More Work for the Undertaker

📘 About This Book

“A top-notch mystery full of keen characterization, humor, old English atmosphere, a charmingly decadent family, and a few sudden deaths.” —The New York Times A beggarwoman on a bench arouses Albert Campion’s curiosity—and helps Scotland Yard lure him into a case of family dysfunction. The seemingly destitute woman is none other than a member of the eccentric Palinode family, which has recently lost two of its members. The police suspect a poisoner is on the loose, which is why Campion is willing to go undercover as a lodger in the boardinghouse where they live. As the recently deceased are exhumed, Campion becomes acquainted with the old-fashioned, out-of-the-ordinary family members, who talk in crossword puzzle clues, sneak out at night, and cook vats of stinky food in the basement to save money. And if that’s not enough to keep Campion on his toes, the local undertaker seems to be digging himself into a hole . . . 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 “Spending an evening with Campion is one of life’s pure pleasures.” —The Sunday Times

📖 Summary

Margery Allingham's classic mystery novel More Work for the Undertaker invites readers into a richly atmospheric world filled with eccentric characters, dark humor, and a baffling puzzle of sudden deaths. The narrative begins when a seemingly destitute beggarwoman sitting on a park bench arouses the curiosity of the astute investigator Albert Campion. This chance encounter serves as the catalyst that helps Scotland Yard lure Campion into investigating a deeply troubling case of family dysfunction centering around the Palinode family. To the surprise of the authorities and Campion himself, the beggarwoman is not actually a random vagrant, but rather a member of this very household, which has recently suffered the unexplained losses of two of its members in quick succession. Suspecting that a calculated poisoner might be operating within their midst, the police enlist Campion to go undercover. He secures a position as a lodger in the very boardinghouse where the Palinodes reside, placing himself right at the heart of the mystery. As the investigation deepens, the recently deceased family members are exhumed to determine the true cause of death, confirming the worst fears of foul play and pushing Campion further into the bizarre daily life of his hosts. The Palinodes are far from an ordinary English family. They are charmingly decadent, wonderfully old-fashioned, and entirely out of the ordinary, possessing a collection of idiosyncratic habits that both amuse and confound the detective. Members of the household engage in peculiar behaviors such as speaking almost exclusively in crossword puzzle clues, sneaking out of the house under the cover of night, and spending their hours cooking massive vats of exceptionally stinky food down in the basement. Navigating this web of domestic oddity requires all of Campion's formidable skill, patience, and intuition. Through keen characterization, Allingham crafts a vibrant portrait of a crumbling household harboring dark secrets beneath layers of upper-class eccentricity. The novel balances its grim premise of targeted poisoning with lighthearted humor and a distinctly traditional English setting. As Campion peels back the layers of deception, hidden motives, and family eccentricities, the true nature of the threat becomes clear, leading to a satisfying and classic resolution. More Work for the Undertaker stands as a stellar example of golden age detective fiction, celebrated for its witty prose, immersive atmosphere, and unforgettable cast of characters who make the dangerous investigation as entertaining as it is suspenseful.

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