The Beckoning Lady

by Margery Allingham

Series: Albert Campion (16)

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Private detective Albert Campion's glorious summer in Pontisbright is blighted by death. Amidst the preparations for Minnie and Tonker Cassand's fabulous summer party a murder is discovered and it falls to Campion to unravel the intricate web of motive, suspicion and deduction with all his imagination and skill.… (more)

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Showing 1-5 of 11 (next | show all)

The only clunker of Allingham’s I’ve read

I love the Campion mysteries and have re-read them from time to time over the years. I wondered why I hadn’t bothered with this one and now I know why. It’s mannered, cluttered, confused, and dated beyond belief. Not recommended. (

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dmturner | Jun 29, 2020 |

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ME_Dictionary | Mar 19, 2020 |

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ME_Dictionary | Mar 19, 2020 |

Sadly, this book has aged badly. There are so many expressions and references that are no longer used, it's like entering a time capsule without a translator on board. Trying to get past the midway point, but too many livelier books beckon. For the record, I enjoyed Tiger in the Smoke and The Fashion in Shrouds more. (

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A.Gables | Oct 24, 2018 |

My memory of this is vaguely positive but it is a long time since I read it. s I recall it is set in the English countryside. (

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antiquary | Jul 20, 2014 |

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Belongs to Series

Albert Campion (16)

Belongs to Publisher Series

Felony & Mayhem Mysteries

Penguin Books (1417)

Is contained in

The Estate of the Beckoning Lady | Dead She Was Beautiful | Sudden Squall by Detective Book Club

Is abridged in

The Beckoning Lady [abridged audiobook] by Margery Allingham

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Canonical title

The Beckoning Lady

Original title

The Beckoning Lady

Alternative titles

The Estate of the Beckoning Lady

Original publication date

1955-04

People/Characters

Albert Campion

Lady Amanda Fitton (Amanda Campion)

Rupert Campion

William Faraday

Charles Luke (Detective Chief Inspector)

(show all 7 items)

Important places

Pontisbright, England, UK

Important events

Related movies

Epigraph

'It is very unlucky to interfere with a marriage of long standing. If the man doesn't kill you, you'll certainly get an earful from the woman.'
Chief Superintendent Stanislaus Oates in a Lecture to Young Constables

'But who,' said Florizel at last, 'who is this lady who is for ever beckoning?'
'That,' replied he, 'is beyond my knowledge. Some aver that she is Love, or Dame Fortune. Some, honour in the field. Some, the Muse herself. And the old have an unpleasant idea that she is Death. But all I can tell you about her for certain is that her eyes are laughing, and that she is without mercy.'
CONTES DES FEES
(from the translation by Anthony Greene, 1929)

Dedication

This Book is Affectionately Inscribed to my Old Friends and their Merry Wives

First words

It was no time for dying.

Quotations

Last words

(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)

Disambiguation notice

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Original language

Canonical DDC/MDS

Canonical LCC

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▾Book descriptions

Private detective Albert Campion's glorious summer in Pontisbright is blighted by death. Amidst the preparations for Minnie and Tonker Cassand's fabulous summer party a murder is discovered and it falls to Campion to unravel the intricate web of motive, suspicion and deduction with all his imagination and skill.

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Book description

Albert Campion, his wife and son are visiting a country home of artists' friends for a big party planned for mid-summer's eve. An elderly man died at their home; then a body is found under a bridge. Party plans continue, but a third body, a woman, floats by. Campion discovers how all the deaths are related.

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