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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
(Trois virgule cinq mais on va y aller avec quatre parce que les vacances me rendent généreuse.)
Belle petite histoire tordue d’English countryside, de vieilles rancunes, de pierres précieuses volées & jamais retrouvées, d’églises beaucoup trop grandes pour leur paroisse & (étrangement) des dures réalités des zones inondables. Avec Sayers, le mystère à résoudre comprend toujours une affaire très technique que je me donne jamais la peine d’essayer de comprendre; dans The Nine Tailors, c’est l’art presque perdu du sonnage de cloches, ici la base (spoilers?) d’un code secret immensément compliqué pour rien. Mais sinon, l’intrigue coule toute seule, presque sans temps morts, et, au final, l’histoire parle autant de solidarité à petite échelle que de crime. La bienveillance de certains personnages vient presque contrebalancer l’odieux des méchants — mais pas tout à fait. Les détectives serviraient pas à grand-chose, sinon.
Belle petite histoire tordue d’English countryside, de vieilles rancunes, de pierres précieuses volées & jamais retrouvées, d’églises beaucoup trop grandes pour leur paroisse & (étrangement) des dures réalités des zones inondables. Avec Sayers, le mystère à résoudre comprend toujours une affaire très technique que je me donne jamais la peine d’essayer de comprendre; dans The Nine Tailors, c’est l’art presque perdu du sonnage de cloches, ici la base (spoilers?) d’un code secret immensément compliqué pour rien. Mais sinon, l’intrigue coule toute seule, presque sans temps morts, et, au final, l’histoire parle autant de solidarité à petite échelle que de crime. La bienveillance de certains personnages vient presque contrebalancer l’odieux des méchants — mais pas tout à fait. Les détectives serviraient pas à grand-chose, sinon.
I don't think I have read any Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries before - or if I did it was 35 years ago. Which is strange because I read so many Agatha Christies, Ngaio Marshes, Margery Allinghams. I clearly like my British cozies.
After reading the biography of Dorothy Sayers in Francesca Wade's Square Haunting, I thought I should try at least one of her books. Nine Tailors was a good mystery. I felt I could see a bit of Dorothy Sayers' personality coming through. She clearly did research on bell ringing. The pacing and revelations were excellent. It was released in 1934 and the action took place in 1930ish - it was dated but not painfully so.
And best of all, I didn't figure out.
After reading the biography of Dorothy Sayers in Francesca Wade's Square Haunting, I thought I should try at least one of her books. Nine Tailors was a good mystery. I felt I could see a bit of Dorothy Sayers' personality coming through. She clearly did research on bell ringing. The pacing and revelations were excellent. It was released in 1934 and the action took place in 1930ish - it was dated but not painfully so.
And best of all, I didn't figure out.
Nine Tailors...but not the kind of tailors you might think.
informative
mysterious
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Good classic crime novel with a unique set up and solution. The real star of the novel was it's setting in the Fens and the world of change ringing, wich Sayers evokes with her usual lovely tone. Characters in the village could have been drawn out more.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Violence
Despite being written in the 1930s didn't have passages that would make a modern reader uncomfortable, no overt prejudice
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Minor: Antisemitism
The last of the original Peter Wimsey books by Sayers that I haven't read (not the last in the series, just the last one I've read). I had no idea what change ringing was when I started this book. I'm still not sure what it is exactly, but I know a LOT more about it now.
Peter and Bunter are in fine form in this book, which is just as well since other characters (Harriet Vane, Miss Climpson, Parker) either don't appear at all or have a mere cameo.
Well constructed plot, memorable characters, and Sayers own flair for the arcane.
Peter and Bunter are in fine form in this book, which is just as well since other characters (Harriet Vane, Miss Climpson, Parker) either don't appear at all or have a mere cameo.
Well constructed plot, memorable characters, and Sayers own flair for the arcane.
The level of information I now have about bell ringing and fen drainage is completely unnecessary. This was NOT a fun murder mystery. It was a real drag.
85/104 - 1934 - The Nine Tailors by Dorothy Sayers
Another mystery from my late grandmother’s bookcase, with yellowed pages and a cover I had to tape back on. Thanks to my grandmother, any modern cover on a golden age mystery will always feel wrong in my hands.
I really enjoyed this mystery too. It had a slow start, but once the mystery gets going, I was hooked. This one is quite different from Gaudy Night. The atmosphere and mystery are excellent, and the end surprised me. And there’s a cleverness to the structure of this book that I can’t say I completely grasped, since I know so little about change ringing. I really want to read more Dorothy Sayer books. There’s something about her writing that makes it feel a little more than your average cozy mystery.
Highly recommend this one to mystery fans.
Another mystery from my late grandmother’s bookcase, with yellowed pages and a cover I had to tape back on. Thanks to my grandmother, any modern cover on a golden age mystery will always feel wrong in my hands.
I really enjoyed this mystery too. It had a slow start, but once the mystery gets going, I was hooked. This one is quite different from Gaudy Night. The atmosphere and mystery are excellent, and the end surprised me. And there’s a cleverness to the structure of this book that I can’t say I completely grasped, since I know so little about change ringing. I really want to read more Dorothy Sayer books. There’s something about her writing that makes it feel a little more than your average cozy mystery.
Highly recommend this one to mystery fans.
adventurous
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Loved this, another strong mystery novel from Dorothy Sayers. This one was more suspenseful than others of hers I’ve read, possibly because I actually read it in pretty big chunks vs in 20-minute increments over a longer period of time. It is very heavy on the change-ringing lore and if you’re unfamiliar I’d recommend reading or watching a bit about that first so you know what she’s talking about. The pace dragged a little bit toward the end and there were a couple of times I wanted to shout “get on with it!” But overall the book moved well and was well worth the read!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Violence
Moderate: Ableism