New Campion Novel Absolutely Fantastic

Mr Campion's Fault

Margery Allingham's Albert Campion's new mystery

by Mike Ripley

Severn House

Mystery & Thrillers, General Fiction (Adult)

Pub Date 01 Sep 2016

Review

I have always enjoyed Margery Allingham’s Campion novels, as well as the BBC productions featuring Peter Davison. Thus it was with anticipation and trepidation that I picked up Mike Ripley’s novel, Mr Campion’s Fault. It is not always easy for an author to meet the standards/expectations set by a well known and loved author.

I can say with pleasure that Mike Ripley does justice to Allingham’s iconic detective. The dialogue sparkles, at once showcasing and concealing his cleverness and perception. Albert Campion’s facetious manner and complete inability to be insulted or offended serves him well as always. His son Rupert and his daughter-in-law Perdita are welcome additions to the cast and I enjoyed their efforts as teacher replacements. I only wish Lugg played a larger role - though I have to admit his placement in the climax was delightful.

The plot was perfectly composed as well as completely appropriate - a reported poltergeist in the home of a Yorkshire widow, a murdered teacher, a missing embezzler, and a series of robberies provide tempting bait for Campion, particularly since his son and daughter-in-law are helping at the Ash Grange School.

Mr Campion’s Fault is a delightful mystery, filled with sparkling wit, clever twists and a touch of humor - a perfect tribute to Margery Allingham. I highly recommend Mr Campion’s Fault, whether you simply enjoy British mysteries or are a die hard fan of Campion or English mystery classics.

5/5

I received a copy of Mr Campion’s Fault from the publisher and netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

—Crittermom

Description

Margery Allingham’s Mr Campion finds himself a fish out of water when he investigates a murder in a Yorkshire mining village.

Following the death of the senior English master in a tragic road accident, Mr Campion’s son Rupert and daughter-in-law Perdita are helping out at Ash Grange School for Boys, where Perdita’s godfather is headmaster. While Perdita is directing the end-of-term play, a musical version of Dr Faustus, Rupert is tackling the school’s rugby football team – and both of them are finding their allotted tasks more of a challenge than they had anticipated.

When the headmaster telephones Albert Campion to inform him that Rupert has been arrested, Mr Campion heads to Yorkshire to get to the bottom of the matter. There are no secrets in the traditional mining village of Denby Ash, he’s told – but on uncovering reports of a disruptive poltergeist, a firebrand trade unionist, a missing conman and a local witch, he finds that’s far from being the case. And was the English master, Mr Browne’s, death really an accident . . .?