Campion -- a guest post by Wilhelm

 My word, has it really been 20 years since the debut of the BBC's brilliant Campion series, based upon the Margery Allingham novels?  Mary has been after me to do a guest post and I have just finished reading The Margery Allingham Omnibus, which collects the first three Campion novels -- The Crime at Black Dudley, The Mystery Mile, and Look to the Lady.  I suppose that would be of rather more interest to the readers of MarysLibrary than would my other current reading -- Wills, Trusts, and Estates, by Dukeminier, et al, (8th ed. 2009). 

Mary got me hooked on the Campion videos years ago and I have been meaning to get around to reading the actual books.  Awhile back I did read the final Campion novel, The Tiger in the Smoke.  Starting with the last book turned out to be a bad idea.  Tiger is a good mystery, but is only just barely a Campion mystery.  While reading the book I was struck by how easily Albert Campion could have been written out of it with little damage to the plot.  But, I perservered and got started, finally, on the right foot with The Margery Allingham Omnibus.

The first Campion novel, The Crime at Black Dudley, was similar to the final novel in that dear Albert is a supporting character who plays a relatively minor part in the story.  And, alas, Lugg does not appear at all.  The next novel, The Mystery Mile, introduces Lugg and further develops the character of Albert Campion.  Now, we're getting somewhere.  The third novel, Look to the Lady, is by far the best of the three.  This story was adapted for the premiere episode of the BBC's Campion series starring Peter Davison.  It's a delight. 

As the cold weather approaches, one could do far worse for an evening's amusement than to pass the time with a Campion book, or DVD, and some good Scotch whisky.

Comments

[Kimberly]

Excellent post. And I just added Look to the Lady to my Netflix queue. Thanks!

[Karen]

I've always enjoyed this series -- both books and TV program. Mr Campion is certainly vastly superior to Wills Trusts & Estates for entertainment value!

[Robin]

This was a fun post to read. I'm in the middle of The Crime at Black Dudley this morning and am really enjoying it.

[bobbie wallace]

Oh, I don't know, Bill (or Wilhelm, as the case may be), I think WILLS, TRUSTS, AND ESTATES sounds fascinating. I shall certainly have to give it a try. (Perhaps after I have finished with THE CAT IN THE HAT, a can't-put-it-down thriller. Has Mary ever tried this one?

bobbie w.

Bobbie W.

[Wilhelm]

Bobbie -- How nice to hear from you. Yes, the Wills, Trusts, and Estates book is pretty interesting, as law school casebooks go. The current edition, however, has cut back a bit on some of the racier material that was included in the previous edition. Wilhelm