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Mystery Mile

by Margery Allingham

Margery Allingham was one of the premier mystery English mystery writers of the earlier 20th century. Her novels featuring Albert Campion are still widely read and enjoyed. Mystery Mile is certainly one of those; the book gives us all sorts of puzzling characters and seemingly unrelated events set in motion by a mysterious criminal who is right under our nose the whole time. Ms. Allingham has written Mystery Mile so well that we're totally unaware of this Master Criminal until the individual is revealed near the end of the book.

Mystery Mile opens on the Elephantine, a steamship bound for England, and carrying (among many other passengers) Judge Crowdy Lobbett with his son Marlowe and daughter Isopel – the name always spelled with a 'p' instead of the usual 'b'. Also on board are a very voluble Ali Fergusson Barber, a Turk who corners Albert Campion, the fatuous-seeming American traveling as another passenger. Barber informs Campion that the Judge has been the object of at least four murder attempts back in the states – all of them killing the wrong people instead of the Judge himself.

Judge Lobbett is infatuated with conjurors, and volunteers to be the first to disappear inside a magician's cabinet during onboard entertainment – only to be interrupted by Campion who drops his pet mouse inside the box first. The mouse' instant death reveals another attempt on Judge Lobbett's life. Whoever was behind the stateside attempts has evidently followed the Judge on his flight to England. When Marlowe tells Campion about a man called Simister, who seems to be behind every orchestration on his father's life, Albert decides to help.

Switch to Mystery Mile, a tiny village on the coast of Suffolk among the marshes. Biddy and Giles Paget are the two young owners of the squire's mansion there, which they hope to rent out while they move into the Dower House. The rental would provide them with much needed cash. It seems that Albert Campion is not only related, but has sent them a telegram concerning his imminent arrival – a telegram perused by both the sister, brother and their guest, Reverend Swithin Cush, the local rector. They fervently hope he's rented out the mansion – and when Campion arrives they discover he has – to the Lobbetts.

Since Mystery Mile and the squire's mansion are so far removed from other civilization, Campion has figured it the best place for Judge Lobbett to hide out – especially since the Judge has refused police protection. The problem is how the Judge is to be kept busy and entertained. Then Campion learns that Lobbett has a deep interest in folklore. Campion immediately recruits two of the village stalwarts, George Willsmore and his brother Henry, along with the Reverend Cush (St. Swithin, they call him) to keep the Judge occupied.

All three Lobbetts, St. Swithin, and Campion are happy guests at the Dower House when they are interrupted by the arrival of a Mr. Anthony Datchett, Palmist. Far from being an indigent gypsy, Mr. Datchett enters the Dower House from a chauffeur-driven limo – and upon approval, reads the fortunes of Giles, St. Swithin and Biddy. Both Giles and Biddy are amazed at what he sees in their hands. The Reverend Cush tells them only that he's too old to have a future. Then the rector leaves – and shortly afterwards, all hear a shot from the rectory.

St. Swithin has committed suicide. Why is the question. The only clues are a note to Biddy asking her to tell Campion about their longest walk, and a red knight from his chess set. Since he shot himself to death directly after the visit from the fortune teller, what did Datchett tell him? And how come Datchett can ride around in an expensive car and dress so well yet get only a few pence for his efforts?

Then Judge Lobbett vanishes in the maze behind the mansion, and no one can find any trace of him. A note on a dog's collar tells them he's safe – and to
keep his blue suitcase safe also. When the suitcase is found to contain a steel box, and that box is found to contain only a series of children's books, their perplexity increases.

After a number of machinations which include Biddy's kidnapping, Kettle the postmaster, and the return of Mr. Barber (trying to sell the Pagets a painting as well as trying to buy one they have), Campion finds himself alone with the person who caused all the mayhem in the first place – the man known as Simister. Revealing how he accomplished everything in a fit of egotistical pride (since Simister thought Campion to be as good as dead anyhow), he then attempts to shoot Campion. But evil finally gets its comeuppance.

Mystery Mile is only one example of Margery Allingham's ability to intrigue you with seemingly impossible situations. The synopsis above doesn't cover everything by any means – it would take almost a book in itself to disclose the numerous questions her plot postulates. Along with her sister crime writers in England such as Agatha Christie, Margery Allingham has left us a legacy of wonderful writing. Be sure to read her work.

Alan Paul Curtis

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