Review by Booklist Review
Ripley has successfully continued queen of crime Margery Allingham's beloved Albert Campion series since her 1966 death, featuring the same subtle wit and intricate plots for which Allingham was famous. In this latest adventure, Campion is helping the police solve the murder of journalist David Duffy, shot outside the estate of self-made millionaire Sir Lachlan McIntyre, who was due to be awarded a peerage. However, it appears Duffy had evidence that would prevent McIntyre becoming a lord. One clue is found in Duffy's notebook: a list containing Campion's name and the year 1932. Forty years have passed since then, and Campion's memory of the time is hazy. He certainly can't recall encountering McIntyre. But as Campion investigates, memory returns, and he recalls a 1932 attack on a Jewish friend, an odd request from an impoverished widow, an encounter with gypsies, and a runaway son. Clever, witty, and packed with intriguing characters, period ambiance, and unexpected twists, this is another fine read from the talented Mr Ripley.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Ripley further burnishes his reputation as a worthy successor to Margery Allingham in his excellent 11th mystery featuring Allingham's gentleman sleuth Albert Campion (after 2022's Mr. Campion's Mosaic). It's 1972, and Campion, now in his 70s and retired from criminal investigations, is attending his younger brother's funeral. After the service, he's approached by his late brother's son, Christopher, a public relations expert whose latest client, businessman Sir Lachlan McIntyre, is in a bind. Shortly after an antagonistic interview, in which journalist David Duffy's probing into McIntyre's past--specifically events in 1932--so riled McIntyre that he threatened to shoot the reporter, Duffy was gunned down in his car. Naturally, McIntyre is the prime suspect, though he insists on his innocence. Meanwhile, a notebook found on Duffy's body listed several names, including Campion's, under the heading "1932." The retired sleuth agrees to launch an investigation and dig deep into his recollections for any information that might help explain the murder. Ripley gets everything that makes a good Albert Campion novel right, including Allingham's gift for playing fair with readers and Campion's witty banter. This dead-on pastiche will satisfy newcomers and series devotees alike. (Sept.)
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Albert Campion's nephew takes a moment at his father's funeral to ask his uncle for help at the beginning of what turns out to be the most complex case Ripley has yet given him. Since Campion was never close to his younger brother, Baden, it's no great breach of etiquette for Christopher Campion to ask what memories he can dredge up from 40 years ago. But Campion puts him off till they can have a quiet lunch together. That's when he learns that his own name appeared on a list of names headed "1932" and compiled by journalist David Duffy shortly before he was shot to death in his car. Duffy, whom Christopher had shown around McIntyre Tyres in his capacity as Sir Lachlan McIntyre's PR flak, is also interested in Mary Gould, Henry Gould, Walter Lillman, someone identified only as "N.H.," and one "L. McIntyre." In the end, it turns out that Campion really does know what holds all these people together, but since he can't remember very much about them to begin with, he uses his Scotland Yard connections to converse with McIntyre and several lesser lights. Interspersed chapters hearkening back to the crucial year of 1932 show a much younger Campion laboring to discover why the "gypsy" Shadrach Lee took the trouble to return a silver tankard Lady Cassandra Drinkwater had lost when her late second husband, the wastrel Maj. Edward Gidney, sold it, and a great many other family heirlooms, to cover his gambling debts. As present-day Campion recalls more and more of the past, the plot thickens in utterly unexpected ways; the only development that's remotely predictable is the identification of Duffy's killer. A handsome demonstration that age-appropriate memory loss needn't keep a beloved franchise character down. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
