I have long been a fan of Margery Allingham's novels. I read most of the books in the Albert Campion series when I was much younger, and once I started blogging in 2012, I began rereading them in order (mostly) starting with Death of a Ghost.
Today I am sharing my thoughts on one of her short stories.
"One Morning They'll Hang Him"
This is an Albert Campion short story. Chief Inspector Kenny is visiting Mr. Campion in his home, asking for his help in solving a murder. He is very sure he has the murderer in custody but he does not have a crucial piece of evidence in order to take the case to trial.
Campion asks for more information about the case. Kenny describes the victim, an elderly rich woman who lives in a big house on Barraclough road with her companion / housekeeper. Her only living relative is her nephew, who visited her often in his childhood. He returned from the war with mental problems following an injury when a bridge blew up with him on it. He has returned to London with his wife of six weeks and has a job. They need a place to live, and the nephew and his aunt have an argument when he asks her if they can live in a couple of her rooms upstairs. The couple were having dinner at the aunt's house when they argued, and they left shortly afterwards. The nephew is accused of returning to the house and shooting her with his gun; he was seen in the neighborhood shortly after she was shot.
The problem with Inspector Kenny's case is that he cannot find the gun and that is a necessary part of the evidence. The police have searched all areas where it could have been left behind or hidden. Inspector Kenny wants Campion to find the gun.
I will admit that this is not my favorite type of mystery short story, because the focus is on the puzzle. But I enjoyed it very much, and it was the combination of Margery Allingham's writing and Campion's character that made it work well for me.
"One Morning They'll Hang Him" was originally published in the August 1950 issue of Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine, but I encountered the story when I started reading the short story anthology Mysterious Pleasures, A Celebration of the Crime Writers' Association 50th Anniversary, published in 2003. I have many more stories to read in that anthology.
See this article at Martin Edwards website for a description of how he assembled that anthology. It also lists the other stories and authors included in the book.
16 comments:
Well it sounds like the nephew did it perhaps ... but who knows maybe there is a twist. Is it an ambiguous ending or fully tied up? I don't know of Allingham's work. Cheers.
I do like the plot of this short story and I hope it's not the nephew because he's a young man who has been through alot. I am about to read The Queenx
Of Crime by Marie Benedict. It's a historical mystery novel in which Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, Margaret Allingham and two other classic female mystery writers join forces in 1930's London.to solve a crime. I have read Marie Benedict before and she can write so I am excited.
Allingham really did write well, didn't she, Tracy? And this story interests me because, although I like Allingham's work, I've never read one of her short stories. I ought to try it, I think.
I've read over a dozen Martin Edwards anthologies and enjoyed them all. Edwards usually provides insightful introductions to the stories he includes with details about the writers, too.
I'm glad you enjoyed this, even if it's not your favorite type of short story. I can't tell you the title off hand, but I took your advice on which Margery Allingham to put on my next CC list.
Like Margot, I have never read her short stories.
I think I've only read her short fiction, in Queen or "Hitchcock" (and perhaps other) anthologies and back-issues of the magazines named for them, as well...I can share your lack in enthusiasm for stories that stop at the Clever Twist that allow the case to be solved or not, but that in among other strong elements is usually great fun.
Susan, Margery Allingham was a Golden Age mystery writer, writing about the same time as Agatha Christie. The ending is all tied up, and very well done. I never have done a list of my favorite authors, but if I did, she would be on it.
Kathy, I have not read anything by Marie Benedict. I hope you enjoy The Queens of Crime, and I will check out your review if you do one.
I enjoy Allingham's writing, Margot, although I like some of her novels more than others. I have two collections of stories by Allingham that I need to read.
I don't own a book of MA's short stories (or the novels) but every now and them one pops up in a general crime anthology and I'm always impressed. I must read some more Albert Campion as I've only read book one and gather subsequent books are better.
Anonymous, I am amazed at the number of anthologies of short stories that Martin Edwards has put together. In this anthology, he has included a paragraph following each story about the author and a summary of what he or she has written, etc. I like that approach, rather than talking about the stories themselves.
Kelly, I am glad you have picked a mystery by Allingham for your next Classics Club list. I hope you enjoy it.
I have only read a few short stories by Allingham (maybe four since I started blogging), but I have others to try, and I think I will enjoy them.
Patti, I have only read a few of Allingham's short stories found in anthologies. But I have copies of two collections of her stories that Rick Robinson recommended: Campion at Christmas (which I hope to remember to read this Christmas) and The Allingham Casebook, which includes a copy of the story in this post.
Todd, in a different article Martin Edwards says that Allingham had written about 60 short stories. After I have read the ones I have, I would like to look for the others.
Cath, I would like to reread the first 4 novels in the Campion series and the next 5 books after The Tiger in the Smoke, which is the last one I reread. I probably have most of those but possibly in paperback editions with small print. So I keep looking for copies at the book sale.
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