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melissa_who_reads's review
3.0
Collected short stories of Albert Campion at Christmas. Cosy Christmas reading.
annieb123's review
4.0
Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
Campion at Christmas is a re-format and re-release of a quartet of short stories by Margery Allingham. Originally published as The Mysterious Mr. Campion in 1963, this release published 23 Nov, 2018 by Agora is a trim 64 pages and would make a lovely stocking stuffer for any ebook fans on the holiday list.
The four included vignettes are sweetly nostalgic. I have read most (all?) of the Campion canon and was unfamiliar with these.
Three of the 4 included stories are Campion stories and the last is an ironic short story more or less in the style of O. Henry.
On Christmas Day in the Morning
Happy Christmas
The Case of the Man With the Sack
Word in Season
I especially enjoyed the last of the 4, "Word in Season" and for me it felt the most 'Campion-like' of the stories. Even though there was some magical realism tossed in, Campion reacted just as I would have imagined he would.
A lovely read and I enjoyed it very much!
Four bright holiday stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Campion at Christmas is a re-format and re-release of a quartet of short stories by Margery Allingham. Originally published as The Mysterious Mr. Campion in 1963, this release published 23 Nov, 2018 by Agora is a trim 64 pages and would make a lovely stocking stuffer for any ebook fans on the holiday list.
The four included vignettes are sweetly nostalgic. I have read most (all?) of the Campion canon and was unfamiliar with these.
Three of the 4 included stories are Campion stories and the last is an ironic short story more or less in the style of O. Henry.
On Christmas Day in the Morning
Happy Christmas
The Case of the Man With the Sack
Word in Season
I especially enjoyed the last of the 4, "Word in Season" and for me it felt the most 'Campion-like' of the stories. Even though there was some magical realism tossed in, Campion reacted just as I would have imagined he would.
A lovely read and I enjoyed it very much!
Four bright holiday stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
jbleyle63's review
4.0
Very short collection [approximately 75 pages] of Holiday themed stories featuring Allingham's Albert Campion in only three of the four short stories so title is a bit deceptive. I was already familiar with two of the stories from previous anthologies and enjoyed rereading both, especially "The Case of the Man with the Sack" which was my introduction to Campion. The story "Happy Christmas" has nothing to do with crime but is a tale of a newly wedded couple obsessed with the Victorian era who celebrate a true Victorian Christmas by inviting an elderly widow to serve as advisor. The last story "Word in Season" stars Campion's dog Poins who provides just the tonic for his master to successfully navigate a little marital disharmony during Christmas Eve. Collection was good seasonal read with just the right amount of whimsy.
katypicken's review
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
vsbedford's review
4.0
A sweet little collection for Campion fans - perfect stocking stuffer or house-gift for the Golden Age fan. The second story made absolutely no sense to me but, in true Allingham fashion, it evoked a mood crisply and efficiently. A definite recommend.
I received an ecopy from the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ecopy from the publishers and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
verityw's review
3.0
****Copy from NetGalley in return for an honest review****
Four Margery Allingham Shorts - two of them with Albert Campion - and a nice Festive treat. If you haven't read any Campion before this probably isn't the best place to start, but if you have it's a lot of fun to drop in briefly on Albert. They're all quite cleverly put together too which makes them more satisfying than you'd expect given the length of them.
Four Margery Allingham Shorts - two of them with Albert Campion - and a nice Festive treat. If you haven't read any Campion before this probably isn't the best place to start, but if you have it's a lot of fun to drop in briefly on Albert. They're all quite cleverly put together too which makes them more satisfying than you'd expect given the length of them.
calypte's review
3.0
I loved the TV adaptation of the Campion books, back when I was a nipper, and finally got 'round to reading some of the novels. This collection of stories features 3 with Campion, and one weird other Christmas-themed one. I enjoyed the slice of ye-olde festivities, through 2 very slight mysteries and a piece of pure whimsy about a talking dog.
Full review is up on my blog.
Full review is up on my blog.
ssejig's review
3.0
Not all of the stories are about Campion and not all of the stories are mysteries. But all are set at Christmas and display the skill Allingham had in weaving a story, even a short one. A definite holiday classic to be re-read every year.
charlottejones952's review
3.0
*Disclaimer: I received this book for free through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Margery Allingham is often compared to Agatha Christie and as someone who likes cosy mysteries more than the more violent contemporary crime novels, this sounded like the perfect thing to read this time of the year.
This is only 63 pages so each of the four stories, though particularly the last, were very short. However the last one was my favourite of the collection. One, it was the most warming and Christmassy, and secondly it felt like the perfect length for the story which cannot be said for the others.
Overall I will definitely be exploring more of this author's work and I think that this is the perfect book for a cold winter's evening.
Margery Allingham is often compared to Agatha Christie and as someone who likes cosy mysteries more than the more violent contemporary crime novels, this sounded like the perfect thing to read this time of the year.
This is only 63 pages so each of the four stories, though particularly the last, were very short. However the last one was my favourite of the collection. One, it was the most warming and Christmassy, and secondly it felt like the perfect length for the story which cannot be said for the others.
Overall I will definitely be exploring more of this author's work and I think that this is the perfect book for a cold winter's evening.