complex and moves along well. And, for those of us who do not always pay close attention, the ending is a bit of a surprise. Allingham has wandered onto uncharted waters in "Dancers in Mourning," and she has done very well.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful mystery, May 1, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Dancers in Mourning: An Albert Campion Mystery (Allingham, Margery) (Paperback)

Margery Allingham is a great writer. Albert Campion is a classic figure in mystery literature and I hope they never stop reprinting her books. I haven't been able to read many Allingham books but I can say that this is one of her best. The mystery is fascinating and she provides a wonderful twist in the plot right in the end. Just when you think it's all figured out. Wham! Even Campion is shocked. This is the first Allingham I read and I was hooked. Campion is such an intrigueing character. Sometimes he's not even the main character in her books, but he's still a force to be reckoned with. A character that adds much warmth and richness to Allingham's books and particularly this one, is Magersfontein Lugg, Campion's valet, butler, cook, etc. He also happens to be a former burglar, I believe. Writers like Allingham don't happen all the time and I wish I had discovered her sooner. Any book written by her is bound to be good and I also recommend Tiger in the Smoke. Wonderful suspense too.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars English Country Village Mystery a la Margery Allingham., November 28, 2004

By 

S. Schwartz "romonko" (alberta canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dancers in Mourning: An Albert Campion Mystery (Allingham, Margery) (Paperback)

I've often wondered what it would be like if Margery Allingham decided to write an English country manor mystery. I knew instinctivley that it would be nothing like anything we've seen from Patricia Wentworth or even Agatha Christie. Well, now I need wonder no longer. This is an English country manor mystery like none you've ever read before. For one thing it is much more sinister and much darker than the books from this genre usually are. Secondly, it's written by the grand mistress of crime Miss Allingham herself. We are treated to another look entirely at Albert Campion - different than anything before. The main difference is that he is much more personally involved with this one than he usually is, and he knows that too. And because he knows that he is not comfortable with it and tries repeatedly to pull himself away, but finds that he can never successfully withdraw from trying to solve these crimes. The book is also different for Miss Allingham and her hero Campion because it is set within the theatrical set. And what an excellent job she does of portraying the artistic temperament. It also goes to show that not only Ngaio Marsh can excel in this particular arena. You must read this book if you are interested to hear more since I will not spoil the fun for anyone. If you've never read Margery Allingham before this may be a good place to start, but bear in mind that the plot is quite different from most of her books about Campion.