The weekend party at Black Dudley Manor begins as a glittering affair - young things in evening dress, champagne, and the comfortable buzz of British society at play. Pathologist George Abbershaw has come for more than just leisure: he's hoping to win the affections of the charming Meggie Oliphant. But as fog closes in around the isolated estate, the evening takes a sinister turn. Colonel Coombe, the elderly host, suffers a fatal collapse - and blood on the Black Dudley Dagger suggests murder rather than natural causes. Then comes the true horror: the house falls under the control of dangerous criminals, and the guests find themselves trapped, their lives depending on solving the mystery in their midst. Fortunately, among the partygoers is Albert Campion - a garrulous, seemingly vapid young man whose foolish demeanor conceals one of the sharpest investigative minds in England. This is the book that introduced the world to Allingham's beloved detective, a man who solves crimes while appearing to understand nothing at all.
