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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
Lord Peter Wimsey steps in as a bellringer in a quiet country church and soon finds himself investigating the murder of an unidentified man found in the churchyard.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This crime classic features a body in a grave which you think would be okay. But this body wasn’t in a coffin, was dismembered and didn’t belong in the grave in question. In addition Lord Peter Wimsey suspected it may be connected to some valuable emeralds that went missing from the same small village fifteen years earlier. I appreciated the intricate plotting, the characterisation (especially the village minister), and the way British village life was perfectly captured. However, I read a lot more about campanology (the art of bell ringing) than I cared to. The information dumps, while necessary, impeded the narrative flow.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Murder
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Read it and loved it a long time ago. Reread as audio and enjoyed it very much and realized again what a wild and meta kind of writing is going on — change ringing math throughout, including in the arrangement of the chapters and parts. Peculiarly British, and fascinating. I also love it when murder mysteries acknowledge the real sorrow and pain that investigations bring up, and this one has that melancholy habit.
A most excellent mystery starring Lord Peter Wimsey. We have missing emeralds, an unidentified corpse in the churchyard, and strange clues popping up all over the place, as well as a rather ominous old set of nine bells. If you like your action to start right off the bat, this one might not be for you; it twists and turns and ultimately covers an entire year in "book time." Those who stick with it will be amply rewarded, however. This is counted as among Sayers finest mysteries, and I can see why.
Sadly I found this to be the least engrossing Peter Wimsey novel I've read so far. Ian Carmichael's voice is great though!
Clever and fun to read, with an unexpected ending. I like her detective fiction works.
I made 3 or 4 attempts at this and finally did it. Absolutely nothing happens until more than 25% into it. Reading about the bells in the beginning was excruciating, and everything about the river was boring as hell. I understand why it was in there and I must admit that at least the period of bell ringing seemed to me to last an eternity which is significant to the plot.
Parts were interesting. I don’t even know. Let’s say 3, though that’s way generous if we are rating this in terms of my enjoyment.
Parts were interesting. I don’t even know. Let’s say 3, though that’s way generous if we are rating this in terms of my enjoyment.
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes