Critics' Opinion:
Readers' rating:
Published Aug 2020
288 pages
Genre: Mysteries
Publication Information
The truth is stranger than fiction for Albert Campion in this gripping mystery where murder, detective novels and the supernatural collide.
1946, London. The eagerly anticipated new detective novel from Albert Campion's godsibling, bestselling author Evadne Childe, is proving to be another runaway success. Unfortunately, it has also caught the attention of Superintendent Stanislaus Oates for reasons that go beyond its superior plotting. The crime at the heart of The Bottle Party Murder bears a number of striking similarities to a very real, recent and unsolved murder at the Grafton Club in Soho. Evadne wrote the book before the murder occurred, yet predicts it remarkably accurately - is it just a weird coincidence, is Evadne getting her information from 'the other side', or is something more sinister afoot? The repercussions of this extraordinary and complex case will reach out over the next fifteen years, drawing in three of Mr Campion's favourite policemen - Oates, Yeo and Luke - before finally coming to its violent conclusion in 1962.
"[A]mbitious...Ripley spins a head-scratching whodunit while effectively recreating Allingham's tone and characters. This clever continuation of a beloved series keeps getting better." - Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Wicked fun, sedate yet intricately plotted—a highlight in the series." - Kirkus Reviews
"Albert remains a winning protagonist, possessed of both eccentric charm and dry wit, and this time Ripley gives him a particularly meaty case, full of noteworthy twists. Another winner in a reliably entertaining series." - Booklist
This information about Mr Campion's Seance was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Mike Ripley is the author of the award-winning "Angel" series of comedy thrillers which have twice won the CWA Last Laugh Award. Described as "England's funniest crime writer" (the Times), he is also a respected critic of crime fiction, writing for the Guardian, Daily Telegraph, the Times and Shots magazine. Ripley first learned of the final unfinished Campion novel when he was a guest speaker at the Margery Allingham Society's annual convention. He offered - and received the Margery Allingham Society's blessing - to complete the manuscript on the adventures of Albert Campion, who Ripley describes as "one of the brightest stars in the rich firmament of British crime writing."
The Flower Sisters
by Michelle Collins Anderson
From the new Fannie Flagg of the Ozarks, a richly-woven story of family, forgiveness, and reinvention.
The House on Biscayne Bay
by Chanel Cleeton
As death stalks a gothic mansion in Miami, the lives of two women intertwine as the past and present collide.
The Funeral Cryer by Wenyan Lu
Debut novelist Wenyan Lu brings us this witty yet profound story about one woman's midlife reawakening in contemporary rural China.
Your guide toexceptional books
BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
