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Black Plumes cover art

Black Plumes

By: Margery Allingham
Narrated by: Francis Matthews
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Summary

Slashed paintings and a mysterious death, an accused fiancé and the reappearance of a long-dead husband - Black Plumes is another classic crime drama from Margery Allingham. 'Margery Allingham stands out like a shining light.' - Agatha Christie.

©1950 Margery Allingham (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

What listeners say about Black Plumes

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  • 16-09-16

Margery Allingham's best!

I've listened to all of Margery Allingham's books that are available to date and this is definitely her best in my opinion. Excellent story, brilliantly written. Suspense to the very end.

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12 people found this helpful

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

Period mystery

The mystery itself, as well as the behaviors and emotions of the characters, is terribly old fashioned and betrayed by politically incorrect words in a couple of instances. It's also a reminder of how belittled women were and how arrogant men were, in those years. The reading is dreadfully slow and sometimes a bit slurred, which I found annoying.

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7 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Superb all round

The story is a typically good one from Margery Allingham but it is greatly enhanced by the incredible vocal agility of Francis Matthews. What a combination!

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6 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Great

Great book. Highly recommend ! Excellent plot and I didn’t guess the outcome though I usually do.

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6 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Golden Age Great

It's been so long since l read Margery Allingham, I'd altogether forgotten how beautiful her prose is. She reminds me more of Marsh than Christie in her use of language, although no one matches Christie relative to the plotting of the Golden Age whodunit. The story is excellent, the comedic relief is unexpected and often, the plotting is tight and the reveal is wonderfully delineated. As for the work of Francis Matthews? Remarkable just about does it justice. Cary Grant's cousin has a panoply of voices that match the novel's description to a "t" and he separates the female and male voices with remarkable, natural precision. A wonderful writer done justice by a supreme voice actor and performance.

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4 people found this helpful

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classic

One of my favourite books and the narration was very good, although at the start I wasnt too sure.

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3 people found this helpful

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    1 out of 5 stars
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Disappointing

I got lost listening to this book as it is riddled with adjectives and adverbs. The story is hidden beneath them and it plays second fiddle to the excessive descriptive details about the furniture to, similes about the weather. There is a cliched love affair and a distraught hypochondriac complete with the indomitable aged relative. I was looking forward to enjoying this book but it has put me off any works by Allingham.

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2 people found this helpful

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    1 out of 5 stars
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use of racist language put me off

stopped listening...after the use of n word. would have liked a heads up but then it's clearly of its time.

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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A classic for the times

This has to be one of Marjorie Allingham's best books - even without Albert Campion! The narration by Francis Matthews is exceptional and he brings the finely drawn characters to life. People who object to the way things really were should be reading or listening to something else. I hope books written long ago will continue to be published and recorded in their uncensored entirety. While people who do appreciate them may deprecate some words, phrases and ideas expressed, hopefully we have the intellect to realise that this was normal for those times,

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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Far too quiet

Sadly, I was unable to listen to the story, not from lack of interest, but from inability to hear it!
Audible is my companion while I do other things, such as housework, having a shower, driving and much more. Unfortunately, this selection's volume is far too low to do any of these.

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1 person found this helpful