Sayers, Dorothy L.

On the Case with Lord Peter Wimsey: Three Complete Novels/Strong Poison/Have His Carcase/Unnatural Death

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A cross-section of Wimsey's career, but could've been better organized

On the Case with Lord Peter Wimsey: Three Complete Novels/Strong Poison/Have His Carcase/Unnatural Death
Dorothy L. Sayers
Manufacturer: Random House Value Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Thrones, Dominations (A Lord Peter Wimsey Mystery)
Busman's Honeymoon
The Five Red Herrings
Three Complete Lord Peter Wimsey Novels: Whose Body?, Murder Must Advertise, Gaudy Night
Lord Peter : The Complete Lord Peter Wimsey Stories

ASIN: 0517072432
Release Date: 1992-02-16

Customer Reviews:

A cross-section of Wimsey's career, but could've been better organized.......2006-07-17

For anyone new to Lord Peter, this book would not be an ideal introduction; the introductory material contains spoilers for the main text, and in any case the selection and order of the individual stories herein isn't ideal for a stem-to-stern readthrough. That said, I myself first made his lordship's acquaintance through STRONG POISON, the first story in this omnibus, and have yet to suffer by it. :) So while the book *could* be closer to perfect, the fact that it contains a triple dose of Lord Peter is sufficient to justify its existence, particularly since it will resist being worn to shreds longer than the individual paperbacks do.

Rather than discussing the individual novels in detail - each is still in print in its own right, and I recommend consulting their individual reviews - I'll discuss this omnibus edition in particular. Discussing them individually is a problem in any case, as the personal complications of STRONG POISON (the first entry) bear directly on HAVE HIS CARCASE (the second).

Often called ON THE CASE WITH LORD PETER WIMSEY, this omnibus edition of STRONG POISON (1930), HAVE HIS CARCASE (1932), and UNNATURAL DEATH (1927) contains not only the full text of each book - including individual tables of contents, author's notes, chapter headings, and the Dawson family tree for UNNATURAL DEATH - but is prefaced by the text of Lord Peter's entry in Who's Who / Burke's Peerage, complete with a partial drawing of the Wimsey coat of arms (the Saracen supporters are missing, but the motto and crest are there). The text of the entry contains a major spoiler for the later Wimsey novels, unfortunately, since it was taken from a post-1936 edition.

The book also contains a separate "Biographical Note, communicated by Paul Austin Delagardie", which dates from 1935, the same year as GAUDY NIGHT. Mr. Delagardie, brother of the Dowager Duchess of Denver, explains how he took charge of his nephew's social education as a youngster only to watch him suffer a disastrous engagement and cruel breakup at the time of the Great War. The fallout was far worse than the "I took up sleuthing as a cure for wounded feelings" patter that Lord Peter himself usually serves up on this topic. However, I warn new readers that as Uncle Paul was writing five years after the events of STRONG POISON, his information can better be appreciated after reading the first two novels in this omnibus.

ON THE CASE WITH LORD PETER WIMSEY has no overlap with its sibling omnibus THREE COMPLETE LORD PETER WIMSEY NOVELS (WHOSE BODY?, MURDER MUST ADVERTISE, and GAUDY NIGHT). Taken together, the grouping of the stories in these two volumes annoyed me very much when they first came out, since GAUDY NIGHT logically should be in the volume before you as the third story, completing the trilogy of Wimsey/Vane courtship novels. As an alternative, swapping the positions of UNNATURAL DEATH and MURDER MUST ADVERTISE would've made sense, as it is the novel following HAVE HIS CARCASE. Even putting UNNATURAL DEATH first rather than last in this book would help, since an associate of Lord Peter's who is introduced in UNNATURAL DEATH has a significant role in STRONG POISON.

Not to put too fine a point on it, the two omnibi naturally go together, and can be a godsend to those seeking to replace disintegrating paperback copies of the individual books. However, anyone wishing to follow Lord Peter's career from the beginning will need to skip back and forth between the two omnibi, with forays into other Wimsey books not included in either collection.

A very good collection, thanks to the excellence of the ingredients, qualified by minor perfectionist grumbling as stated above. Well worth getting and keeping.

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Dorothy Sayers at her best
One of my favorite books -- characters you love, graceful story, intriguing mystery
Great book!
A Great Mystery
Bunter begins

The Nine Tailors
Dorothy L. Sayers
Manufacturer: Harvest Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Busman's Honeymoon
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ASIN: 0156658992

Book Description

Nine strokes from an old country church toll out the death of an unknown man and call Lord Peter Wimsey to one of his most baffling cases. Set in the strange, flat fen-country of East Anglia, this is a classic tale of suspense by a master of mystery.

Customer Reviews:

Dorothy Sayers at her best.......2007-04-11

This novel by Dorothy Sayers represents her considerable literary skills at their best. She skillfully weaves her mystery within a highly educational and entertaining presentation of bell chaining, a unique custom of the Church of England. Lord Peter Wimsey is the man!

One of my favorite books -- characters you love, graceful story, intriguing mystery.......2006-12-06

Probably Dorothy Sayers' best novel, considered by many to be one of the top 2-3 mystery works of all time. Beautiful writing--literature vs. simply a plot vehicle. The characters of Lord Peter Wimsey and Bunter really come alive, and you fall in love with them.

Wonderful depiction of English country life, too. The solution of the mystery is original, unexpected, and completely satisfying. The final section of the book is very moving. This book is a pleasure on all levels. Those who enjoy it but have not yet read other Wimsey books may want to try Strong Poison next, as it tells the story of Lord Peter's love for Harriet Vane. That story arch eventually leads to my favorite Dorothy Sayers book, Busman's Honeymoon.

No gory CSI stuff here-- just beautiful writing, thoughtful plotting, an intriguing mystery, and beloved characters whose adventures continue in other great books.

Great book!.......2006-11-10

This book was a little hard to get in too ... but when you do get into it, it is awesome! It was my first Dorothy Sayers novel and I definitely want to read her other ones.

A Great Mystery.......2006-10-11

As a homeschooling family, we've heard a lot about Dorothy Sayers through the years. I was really surprised to discover that she was the same Dorothy Sayers who wrote all the Peter Wimsey mysteries. Like I imagined her writing would be, this book is fun and educational.

The Nine Tailors is a detective story along the lines of Sherlock Holmes or Hercule Peroit. Her Lord Peter Wimsey is a smart, finicky, very British aristocrat who doesn't seem to have much else to do except try to find a "bit of fun" by being a detective. He reminds me a bit of the American Columbo (but before Columbo), asking questions that seem so innocent that it gets people talking and gets them caught on their own stories.

Mrs. Sayers makes the English village come alive with all kinds of interesting characters and great dialogue. One of my favorite passages in the book is a dialogue between the town's rector and an older woman of the town. When he tells her that we shouldn't question the ways of Providence, the woman replies, "Don't yew talk to me about Providence. I've had enough o' Providence. First he took my husband, and then he took my `taters, but there's One above as'll teach him to mend his manners, if he don't look out."

The story behind the mystery is a story about the English method of church-bell ringing, which is really more mathematical than musical according to the participants, though of course, music and math are always closely related. But the men work out the patterns using permutations of the numbers of the bells, not thinking so much about the actual notes of the bells themselves. Each man also takes his bell very seriously, learning through the generations about the personalities of the various bells. All the bells have names, and regardless of the name itself, all the bells are women. The town in the story is Fenchurch St. Paul (a fictional place) with a 130 foot church steeple and eight bells. The biggest bell is named Tailor Paul, and when someone dies, they ring Tailor Paul nine times, hence the name of the book. Because what would a good mystery be without an unexplained death or two?

I enjoyed very much learning about the patterns for the church bells, but I also very much enjoyed the mystery. I hate mysteries where I have figured it out before the detective, so I was very pleased with myself that I figured out the murderer at exactly the same time as Lord Peter. The book was very well-written, fast-paced, with a healthy dose of British wit. I enthusiastically recommend this book to anyone, and I'm looking forward to my next Lord Peter Wimsey mystery.

Bunter begins.......2006-09-16

Ian Carmichael at his best playing Lord Peter with grace and dignity and a wry humor that makes even Peter's most aristocratic excentricities enjoyable. This tale is another great mystery filled with brilliant deductions, unexpected twists and shocking horror and it reveals the relationship between Bunter, the most redoubtable man since Jeeves, and Lord Peter. Some actors paint a character with such definative strokes that it can never be played again. Robert Newton took a role that many of the greatest actors of the last century atempted and made it his forever. We all know what a pirate sounds like because of Newton's Long John Silver. Ian Carmichael is Lord Peter. Powder your plams, roll up your sleves, take a sip of strong brandy and get ready, you have many hours of pulling if you plan to complete that Triple-Bob Major

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An enjoyable visit with old friends.
Better than "Thrones Dominations"
Seems like a Sayer's collaboration
lord peter review
Another View of Some Old Friends

A Presumption of Death
Jill Paton Walsh , and Dorothy L. Sayers
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Similar Items:

Thrones, Dominations (A Lord Peter Wimsey Mystery)
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The Nine Tailors

ASIN: 031299138X
Release Date: 2004-08-03

Book Description

While Lord Peter is abroad on a secret mission, Harriet Vane, now Lady Peter Wimsey, takes their children to safety in the country. But there's no escape from war: rumors of spies abound, glamorous RAF pilots and flirtatious land-girls scandalize the villagers, and the blackout makes rural lanes as sinister as London's alleys. And when a practice air-raid ends with a young woman's death, it's almost a shock to hear that the cause is not enemy action, but murder. Or is it? With Peter away, Harriet sets out to find out whodunit...and the chilling reason why.

Customer Reviews:

An enjoyable visit with old friends........2006-12-04

Those who love Dorothy Sayers should enjoy this book. Jill Paton Walsh is a good steward of Sayer's legacy, and the further adventures of Peter, Harriet, and Bunter are as satisfying as anyone has a right to expect.

I sincerely hope a third Wimsey book will follow soon.

Better than "Thrones Dominations".......2006-11-18

Jill Patton Walsh once again adds to Agatha Christi's Lord Peter Whimsey/Harriet Vane series. She has done a better job on this book. If you have read "Busmans Honeymoon" you will meet a lot of familar characters.
This story is set in the beginning of WWII, and Harriet has retreated to Talboys, the house where Peter and Harriet spent thier honeymoon. Ms. Walsh not only does a good job of expanding on the village residents introduced in "Busmans Honeymoon" she captures Ms Christi's style a lot better than in "Thrones, Dominations". She also does a good job of capturing the feeling of England at this very difficult time.
Lord Peter does not appear until almost half way through, but Harriet keeps you attention until then.
Despite what could be a very heavy setting, this story is lighted hearted where it is not inapprioate.
Well worth buying. I hope Jill Patton Walsh does another story soon.

Seems like a Sayer's collaboration.......2006-05-15

This book takes place mainly in a small village in the countryside of England. The time, Wartime England, covering the end of 1939 through early 1940. While the village has its first air-raid practice, a crime is committed. They return to the streets to find a young lady murdered.

Lord Peter Wimbsy is off on a Secret Mission for his country. Leaving the short-handed police to turn to his wife for assistance, Writer and amateur detective Lady Peter Wimsey, known before her marriage as Harriet Vane.

We follow Harriet as she tries to solve this mystery. The story is well woven and just when we figure out who did it, we are thrown a curious twist. The cast of characters in the village makes for a fun read. We are also given a good look at life in England during the early part of World War II.

lord peter review.......2006-03-21

Great book. I loved all the lord peter books. Thanks for takeing me back to a time I wanted to learn more about. Great read great book.

Another View of Some Old Friends.......2006-03-17

I'm glad to read, in these reviews, that not every reader was so scrupulous about comparing Sayers and Paton/Walsh. I was so delighted to be returned to the locale and the characters, it didn't bother me at all that Paton/Walsh's style was different. It was as though another friend of the characters, writing about them in her own way, gave us the opportunity to visit with them once again.

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INSIGHT
Thinker's Classic
A glimpse of God, but a full-dress study of Man
Fascinating Insights
Mind-Blowing

The Mind of the Maker
Dorothy L. Sayers
Manufacturer: HarperSanFrancisco
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0060670770

Amazon.com

Best known for her Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries, Dorothy Sayers was also a playwright, essayist, and a translator of Dante. C.S. Lewis said that he liked her "for the extraordinary zest and edge of her conversation--as I like a high wind." The reader gets a fair taste of that wind in this book, her study of the human (and divine) creative process. Beginning with some stingingly humorous words for the education process (which has produced, she says, "a generation of mental slatterns") she then explores the Trinitarian nature of creativity. Here she identifies the Christian concept of the Holy Trinity--God, Son, Holy Spirit--with three elements of creation. First, the Idea: "passionless, timeless, beholding the whole work complete at once, the end in the beginning"; then the Creative Energy: "begotten of that idea, working in time from the beginning to end," manifesting the Idea in matter; and finally the Creative Power: "the meaning of the work and its response in the lively soul"--in essence, what she calls "the indwelling Spirit."

In a plain, matter-of-fact style that readers will recognize from her mysteries, she reflects on the question of free will and miracle, evil, and, ultimately, "the worth of the work." It is especially here, I think, in this final chapter that the book remains both timeless and profoundly timely. The artist stands for the true worker, she writes, who, while requiring payment for his work, as an artist "retains so much of the image of God that he is in love with his creation for its own sake." So too, ultimately, should it be for all human work: "That the eyes of all workers should behold the integrity of the work is the sole means to make that work good in itself and so good for mankind. This is only another way of saying that the work must be measured by the standard of eternity." --Doug Thorpe

Book Description

This classic, with a new introduction by Madeleine L'Engle, is by turns an entrancing mediation on language; a piercing commentary on the nature of art and why so much of what we read, hear, and see falls short; and a brilliant examination of the fundamental tenets of Christianity. The Mind of the Maker will be relished by those already in love with Dorothy L. Sayers and those who have not yet met her.

A mystery writer, a witty and perceptive theologian, culture critic, and playwright, Dorothy Sayers sheds new, unexpected light on a specific set of statements made in the Christian creeds. She examines anew such ideas as the image of God, the Trinity, free will, and evil, and in these pages a wholly revitalized understanding of them emerges. The author finds the key in the parallels between the creation of God and the human creative process. She continually refers to each in a way that illuminates both.

Customer Reviews:

INSIGHT.......2007-03-20

She had an amazing insight to what the Christian life is all about. A worth while read.

Thinker's Classic.......2007-03-17

The Mind of the Maker by Dorothy Sayers is a classic for a reason. She is an excellent writer and a wonderfully deep thinker. At times I honestly got lost in the depths but, as I look back, the truths and nuggets of "ah ha"s are worth a few head scratches.

She opens the book explaining that it is not an explanation or a defense of the Christian faith. The book is her attempt to "demonstrate that the statements made in the Creeds about the Mind of the Divine Maker represent, so far as (she is) able to check them by (her) experience, true statements about the mind of a human maker." (preface) There is a universal truth found in the act of someone who creates and the Creator of all things.

She explains how Father, Son, and Spirit can be well understood by the creative mind's "Idea", "Energy", and "Power". She mainly focuses on the illustration of the writer (her occupation and obviously greatest experience). The essential nature of an idea working its way with the energy of a person writing with its connected power that is released is an incredible thought. I've been meditating on it often.

Many times, as a follower of Christ, I focus on "just" one aspect of our God: the Father or Son or Spirit. I too often miss and do a vast injustice to Him as I do not focus on the eternal relationship that they all together forever work. Sayer has given me a new way of remembering and reflecting on my Love and Hope which has affected me.

I believe that being creative can be a spiritual discipline. This book will be my "proof text". We are most like our God when we exhibit his love and work in a finite yet glorious way while we create something. Be it a new song, photograph, painting, story, etc. Hmm, maybe even creating another blog entry... a bit.

I highly recommend The Mind of the Maker even if you can't run through it, it is worth a slow soak. Don't be afraid to put it down and ponder. This book isn't for the "fast food" reader but it is accessible to all.

A glimpse of God, but a full-dress study of Man.......2005-12-05

Contrary to popular belief, this is not primarily a book about God. Sayers wisely does not try to tell us about God directly, but about what is godlike in ourselves. 'The characteristic common to God and man,' she says, is 'the desire and ability to make things.' She draws a vivid and detailed analogy between the Christian Trinity and our own creative imagination. In working out the details of this analogy, she tells us a great deal about them both; but, inevitably, more about our own minds than God's.

The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit correspond to what Sayers calls the Idea, Energy, and Power. For a writer, the Idea is the book as he first imagines it; the Energy is the book as actually written; the Power is the impression it makes in the mind of each reader. The analogy applies equally well to all art forms. Sayers makes the Trinity seem as plain and familiar as a conversation. If you ever knew what you wanted to say but couldn't find the words, you felt the difference between the Father and the Son. If someone took your words to mean something you never intended, you felt the distance between the Son and the Spirit. Critics may say the Trinity is not real, but they can never again call it incomprehensible.

The rest of the book concentrates on the purely human maker. The longest chapter, 'Scalene Trinities', discusses the ways that the creative imagination can go wrong, and classifies them as failures of the Idea, the Energy, or the Power. I find this the most useful part of the book. Whatever kind of work we do, we find it all too easy to become obsessed with technical details (the Energy). We almost forget that we are trying to express an Idea, and so our work loses the Power to benefit other people. We need to be fully aware of all three parts of the process.

The Mind of the Maker is a brilliant book. But if you read it just for its theology, you will miss two-thirds of the brilliance. It has still more value as a guide to human creativity. If you are a Christian, or if you do any kind of creative work, this book will do your mind good.

Fascinating Insights.......2004-12-30

Sayers starts with the orthodox concept of the Trinity and suggest that the mind of man as creator is analogous. By examining the mind of man as creator and the work he creates, we can acquire a better understanding of the Holy Trinity. While this might seem outlandish at first, it works! When you think about theological concepts just as concepts, they can be very hard to grasp. But Sayers uses concrete examples to illustrate theological concepts, and avoids the temptation to overextend her analogy. She concentrates mainly on the writer-creator, since she herself is a writer. Her insights on the creative process of writing are almost as interesting as the light they shed on the nature of God. These insights go well beyond the concept of the Trinity--she offers an interesting perspective on the existence of evil, free will, and much more. I've never read anything like this.

Mind-Blowing.......2004-10-18

In Dorothy L. Sayers' book, The Mind of the Maker, between a fantastic discussion on creative writing (detective fiction, primarily) the author addresses two of the biggest sociological questions: "Who am I?" and "Why am I here?"

The answer to the first question is simply: a human created in God's image. The answer to the second question is a bit more complex, as Sayers first explores what God's image is, particularly the triune nature of the Christian deity. By comparing The Creator to an artist (primarily a creative writer, Sayers' forte), Sayers shows the purpose of life to be that of a creator as well.

While Sayers' analogy works best for those with an already artistic temperament, in her final chapters she addresses the question of what happens if you work on a toilet assembly line or some equally unglamorous profession. In the case of the toilet assembler, Sayers suggests that while he or she may simply be turning a screw, what's really being created is a more sanitary and hygienic world. She observes that individuals need to separate the value of money from the value of the work (why both capitalism and communism are, she says, ultimately dehumanizing) and find a higher purpose in one's occupation instead.

While rethinking one's purpose may be the over-all goal of the book, it certainly isn't the only subject addressed. The origin of evil, the difference between human and universal laws, free will, and some of the ancient creeds come up for discussion. If you've been confused by the topic of the Trinity, Sayers provides one of the best analogies I've ever read. If you've been stymied by skeptics accusing the church of casting God in man's image (instead of the other way 'round), Sayers' response alone is worth the purchase price of the book.

This is the first of Dorothy Sayers' theological books I've read. I've been a fan of her Lord Peter Wimsey detective novels, and read about this book in one of her biographies. I began reading the book expecting a treatise on creative writing, but was pleased to find so much more.

Gaudy Night: A Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane Mystery (Mystery Masters)

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The pleasure of the English language
Sayers at her best! And Ian Carmichael!
An Oxford reunion and ghostly murder
Meet the nephew

Gaudy Night: A Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane Mystery (Mystery Masters)
Dorothy L. Sayers
Manufacturer: The Audio Partners, Mystery Masters
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 1572704993

Book Description

When Harriet Vane attends her Oxford reunion, known as the Gaudy, the prim academic setting is haunted by a rash of bizarre pranks: scrawled obscenities, burnt effigies, and poison-pen letters, including one that says, Ask your boyfriend with the title if he likes arsenic in his soup. Some of the notes threaten murder — and all are dreadful concoctions of a sick mind — yet in spite of their deplorable, criminal nature, the letters are perfectly worded. Soon, Harriet finds herself ensnared in a nightmare of romance and terror, with only the tiniest shreds of clues to challenge her powers of detection, and those of her paramour, Lord Peter Wimsey.

Customer Reviews:

The pleasure of the English language.......2007-05-08

It seems slow at first (compared with modern mysteries that seem start with a theft, murder or other violent action), but the use of the English language was so refreshing from today's norm that I continue to listen...and very glad that I did. Today's readers will probable find the character traits and social situations unrealistic -- no one argues so politely or maintains the same level of social manners in modern settings. If written by a more recent author it would probable be a psychological thriller with a romantic interest between the two main characters. As it is, the story line is lighter, the mystery is engaging and kept me guessing (all the clues are not provided until the end), yes there is a romantic interest between the two characters. I gave it 4 stars to be conservative but I'll revisit this story again, so it has my personal 5 star - it has my long term keeper rating.

Sayers at her best! And Ian Carmichael!.......2007-01-05

Gaudy Night is Sayers at her academic best. The more you read it, the more you get from it. The characters are delightful, and there is romance as well as detection. All this is brought to life by the expert narration of Ian Carmicheal. A treasure!

An Oxford reunion and ghostly murder.......2006-04-19

Dorothy L. Sayers' GAUDY NIGHT benefits from Ian Carmichael's pointed production: his BBC background lending accent and tension to the story of an Oxford reunion which involves mystery writer Harriet in a case of ghostly murder. Tension evolves quickly as murder turns to mayhem in this thriller.

Meet the nephew.......2005-07-24

Ian Carmichael is one of the first Lord Peter Wimsey's. There are a series of films with him as Wimsey such as "Five Red Herrings". He is a natural to be reading this recorded edition.

My first encounter with Dorothy L. Sayers was the Mobile Mystery Theater series showing on PBS. Unfortunately I did not realize that my video player was also a recorder until the "Gaudy Night" was on Mystery Theater. In that sense I was lucky to copy the complete three hour "Gaudy Night." I now own the DVD that came out in 2002.
Naturally the TV media cannot fill in all the details that you would pick up from reading the book; so I read the book. This added more depth and characters to the story. Dorothy not only fleshes her characters out but her side trips into philosophy and psychology make the story that much more interesting. Just when you ask what is the relevance to this conversation it is wrapped up in the final solution.
It is too bad they do not make the unabridged tape of this book anymore, as the reader is Ian Carmichael the first TV Lord Peter Wimsey.
This is the third of a fourth book series. Enough background information is given however to make this a stand-alone story.
The notorious Harriet Vane is invited to a class reunion. She is looking forward to a quiet time with a better part of her history. Once there, she starts getting notes that carry negative connotations. The notes are pasted together from cut out newspaper words. Soon others are receiving the notes. The School authorities request Harriet to help get quietly to the bottom of this. Circumstances eventually force her once more to go to Lord Peter Wimsey for help. I am over simplifying the plot but it is better to discover it for your self. This is a five star book.

Thrones, Dominations (A Lord Peter Wimsey Mystery)

Average customer rating:

A different style from the originals
Halfway review
Well-Written and Enjoyable
An enjoyable visit with old friends
A fun confection

Thrones, Dominations (A Lord Peter Wimsey Mystery)
Dorothy L. Sayers , and Jill Paton Walsh
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0312968302

Amazon.com

Asked by her new husband, the gentleman detective Lord Peter Wimsey, why she is having trouble writing her latest mystery novel, Harriet Vane explains, "When I needed the money, it justified itself. It was a job of work, and I did it as well as I could, and that was that. But now, you see, it has no necessity except itself. And, of course, it's hard; it's always been hard, and it's getting harder. So when I'm stuck I think, this isn't my livelihood, and it isn't great art, it's only detective stories. You read them and write them for fun." Is this a clue to the mystery of why Dorothy L. Sayers put aside her 13th full-length Lord Peter novel in 1938 and never finished it? She had made lots of money, and was much more interested in translating Dante and writing about religion. Or is it another excellent novelist, Jill Paton Walsh, speculating--in a perfect imitation of Sayers's voice--on what might have happened? Walsh was invited by the estate of Sayers's illegitimate son, Anthony Fleming, to finish Thrones, Dominations. She has done a splendid job, certain to please Sayers loyalists on the "dorothyl" listserv as well as those new to the Wimsey canon. Lord Peter has been made much more human and interesting by marriage; Harriet is a wise and acerbic companion; and the story, about the murders of two beautiful young women involved with a theatrical producer, is full of twists and connivance. There's also a fascinating subplot involving the soon-to-abdicate King Edward VII and a country on the brink of World War II. Earlier Wimseys in paperback include The Five Red Herrings, Gaudy Night, Murder Must Advertise, and Unnatural Death. Books in print by Walsh include a mystery called A Piece of Justice and a novel, The Serpentine Cave.

Book Description

Deemed "one of the greatest mystery writers of this century" by the Los Angeles Times, Dorothy L. Sayers first captivated readers nearly seventy years ago with her beloved sleuths Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane in the novel Stong Poison. In Busmans's Honeymoon, her last completed Wimsey/Vane novel, Lord Peter and Harriet culminated their partnership with marriage. Now Thrones, Dominations, Sayers' uncompleted last novel, satisfies the vast readership hungry to know what happened after the honeymoon. Here award-winning author Jill Paton Walsh picks up where Sayers left off, bringing Wimsey and Vane brilliantly to life in Sayers' unmistakable voice. Readers and reviewers are rejoicing at the return of this delightful sleuthing couple--as adept at solving a baffling murder mystery as they are a balancing the delicate demands of their loving union.

Customer Reviews:

A different style from the originals.......2007-03-16

I was sincerely looking forward to revisiting Peter, Harriet, Parker and the rest as I love the other Peter Wimsey books and own them all. While the characters are there, the feel of the original is missing, and not only is the writing style here busier - it seems to be trying to analyze the characters far more than we need to. The relationships seem more distant than previous and the characters far more superficial.

I don't think it's a spoiler to mention there's no mystery and no Bunter in the first quarter of the book.

If you'd like to see a totally different author write about Lord Peter and his family and associates, this book is worth a look. If you're hoping to recapture the actual style and substance of Dorothy Sayer's books and characters, better re-read the originals and skip this one entirely.

Halfway review.......2007-03-13

I probably shoulldn;t be reviewing this book as I am
only half way through it. But so far it is excellent.
I thought I had read all the Dorothy Sayers/Lord Peter
Wimsey mysteries and then this one came along.

Well-Written and Enjoyable.......2006-12-17

Okay, it's not Sayers. And I can't give it a five, because it's not world class in it's genre; not, for example, a "Gaudy Night." But it's a good story told by someone who, like Sayers, can actually write. Witty, learned, and engaging--a fine story, well worth reading in its own right and not just because it's a Sayers clone. I recommend it for all mystery fans.

An enjoyable visit with old friends.......2006-12-04

A fun confection.......2006-10-26

I intensely enjoyed reading this book. It had been a while since I'd read the Lord Peter books, and I'd always wondered what happened after Busman's Honeymoon, and I really liked finding out more. It was lovely to see old friends, including the wonderful Dowager Duchess. I did enjoy the integration of history with the story; I think this is actually an improvement on Sayers, who had the disadvantage of actually living it and therefore not regarding it as history. And... I have to confess that I loved Bunter's subplot, however non-canonical it may be. However... I have to admit that the more I thought about it afterwards, the less satisfied I was.

It's not as weighty a book as Gaudy Night or Busman's Honeymoon, which I adore, but that's fine. One problem is that the literary allusions, which in Sayers are tossed up effortlessly, here seem to be a bit clunky: "Look!! John Donne!!" But that's a relatively minor concern. I think my main problem with Thrones, Dominations is that Harriet and Peter seem to have a Mary Sue-ish relationship. Although you might expect traditionally difficult parts of their marriage to be much easier for them (e.g., Harriet's vocation, or Peter's sexual history), one would imagine that two such strong and complex personalities could have other issues (while still having a happy marriage, of course); Busman's Honeymoon-- and to a lesser extent, Gaudy Night-- cover some of these and how they are resolved. Now, this is a much lighter book in many ways (plus which presumably they've worked through many of their issues by now), and accordingly the issues are much lighter, but... Neither of them are ever in a bad mood? Nothing ever goes wrong? They never disagree? We see Rosamund and Laurence disagreeing on something important to them, and working out that disagreement in one way, a way that Peter and Harriet utterly rejected in Busman's Honeymoon. It would have been nice to see some disagreement between Harriet and Peter worked out in the way they have chosen. Also, I certainly hope that in such a marriage of true minds that they had more of a family planning discussion than a single (though awesome) conversation during their engagement, as this book seems to imply.

So... the upshot: I recommend it; I think Walsh has done as good a job as possible, and I even think it's as enjoyable as, say, Strong Poison (though perhaps with a lighter, less convoluted plot, as other reviewers have said). Just don't read it too close to Gaudy Night or Busman's Honeymoon, as it does suffer in comparison to those books.

Average customer rating:

Imagination and Accuracy
Not the Jesus of history
This book changed my life

The Man Born to Be King
Dorothy L. Sayers
Manufacturer: Ignatius Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0898703077

Customer Reviews:

Imagination and Accuracy.......2001-12-14

I came to this play-cycle not knowing what to expect, as did almost all of Sayers' contemporaries. There was a political firestorm when the project was proposed. Clergymen of every stripe rose up to denounce it as un-Christian, distorted, dishonorable. Needless to say, they had not read the script or heard the audio plays, which aired on the BBC during World War Two.

These plays inspired ordinary dock-workers and High Church bishops alike to examine the Christian faith. People who never gave a second thought to some guy named Jesus were confronted with a living, throbbing reality in these plays.

Sayers did her work conscientiously, as in her translation of Dante, by not making any use of any terms which were theologically inaccurate but dramatically potent. That is, she was faithful to the letter and spirit of her original- the Gospel story of Jesus. These plays contained, at times, shocking insight- and at times, human warmth.

Just as Jesus is supposed to be the meeting of Godhood and manhood, these plays are where entertainment and theology, the natural and the supernatural meet. Miss that, and you'll miss the same thing which soon caused thousands of English to arrive late for church service because they were waiting to catch the last moments of these plays on the wireless.

I found that the dramas forced me to imagine the movements of characters and plot as on a stage, something more difficult to do with the Biblical text itself. That made these stories come alive for me, and refreshed and enriched my grasp of these stories, "old bones in new flesh".

Not the Jesus of history.......2001-07-26

In writing this book, I believe Sayers intended to make the Gospel stories of Jesus more accessible. She says she wanted to "tell that story to the best of my ability, within the medium at my disposal - in short to make as good of work of art as I could. "Although she sought to maintain a "determined historical realism", I was disappointed with the historical inaccuracies.

She sacrifices historical accuracy for the sake of art and the ease of story telling. For example, at one point her character says - "he was allowed to cry, 'My stirrup, Elazar" regardless of the much later date which stirrups were introduced into Palestine(p.19). Another example is found on page 90, where there is a conversation among supposedly Jewish people at the Wedding at Cana. One member says "But my mule cast a shoe, so I had to get a lift from Ezras". Only a very wealthy Jews could afford a mule, and they probably wouldn't own one because where not allowed to breed them, due to the mule's mixed parentage (Lev. 19:19). The first century Roman army was only just beginning to experiment with shoes their horses, and a mule would not have had shoes. It is a small point, but what artistic significance was contributed by this historical inaccuracy?

I was also bothered by her Anglo-centric idioms and assignment of various English accents to certain characters. I find her description of the Jewish Matthew, with stereotyping, offensive; "He is a vulgar little commercial ... as ever walked Whitechapel, and I should play him with a frank Cockney accent." She goes on to describe his "oily black hair and rapacious little hands . . . " What is the artistic contribution here?

Reality is better than artistic fluff, and much more inspiring, I find little in this book to interest me.

This book changed my life.......2000-06-18

After reading this play cycle, you'll never look at the Gospels in the same way again. Sayers writes in her introduction that she believed the story "should be handled, not liturgically or symbolically, but realistically and historically: 'this is a thing that actually happened.'" It is this matter-of-fact treatment of the story that makes her plays different from almost all the "Jesus movies" that we know today. We're confronted with the shattering truth that God actually came to earth, in a time very much like ours in many ways, and lived among us. We also have to face the fact that humanity -- for reasons of politics and personal pride -- rejected and killed God. So much for the theory that man is basically good! Yet as Sayers writes, "Short of damnation ... there can be no Christian tragedy," and she clearly shows how the love and hope offered by the risen Christ can save us from ourselves. I've been a Christian for many years, and I can still say that this book changed my life. If you have questions or doubts about Jesus of Nazareth, please give it a try.

Murder Must Advertise (Lord Peter Wimsey Mystery)

Average customer rating:

Lord Peter at work
An intriguing look at advertising, a mediocre mystery
What ho! Another delightful mystery novel from Sayers!
"They start new copywriters at four quid a week--about enough to pay for a pair of your shoes."
Isn't that....

Murder Must Advertise (Lord Peter Wimsey Mystery)
Dorothy L. Sayers
Manufacturer: HarperTorch
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Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0061043559

Amazon.com

When advertising executive Victor Dean dies from a fall down the stairs at Pym's Publicity, Lord Peter Wimsey is asked to investigate. It seems that, before he died, Dean had begun a letter to Mr. Pym suggesting some very unethical dealings at the posh London ad agency. Wimsey goes undercover and discovers that Dean was part of the fast crowd at Pym's, a group taken to partying and doing drugs. Wimsey and his brother-in-law, Chief-Inspector Parker, rush to discover who is running London's cocaine trade and how Pym's fits into the picture--all before Wimsey's cover is blown.

Book Description

When ad man Victor Dean falls down the stairs in the offices of Pym's Publicity, a respectable London advertising agency, it looks like an accident. Then Lord Peter Wimsey is called in, and he soon discovers there's more to copywriting than meets the eye. A bit of cocaine, a hint of blackmail, and some wanton women can be read between the lines. And then there is the brutal succession of murders -- 5 of them -- each one a fixed fee for advertising a deadly secret.

Customer Reviews:

Lord Peter at work.......2007-01-15

Like PG Wodehouse or the early Agatha Christie, this offers a window on a bygone British world (perhaps largely fictitious even then) in which every class had its place and its peculiar argot, and true noblesse oblige consisted in the ability to transcend such differences. At least this is one of the most likeable characteristics of the detective hero Lord Peter Wimsey, temporarily working under a pseudonym at a London advertising agency. This allows for an amusing send-up of the publicity business, at a time when success was measured by the ability to coin a catchy jingle. But you do need to be a Brit or a dyed-in-the-wool Anglophile to make much of it; the climax, for instance, depends on the detailed description of a cricket match. And as a mystery, this is one of Sayers' least successful, with the suspects insufficiently distinguished from one another, and the ending much less of a surprise than it ought to be.

An intriguing look at advertising, a mediocre mystery.......2006-08-07

The presence of Dorothy Sayers's aristocratic super detective Lord Peter Wimsey is not plainly evident when this book starts. Although you'll spot him, his actual identity isn't revealed for about 60 pages, but this leads to an interesting look at advertising in 1930's London. The settings and dialogue ring true as the characters gossip and work up ad campaigns for their clients. Then Lord Peter makes his official appearance and the book develops a split personality. The tale meanders to the London party scene and the plot folds under the weight of all this superfluous material. If Sayers had kept the mystery in the office it would have been great, but once we leave the comfy confines of Pym's Publicity, the story gets messy and Lord Peter's escapades as the mysterious Harlequin are basically pretty laughable.

What ho! Another delightful mystery novel from Sayers!.......2006-07-27

Lord Peter goes undercover as an advertising copywriter to investigate a mysterious death. His detective work leads him to explore the wild party scene of the 20's where he discovers a cocaine ring.

Lord Peter must exercise his considerable charm and social skills to penetrate what appears to be an accident and is in fact an almost perfect crime. He takes his middle names--Death Bredon--as his pseudonym, and his predilection for chit-chat is utilized to the utmost. He develops another alter ego to penetrate the cocaine ring that is as dark and mysterious as Bredon is civilized and chatty.

Like most of Sayers stories this book provides a slice of life from a time long past. The lives, relationships and values of middle class advertising employees are cleverly and sympathetically portrayed. In addition, there is an ingenious murder that must be solved by Lord Peter's intuitive and intensely analytical mind. Great stuff!

"They start new copywriters at four quid a week--about enough to pay for a pair of your shoes.".......2006-06-17

When Lord Peter Death Breden Wimsey, privately investigating the "accidental" death of an employee of an advertising firm, takes a copywriting job there, he raises curiosity among the female employees. Known on the job only as "Breden," he is regarded as "a cross between Ray Flynn and Bertie Wooster, " complete with silk socks and expensive shoes, and obviously not from the same background as the rest of the staff. Assigned to advertise Dairyfield's Margarine and "domestic" tea, he occupies the dead man's office, churning out slogans while poking into relationships and possible motivations for murder. He soon discovers that the dead man, with limited resources, actively participated in the drug culture of upperclass parties, though how he became involved is an open question.

Lord Peter, as aristocratic as his title would imply, is adventurous and imaginative, a man of action and intelligence who does not hesitate to get down and dirty if necessary (though he'd prefer not "too" dirty). With a "tongue that runs on ballbearings," he can talk his way into and out of almost any situation, and as an ad agency employee, he provides the reader with some terrific one-liners and quips as he tries to sell products. Author Dorothy Sayers, who worked in an advertising agency herself for seven years, brings the agency to life with all its petty infighting and cynicism, creating a vibrant environment in which Wimsey's familiar wordplay and cleverness can be highlighted during his investigation of the murder--and the gruesome murders which follow in its wake.

The author's total control is obvious as she carefully introduces quirky and memorable characters, provides Wimsey/Breden with a sounding board for his discoveries (his brother-in-law, a police superindendent), integrates him successfully into all levels of society, and creates a realistic picture of life in the 1930s--while keeping the reader completely engaged with the mystery and with Wimsey's shrewdness. The wordplay and dry humor throughout the novel are sheer delight, and the conclusion, in which Wimsey/Breden finds a unique way of bringing the investigation to a satisfying resolution comes as a surprise. Sometimes described as the best of the Lord Peter Wimsey series, this novel is a classic--as entertaining now as it was when it was written in 1933. n Mary Whipple

Isn't that...........2006-05-16

...Lord Peter Wimsey working in an advertising agency?

A young copy writer has met with a fatal on the job accident. But not everyone is so sure that it is an accident and Lord Peter is asked to look into the matter. Peter though is all too aware that at times being a well known, wealthy member of the aristocracy is not an advantage for undercover work and so arranges for that mysterious 'Death Bredon' who bears such a resemblance to him to take the job.

While there Bredon discovers that there is some sort of connection between the rather conservative advertising firm and a very large drug ring that has been plaguing the police, particularly Inspector Charles Parker. In the end all mysteries are solved but only after the reader has been taken into the work a day world of advertising, visited the drug scene, seen Lord Peter's domestic side and gone to a cricket match.

As always with this series Sayers has supplied a large but well defined cast. The reader is given a real taste for English office life of the 1920's. Old friends from previous works also appear including Inspector Parker and Lady Mary, now happily married and raising a young family.

The plot is clever, with the clues all fairly laid out for the reader to follow. The only problem is that at times the story does seem to drag, as if Sayers was determined to give the reader far more detail than needed. At one point even Lady Mary remarks "Then why not say so, instead of continually repeating yourelf?" A suggestion that Sayers would have done well to follow. Still it is a fun read, a definite must for any Lord Peter fans but anyone new to the series would do better to start with one of the earlier works.

Average customer rating:

another fine classic
The Franks Homer
Are you Kidding? Buy This Book!
"Mountjoy!" Surely thou dost geste....
A great epic poem

The Song of Roland (Penguin Classics)
Anonymous
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0140440755

Customer Reviews:

another fine classic.......2007-05-13

In "Mont St. Michel and Chartres" Henry James assures us that William the Conquerer listened to the Song of Roland in Mt. St. Michel before departing to conquer England. Besides, a number of operas are based on this story, notably Vivaldi's "Orlando Furioso." So this (along with the Arthur stories) was one of the basic stories of Western culture that I didn't know.

Well, now I do. I can recommend "Song of Roland" to anyone curious. It is what it is famous as: a fascinating look at the feudal chivalry of the Middle Ages, before the popularity of romances. If you are more interested in Renaissance than in Medieval cultures, you should consider Ariosto's "Orlando Furioso," which was also the basis of Vivaldi's opera.

I certainly got my money's worth with this book, but I'm not thrilled with the translator's efforts to reproduce the "feel" of the original in rythm and line-ending assonances; I would have prefered the most literal rendering possible rather than imaginatively warping things this way and that, with the result being a feeble imitation anyway. I'm also not overawed with the introduction. It had a little helpful historical background, but most of it was a retelling of the story and an analysis of the characters. It is probably, I'll admit, a good introduction for students, especially students who might not figure out the characters simply by reading the story. Of course, the thing could've been easier to read if not for the assonance scheme...

The Franks Homer.......2004-10-03

An utter epic that deserves to be read by anyone with an intrest in either literature or history.

Although there is controversy over the exact historical accuracy of this classic poem, it is based around the Charlemagne's campaigns against the Muslims in Northern Spain, around the late eighth century.

It reads like a Frankish iliad, real events draped in myth.

The poem has it all: enthralling plot, colourful charcaters, perfect timing.....

A gem!

Are you Kidding? Buy This Book!.......2004-08-28

This is "The Song Of Roland," as Dorothy Sayers remarks in the introduction to this fine translation, is 'the earliest, the most famous, and the greatest of those Old French epics which are called Songs of Seeds.'

This book, written around the end of the eleventh century, and recalling an actual disaster in 778 A.D., the anonymous poet describes in detail the betrayal and slaughter by Saracens the rearguard of Charlemagne's army under ROLAND at Rencevaux and Charlemagne's bitter revenge. Nowhere in literature is the medievel Code of Chivalry more perfectly expressed than in this masterly and exciting poem.

This text includes an extensive introduction to the Eurpoean Medieval world and provides explanations on civil and military costume.

"When Thierry feels the blade bite through his flesh,
And sees the blood upon the grass run red,
Then he lets drive a blow at Pinabel.
Down to the nasal he cleaves the bright steel helm,
Shears through the brain and spills it from his head,
Wrenches the blade out and shakes it from it dead.
With that great stroke he wins and makes an end.
The Franks all cry: "God's might is manifest!"

Yes!!!! Buy this book! You will not be disappointed.
Five stars. Without equal.

"Mountjoy!" Surely thou dost geste...........2004-02-21

This review relates to the volume -The Song of Roland-,
Translated and with an Introduction by Dorothy L. Sayers,
Penguin Classics, 1957 (first translation, 1937). 206 pp.
There seems little point in giving a work of world literature
a rating of stars as to whether it is better or lesser than
some other work of world literature, even of the same genre.
The rating for this review is based on this particular
edition and translation.
The excellent qualities of this Penguin edition include

the "Introduction." Sayers discusses this "earliest,
the most famous, and the greatest of those Old French
epics which are called Songs of Deeds." Her "Introduction"
is divided into the highly enlightening subsections titled:
The Poem; The Feudal Picture; Vassalage; Tokens; Chivalry;
The Rules of Battle; Nurture and Companionage; Horses and
Swords; and The Verse and the Translation. She says the
poem as we have it "would appear to have achieved its
final shape towards the end of the eleventh century." But
the events described in the epic took place in 778, and
"the anonymous poet describes in detail the betrayal and
slaughter by Saracens of the rearguard of Charlemagne's
army under Roland -- at Rencevaux -- and Charlemagne's
bitter revenge."
Perhaps most interesting in the "Introduction" are Ms.
Sayers' character studies. She sees that in Charlemagne,
"beneath this larger-than-life-size figure, we discern
another: the portrait of the ideal earthly sovereign --
just, prudent, magnanimous, and devout." She goes
further and posits that in the way he is described
in this epic he even seems like an early medieval version
of a "constitutional" monarch. "Beneath all this again
is the personal character of Charlemagne -- his stately
bearing, his courtesy, his valour and strength, his deep
religious feeling, his friendship for Naimon, his warm
affection for his nephew and the Peers.... He rides
and fights among his barons as the greatest baron of
them all."
Roland, on the other hand, in Ms. Sayers' view, has a
character which is "simplicity itself." "Rash, arrogant,
generous, outspoken to a fault, loyal, affectionate,
and single-minded, he has all the qualities that endear
a captain to his men and a romantic hero to his audience.
He has no subtlety at all; other men's minds are a closed
book to him." This particular view of Roland makes him
sound a little like a faithful pooch rather than a
chivalrous knight; and perhaps strains a bit of invective
at Romantics in believing that they prefer no subtlety
in their heroes.
The final aspect which Ms. Sayers stresses is the "essential
Christianity of the poem." "It is not merely Christian in
subject; it is Christian to its very bones." *** "And it
is a Christianity as naive and uncomplicated as might be
found at any time in the simplest village church." However,
it is a Christianity which has already made the concession
to the idea of "just wars" -- and killing for "the right
reasons." Augustine and Constantine take precedence over
Jesus.
This is a very readable translation and Ms. Sayers, who
received a degree in medieval literature from the
Somerville College, University of Oxford, in 1915, does
it great credit with a readable, engrossing translation.
Here is the section on the death of Roland himself (actually
it takes him 3 full stanzas to die; 174, 175, and 176,
even though it seems he has fully expired in the first --):
Now Roland feels death press upon him hard;
It is creeping down from his head to his heart.
Under a pine-tree he hastens him apart,
There stretches him face down on the green grass,
And lays beneath him his sword and Oliphant [his horn].
He's turned his head to where the Paynims are,
And this he doth for the French and for Charles,
Since fain is he that they should say, brave heart,
That he has died a conqueror at the last.
He beats his breast full many a time and fast,
Gives, with his glove, his sins into God's charge.
[174]
------------------
-- Robert Kilgore.

A great epic poem.......2003-08-13

The great French/Frank epic poem, the Song of Roland, stemmed out of an actual event. There really was a Roland--he was a nobleman of some kind. He and his party were ambushed and killed during Charlemagne's lifetime. But they were not fighting Saracen pagans. They were actually killed by a party of Basques. Also, Roland was not a major factor in this battle, but rather merely a participant.

Somewhere along the line a legend sprang up, and it gradually evolved and developed into what is now this poem. The poem is entertaining to read, and is a great example of Frank thought and prejudice (in making the villains Saracens). In fact, the opposing sides in the battle are Christians and Pagans, typical enemies from the period in which this was written.

This poem is epic in many respects, and is also tragic. Certainly Roland's flaw is his excessive overconfidence and pride (hubris), which prevent him from blowing his horn and petitioning aid for himself and his army. The battle sequences, which are very graphic, are reminiscent of The Iliad and the Aeneid, though this work does not measure up to either in greatness or epic grandeur. I have given the poem four stars in relation to similar works (such as The Iliad, the Aeneid, and the Odyssey). The poem is well-written and is an enjoyable read, but the poet was by no means as talented as the likes of Homer, Virgil, Dante, Milton, or the Beowulf poet. Still, this is one of history's great epic poems, and should be treated as such. Study of this poem is essential for anyone interested in the epic as a form of poetry.

Busman's Honeymoon: A Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane Mystery (Mystery Masters Series)
Average customer rating:

Worth your time.

The romantic conclusion of the series!

A Classic

A Love Story With Detective Interruptions

A romance with detective interruptions

Busman's Honeymoon: A Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane Mystery (Mystery Masters Series)
Dorothy L. Sayers
Manufacturer: The Audio Partners, Mystery Masters
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

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ASIN: 1572703172

Book Description

Newlyweds Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane are looking forward to a quiet, romantic honeymoon. Instead, after their first night in their new home, they discover its previous owner dead in the cellar - and with a pocketful of cash. Sayers's ingenious plotting and literate style make this mystery one of her best.

Customer Reviews:

Worth your time........2006-11-18

This entry in the Lord Peter Whimsey/Harriet Vane series is a little unusual because it has more humor than usual. You get to see a more light hearted Lord Peter, at least until the murder. Agatha Christi concentrates a little more on the relations between Lord Peter and Harriet, starting just after thier engagement and continuing through the honeymoon. You will have to sit through a lot of letter and journal reading in the beginning, but it is worth wading through for the background. A delightful story.

The romantic conclusion of the series!.......2006-08-06

Lord Peter and Harriet Vane are married. In a series of letters we learn the details of the wedding and honeymoon. Due to the malicious meddling of Lord Peter's sister-in-law and the hounding of the press, the bride and groom decide at the last minute to be married in a small chapel in Oxford. Harriet has asked Lord Peter to buy her a beautiful and ancient farmhouse in the country where they decide to go for their honeymoon.

The adjustment to marring someone with money is a hurdle for Harriet. She buys him an expensive wedding gift that is just right, and with the last of her money she buys a gold designer wedding dress from Worth which suits her dark beauty perfectly. Lord Peter has made her independently wealthy but she has difficulty understanding the details. All that matters is that she has completely given her heart to Peter.

However, the honeymoon is not the quiet country idyll the Wimseys were longing for. The discovery of a body in the basement of their new home causes Lord Peter and Harriet to be swept up in a murder investigation and the press are once again at their door. While distracting, the investigation does not keep them from sharing many deep passionate moments. It does, however, cause them to confront difficulties in their personalities and temperaments.

Sayers writes with her usual wonderful characterizations and evocative style. The reader is transported to 1930's England, a simpler more elegant time. The intricacies of a grisly murder investigation throw into relief the charm of the simple life. Yet somehow this story has a more somber tone than the other Lord Peter mysteries, perhaps because it is the last book of the series. At any rate, once again Sayers delivers prime entertainment and an enchanting detective mystery, only this time Lord Peter is finally in a settled relationship with his beloved.

A Classic.......2006-02-12

Busman's Honeymoon is a classic which deserves to be read and reread for a long time to come. It's beautifully written--funny, sad and suspenseful. Peter Wimsey is an extremely sympathetic character.

A Love Story With Detective Interruptions.......2004-07-11

Summer 2004 Reading List - Mini Review

I was intrigued by the premise of this book: An accomplished detective and a famous mystery writer marry, only to discover a corpse in the cellar of their recently purchased home the day after their wedding.

This book is subtitled "A Love Story With Detective Interruptions" and lives up to that billing. I had not read any of the previous books in the Lord Peter Wimsey series but I did not find this an impediment. Sayers did a good job of making Busman's Honeymoon accesible as either a stand alone novel or part of her Wimsey/Vane story line. I so liked the characters that I am going to try to read previous installments in the series.

A romance with detective interruptions.......2004-04-30

This is the 13th Lord Peter novel, and the fourth in the Lord Peter/Harriet Vane story. This is definitely NOT a good place to begin the series.

BUSMAN'S HONEYMOON begins shortly after GAUDY NIGHT. The opening chapter consists of letters and diary enteries from their family and friends concerning the wedding. For fans of the series these are hilarious portraits of the various characters, the delightful Dowager Duchess, the obnoxious Duchess of Denver, the unflappable Bunter and others.

The newly wed Wimseys take up the action after their escape from the reception as they drive to their honeymoon destination, their newly purchased weekend cottage, 'Talboys'. The carefully arranged plans for a peaceful honemoon begin to come apart at their arrival. The house is cold, dark and locked, the former owner nowhere to be found, and no one apears to be aware of their pending arrival. These obstacles are overcome, the family takes up residence but the next day the missing former owner turns up - dead in the basement.

Naturally the Wimseys solve the crime as they sort out the details of their new life.

The only flaw I see with this novel is that the mystery aspect is a bit labored. Sayers was quite fond of the 'time-table' sort of mystery but tended to belabor the point. This, coupled with the array of characters/suspects that appear and are all given quite a lot of action, cause the story to drag a bit. Still, the solution is clever, the characters are charming and the scenes between Peter and Harriet are gems, finally resolving their 5 year (and 4 book) romance.

The biggest problem with this novel is that it is the last full-length book in the series. Even though we were given farewell glimpses of many old friends from earlier books it is still sad to say goodbye.

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