Mr Campion’s Wings (An Albert Campion Mystery, 9)
Mr. Albert Campion’s profound exaltation in watching his wife receive a prestigious academic honour from Cambridge University, with attendant pomp and ceremony, is shattered when detectives suddenly interrupt the proceedings. Amanda is unceremoniously detained on the charge of “breaking the Official Secrets Act”. With her humiliating public arrest, Campion’s quest is joined to not only exonerate his wife, but also to expose the real culprit.
Set in 1965, a time of increasing fear in England of both Communism and a possible nuclear war with Russia, this is the ninth novel to feature the intrepid Campion on a jaunt for justice. As is central to Ripley’s mysteries, the reader follows Campion on an often-convoluted journey as he investigates the ultra-secret project code-named “Goshawk”. Amanda is accused of leaking details concerning this advanced military aircraft to Russian agents. Campion’s aim is clear: find the real traitor thus clearing his wife!
As with all of Ripley’s mysteries, there are numerous twists and turns that offer suspense and surprise. The suspicious deaths of others who worked on the Goshawk Project add levels of intrigue.
A strength in Ripley’s narrative is his excellent use of dialogue. Further, he brings in what might be termed interesting peripheral characters. These literary side bars add a depth to the story and offer a wider societal landscape that anchors the contemporary environment. A solid yarn that captures a sense of the times.
