Scan barcode
harpersee's review against another edition
4.0
Very fun murder mystery. Not really a whodunnit - you as the reader know who has done it from page 1 more or less. But the fun lies in understanding the psychology of the murderer and watching the other characters piece things together (and the charm of having police inspectors call each other guv’nor and old chap)
frances_ab's review against another edition
4.0
This sixteenth novel in Allingham's Albert Campion series was a psychological thriller rather than a mystery, with a very noir feel. Very atmospheric, very compelling, it follows a sociopathic criminal and a naive young man who crosses his path, with a touch of police procedural on the side. While not really my cup of tea, it was an engrossing read and I enjoyed it very much nonetheless.
katymaryreads's review against another edition
5.0
This is one of the best of Allingham's Campion books, although Campion himself is not the central character. The man at the centre of the story is the murderer, and it is not a classical "whodunnit", because we know from the very first page who he is. The interest lies in the relationships between him and those around him, most of whom he uses in a very calculated way for his own ends, although one at least means more to him, and in his coolly thought out machinations and constructions of alibis. Around his story are those of the others whose lives touch his, all believable characters with complex and varied motivations and actions. Charlie Luke is at his very best here, and I particularly love Richard, the young man with a love interest, who seems to be a standard character in many of Allingham's stories.
katymaryreads's review
5.0
This is one of the best of Allingham's Campion books, although Campion himself is not the central character. The man at the centre of the story is the murderer, and it is not a classical "whodunnit", because we know from the very first page who he is. The interest lies in the relationships between him and those around him, most of whom he uses in a very calculated way for his own ends, although one at least means more to him, and in his coolly thought out machinations and constructions of alibis. Around his story are those of the others whose lives touch his, all believable characters with complex and varied motivations and actions. Charlie Luke is at his very best here, and I particularly love Richard, the young man with a love interest, who seems to be a standard character in many of Allingham's stories.
besidekick's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
So tense! The reading experience reminded me John le Carré's The Spy Who Came in from the Cold. They share a sense of anticipation and doom.
More...