More Work for the Undertaker by Margery Allingham, 1949

 

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About the author: Margery Louise Allingham (1904 – 1966) was an English novelist from the "Golden Age of Detective Fiction", best remembered for her hero, the gentleman sleuth Albert Campion. Initially believed to be a parody of Dorothy L. Sayers's detective Lord Peter Wimsey, Campion formed the basis for 18 novels and many short stories. (from Wikipedia)

Major characters:

• Roxana "Ruth" Palinode, deceased prior to story
• Edward Palinode, deceased prior to story
• Lawrence Palinode
• Jessica Palinode
• Evadne Palinode
• Clytie White, a Palinode niece
• Renee Roper, rooming house owner
• Captain Alastair Seton, a tenant
• Jas. Bowels, undertaker
• Pa Wilde, a chemist (pharmacist)
• Detective Albert Campion
• Magerfontein Lugg, Campion's manservant

Locale: London

Synopsis: Albert Campion learns about the odd Palinode family - classicly educated, once wealthy, now almost destitute due to failed investments. Roxana ("Ruth") and Edward have already passed away, now it appears they had been poisoned - so Campion is investigating the deaths. The three remaining Palinodes (Lawrence, Jessica, and Evadne) and their niece Clytie White live in a rooming house on quiet Apron Street, run by Renee Roper. Another tenant is hard-drinking elderly Captain Alastair Seton.

Meanwhile, suspicious happenings occur at Jas. Bowels' undertaking establishment across the street. Bowels rents the basement of Roper's house to store his coffins. There are instances of unexplained coffin removals from the basement in the dead of night.

The poison that killed Ruth gets traced back to the local chemist, Pa Wilde, who, during questioning,  suddenly takes poison himself  and dies. 

Campion investigates three threads: the poisoning of Ruth, the exhumation of Edward, and the strange coffin shuffling by Jas. Bowels. 

Review: This book reminds me of Martha Grimes' Inspector Richard Jury stories - Campion is mostly an observer, has a comic-relief sidekick Magerfontein Lugg (think of Melrose Plant), and a police officer Charlie Luke, D.D.I. (think of Sgt. Wiggins) who does the legwork. 

An enjoyable episode is the "high speed" chase of the horse-drawn hearse wagon, with the police cars using the newfangled "wireless radios" to full advantage. 

The true story behind the coffin movements is revealed at the end, and it was a surprise; yet totally believable. 

The Palinodes have their own private language, using classical quotations to fit the situation. Distracting, and doesn't add anything to the plot.

I was disappointed that we never learn the results of the exhumation of Edward. That story line got dropped after a brief mention that he was indeed dug up, but we never find out what happened to him.