Margery Allingham

When a man is found shot dead outside a quaint English cottage, the seemingly peaceful countryside erupts into scandal. The victim was charming, cruel-and deeply hated. Everyone had a motive. But only one pulled the trigger. Enter Detective W.T. Challoner, a man as brilliant as he is intuitive. As he peels back layers of family secrets, forbidden desires, and long-held grudges, he realizes the truth may be more sinister-and more personal-than anyone imagined. Set against the brooding backdrop of 1920s England, The White Cottage Mystery blends the suspense of a locked-room puzzle with the psychological depth of classic noir. Margery Allingham's debut whodunit crackles with wit, misdirection, and a final twist that will leave even seasoned mystery lovers reeling. Dare to unlock the secrets of the white cottage-if you can.

A chilling murder. A whispering past. A detective with everything to lose. When a man is found shot dead outside a quaint English cottage, the seemingly peaceful countryside erupts into scandal. The victim was charming, cruel-and deeply hated. Everyone had a motive. But only one pulled the trigger. Enter Detective W.T. Challoner, a man as brilliant as he is intuitive. As he peels back layers of family secrets, forbidden desires, and long-held grudges, he realizes the truth may be more sinister-and more personal-than anyone imagined. Set against the brooding backdrop of 1920s England, The White Cottage Mystery blends the suspense of a locked-room puzzle with the psychological depth of classic noir. Margery Allingham's debut whodunit crackles with wit, misdirection, and a final twist that will leave even seasoned mystery lovers reeling. Dare to unlock the secrets of the white cottage-if you can.

A secluded country house promises relaxation, but when a shocking crime erupts during a gathering of guests, fear spreads like wildfire. What was meant to be an innocent weekend descends into suspicion, secrecy, and mounting danger. Between strained relationships and hidden motives, no one can be trusted. Every locked door conceals more than fears, and each hallway becomes a passage toward menace. Trapped together in isolation, the guests must confront not only the murderer in their midst but also their own disguises and lies. Before dawn breaks, friendships are shattered, loyalties tested, and survival itself hangs in the balance.

The Crime at Black Dudley marks the dramatic debut of one of crime fiction's most enduring characters-Albert Campion. Written by Margery Allingham, the novel takes place in a secluded English mansion during a weekend gathering of elite guests. But what begins as a stylish house party turns quickly into a nightmare when a murder interrupts the festivities. With everyone trapped inside the imposing estate, suspicion spreads and old secrets begin to emerge. Campion, seemingly a bumbling guest, soon reveals his wit and skill as an investigator. With sharp dialogue, atmospheric tension, and a cleverly tangled plot, The Crime at Black Dudley blends Golden Age charm with thrilling suspense. Allingham's style combines the sophistication of Agatha Christie with a uniquely playful tone, setting the stage for her beloved detective's long and storied career. This is more than a classic murder mystery-it's a blueprint for an entire subgenre of English crime fiction.

A classic collection of mystery stories: "With skillful plotting laced with tongue-in-cheek humor, Allingham never ceases to intrigue and surprise" (Daily Mail).This volume offer eighteen delightful mysteries from the Queen of Crime that will baffle the most ingenious of armchair detectives—and even, at times, the imperturbable sleuth Albert Campion himself.Enjoy one of England's great golden-era writers at her witty best as she spins delicious tales of high-risk heists and domestic deceptions in this exquisite short story collection."A perfectly splendid collection of short stories." —H. R. F. Keating

A classic from the Golden Age of Detective Fiction. “One of the best books by a mystery novelist whose work is always of first rank.” —The New York Times Something is afoot at the Ivory Gallery in London. A string of suspicious incidents—a Kang-Tse vase broken, a specially commissioned catalog burned, and now a painting slashed—has young Frances Ivory on edge. She suspects that the instigator is her stepsister’s husband, Robert Madrigal, but there’s not much she can do about it while her father is out of the country. Robert is even interfering in Frances’s love life, encouraging her to marry his loathsome assistant. To stop his infernal matchmaking, Frances agrees to a sham engagement with the painter whose work was defaced. But when Robert disappears after a confrontation with the artist, he’s found stashed in a cupboard, dead. Frances is now drawn into a mystery that will have her second-guessing her family, her fiancÉ, and even herself . . . Praise for Margery Allingham “Margery Allingham stands out like a shining light.” —Agatha Christie “The best of mystery writers.” —The New Yorker “Don’t start reading these books unless you are confident that you can handle addiction.” —The Independent “One of the finest Golden-Age crime novelists.” —The Sunday Telegraph

“An ace high mystery, with unexpected situations and new methods used by old rogues” from the Golden Age author of the Albert Campion series (Kirkus Reviews). An apparent suicide at a posh men’s club in London doesn’t fool Scotland Yard Insp. David Blest. There’s something fishy about the old man who quarreled with the victim the night before. The doggedly determined Blest can’t let the matter rest and uses a leave from work to follow his suspect to the coast. What Blest finds in Westbourne-on-Sea is sun, sand, and suspicious characters, including his elderly target acting as guardian to a sickly girl. But Miss Judy Wellington is only pretending to be ill. Unbeknownst to Blest, she’s really an heiress with a secret inheritance—one that pays off big to her husband if she marries before she turns twenty-five. With only months to go before that deadline, vultures are circling around her. Her guardian’s choice of a husband—a known conman—is killed. All Blest knows is that he’s in too deep, and he’ll protect Judy come hell or high water . . . “By modern standards, where anything goes, this a bit of a cosy mix of villainy, romance, intrigue, and mystery. It’s also a bit of a potboiler . . . This story, as much a thriller as mystery, is a fine example of its period and well worth the read, not only for the legions of Allingham fans.” —Crime Review

World War II on the home front: “Fans of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society or James Herriot will enjoy this unique historical account.” —Library Journal This remarkable firsthand account—from the acclaimed Golden Age mystery author—was written to let people know how the Second World War affected ordinary English country people. The Oaken Heart is Margery Allingham’s tribute to the resiliency and determination of the people of Tolleshunt D’Arcy, the Essex village where she lived and nicknamed “Auburn” in her manuscript. Allingham, already a successful mystery author in 1939, was at work on the Albert Campion novel Traitor’s Purse. The first hint of war was felt in the alarm of a radio announcer’s voice, and Allingham put down her pen as her peaceful corner of the world braced for sending its men into battle, and even possible invasion. As villagers rallied around the cause—supporting each other and their country—Allingham found herself acting as the local billeting officer and first aid organizer. She writes of the sacrifices of farmers, the mistrust of politics, the grim acceptance of rationing, the bombing of London. And through it all, the never-ending hope for peace. The Oaken Heart captures the personal and universal toll of war, far from the front lines, written by a woman whose own quest for justice jumped from the page to the streets where she lived. “Engrossing and moving.” —Kirkus Reviews “Her record of the events and people of this fraught wartime period is rendered with the skill found in the best of her fictional writing . . . remains an insight into another facet of a remarkable talent.” —Crime Time

Two classic mystery stories from the Golden Age author who “stands out like a shining light” (Agatha Christie). “Wanted: Someone Innocent” At a retirement reception for their headmistress, twenty-year-old Gillie Brayton is swept away by the wealthy Rita Fayre to work for her in London. Gillie’s job is to accompany Rita’s convalescent husband, but a shocking tragedy reveals the motive behind her employment: murder. “Last Act” Gathered at the country residence of Madame Zoffany, an aging star of the French stage, are her ward, both grandsons who stand to inherit her fortune, and her longtime servants. And though they are all used to Zoff’s theatrics, it still comes as a surprise when the grande dame takes her final curtain call—and the spotlight of suspicion shines on them all . . . Praise for Margery Allingham “Margery Allingham deserves to be rediscovered.” —P. D. James, New York Times–bestselling author “The best of mystery writers.” —The New Yorker “Don’t start reading these books unless you are confident that you can handle addiction.” —The Independent “One of the finest Golden-Age crime novelists.” —The Sunday Telegraph

A desperate woman's innocent escape from London turns deadly in this suspenseful mystery by the renowned author of the Albert Campion series. Out of a job, a home, and luck, Mary Coleridge tells a seemingly innocuous lie in order to take a break from the pressures of London. Posing as her friend, Marie-Elizabeth Mason, Mary travels to the countryside to visit Miss Mason's wealthy aunt. The estate is grand, Mrs. de Liane eager and endearing, the food abundant and delectable. It is so nice, in fact, that Mary settles into her new life as Marie-Elizabeth, and even entertains the possibility of a new beau. But something is not right within the great house. As Mary's stay extends, the sweet Mrs. de Liane begins to sour. The scheming matriarch has a devilish plan in store for her niece. And when Mary fails to cooperate, Mrs. de Liane decides to hold her captive. With no one to turn to and no way out, will Mary ever escape the house, and the oppressive evil that rules it? The queen of classic crime, Margery Allingham, delivers a dazzling manor house mystery writing as Maxwell March.