Margery Allingham

Margery Allingham

English detective writer
Date of Birth: 20.05.1904
Country: Great Britain

Content:
  1. Early Life and Education
  2. Literary Beginnings and 'Blackkerchief Dick'
  3. Breakthrough with 'The Crime at Black Dudley'
  4. Albert Campion: A Complex Detective
  5. Changing Writing Style and Format
  6. Personal Life and Death

Early Life and Education

Margery Louisa Allingham was born on May 20, 1904, in Ealing, London. Her parents, Herbert John and Emily Jane Allingham, were both writers. Shortly after her birth, the family moved to Essex, where they lived in an old house near Colchester.

Margery Allingham

Allingham began writing short stories and plays at an early age. She received her first payment for a story published in her aunt's magazine at the age of seven. In 1920, she returned to London to study drama and overcome a childhood stutter.

Margery Allingham

Literary Beginnings and 'Blackkerchief Dick'

Allingham's first novel, 'Blackkerchief Dick', was published in 1923 when she was just 19 years old. The novel was allegedly based on a story she heard during a séance, but her husband later debunked this myth. Nevertheless, Allingham continued to incorporate occult themes into her writing.

Margery Allingham

Breakthrough with 'The Crime at Black Dudley'

Allingham's breakthrough came in 1929 with the release of 'The Crime at Black Dudley'. This novel introduced the character of Albert Campion, initially as a minor character. American publishers urged Allingham to expand on Campion's adventures, and she embarked on a series of popular detective novels featuring the gentleman sleuth.

Albert Campion: A Complex Detective

Albert Campion is the enigmatic alter ego of a member of the upper social strata. He moves between the aristocracy and government and the criminal underworld, often accompanied by his "ruffled and restless" manservant, Lugg. Campion's adventures blur the lines between detective work and swashbuckling. He collaborates with the police and MI-6 intelligence, falls in love, marries, and has a child, evolving into a wiser and more emotionally mature character.

Changing Writing Style and Format

As Allingham's writing matured, so did the style and format of her books. While her earlier novels fit into the genres of "light detective fiction" and "fantasy adventure," her 1952 novel 'The Tiger in the Smoke' focuses more on characterization and moral dilemmas than on conventional crime plots. This work introduces the serial killer Jack Havoc.

In her later novels, Campion takes a more secondary role in the narrative, sharing the spotlight with his wife Amanda and his police allies.

Personal Life and Death

Allingham was diagnosed with breast cancer and died in Colchester Hospital on June 30, 1966, at the age of 63. Her final novel featuring Campion, 'Cargo of Eagles', was completed by her husband and published in 1968.

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