The Police at the Funeral

Margery Allingham

4/27/2003

Albert Campion meets with a young woman from an old Victorian home. Joyce Blount is the fiancee of one of Campion's old friends, Marcus Featherstone. She lives with her autocratic Great-Aunt Caroline and family. Aunt Caroline is in her eighties. The "children" and relatives are all in their 50's. The girl is concerned because one of the relatives is missing.

Campion agrees to go with her and stay with Marcus. Cousin Andrew's body is found shortly thereafter. He was shot in the head and dropped in a creek where the body stayed for about a week and a half. Campion gets involved with the Faraday family. Aunt Caroline still rules with an iron fist and has lost none of her intelligence or acumen. Instead, she appears to have lost her emotions. Uncle Walter, Aunt Julia, and Aunt Kitty are all dependent on her, as was Andrew.

When another family member dies, everyone else in the household becomes more concerned. Andrew may have had enemies outside even though William is the main suspect. Now it is evident the murderer is targeting the family. Campion is invited by Aunt Caroline to stay and try to discover who is trying to kill the Faraday family.

The final solution in this novel is cleverly designed. Any clues are more to deceive the reader rather than help solve the mystery, in my opinion. It twisted into a direction I didn't suspect. The overall writing of the novel is average, readable. It's a good detective mystery that features the secretive Albert Campion.

You can find more about this book at .

The Black Dudley Murder
Mystery Mile
Look to the Lady
Police at the Funeral
The Fear Sign
Death of a Ghost
Flowers for the Judge
The Case of the Late Pig
Mr. Campion, Criminologist
Dancers in Mourning
The Fashion in Shrouds
Mr. Campion and Others
Traitor's Purse
Coroner's Pidgin
Wanted: Someone Innocent
The Casebook of Mr Campion
More Work for the Undertaker
The Tiger in the Smoke
The Beckoning Lady
Hide My Eyes
The China Governess
The Mysterious Mr. Campion
The Mind Readers
Mr. Campion's Lady
Cargo of Eagles
The Allingham Casebook
The Allingham Minibus
The Return of Mr. Campion