Although still concerned with international crime syndicates, Mystery Mile is a good, page-turning mystery, and a thorough-going introduction to Albert Campion as main character (rather than bit part). There's an almost Holmesian quality to these stories and it's hard not to be charmed by Campion, whose guise of fool is only nine-parts false.The women in the early Campion stories aren't tremendously impressive (at least compared to a later stand-out). They're either fragile flowers or practical, nice girls whose role is to be protected.Allingham - like most Golden Age British mystery writers - has a fair chunk of classism and a dash of racism embedded in the mileau, which does give the occasional pause.
