No Love Lost
by Margery Allingham
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Comprising of two short novellas, No Love Lost is a thrilling work of suspense. The Patient at Peacocks Hall: Dr Ann Fowler is a young doctor who has dedicated her life to medicine in the wake of heartbreak, after losing her childhood sweetheart to movie star Francia Forde. Until one day, when Francia Forde arrives in Ann's hometown under the strangest of circumstances. As events unravel, Ann finds herself fighting to save Francia's life, whilst being threatened by a cunning madman, driven show more to insanity by the very woman Ann is caring for. Jealousy, revenge and heartbreak dominate this classic Allingham suspense story. Safer than Love: Elizabeth Lane marries a safe and secure headmaster to escape a more dangerous love, but finds husband's body stuffed down a well – and herself as the chief suspect. show lessTags
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Is it a coincidence that the first Allingham I enjoyed is also non-Campion led? I found Allingham gave Campion either cartoonish or accurate amounts of sexism that I just didn't want to tolerate, so it is with relief that her female protagonists are smart and strong-willed and independent.
This book actually contains two short mystery thrillers each with a dash of romance (hence the title). They're fast-paced, with such ratcheting tension that I both dread and want to read a full novel-length version of both stories.
The romance aspect was also enjoyable with its extremely simple premise of True Lovers being kept apart by some circumstance and eventually finding that even then there's No Love Lost.
The mix of high risk thriller with low show more stakes romance starring sensible and intelligent women hits the sweet spot. I'm looking forward to finding more women-led Allinghams. show less
This book actually contains two short mystery thrillers each with a dash of romance (hence the title). They're fast-paced, with such ratcheting tension that I both dread and want to read a full novel-length version of both stories.
The romance aspect was also enjoyable with its extremely simple premise of True Lovers being kept apart by some circumstance and eventually finding that even then there's No Love Lost.
The mix of high risk thriller with low show more stakes romance starring sensible and intelligent women hits the sweet spot. I'm looking forward to finding more women-led Allinghams. show less
An odd couple of stories unlike any other of Allingham's work I have read. The book was first published in 1954 when the author was 49: I can't believe that they weren't written much earlier.
Both stories are about young women with a background of an unhappy love-affair whose lovers reappear at the same time that the heroines are faced with crimes which point to them as perpetrators. Both are written from the women's point of view, so the reader has no doubt about their innocence. Tension is generated by the uncertainty as to whether truth will prevail.
It isn't hard to guess that things will turn out happily and that all will be well between the former lovers. In both stories there is a helpful investigator who has worked out most of show more what is going on at an early stage.
I don't know anything about Margery Allingham's life but surely these stories were written by a very young woman getting over being jilted and harbouring some pretty murderous thoughts! show less
Both stories are about young women with a background of an unhappy love-affair whose lovers reappear at the same time that the heroines are faced with crimes which point to them as perpetrators. Both are written from the women's point of view, so the reader has no doubt about their innocence. Tension is generated by the uncertainty as to whether truth will prevail.
I don't know anything about Margery Allingham's life but surely these stories were written by a very young woman getting over being jilted and harbouring some pretty murderous thoughts! show less
No Love Lost consists of 2 short novellas -- The Patient at Peacocks Hall and Safer than Love. Of the two, the former is undoubtedly the best, and after I finished reading it, I thought that it would make a splendid movie. A young woman doctor, jilted earlier by the love of her life (and not very happy about it) is called upon by the mysterious tenant of Peacocks Hall to arrange for an ambulance to be brought down to London to pick up a friend of his & return her to Peacock Hall. She makes the arrangements, then when she is asked to go up and take care of the patient one night, who has some mysterious ailment that needs the doctor's immediate attention, she realizes that it is one Francia Forde, an actress for whom her fiance had broken show more off their engagement during the war. The doctor at first refuses, but the tenant (a Mr. Gastineau) leaves her with no choice but to do as he asks. I can't give away the story, but it is really an amazing little novella and a fine mystery. The second story is "Safer Than Love," which seemed a bit muddled to me so I didn't enjoy it as much. A young woman marries the headmaster of a small school in a rural area of England. It seems that the entire town knows her business and that of her husband, and the woman is finding that she's a bit tired of the whole thing -- the marriage, the provincial town, her husband's unwillingness to change. After he is found dead, guess who becomes the most obvious suspect?
The first story was wonderful, with enough tension to keep me reading; the second seemed a bit confusing and by the time the end came, I was ready to be done with it.
I'd recommend the book to those who enjoy Allingham, and to people who enjoy British mysteries in general. show less
The first story was wonderful, with enough tension to keep me reading; the second seemed a bit confusing and by the time the end came, I was ready to be done with it.
I'd recommend the book to those who enjoy Allingham, and to people who enjoy British mysteries in general. show less
This classic Penguin suspense book includes two short stories by the well known Margery Allingham: suspense stories rather than detective fiction, with no familiar Campion characters. First published in 1954.
In "The Patient at Peacocks Hall" a young and beautiful woman doctor fights to save the life of her rival; lost poison seems damning evidence, and dramatic revelations follow each other in a neatly constructed story of suspense, involving a film star, a mysterious Frenchman, and other material for village gossip.
"Safer than Love" is set in a preparatory school at the beginning of the summer holidays. The headmaster's young wife has her own reasons for prevaricating when inquisitive neighbours in the small town inquire about her show more husband's whereabouts." - Penguin notes. show less
In "The Patient at Peacocks Hall" a young and beautiful woman doctor fights to save the life of her rival; lost poison seems damning evidence, and dramatic revelations follow each other in a neatly constructed story of suspense, involving a film star, a mysterious Frenchman, and other material for village gossip.
"Safer than Love" is set in a preparatory school at the beginning of the summer holidays. The headmaster's young wife has her own reasons for prevaricating when inquisitive neighbours in the small town inquire about her show more husband's whereabouts." - Penguin notes. show less
two stories in one book: "the patient at peacocks hall" about a young, beautiful female GP being drawn into a devious scheme to destroy her. "safer than love" takes place in a small english town and circles around the young wife of a strangely acting headmaster of a public school.
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131+ Works 20,321 Members
Margery Allingham, one of England's leading mystery writers, was born on May 20, 1904, in Ealing, a western suburb of London, but grew up in a remote village in Essex. Both of her parents were writers, and Margery carried on that tradition when she sold her first short story as an eight-year-old. At the Regent Street Polytechnic, she continued show more writing and studied drama and speech. While there, she wrote a verse play, Dido and Aeneas, in which she had a starring role during performances in London. At age 19, Allington published her first novel, Blackkerchief Dick. She wrote another novel, The White Cottage Mystery, before creating her most famous character, Albert Campion, in The Black Dudley Murder (published in England as The Crime at Black Dudley) in 1929. Allington went on to create twenty-eight more Campion mysteries, including several collections. She wrote more than 10 other novels, some under the pseudonym Maxwell March, as well as four novellas and sixty-four short stories. During World War II, Allingham served as First Aid Commandant for her district, organized the billeting and care of evacuees from London, and allowed her house to be turned into a temporary military base for eight officers and two hundred men of the Cameronians. The war greatly deepened Allingham's passion for her country, as evidenced in her later works. Allingham died of cancer on June 30, 1966. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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Belongs to Publisher Series
Penguin Books (1416)
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- Canonical title
- No Love Lost
- Original title
- No Love Lost
- Original publication date
- 1954-11
- First words
- "I never did think her eyes were a patch on yours, Miss Ann. Take a good look. You can see them. They're as plain as anything. Now let me get you a hand mirror." [p. 5, The Patient at Peacocks Hall]
I suppose the most frightening thing in the world is the moment when one realises that courage isn't going to be enough. [p. 87, Safer Than Love] - Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)"See here." Her voice was packed with admiration. "Look at that Miss Francia doing her washing. Doesn't she look lovely? All over a whole page!" [p. 86, The Patient at Peacocks Hall.]
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)When the door had closed behind him, Andy turned to me. [p. 176, Safer Than Love] - Blurbers
- H.R.F. Keating
- Original language
- English
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- (3.52)
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- Dutch, English
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- Paper, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 11
- ASINs
- 17
