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3.78 AVERAGE
3.78 AVERAGE
Fantastic. Already nabbed the next one from the library.
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
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
The mystery was very engaging, my favorite so far, but far more period-typical racist language than was in previous books knocked my rating down
Content Warnings
Minor: Racial slurs, Racism, Suicide, Violence
Lord Peter and his friend Chief Inspector Parker overhear a doctor talking about the death of one of his patients that he didn't think was natural and an unofficial investigation begins. A clever late 20's mystery involving strange nagging details surrounding the death of a wealthy childless woman prior to the changing of inheritance laws. Whimsey hires Miss Climpson to investigate where he thinks he won't be able to get information and a clever plot is uncovered. A fun read with good characters and twists that kept me reading to find out who done it.
I really enjoyed the mystery, but the rampant sexism and racism made me cringe. Just because something is a product of its time doesn't make reading it any less horrible. Looking beyond that, this one had a memorable plot (based in probate law!) and some well-drawn characters, but the story went on too long and the finish was weak. Still a solid cozy.
There is a biography written by Peter Wimsey's uncle at the start of the edition I read. Although it was an entertaining few pages, it revealed things about the characters which I am yet to learn. This was a little sad since I had no inkling about what was to happen to the people I encountered in the previous story (I had no prior knowledge whatsoever about this author or series' content).
The plot itself was quite convoluted. It begins with a chance meeting where a doctor talks of a case he had where the circumstances of death were odd. He was the only one who cried murder and was not rewarded for his vigilance with any form of proof. Peter Wimsey immediately tries to put things together, starting with who the doctor was since he declined to give his name. Then he sets off on an almost futile quest. He has a new assistant now, a diligent woman Miss Climpson. She is a singularly compelling character who writes letters which seem to be all in italics, I wonder if everyone voiced it the way I did in my head!
The case is almost non-existent until Peter dregs it up, his faithful friend and official man Parker continue to chide him while secretly agreeing with him. This was a pleasure to read albeit a little long (or it felt like that), and I had to make a few stops before getting back to it. I intend to complete this series while I am still enjoying the narrative style. Wish me luck.
The plot itself was quite convoluted. It begins with a chance meeting where a doctor talks of a case he had where the circumstances of death were odd. He was the only one who cried murder and was not rewarded for his vigilance with any form of proof. Peter Wimsey immediately tries to put things together, starting with who the doctor was since he declined to give his name. Then he sets off on an almost futile quest. He has a new assistant now, a diligent woman Miss Climpson. She is a singularly compelling character who writes letters which seem to be all in italics, I wonder if everyone voiced it the way I did in my head!
The case is almost non-existent until Peter dregs it up, his faithful friend and official man Parker continue to chide him while secretly agreeing with him. This was a pleasure to read albeit a little long (or it felt like that), and I had to make a few stops before getting back to it. I intend to complete this series while I am still enjoying the narrative style. Wish me luck.
I enjoyed most of this mystery, though it took a while to get going. Also, whoa, heads up for the n-word in a couple of places.
I enjoyed this one more than the last book in this series I read (which actually came later as I've been reading them in a slightly random order). It's got the right balance of twists in the plot and complexity without becoming difficult to follow. I also managed to guess part of the plot before the characters did, which is a first for me with this series, so I found that satisfying even though the end of the book is slightly more downbeat than the others I've read.
The only slight downside to these books is the kind of casual racism which must have been common in this period. In this book there's a jarring and slightly funny moment where a character is mentioned who is more racist than them and they pat themselves on the back for their more enlightened views, which are still pretty racist. Aside from that I found this book a fun and enjoyable read once the plot gets going.
The only slight downside to these books is the kind of casual racism which must have been common in this period. In this book there's a jarring and slightly funny moment where a character is mentioned who is more racist than them and they pat themselves on the back for their more enlightened views, which are still pretty racist. Aside from that I found this book a fun and enjoyable read once the plot gets going.
there's a lot of weird stuff in here to be unpacked! vera findlater deserved better :(
I started this book some time last year and finally finished it. I am finding that classic murder mysteries are the perfect genre for this season of the pandemic. Serious themes, a death or two or three, dispassionate but creative examination of the facts and a satisfying resolution. There is a righting of the world, truth wins out, evil is present but vanquished for the time. Dorothy Sayers is a master of the well written, intelligent murder mystery and Lord Peter is growing in character and likeability.
