A review by cinnaberries
The Crime at Black Dudley by Margery Allingham

adventurous emotional funny lighthearted mysterious reflective fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

Perhaps I only noticed because I was listening, but one of the characters is consistently described as "the girl" (she has a name, which is used about as often as calling her the girl) and having "narrow brown eyes". Other than a few pet peeves on specific writing ticks, this was a favorite and only docked 0.25 stars. I predicted who the murderer would be, but it didn't detract from the enjoyment for me. However, be aware if you've read many mysteries that the foreshadowing might be a little heavy-handed. Still, the motivation is remarkable and totally compelling and it's worth reading even for veterans of the mystery genre.