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  • Dancers in Mourning

  • An Albert Campion Mystery
  • By: Margery Allingham
  • Narrated by: David Thorpe
  • Length: 10 hrs and 55 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (187 ratings)
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Dancers in Mourning cover art

Dancers in Mourning

By: Margery Allingham
Narrated by: David Thorpe
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Summary

Jimmy Sutane is London's favorite song-and-dance man, headlining at the Argosy Theatre, and beloved by all. Or almost all - someone has taken to playing increasingly nasty pranks. Albert Campion offers to poke around, but what he finds chez Sutane nearly overwhelms him. The far-from traditional household features a clutch of explosive egos, including a brooding 'genius musician,' and a melodramatic young actress who seems to delight in drawing others into her web of carefully groomed tragedy. Someone here is aiming to hang up Sutane's tap shoes on a permanent basis, and if Campion is to keep Jimmy dancing, he'll have to come up with some pretty fancy footwork of his own.

Margery Allingham was born in London in 1904. Her first novel was published when she was seventeen. In 1929 she published The Crime at Black Dudley and introduced the character who was to become the hallmark of her writing - Albert Campion.

©2013 Margery Allingham (P)2013 Audible Ltd

Critic reviews

"Miss Allingham's strength resides in the power of her characterizations, in her striking talent for painting vivid social backgrounds, and in her skillful use of language" ( Guardian)

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What listeners say about Dancers in Mourning

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Prefer Francis Matthews as a narrator,.

David Thorpe affects accents which detract from, rather than enhance, the story.
The Campion series is one which I enjoy and as this particular narrator is most prevalent it seems that I will just have to put up with him.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Much more than a crime novel

Would you listen to Dancers in Mourning again? Why?

Yes because it is so much more than a crime novel. There is an emotional depth to it that I find very moving and David Thorpe's reading does that full justice. It is quite dark in tone with a lot of people who are bruised by life in some way or another.

Who was your favorite character and why?

They are all vividly drawn. On a slightly shallow note, I am I pleased that Amanda Fitton is entirely absent as I find her presence detracts in other novels.

Have you listened to any of David Thorpe’s other performances? How does this one compare?

No but I would certainly listen to others. I hesitated a long time before buying this because I have a much cherished reading of this book by Francis Matthews and I was concerned that this reading would somehow disappoint me. I needn't have worried. David Thorpe has all the attributes I want in a reader, a beautiful voice and the ability to convey character through different voices as well as a performance to suit the story. There were times when I genuinely forgot this was just one actor reading as the voices were all so different.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I find the whole set up of this particular story moving but the ending particularly so. No matter how many times I listen to it it always moves me (almost) to tears. The reason for this lies in the writing and the creation of characters I really care about. All of this could be lost in performance but David Thorpe conveyed the emotional depth so well. Even the minor characters are vividly portrayed ranging from the comic to the tragic and it is a very satisfying performance which does justice to a novel with more depth than a straightforward whodunnit.

This is the only Campion novel I like because this is a grown up Campion who is not playing the fool as he often seems to be in other novels. He was in emotional turmoil throughout the novel and I truly feel his dilemma

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A Margery Allingham favourite

Beautiful narration - great story - in my opinion the ending was a little sudden- but this did match the time of the book - so just me wanting it to go a little longer !
Uncle William makes a reappearance which was lovely and there was not quite as much of the wonderful Lug as I would have liked! Basically I just wanted more ! Excellent book all round.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    1 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Dreadful narration

I could not get beyond chapter 2 as the narrator’s rendering of Campion was ridiculous. He sounded like a squeaky idiot schoolboy! Do not waste a credit or only listen to the books read by a different narrator.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A Cracking Mystery

Where does Dancers in Mourning rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is a book that deserves to be near the top of the tree in the Margery Allingham canon.

Any additional comments?

This book follows similar lines to the other Albert Campion books. Very well crafted with good interaction between the numerous character especially Lugg and Campion. I thought it was a little bit slow in starting but once the bodies started appearing it took off. If you ever get a paper version of this book, whatever you do don't loose the last page, as it's only in the last paragraph you find out "who done it". I was wrong by the way. Excellent book.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

a very good read

book to read. it take's time to work out who killer is, and your wrong.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

campion champion

loved it all campion series is so good .brilliantly penned. golden age authors are great

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A fine dance for audience

Good book. Lots of avenues to explore and plenty of red herrings to fall for.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Dark and brooding

A classic Marjorie Allingham. Here we find campion at his darkest. Great characterisation and wonderful narration.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Dancers in mourning

I thoroughly enjoyed this reading . I can’t imagine it performed better, The reader’s versatile voice meant a whole range of characters of the 1930s were entertainingly and convincingly portrayed in spite of the characters sometimes expressing outdated views, The stylish elements of Allingham’s writing are also done full justice

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