A charming mystery from one of the finest writers of the Golden Age of Mystery
The White Cottage Mystery by Margery Allingham Bloomsbury Publishing Mystery & Thrillers Pub Date 28 Oct 2011 Review I've always enjoyed Margery Allingham's novels, particularly those featuring Albert Campion. Affable and charming, yet far more astute than anyone realizes, he is a perfect Golden Age detective. Thus, I was instantly drawn to The White Cottage Mystery, Allingham's first detective novel. (It doesn't feature Campion) The story centers around the murder of an unpleasant man, whose main pleasure in life is to see people suffer. So horrendous was his nature, that neighbors and servants alike had reason to wish his death. No one is afraid to say how much they hated Crowther, but everyone is hiding "something". The question is whether the lies are related to the murder. Chief Inspector Challenor "the Greyhound" is known for getting to the truth. (Greyhound owners will easily see the resemblance - Our pets are perceptive and intelligent, but at the same time amiable and easy going. Deceptively slow, they are capable of great bursts of speed and activity.) Along with his son Jerry, he pursues the complicated truth from England to the Continent. If you are a fan of Agatha Christie, you should definitely give Margery Allingham a try. The White Cottage Mystery is an enjoyable tale with a surprising twist at the end. 4/5 I received a copy of The White Cottage Mystery from the publisher and Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. --Crittermom Description Classic Crime from the Golden Age. Margery Allingham is J.K. Rowling's favourite Golden Age author. Eric Crowther collected secrets and used them as weapons. Delighting in nothing more than torturing those around him with what he knew, there is no shortage of suspects when he is found dead in the White Cottage. Chief Inspector Challenor and his son Jerry will have to look deep into everyone's past – including the victim's – before they can be sure who has pulled the trigger. The fact that Jerry is in love with one of the suspects, however, might complicate things. The White Cottage Mystery was Margery Allingham’s first detective story, originally written as a serial for the Daily Express in 1927 and published as a book a year later.
