An interesting collection of stories that are less well known by Margery Allingham. Campion, her most famous creation, only appears in three of the tales, many of which have a slightly supernatural flavour. I enjoyed seeing a different side to this author's writing and would reccomend it to any Allingham or classic short story fan.

This book was the Crime Classics choice of the month, which I read thanks to Agora Books. I’m a huge fan of Margery Allingham, so am pleased to find anything by her which is new to me. The Minibus is an odd little collection: ghost stories, love stories, crime stories, spiced with a little Campion. It’s obvious that these stories are by an accomplished writer but for me, they can’t compete with the novels.

It’s interesting to read what Agatha Christie thought of Margery Allingham; her little appreciation is used as the introduction. Like me, she admires More Work for the Undertaker, yet doesn’t think much of Luke as a detective. You will have to read the book to see how much you agree with her.

A Margery Allingham collection of 18 short stories. Only 3 of the stories have her main character Campion in them so it is a good opportunity for her to flex her writing muscles and entertain us with some far fetched and different short stories. Allingham deals with ghosts, the occult, mistaken identity and some seemingly unsolvable mysteries.
The story of the haunted house was cleverly written and Allingham caught us off guard with the ghost. I won't give any spoilers but it is just one example of her complete command of a story.
There is a lovely foreword from Agatha Christie which considering they were contemporaries is praise indeed.
A perfect book to dip in and out of or just read in one go and forget the world outside.
As is to be expected with a collection of stories there are some I enjoyed more than others but as a whole it is a wonderful collection and I was happy to be given a copy from The Margery Allingham Estate and Net Gallery. They are doing a great job of keeping old classics on the bookshelves.

Cemented my suspicion that Allingham is too strong a spice for my tastes; she is undoubtedly one of the leading lights of the Golden Age and a superb short story writer, but to me her writing tastes like soapy-cilantro. I would totally recommend this collection, however, despite my own iffy reaction.

I usually rush through a Margery Allingham book, following the narrative to its conclusion yet it took me a couple of weeks to read this collection of stories. I found myself needing to savour each one, absorbing its perfection. Most of the stories have a ghostly element. I avoid supernatural mysteries but these stories are of a different ilk. They extend life beyond the grave for very specific purpose - for revenge, or justice or protection. The short story form accepts this device readily, because it provides the twist and surprise at the end and is focused on the specifics of each event. It was easy to suspend disbelief and admire Allingham’s artistry in creating such gems of the genre. They sit alongside O’Henry as exemplars of the short story.

Campion features in three of the stories, all in the ‘think-outside-the-box’ tradition. In ‘The Sexton’s Wife’ Allingham creates a powerful portrait of a woman intimidated into a life of subservience and fear. ‘She Heard it on the Radio’ is perhaps the cleverest.

I am very pleased to have read these, and am grateful to NetGalley for the opportunity. I may not have found them without the review copy. They provide a satisfying read and fodder for students of the short story.

I only know Margery Allingham from her mystery novels, and was surprised (and more than a little disconcerted) by these often otherworldly short stories. A great read for this (or any) time of year.

I haven't actually read any of Margery Allingham's book before, so I wasn't really sure what to expect. I'm not sure why I haven't read any before, I've always been a fan of detective novels from the golden age and I have even come across Campion, the detective she is most known for on TV. Although Campion does appear in a couple of the short stories in this book, the collection isn't all about mysteries. In fact, my favourite stories in the collection were those with a bit of a spooky feel. The one with the parrot or the old lady with the radio really stood out.
The stories in this collection are for the most part quite short, but they still offer a lot despite this. She has the ability to tell an engaging and interesting story in just a few short pages. In fact, the one that I enjoyed the least was the longest in the collection. Even that was still a good read.
This might be the first Margery Allingham that I've read, but I'm sure that it won't be the last and I'll be dipping into her books when I get the chance.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is an extensive (eighteen) collection of Margery Allingham short stories preceded by a tribute to Allingham by Agatha Christie. Only three of them feature Albert Campion:
- Mr Campion’s Lucky Day
- The Unseen Door
- The Man with the Sack

but they are all enjoyable. Nine of the stories have a supernatural element, so please don’t assume that they’re all detective mysteries like her Campion novels and shorts. However, I do emphasise they are all well written stories and I’m delighted that I invested my time in reading the book over a few bedtimes.
One of them (A Quarter of a Million) is 58 pages – quite a long short story! The Man with the Sack also appears in another Allingham collection – Mr Campion’s Christmas.

I do wish there were more collections of this quality.

#TheAllinghamMinibus #NetGalley

This is an interesting compilation of some of Margery Allingham's short stories. With the exception of the two Albert Campion mysteries, I had not read any of these gems before. Some of them were genuinely creepy and I was glad I was reading them in the daytime! Ms. Allingham has a true gift for taking the reader in and on an adventure. Her stories transport one into another world. I have more Allingham stories to read before I complete her body of work and I am truly glad about that. I do love her Campion series but these are little gems that get hidden behind her bigger works. Enjoy!

The Allingham Minibus is a wonderfully crafted collection of eighteen stories that range from the whimsical and romantic to the supernaturally serious. There is an interesting introduction by Agatha Christie that is surprisingly honest in its assessment of her stories and a short story in itself. For lovers of Albert Campion there are three stories that are short but satisfying snapshots of sleuthing that dizziness us with its quick solution to a few mysterious problems. The supernatural is a focus of many of the stories such as “He Was Asking After You” and “The Perfect Butler.” “She Heard It On The Radio” is another story weaving fantasy and reality superbly in a tale about a lonely woman. Most of Allingham’s stories wander in a direction the reader couldn’t anticipate, but which are true to the characters and a joy to ponder for the reader. My favorite was “Publicity,” a lengthier tale about an actor seeking publicity for himself, how it affects all around him and leads him to a destiny never knew existed. Pure fun to read are “Bird Thou Never Wert,” “The Correspondents,” and “The Pioneers.” Each story spins a web of fascinating characters living out a specific and pivotal part of their lives while we look on. Many need to be read a second time to fully appreciate the wit and poetic pictures they create for us.

What a wonderful treat for any Allingham fan. I enjoyed every word - a mixture of stories with a twist, mystery and suspense and a sprinkling of Campion specials. I had only read one of the stories before and there were lots of them! Each story is well written, draws in the reader and has a satisfying ending. I cannot recommend this book enough. I am just sad I have finished it and hope there may be a few more Allingham stories I haven’t read yet out there! Allingham really is the queen of crime and tales with twists and turns!

I’ve read and enjoyed many/most of Margery Allingham’s golden age Albert Campion mystery books. So I was happy to get a chance to read an advance copy of a collection of Allingham’s short stories, The Allingham Minibus, in exchange for an honest review.

First off, potential readers should note that only a few (three if I counted right) of the short stories in this book feature Campion, and only a few more are really mysteries. I was surprised to find that most of the rest of the stories are more sort of macabre/ghost stories, which is not a style I typically associate with Allingham. Regardless, all of the stories are well crafted and enjoyable to read – just don’t expect them to be “Campions”.

Finally, a bit of background – per the publisher, this collection was originally published in 1973, and also published with a different title, Mr. Campion’s Lucky Day and Other Stories. And please note that for me, 4 stars out of 5 (or 8/9 out of 10) is a really good ranking. I reserve 5 stars for a very few absolute favorite books; probably no more than one in twenty or thirty books that I read. And once again, my thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance review copy.

A great collection of short stories from a master writer. If you're a fan of the aristocratic sleuth, Albert Campion, a few of the stories feature him. Diverting from her better known mysteries, Allingham displays a talent for the macabre here.

great short story collection
10 October 2019
Format: Kindle Edition
Love to read Margery Allinghams' writing especially her Campion stories of which 3 short ones are included here in this collection.Allingham is one of those 'golden 'age' of British Crime writers along with Agatha Christie who contributes the introduction here.
Quite a few of these stories are of the ghost story type and a few are romantic tales together with the expected crime mysteries including the Campion shorts.All are interesting and written with typical attention to detail and characterisation.Allingham is in my opinion a wonderful writer her language and prose are a delight and her imagination is right up there with the very best.
I admit to being a big fan so I am biased but for what its worth I would unreservedly recommend this collection of short stories.

I love Margery Allingham and have read all the full-length Campion mysteries. Having said that, I tried a few of the earlier Campion and other short stories and they did not hold my interest, so I wasn't expecting to enjoy this. I was SO WRONG - loved every story in the book! Thanks for introducing me to this great find!

The Allingham Minibus by Margery Allingham is a collection of short stories from a writer of the Agatha Christie ilk. Although a renowned mystery writer, these stories are not entirely mystery: they verge on the Twilight Zone. Many of them are, or appear to be ghost stories. Some are mysteries. All are delightful. These are the type of short stories I would read my tenth grade English class. They make you think, "Oh, I get it!"

There are only three Campion stories in the minibus. Campion was lead detective in 18 of Allingham's novel and many short stories. He is up there with Poirot and Wimsey as 1930's crime-fighting heroes. Not all of the stories in the minibus are as enjoyable as the others but they have weathered the test of time. This work was originally published in 1973 and has a place in today's world just as it had in 1940 and 1973. I enjoyed it. I am not normally a reader of short stories so it was a nice change of pace. I enjoy the more formal language of the time, as well. I recommend The Allingham Minibus.

I received a free ARC of the Allingham Minibus from Netgalley. All opinions and interpretations contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #theallinghamminibus

What a little gem of a book! Margaret Allingham is such a versitile writer and this book proves it. There are a couple of Champions, a couple of longer crime stories, some with a ghostly aspect and others which cannot be slotted into any category. In fact _ something for everyone. Most enjoyable.

This amazing collection of short stories shows different side of Ms Allingham and how she could have been a great author even when she was writing about paranormal, occult or everyday life.
I loved all the stories and found them entertaining and enjoyable. They're all full of humour and well written.
I'd have liked some backstory about each them out of sheer curiosity.
An engrossing and entertaining read, highly recommended!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

This book was first published in 1973. It is now being republished by Agora Books and will be released on 10th October.
This is a collection of 18 stories of various genres such as supernatural, detective, crime and romance. In the beginning, there is a tribute to the author Margery Allingham written by Agatha Christie.
Of the 18 stories, as many as 9 stories have supernatural elements. These are generally very good and it is these stories which I enjoyed the most in the book. I detail them below (my rating given against each title)
1. He Was Asking After You (5 stars): A man betrays his best friend for monetary gain. But will he be able to escape the consequences ? A brilliant ending.
2. The Perfect Butler (5 stars): He is the perfect butler. But how will he deal with the visitor?
3. ‘Tis Not Hereafter (5 stars): A journalist is sent to investigate a haunted house. A clever twist.
4. He Preferred Them Sad (5 stars): A scam artist meets his match.
5. Bird Thou Never Wert (4 stars): A woman purchases a bird cage. But it has some very strange properties.
6. She Heard It On The Radio (4 stars): A creepy tale of a old woman with an unusual radio.
7. The Secret (3 stars): A man leaves a woman for another but realizes his folly and comes back repentant to the original woman. But now she has a secret. The end is predictable
8. The Sexton’s Wife (4 stars): A creepy tale where the sexton’s wife discovers that her husband is indulging in a disreputable trade.
9. The Wink (5 stars): A retired judge and an ex-lawyer have an after-dinner talk discussing old cases where the judge mentions that he saw the devil twice in his career. What are the signs of the devil? A brilliant ending.

There are 5 crime stories of which 3 involve the detective Albert Campion. These are as follows.
1. Mr. Campion’s Lucky Day (4 stars): A murder mystery in a flat aptly solved by Campion.
2. The Unseen Door (5 stars): A man is murdered by strangling in a club. The door keeper claims that he saw only one other person enter but the latter is lame and too frail to have strangled the victim. However, Campion is able to solve the case. This may be regarded as a locked room murder.
3. The Man With The Sack (4 stars): Campion is at house party in the country at Christmas time. The house is burgled. Campion is able to catch the culprit.
4. The Same To Us (3 stars): A hostess invites a few guests including a famous Chinese scientist. But her jewellery is burgled. A caper tale.
5. A Quarter Of A Million (3 stars): This is the longest story in the book. It is about a master criminal who is evading the police since long but finally overreaches himself. Too lengthy in my opinion.

The remaining 4 stories belong to other genres and are as follows.
1. The Barbarian (3 stars): A perfect woman looking for a perfect man finds him finally or does she ?
2. Publicity (3 stars): The lengths to which actors will go for publicity.
3. The Pioneers (4 stars): A tale of a marriage on the rocks where the couple finally decide to separate when friends visit them with great consequences.
4. The Correspondents (4 stars): A story of 2 friends. One leads a mundane life as a curate while the other sends him letters describing his adventurous life. But what is the truth ?

This book is a delightful collection of entertaining stories and will make pleasant reading. I rate the book as a whole as 4 stars. Highly recommended.
Thanks to NetGalley and Agora Books for an advance review copy.

I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of short stories. Well written, varied in tone and content. Just the thing for an Autumn evening by the woodburner!