Margery Allingham created the gentleman sleuth Albert Campion, hero of 18 classic mystery novels and many short stories. Ranked amongst the most distinguished detective writers of the Golden Age, fellow author Agatha Christie said "she stands out like a shining light". The White Cottage Mystery was her first detective novel, written in 1927.
Jerry Challenor offers young Norah a ride home one evening, but within minutes of her entering the house, screams follow the report of a shotgun. Wealthy neighbour Eric Crowther has been shot dead in the dining room. In the house were only the crippled father, the wife, a sister and a maid and they were nowhere near with solid alibis. Crowther was hated by all and all are happy he is dead - but no one could have done it! The police are relieved to hear Jerry's father is a Chief Inspector, and when he arrives to interview the family, it looks like the setup for a few spilled secrets and a quick resolution. Allingham has more up her sleeve though, as she whisks Jerry and the Chief Inspector off to Paris, then the Cote d'Azur - involving the French Police, secret crime societies of the wealthy, torture and blackmail, illegitimate children, war heroes, and the young love of Norah and Jerry to boot.
This was originally serialized in the Daily Express, so each chapter is filled with intrigue and surprises. Allingham is noted for her energy and inventiveness - at only 157 pages, this rips along quickly but with originality so reading it today it doesn't seem stilted. The characters are not too deep, but this has enough twists there isn't much time to notice. Well balanced and like other Golden Age mysteries, virtually timeless.
Allingham's works continue to be reprinted in new editions.
1927 / Tradeback / 157 pages
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