Campion at Christmas

Very enjoyable seasonal “selection box” of four Christmas stories from my favourite of the great British women writers of detective fiction.Some may be familiar to Allingham fans, but all show her skill at, and facility for, deft characterisation within the short story form.

Here we have three tales of Albert Campion, two featuring detection and deduction, the other a domestic scene involving his wife, Amanda, and Red Setter, Poins. The remaining story has an amusing take on a Victorian Christmas.

These are sure to put readers into a Christmas mood, with wintry landscapes, and hints of the supernatural. Santa is also around, and there was, to me, a rather comforting and nostalgic feeling of a simpler age.

Highly recommended.

What better way to revel in the Christmas spirit than a collection of festive short stories by the wonderful Margery Allingham. I am not as familiar with her work as some of our other first class female crime writers and so all four stories were new to me.

The cover 'speaks' of nostalgia and was what first drew me to this book and I wasn't disappointed. The stories range over murder, tradition and superstition with some wonderful quintessentially British characters aiding Albert Campion in two mysteries and one slightly mystical tale while the fourth offering is a visit to a Victorian Christmas in the modern era, which was the 1960's in this instance.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this book thanks to Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review and loved it. It is a very quick read unless you are disciplined enough to read one story a night, (I wasn't) but that was my only gripe. I recommend it highly as a treat for anyone who finds themselves with a quiet evening, a cosy chair and a drink of something warming over the coming holidays.

An excellent collection of four Christmas whodunits with this beloved sleuth.. This is a real classic mystery character. I highly recommend it.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.

Margery Allingham is one of the Queen of Mysteries and this collection of Christmas short stories was delightful.
Not all of them are mystery themed but they are all lovely and enjoyable.
I can say they aged well and are full of humour and Christmas spirit.
They made crave for more and wish to start one of her novel.
A wonderful Christmas treat.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Agora Books and Netgalley for this ARC

Campion at Christmas is a mini collection of Christmas-related stories by Margery Allingham, one of my favorite (and somewhat underrated) Golden Era mystery writers. Three of the four stories feature Albert Campion, gentleman detective, and are in the "cozy mystery" genre.

I enjoyed the gentle pace of the stories and the charm of a bygone era, and this mini collection serves as a welcome treat after the hustle and bustle of family, friends and food.

A sweet little collection for Campion fans - perfect stocking stuffer or house-gift for the Golden Age fan. The second story made absolutely no sense to me but, in true Allingham fashion, it evoked a mood crisply and efficiently. A definite recommend.

A collection of four charming short stories, all happening on Christmas or Christmas Eve. Three of the four are from the early 1960's, the last from 1937. Three of the four have Albert Campion as the main character, although only two of these have crimes.

Even though the book is quite short, it's always such a treat to read Allingham.

What a lovely Christmas treat! Three Campion stories and another Allingham special. If you aren’t feeling seasonal this will certainly help pudh you in the right direction. Allingham’s stories are always fair - the unpredicted twist but the clues are there if you are as astute as Albert Campion. Alas, I am not! This is a great gift for Allingham fans and a wonderful introduction to Campion for those who still have the joy of discovering Allingham’s great work. Enjoy!

Campion at Christmas is a re-format and re-release of a quartet of short stories by Margery Allingham. Originally published as The Mysterious Mr. Campion in 1963, this release published 23 Nov, 2018 by Agora is a trim 64 pages and would make a lovely stocking stuffer for any ebook fans on the holiday list.

The four included vignettes are sweetly nostalgic. I have read most (all?) of the Campion canon and was unfamiliar with these.
Three of the 4 included stories are Campion stories and the last is an ironic short story more or less in the style of O. Henry.

On Christmas Day in the Morning
Happy Christmas
The Case of the Man With the Sack
Word in Season

I especially enjoyed the last of the 4, "Word in Season" and for me it felt the most 'Campion-like' of the stories. Even though there was some magical realism tossed in, Campion reacted just as I would have imagined he would.

A lovely read and I enjoyed it very much!

Four bright holiday stars.

These four stories are a lot of fun. They are very short, beautifully crafted, amusing and clever. Each one hinges on a single concept - a tradition (or superstition if you prefer), a false assumption, or a con. While the tone is wry, sometimes cynical, it is never smug or cruel. Campion is kind, accepting of humanity’s absurdities, idiocy and self-seeking. He exposes it, sees through it - without drawing attention to it or asserting his own capabilities. The writing, like Campion, is self-effacing, making its point from creativity rather than didacticism.

Each story is what it should be - a gem, faceted, sparking and bringing joy.
A lovely Christmas read

There are four enjoyable Allingham Christmas short stories. The first is"On Christmas Day in the Morning". Campion is eating with the Chief Constable when the superintendent arrives to say that the postman had been killed by a car. The postman was riding his bicycle. There were no skid marks, but a little further on a police car had stopped a stolen car with drunk occupants. The only problem was that mail had been delivered to an old woman about a quarter mile further along the road. Campion goes with the Constable to visit the woman and figures out what has happened.

In the second story, "Happy Christmas", and young couple find their friends weren't coming for Christmas at the last minute. They invite the elderly woman in the apartment upstairs to join them and end up having a lovely Victorian Christmas.

The third story is "The Case of the Man with the Sack". Campion is invited by his friend Sheila to come for Christmas. On his way, Campion sees a man he saw sent to prison for robbery. At the house party is a wealthy couple (she made a big point of her diamonds all the time) with their son who gets upset when Sheila's friend is given the job of Santa Claus. When Campion takes a break to go to his room, he sees Santa Claus with a big bag . When he asks Santa what's in his bag, the man runs. Campion finds a clock he had seen earlier in the bag and realizes it was the man on the train. He goes back to the party; and when the guest claims her insured diamonds have been stolen and blames Sheila's friend, Campion shows up the real culprit.

The last story is "Word in Season". Campion's wife, Amanda, was annoyed when he had put a nail through the house-wiring when hanging the mistletoe. He is kept company by his setter until his wife returns to the room, and all is happy again.

A highly enjoyable selection of four festive-infused short stories, three of which focus on the crime-cracking skills of Detective Campion. I had never heard of Margery Allingham prior to reading this, but was duly impressed by her engaging style, witty dialogue and enviable ability to create well-drawn characters. The first of the self-contained tales focuses on the mysterious death of a postman on Christmas morning and introduces the reader to Campion’s eye for detail in solving a crime which is reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes and Poirot.

Next, we are treated to the nostalgicVictorian-themed Christmas celebrations of the Robinson family, stressed by their enigmatic neighbour, Mrs Martingale. Following this, we revisit Campion as he prepares to celebrate Christmas in the bucolic setting of his friend’s country pile and solves a festive burglary.

From quaint villages to city flats, each tale is self-contained and successfully transports the reader into the setting. The collection is rounded off (in the manner of a charming bow on a Christmas present) with a story describing the magical effect of Christmas Eve on Poins, Campion’s beloved canine companion.

A collection of later Allingham Christmas stories - a very readable selection, including one story with no mystery element at all, but very readable. I really enjoyed these and liked how the Christmas themes were worked in. Anyone who enjoys Margery Allingham's writing will like these. Thanks to Agora Books and NetGalley for the review copy.

Here we have four short tales by Margery Allingham - three of which feature Albert Campion.

The first tale 'On Christmas Day in the Morning’ sees Albert Campion helping to solve an 'impossible' accident involving the local postman - it is a gentle and very seasonal tale but does also help to remind us that there are those who are lonely at Christmas with nothing but their memories for company.

The second story, ‘Happy Christmas’, does not feature Campion but is an amusing tale of a couple who's Christmas meal does not quite go as planned. Personally I found this the weakest of the four tales as it seemed to have little place in a detective anthology. It is interesting and well written but perhaps should be approached as an interlude between busier narratives.

Thirdly we have 'The Man With the Sack' - I had come across this story before in the British Library Crime Classics Anthology 'Crimson Snow' but it was just as enjoyable on a second reading. Albert Campion is persuaded to go to a country house party for Christmas and ends up foiling an theft involving a fake santa, some worthless ornaments and some valuable diamonds.

The anthology concludes with 'Word in Season' which is a truly lovely tale featuring Mr Campion's red setter. I was not aware of the legend that animals are given the power of speech on Christmas Eve (or Christmas Day depending on which version you read) but Margery Allingham clearly was as it is mentioned several times in this anthology. It is really in this last story however where she takes the idea and makes it the centre of the piece. Although this is not a crime tale it is a beautifully described scene which cannot help but put any animal lovers in the Festive Spirit. I am really wondering what our cat may come out with when he is able to talk in a couple of weeks time.

Overall this is a short but highly enjoyable anthology and well worth a couple of hours of Christmas Reading Time.

Delightful! Four very short stories that reveal what.a beautiful and versatile writer she was, from writing in a Victorian style, to a classic mystery, to a warm-hearted and sweet bonbon for the season. No Allingham or Campion lover should miss these.

Classic golden-age mystery stories that satisfy as well as delight. Christmas warmth and a distinctly British flavor make this collection perfect for the holiday season and a treat at any time of the year. Highly recommended!

What a treat to read four Christmas-themed short stories by Margery Allingham, creator of Albert Campion. Three of stories feature Campion: "On Christmas Day in the Morning," "The Case of the Man with the Sack," and "Word in Season." In the first, "On Christmas Day in the Morning," Campion is called out on Christmas to the scene of an accident where a postman has been hit by a car and killed. A tramp through the mud to a home so remote it's not accessible by a road is necessary as part of the investigation. The reader feels sorry for Albert until he meets the inhabitant of the cottage, who despite crushing hardships, displays joyous holiday spirit. "The Case of the Man with the Sack" finds Albert, along with several others, at a country house on Christmas. One guest, the son of a man in prison, dresses as Santa and distributes toys to the local children. Unfortunately, there's a robbery, diamonds are stolen, and the thief was wearing a Santa suit. Can Campion solve the crime and save the day? In "Word in Season," Albert and his wife, Amanda, are at odds on Christmas Eve because he shorted out the electricity by accidently putting a nail into the wiring. This story strikes a cord with any DIYer or holiday decorator that didn't have things go as planned. Thank goodness their faithful dog is on hand to work some Christmas magic. Lastly, "Happy Christmas" concerns a morose young family. Their friends aren't coming for Christmas dinner, so they reluctantly invite their elderly neighbor instead. It turns out better than any of them had hoped. All of the stories are short, so you can take a quick break and catch up with a favorite character, or meet some new ones.

Margery Allingham was one of the four 'Queens of Crime' of the Golden Age, together with Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh and Dorothy L Sayers, and this short collection of four festive stories is a perfect introduction to her work. Three of the stories feature Campion, her most famous character, including a glimpse at his domestic life in Word In Season, while the fourth - Happy Christmas - is a delightful vignette featuring a couple trying to recreate a Victorian Christmas.

This is a wonderful little short story collection by an author I haven't heard of before (for shame!), it's a really quick read because, short stories, and it gave me a taster of the writing and of the characters in the Campion series.

As these are all set at Christmas it's given me a little bit of push to get into the spirit of the season.

Have a couple more stories to read by this author now so will be getting to them soon.

*Huge thanks to Margery Allingham, Agora Books and NetGalley for this copy which I chose to read and all opinions are my own*

You can’t like Michael Edward’s writing and not have an appreciation for the golden age of crime.
Margaret Allingham is a treasured figure in this period; that one reads and criticises her work with caution looking for self-preservation or the hope to remain credible in your reviewing of crime fiction.
Campion at Christmas is a collection of 4 short stories about how her famous detective spent this seasonal period, as a guest of others or in his own home.
These are not over-plotted gems rich on complex matters but simple tales that capture the spirit of Christmas from sending cards, buying gifts, decorations and relationships.
There’s a wealth of historical value here to digest aa we gaze upon a servant heavy society and recall a less commercial time. There is a joy and those simple truths to consider away from social media.
Of the stories contained in this book. I enjoyed the first which has a puzzle to solve and the final one which reflects the Christmas message. Peace on Earth.
Of the others I would have to re-read the second as I lost it’s direction and story values and in the third it seemed all a little predictable to fully engage my mind.
I like Campion and the easy characters depicted but beware this is set within a different world even though television is mentioned. A time of mistletoe, when kisses were sought and when animals were lovingly considered to be granted the power of speech on Christmas Eve.
Objectively, and not listening to my dog’s opinion, I think I will commit to reading more in the hope of falling under the author’s spell.

Margery Allingham is my favourite writer of the ‘Golden Age’ of detective fiction, so I was delighted to receive Campion at Christmas from Agora Books and NetGalley. There are only four stories in this collection and they’re very slight. Three are from previous collections and one was originally printed in Woman’s Own. The longest and best is The Case of the Man with the Sack, which is a classic ‘Campion spends time at a country house’ story. If you already like Albert Campion, you’ll want to read these stories but if you’re new to Allingham, it would be much better to start with a full-length novel like The Beckoning Lady or Sweet Danger.

I don’t think I’ve run into this series character before, and I find him very charming in these series. These are gentle stories that are more about the season than the mystery. A lot of slang and references have been lost in time, and I only happened to learn recently that it was once a custom to hang all the presents from the tree with ribbons (try hanging a new laptop) or I would have been a bit lost. The only thing that jarred was a definite need for closer editing – someone relied too heavily on spell-check when they produced this book. Some of the malaprops are humorous, but most are just annoying. The stories were written, of course, in the 1930s and you have to be ready for a different style of writing. Just slow your mind down, brew a pot of Christmas tea, sit by the fire and enjoy.

Highly recommend this group of Christmas stories from Margery Allingham.I enjoyed each story each with the Christmas theme woven in.Would make a lovely stocking stuffer ,#netgalley #agora

My favourite of all the past and present crime writers, still the Queen in my book!

Four delicious short stories to whet the appetite for Christmas reading; all elegant little presentations, complete and encapsulated and like all bonnes bouches leaving us wanting more!

Four individual short holiday themed stories showcase Allingham's creative versatility. Homey seasonal settings of crackling fires and frosty weather, murder, mysteries, and ending with a fantasy. Treated to a variety in this wintry collection, readers discover more insights of Campion in these choice tasters.
As originally written and published in the British 30s and 60s Golden Age of Crime, the stories offer uniquely evocative insights of the era in dialogue, dress, action, and settings. Sure to be a treat for any Allingham fan!

Find a variety of seasonal reading delights in ~
On Christmas Day in the Morning
Happy Christmas
The Case of the Man with the Sack
Word in Season

As a long term Campion fan and Christmas lover, these stories couldn’t go wrong! Short and simple but full of delicious character descriptions and a feel for a bygone time. This is a book I would return to in festive seasons to come.

Fab holiday read. Short stories, which are brilliant when you’re busy, all with a seasonal theme. You can’t beat a good murder mystery, and Campion is an old favourite. Loved this!

This is 4 short stories - the longest took me about 20 minutes to read. So I sat in front of the Christmas tree and read them all in one sitting.

The stories have a bit of a Victorian feel to them, although they are set quite that far back.

For someone who loves Christmas and historical reads, I think they would love these. For me, who only loves Christmas, I enjoyed that they were a good wholesome story, but I think I'm better to stick to tales like Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer and The Night Before Christmas.

But a quality short read.

Four Margery Allingham Shorts - two of them with Albert Campion - and a nice Festive treat. If you haven't read any Campion before this probably isn't the best place to start, but if you have it's a lot of fun to drop in briefly on Albert. They're all quite cleverly put together too which makes them more satisfying than you'd expect given the length of them.

These are four short stories, all with a Christmas setting:
- On Christmas Day in the Morning from The Mysterious Mr Campion
- Happy Christmas (nothing at all to do with Albert Campion, hence I have docked a star).
- The Case of the Man with the Sack
- Word in Season

They are all slight, enjoyable stories. The first story is a standard whodunnit / howdunnit with a good puzzle, albeit in short story format. It will bewilder younger readers (anyone below fifty?!) as it involves a postman delivering mail on Christmas Day. (Yes, it continued to the Sixties at least, as I remember.).

The second story is an acceptable story but nothing special - and no Campion!

The third story involves a theft, but no great effort is required on the part of the reader.

The last story is unusual, as it’s written from the viewpoint of Campion’s dog. He tries to decide whether or not to use the animals’ traditional gift of speech, granted for one hour on Christmas Eve. It's not a mystery, but it does have a feel-good factor.

My thanks to Crime Classics for an ARC copy. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it. Can't wait to read the next month's book.

Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.

Campion was my favorite of the Masterpiece Mystery Series and I am looking forward to reading these Christmas stories by Margery Allingham. Maybe someday I'll tackle the original Campion Series.

The 4 short stories are delightful and the magic of a different time in a different country shows through. I love the way Margery Allingham can create these places that, while contemporary to her, are a bit nostalgic to the rest of us.

I am a fan of Albert Campion and his manservant Lugg, so I was a little disappointed to find that only three of the four stories featured Campion and no real appearance from Lugg at all. The fourth story was a rather strange account of a family in the 1960s pretending to spend a Christmas in Victorian times. It was rather quaint and described some old customs and traditions but didn't really fit with the other stories. The three other stories were told in true Campion style and were entertaining as always.

Confession first I love Margery Allinghams' books and the Campion ones in particular. This is no exception, a number of short stories set around Christmas time ,They are typical of Allingham,(described as a 'shining light' by Agatha Christie) well written good characters and inventive storylines.There is only one problem with this book/novella it is far too short .Still it was a nice reminder of Allingham prompting me to read a longer book of hers. Good taster for Allinghams novels .

I love both author and main character. Really enjoy the British outlook on life. Always amazed how Campion solves the crimes. Recommend to those who love British stories. I received a copy from Crime Classics Review Club. Opinions are my own.

A tasty Christmas trifle—four short stories with a Christmas theme with two of them featuring Campion. While not overly ingenious, the stories are sweet and leave a good feeling.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book but they were correct with the short stories and there were only four of them but they were all very good. I would recommend this book.

I really enjoyed this collection of Margery Allingham Christmas stories! If you enjoy English whodunits it should definitely be on your Christmas reading list. They are all Campion stories at different stages of his life.

I especially liked Word in Season and On Christmas Day in the Morning.

Thanks to Agora Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Whilst these stories certainly show the ingenuity of the titular sleuth, ‘Campion at Christmas’ shows a writer with a true understanding of places and people. Allingham depicts the affable Campion in a variety of settings, both domestically and professionally, but always with a wry and intuitive style.

Ironically, one of the most interesting stories (‘Happy Christmas’) does not feature Campion at all, but is a clever, evocative vignette.

A charming, wonderfully curated collection.

This is a compilation of a few short stories for the Christmas season. A very quick read and perfect for when you have a few moments to yourself. Enjoy!

The collection of short stories by Margery Allingham was a quick, easy and mostly fun read. The two mysteries featuring Albert Campion were my favorites. A story involving him and his elderly dog at the last hour of Christmas Eve when animals are supposed to be able to talk was amusing. The other story was, to my mind, a bit bizarre and I really didn't care for it much.

Overall, I would recommend to someone looking to catch a bit of Christmas spirit (no matter the time of year).

My thanks to NetGallery and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.