The Tiger in the Smoke features Margery Allingham’s detective Albert Campion. Published in 1952 Campion is now married to a red-head, Amanda, and she seems to have managed to improve him no end. He’s middle-aged now and isn’t as insipid as he was in his earlier years.
Campion’s cousin Meg was widowed at the age of 20 when her husband had been killed in the war. It’s now five years later and Meg has just announced her engagement to Geoffrey Levett, but she has been sent a blurred photograph in the post and it purports to be a recent photo of her supposedly dead husband.
Then Geoffrey disappears and Campion, who isn’t too sure of Geoffrey’s character thinks that he might be involved in the whole thing. But what’s it all about?
Indeed! Read the book, if you’re into vintage crime you’ll really enjoy it. This is the best Margery Allingham book which I’ve read so far, much better than her earlier ones, perfect bedtime or holiday reading.
At 288 pages it seemed to be finished very quickly, this was a bit of a filler and doesn’t feature in my 2011 reading list. Now it’s time to start The Claverings – which is on the list.
I started The Claverings yesterday. Although there were quite a few interruptions, I read about 50 pages. If all goes well and I devote myself to this one book, I’ll manage to finish it this week. My Dover edition has 412 pages of small print. I think you said yours was over 500 of the same. Happy reading!
Joan,
I started last night and got to page 43 which is the end of chapter 4 – Florence Burton. I’m hoping to get it finished for the end of the week too. It’s a great excuse for ignoring the housework!
Then it’s okay if I don’t dust today and hoover tomorrow? I’d much rather read!
So far, I just want to shake some sense into most of the men! What idiots! (This is said about The Claverings, but now that I think about it, it applies to real life, too!)
Joan,
I hate housework and I have the dustiest house you can imagine, I think because it’s old.
I agree with you about the men fictional and real! I’m not too keen on Lady Ongar either.
I finished The Claverings today (Saturday). Just wanted to let you know in case you have finished it, too, and wanted to review it.
Joan,
I’ve still got about 60 pages to go. I haven’t managed to read any today but I think I should manage to review it tomorrow and you can add your thoughts whenever you have some free time.