“Evidence in Camera” by Margery Allingham #GBSS01/27

“Evidence in Camera” by Margery Allingham, number 1 of 27 Great British Short Stories 

Premise: First person account by a journalist covering a serial killer who is bumping off middle-aged redheaded women in English sea-side towns

Review: Very nicely done, with gibes about how media (print) and cops work.  Possibly a little sub-Freudian, but so what.  Allingham knew what she was doing, and I’d defo read her Casebook, from which this is taken. Extra points for the title pun – nicely done.

Outa ten: 10

Keywords: crime, murder

Quotes: 

“There was still plenty to write about, but nothing new” p.14

“From our point of view it was all very dull. The weather turned cold and three of the best hotels ran out of scotch.” p19

“Peterson defended him at once with all that charity of his which is far more lethal than straight attack.” p.20 

“Tizer, who is one of those men who look as if they have been designed by someone who used to doing bison” p.25

Words: none

Look up: none

Afterlives of the story/connections to other stuff: Has shades of CS Forester’s Payment Deferred

Is it online? Yes! Evidence In Camera by Margery Allingham