Hide My Eyes by Margery Allingham was first published in 1958 and the title in the US is Tether’s End or Ten Were Missing.
After trudging through this book I’m left wondering – Was it me – or was it the book? For me Allingham’s books can be quite curate’s eggish – in other words good in parts. Everyone seems to really rate this one and I just didn’t like it much at all. It’s supposedly one of her Albert Campion books but he’s even more shadowy than usual in this book. The best I can say of it is that it’s atmospheric of 1950s London.
There’s a serial killer around and Campion has been asked to help out with the investigation.
What annoyed me more than anything was the copious references to the actual serial killer John Haigh who operated during the 1940s as the murderer was copying his methods – hardly innovative! I’m left thinking that Allingham knew she would be likely to be criticised for using the same modus operandi as John Haigh so decided the best thing to do would be completely up front and open about it.
I read two duff books in a row, this one and The Rider of the White Horse – things can only get better – I hope.
I rewatched some of the Campion TV series when it was on last year but failed to enjoy it. I watched the film “Tiger in the Smoke”, taken from a Campion book but it excised Campion. The film wasn’t particularly good.
So I am not particularly motivated to read her books. It could of course be the production, directors and acting that does not manage to present the book well.
Hamish,
I didn’t see any of those. The book “Tiger in the Smoke” is often thought to be her best but I didn’t think it was as good as some others she wrote.
I find that the book is almost always better than the adaptation.
I’ve tried to like the Campion books but they rarely work for me. I’m never sure why Allingham is one of the few golden age authors who became immortal – several of the recently revived ones seem to me to be much better and more consistent.
FictionFan,
I’ve really liked a few of them, particularly the later ones, but this one was a later one, but was still disappointing. I really liked The Oaken Heart which is non-fiction about her experiences in her Essex village during WW2.