Reviews

Death of a Ghost by Margery Allingham

im_sleigh's review against another edition

4.0

There were times that my attention strayed while I was reading, but I won't hold that against the book, plot, or characters. I merely chose to read in when I was busy and distracted.
Still, a good book. Campion isn't as silly as he was in previous books, so it isn't as amusing as the other books have been. The mystery isn't much of a mystery at all, since about half way through the book you're told who the killer is.
Then it becomes a story of how he has to find a way to prove that this person is the killer. The ending was a little abrupt, I think, but not bad.

ssejig's review against another edition

4.0

An absolutely fabulous story that was captured perfectly in the BBC series.
Albert Campion is attending the unveiling of a new painting. Actually, the painting is very old but it has never been seen before. When the artist died, he left twelve paintings with the instructions that his family should wait ten years and then start having grAnd parties to show off one painting a year.
This year, though someone dies. And, per mystery convention, there are plenty of people with motives. The answer is somewhat obscured but it's a great addition to the Campion canon.

jlmb's review against another edition

4.0

I enjoyed that Allingham tweaked the usual plot structure of her book and revealed the murderer early on in the story. It then became more about how Campion was able to prove who the killer was rather than it being the standard magically-revealed-in-the-final-chapter resolution. This made Campion seem more human and likable.

miaaa_lenaaa's review against another edition

2.0

i read this a couple months ago and i already remember next to nothing about it, it was pretty predictable and my copy is pretty thats all i know

nuluala's review against another edition

2.0

I was don't think I quite grasped everything that was supposed to be 'implied' by characters during the narrative (possibly because it's been almost a century since the book was written?), and the ending was pretty disappointing after a strangely paced plot. A decent bedtime read though since it was readable enough and required little intellectual or emotional commitment.

sarafloerke's review against another edition

3.0

Good mystery. British book but I really missed the British flavor which I love in Agatha Christie or that other lady who writes so many Victorian Era/World War I era British mystery/thrillers.

I picked this up because somebody said it was one of their favorites. It was good, but it didn't make me stop doing the dishes.

writerofwildwords's review

3.0

A wonderful classic crime novel.

perri's review

4.0

This is an classic Who-dun-it mystery in the Agatha Christie mold. There are murders, a cast of memorable characters, and our unflappable hero, Campion, must figure out who , how, and why. The writing and language were a bit difficult for me at first, but after I became accustomed to it, I think it added to the 1930s, upper crust English atmosphere. Thanks to Ishrita, my reading partner, for suggesting a book I would otherwise never have tried.

lnatal's review

2.0

Not so good as expected.

3* Mystery Mile (Albert Campion Mystery #2)
2* Death of a Ghost (Albert Campion Mystery #6)
TR The Crime at Black Dudley (Albert Campion Mystery #1)
TR Look to the Lady (Albert Campion Mystery #3)
TR Police at the Funeral (Albert Campion Mystery #4)
TR Sweet Danger (Albert Campion Mystery #5)

plainbob's review

4.0

My favourite Allingham of the ones I've read so far. I'd have given it 5 stars if I didn't feel that the resolution was a bit of a cop out.