h2g2 - The Lord Peter Wimsey novels of Dorothy L Sayers - Edited Entry To The Galaxy Earth Edition The Lord Peter Wimsey novels of Dorothy L Sayers Content from the guide to life, the universe and everything The Lord Peter Wimsey novels of Dorothy L Sayers Created 5 Conversations As my Whimsy takes me. - motto of the Wimsey family. Dorothy Leigh Sayers (1893 - 1957) wrote 20 short stories 1 and 11 novels (plus one further unfinished novel) featuring one of the finest detectives ever created. One of the particular joys of the books is the manner in which the characters are developed throughout the series. They also present a portrait of the English upper classes between the World Wars, bringing its atmosphere to life and preserving a snapshot of a bygone age. Sayers' keen sense of observation presents the reader with a rich level of detail which is much more involving than a straightforward history can achieve. Some of the books can be a little difficult to read - Sayers was a very intelligent woman who liked to show off. Several of them are peppered with quotes from obscure poets and phrases in Latin and French .

Don't let the occasional obscurity prevent you reading 2 this wonderful series of books. They are definite classics of 'Golden Age' detective fiction. The Main Characters Lord Peter Death Bredon Wimsey is the younger brother of the 16th Duke of Denver. Independently wealthy, when we first meet him he lives in a bachelor flat at 110a Piccadilly, London, attended by his faithful manservant - the invaluable (and imperturbable) Bunter. His main interests are collecting rare books and manuscripts, music and criminology. He is an expert on matters of food (especially wine) and male fashion and loves to drive at speed in the latest of a succession of Daimler cars all named 'Mrs. Merdle' after a character in Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens . In appearance, he is short and slim with a long face, large nose and fair hair. Presenting the image of a 'Bertie Wooster' type of idle man-about-town, he is in fact extremely intelligent, with a first class honours degree (in Modern History) from Balliol College, Oxford 3 .

Bunter: Peter's invaluable manservant, whom he met when he served with him in the war. Bunter is a man of at least as many talents as Lord Peter, photography in particular being almost an obsession. He is also extremely useful for gaining information from the domestic servants of suspects. Inspector Charles Parker: Peter's friend and ally at Scotland Yard. Hard-working and conventional, Parker is an excellent foil for Wimsey's brilliance. Harriet Vane: An author of detective novels. A country doctor's daughter with an Oxford degree, she is an intelligent and independent young lady. Described as 'not pretty, but what you would call striking-looking'. The Wimsey Family The Duke of Denver, Peter's elder brother Gerald, is 'handsome and stupid in a country-family sort of way', and disapproves of his brother's involvement in criminal cases. His wife, Helen, is a complete snob and a 'long-necked, long-backed woman, who disciplined her hair and her children'. Lady Mary Wimsey, Peter's younger sister, who is first shown as a 'bright young thing' struggling with a social conscience and Communist leanings. The Dowager Duchess of Denver, Peter's mother.

A small, plump woman with a very lively mind, she is devoted to her younger son. Lord St. George, 'Jerry', Peter's nephew and heir to the duchy. A rather wild and headstrong young man. Paul Delagardie, Peter's uncle. Resident in France and a hardened old roué, he appears mostly in the form of letters and a biographical note on Peter attached to some of the novels. There are also other recurring characters among whom perhaps the most notable are; Miss Katherine Climpson (an elderly spinster who runs a typing agency set up by Lord Peter - as a cover for investigating suspicious characters), Sir Impey Biggs (a brilliant QC, whose hobby is breeding budgerigars), Mr. Murbles (the Wimsey family solicitor), Freddy Arbuthnot (Peter's friend and a source of financial information) and Inspector Sugg (the obligatory stupid policeman - who fades away as the series develops). The Novels Whose Body? The dead body of a complete stranger turns up in an architect's bathtub . By chance, Lord Peter hears of this and decides to assist. At the same time Parker is searching for a missing financier - are the two cases linked?

The first Wimsey story published, this novel is also the weakest of the series but shows signs of the excellence to come. Clouds of Witness Following on from the events of the previous book Peter rushes back from holiday upon finding his brother, the Duke of Denver accused of murdering their sister's fiance. The interested parties all appear to have matters which they would prefer to remain hidden and it is up to Peter and his friend, Inspector Parker, to discover what actually took place on the fateful night. Despite several rather melodramatic passages this book shows the beginnings of the development and real depth of character that makes this series stand out. Unnatural Death Whilst having dinner with Parker, Peter meets a young doctor who tells them of an elderly patient he cared for who mysteriously died while under his care. He raised suspicions of murder - but could not prove anything - which badly damaged his reputation. Peter suspects something and decides to investigate. He has Miss Climpson (see above) visit the town in question to find out about the woman, her nurse, and the murder of one of the housekeepers who had worked there at the time. This novel continues to flesh out Peter's character and completes what might be considered to be the development stage of the series.

The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club The 'Unpleasantness' revolves around the means and time of death of 90-year-old General Fentiman who is found dead in his chair at his club. No one noticed for hours that he was dead and during those hours his wealthy sister also died, resulting in a legal battle between their heirs over which died first. Lord Peter continues to develop from simply being a 'silly-ass dilettante' who solves murders out of boredom into a far more interesting character. We also discover something of his experiences in World War I where he was buried alive and suffered a nervous breakdown. Strong Poison Lord Peter attends a murder trial where the accused is Harriet Vane, a writer of detective fiction, charged with murdering her former lover. If Lord Peter cannot prove she is innocent she will hang - what makes it more of a problem is that he has fallen in love with her. Unfortunately, all the clues seem to point to Harriet as the only one who could have given Philip Boyes the arsenic that killed him. Strong Poison marks a big change in the character of Peter Wimsey and introduces Harriet Vane as the love interest in the series.

An independent and intelligent young woman, she distrusts her feelings and refuses his proposal. Five Red Herrings The Five Red Herrings of the title are among the six suspects in the murder of an artist in the village of Kirkcudbright, Scotland. Whoever killed Campbell also painted a landscape in his style to confuse the time of death, so it had to be one of the six other artists in the village, and they all had reasons for murder. Now Lord Peter Wimsey has to figure out who done it and which are the five red herrings. This book has a very complex plot and is particularly recommended to those who prefer to have to think about their whodunnits. Have His Carcase Recovering from her ordeal in Strong Poison, Harriet Vane takes off on a hiking trip along the seashore, where she discovers the body of a man with his throat recently cut. Lord Peter turns up to help her deal with press and police, and together they work to solve the crime. This novel brings Peter and Harriet together on a case for the first time and we see their relationship grow closer. The case also features an ingenious cipher message that Peter and Harriet must crack.

Murder Must Advertise Lord Peter takes up employment as a copywriter for an advertising agency under the pseudonym of 'Death Bredon' (his middle names), investigating the recent death of one of the employees. In the process he finds out what it is like to actually work for a living. Most of the action takes place in an advertising agency, a setting with which Sayers was very familiar. Many considered this to be the best book of the series, although she herself is said to have considered it something of a failure. The Nine Tailors Stranded by accident in the Fen district of England 4 Lord Peter not only joins the locals in ringing an historic peal of 'changes 5 ' but also uses his knowledge of bell-ringing to solve a 20-year-old mystery involving the theft of an emerald necklace. The title refers to the custom of ringing a church bell nine times to signal the death of a man of the parish (six times for a woman). The local colour in the book is outstanding and one of the characters, the Reverend Mr. Venables, is said to be an affectionate portrait of Sayers' own minister father.

Gaudy Night Harriet Vane attends a reunion (Gaudy) at her (fictional) Oxford alma mater, Shrewsbury College. A series of poison pen letters threaten to escalate into something more serious, luckily Lord Peter arrives to help her uncover the culprit. Against the background of the academic world of Oxford, quite brilliantly described by Sayers, Harriet faces up to her feelings and realises that she loves Peter - and finally accepts his proposal of marriage. Busman's Honeymoon Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane finally marry and arrange to spend their honeymoon at Talboys, an Elizabethan farmhouse she had loved as a child. When the previous owner is found dead in the cellar, the newly-weds work together to solve the mystery of his murder. As Peter and Harriet investigate the murder, we also get to watch the development of their relationship into a true partnership. Thrones, Dominations Returning from finishing their honeymoon on the continent, Lord and Lady Peter Wimsey are settling into their new home in London. A beautiful former fashion model married to a wealthy man who worships her is murdered, and the Wimseys are back in harness.

Thrones, Dominations was begun by Sayers in 1936 but abandoned. It was completed by Jill Paton Walsh and published in 1998. The title is a quote from John Milton's 'Paradise Lost'. Sayers's notes apparently comprise most of the first six chapters but do not include the names of the murderer or even the victim. Related BBC Links Or if you're happy just to see how the experts do it, visit BBC Books . 1 With some amazing titles - a favourite being 'The Piscatorial Farce of the Stolen Stomach.' 2 Most of the novels have at various times been adapted for television and audio recordings if you would prefer to take a simpler option. 3 As well as a cricket 'blue' - meaning he represented the University at the game. 4 Low-lying country reclaimed from flooding, a plot element in itself. 5 The peculiarly English art of ringing combinations of bells . 1000+ images about Dorothy L. Sayers - Lord Peter Wimsey on Pinterest | Playwright, Dorothy l sayers and Essayist Learn more at amazon.com Lord Peter: A Collection of All the Lord Peter Wimsey Stories by Dorothy L.

Sayers These mystery stories are set in England between WWI and WWII. Lord Peter Wimsey is part of the aristocracy and solves crimes on the side. If you love mysteries, you will love these books! More Our Book Discussion on "Whose Body?" by Dorothy L. Sayers Our Book Discussion on "Whose Body?" by Dorothy L. Sayers September 20, 2014 Crime school was in session last Thursday night when Murder Among Friends (MAF) met to discuss this year’s Lion of the Genre: Dorothy L. Sayers and the very first Lord Peter Wimsey novel, Whose Body? We shared some background on the author and the Golden Age mystery writing period that she was such an integral part of, and how it established many of the mystery writing “conventions” – particularly in the traditional mystery genre. This included such things as having a point in the story where the chief sleuth (here, Lord Peter) mulls over a list of events or things they have learned and say something to the effect of “By Jove! Now I have it!” while the poor reader is saying “Noooo – what do you mean you have it?

How could you possibly have figured it out from that list?” We don’t see many mysteries using this today, but then we talked a bit about how puzzle-solving mysteries of the classic “whodunit” type are less in favor right now. The most popular trend is in more the “how-dunit” vein of fast-paced thrillers. Here the “how” is more focused on how will the criminal be caught, or how will the hero escape. We talked about how the fact that this was written in a different age, also contributed to a slower paced, more detailed style of narration than many of today’s readers have patience for. We particularly got a kick out of the fact that in a later Wimsey novel he and his true love express their feelings for each other – in Latin! We talked about the fact that Sayers was an Oxford educated scholar, and both a literary and liturgical writer who was highly respected for her work in both areas. This, together with the circle of friends and writers she had known, would have made some of the more esoteric points she makes about Lord Peter and his friends perfectly believable, and even necessary to both his aristocratic position and the educational level he had available to him as a member of the upper class.

As a younger son, he is free from the demands of conventional noble life and is able to indulge his passions for book collecting, music, travel – and crime-solving. We talked at length about how his boredom was the main factor that led him to trying to solve crimes, and how given his rank, his intellect, and his history with successful crime solving, he was able to insert himself into the case of the body in the tub without a fuss being made by the police. The fact that he is best friends with Inspector Parker and has influential friends in high places doesn’t hurt him either. And the times he lived in were far different than those of today’s CSI-oriented practices – both here and in England. Note: We now he was involved in at least one famous case referred to as the case of Lord Attenbury’s emeralds. Jill Paton Walsh, who has continued the Lord Peter stories, has actually written a Lord Peter novel called The Attenbury Emeralds – which we have in the Lisle Library collection! Just click on the title to go to our catalog link for this book. We also talked about how influenced this first book in particular is, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes.

Sayers is clearly trying to create a noble British counterpoint to Holmes. She mentions Holmes a number of times, has Peter quoting him and has references from previous cases of Holmes. The use of naming this previous case of Peter’s in this very first book, is one of Doyle’s own conventions for Sherlock – and is how a number of pastiches and novels have been created in the Sherlockian vein by picking up on some case Holmes or Watson refers to, but are never expounded on by Watson. We also talked about how this book has some of the problems that first books often have for authors: too lengthy exposition, particularly in Freke’s letter, not enough about secondary characters, etc. Despite these flaws, we felt that Whose Body? gives a great introduction to Wimsey’s style, Bunter’s abilities, and establishes key connections for books further into the series, especially the next book, Clouds of Witness where we become intimately acquainted with Peter’s family, especially the older brother, Gerald, the Duke of Denver – here seen in just a brief passage during Peter’s retreat to Denver. Both the Dowager Duchess, so much a part of Whose Body?

and the present Duchess, Gerald’s wife, as well as Peter’s younger sister Mary comprise the main cast of Clouds of Witness. Discussion then followed about the later books featuring Harriet Vane and how she can be seen as a variation on Sayers herself, and how Sayers had stated that Lord Peter was her ideal man. We talked about how her personal life had been quite tumultuous, and had included an illegitimate child that no one knew about until after her death. Her professional life on the other hand, saw great success in her translation of Dante’s Divine Comedy, and her friendships with J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and G.K. Chesterton. She was also instrumental in establishing the Detection Club with other professional mystery writers and the (tongue-in-cheek) “rules” for writing mysteries. These “rules” later rebounded on the head of Agatha Christie when she wrote a previous discussion book of ours, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. Sayers was one of Christie’s defenders & helped her to keep her membership in the Detection Club. We also segued into the DVD Sayers fan favorite debate: Ian Carmichael as Wimsey or Edward Petherbridge?

I mentioned that most fans seem to like Ian Carmichael best for really capturing the character of Wimsey, even though he was a bit too old to be playing the younger Wimsey he played in Clouds of Witness, The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club, Five Red Herrings, The Nine Tailors, and Murder Must Advertise. Petherbridge, and his co-star Harriet Walter, in particular, were a better match to Sayers' descriptions of Wimsey and Harriet Vane. The two played Wimsey and Harriet in Strong Poison, Have His Carcase, and Gaudy Night. We have both actors sets of DVDs in the Lisle Library collection! Before wrapping up, I mentioned that we are very fortunate to have nearby the Wade collection at Wheaton College which includes many papers by Dorothy L. Sayers, as well as objects and papers of J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. This includes the wardrobe that C.S. Lewis owned when writing The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. NOTE: We are looking into having a MAF Field Trip to go see this collection, and (hopefully) get some insights from a Sayers expert.

There will be more posted here as I am able to get things worked out! Also, the other handouts we had will be appearing in the page on Sayers that will also be up on this blog soon. Share this: Dorothy L. Sayers: The Lord Peter Wimsey Stories Dorothy L. Sayers: The Lord Peter Wimsey Stories A Chronology of Lord Peter Wimsey Stories I created this page because back when I started reading the Peter Wimsey stories - around 1999 - I wanted to know what order to read them in. To my surprise, no one had assembled such a page on the Web. So I decided to give it a shot myself. The goal of this chronology is to provide a guide for the order in which the stories should be read, and therefore I've avoided giving spoilers in this chronology. Lord Peter Wimsey (Character) - Quotes Lord Peter Wimsey (Character) "A Dorothy L. Sayers Mystery: Strong Poison: Episode One (#1.1)" (1987) [Thinking about Harriet Vane] Lord Peter Wimsey : She has a sense of humor... and brains... life wouldn't be dull.

One would wake up, and there would be a whole day full of jolly things to do. And then we would come home and go to bed... and that would be jolly too. Harriet Vane : Have I got this right? You are proposing marriage to me? Lord Peter Wimsey : I don't positively repel you or anything like that, do I? [Peter is visiting Harriet in prison, meeting her for the first time] Lord Peter Wimsey : But, um, you're not opposed to matrimony on principle? I mean if offered on terms not already compromised, and by the right person, naturally. Harriet Vane : Might I ask why? Lord Peter Wimsey : Makes it easier for me, you see. Harriet Vane : [after a pause] Have I got this right? You are proposing marriage to me? Harriet Vane : And you're serious now? Lord Peter Wimsey : Oh, I know I've got a silly face, but I can't help that. And I am. Serious, I mean. Lord Peter Wimsey : I-I-I'm not, um, trying to blackmail you into matrimony.

I mean, I would investigate this case for the fun of the thing. Harriet Vane : That's very good of you. Lord Peter Wimsey : No, no, no, not at all, it's my hobby. I mean investigating things, not proposing to people. Harriet Vane : Being a writer of detective fiction, I have naturally studied your career with interest. Lord Peter Wimsey : Well, that's good, because then you'll understand that I'm not such an ass as I'm appearing at present. Chief Inspector Charles Parker : [writing a note] "Boyes - query arsenic." Anything else? Lord Peter Wimsey : Yes. Find out if Boyes visited any pub, in the neighbourhood of Doughty Street between 9:50 and 10:10 on the night of January 20th, if he met anybody, and what he took to drink. Chief Inspector Charles Parker : [keeps writing] "Boyes - query pub." Lord Peter Wimsey : And thirdly, find out if any bottle or paper that might have contained arsenic was picked up in that district. Chief Inspector Charles Parker : Oh, is that all?

Well, perhaps you'd also like me to trace the bus ticket dropped by Mrs. Brown outside Selfridge's in the last Christmas rush? Lord Peter Wimsey : Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go see a man about a dog - or I should say, a parson about his son. Chief Inspector Charles Parker : [about Harriet] I don't give much for her chances. Lord Peter Wimsey : Where there's life, there's hope! Lord Peter Wimsey : [to Freddy about Harriet's trial] She's innocent, my pessimistic chum, and prove it I'm going to. Lord Peter Wimsey : [Referring to the Vane Murder Trial] What did you think of the verdict? Pond : Ooo, very surprised... surprised indeed! Seemed a clear enough case, but then juries are so unreliable - especially nowadays, my lord with women on them. Lord Peter Wimsey : [Seemingly agreeing or understanding] Mmm. Pond : We see a good deal of the fair sex in the profession, and very few of them are remarkable for possessing the... uh... legal mind.

Lord Peter Wimsey : However true that is, still without them, there'd be much less litigation, so it's all good for business. Pond : [Chuckles] Very good, my lord. Very good. I am and old-fashioned man. The ladies - when they adorned and inspired - did not take any active part in affairs. "A Dorothy L. Sayers Mystery: Strong Poison: Episode Two (#1.2)" (1987) Harriet Vane : You are bearing in mind, aren't you, that I've had a lover? Lord Peter Wimsey : Oh, yes, so've I. Several, in fact. It's the sort of thing that could happen to anyone. I can produce quite good testimonials. I'm told I make love rather nicely. Though I am at a bit of a disadvantage at the moment. One can't be too convincing at the other end of the table with a bloke looking in the window. Harriet Vane : I'll take your word for it. Harriet Vane : Peter, people have been wrongly condemned before now. Lord Peter Wimsey : Only because I wasn't there. Harriet Vane : Oh, I never thought of that.

Lord Peter Wimsey : I don't suppose you have the faintest idea how to pick a lock, Miss Murchison? Miss Murchison : [Clearly shocked at the question] I'm... afraid... not - no idea whatsoever! Lord Peter Wimsey : [Shaking his head ruefully] I sometimes wonder what we went to school for. Lord Peter Wimsey : I'm rather unusual. Haven't you noticed? Sylvia Marriott : I've not had time to observe you, but I'll take the coffee as a point in your favor. Chief Inspector Parker : [Reprovingly] Your vision is clouded because of her - Harriet Vane! Peter, can you tell me in all honesty that you're not allowing your judgement to be affected by your emotions? Lord Peter Wimsey : Yes, I can. Harriet Vane : [as Peter walks in for a prison visitation] Can't help being a gentleman, can you? Lord Peter Wimsey : Afraid not... drilled in when I was too young to resist. Det. Supt. Charles Parker : Suicide... you know the trouble with this case? There were too many clues. Lord Peter Wimsey : Indeed.

Dozens of people with secrets and elopements barging about all over the place. Lady Mary Wimsey : And besides, I... Lord Peter Wimsey : You will be much happier without me hanging about, is that it? Det. Supt. Charles Parker : What? I don't know what you mean. Lord Peter Wimsey : Well, that makes two of you, don't it? Lord Peter Wimsey : What would you say, Bunter? A satisfactory conclusion? Mervyn Bunter : Yes indeed, my lord. Satisfactory in almost every respect. Lord Peter Wimsey : In what respect not satisfactory? Mervyn Bunter : Something entirely personal to myself, my lord. There is a saying to the effect, "it is better to journey than to arrive." Lord Peter Wimsey : Yes, I feel exactly the same. Only this time it's been a lot more exhausting than any I can remember. Too near home, I suppose. Mervyn Bunter : My sentiments exactly, my lord. Lord Peter Wimsey : [to Simone] I've traveled 3000 miles to see you, madamoiselle.

Lucius Grant : [In a plane above the Atlantic] We're past the point of no return, so it's England here we come! Lord Peter Wimsey : [Assuming the identity of his fictional cousin Bredon] I think that my appearance will disappoint you except that I am handsome and less rabbity-looking. Whoever has seen Wimsey has seen me. Lord Peter Wimsey : [to Milligan and Dian] What will you have to drink? Whiskies? Major Todd Milligan : Oh, well, uh... Lord Peter Wimsey : Yes, I rather feared you might. The abominable habit of pouring whiskies on top of mixed drinks at this hour of the night is responsible for more ruined complexions and reputations than any other single cause. Major Todd Milligan : Let's discuss terms. Lord Peter Wimsey : Later. When we have the reins in our own hands, it'll be time enough to decide which one of us is going to crack the whip. Lord Peter Wimsey : [to Dian and Milligan] Please sit down, sit down, sit down and tell me all about your encounter with my scandalous cousin. Major Todd Milligan : Just a minute!

I think I know the stud book pretty well. I wasn't aware that you had a cousin called Bredon. Lord Peter Wimsey : Well, it's not every puppy who appears in the kennel book, and it's a wise man who knows all his cousins. Lord Peter Wimsey : My dear Milligan. You could make a cat laugh. I don't give information away. I dispose of it advantageously. Lady Mary Wimsey : At a time like this? Lord Peter Wimsey : Well, confound it all, he is sickening! Lady Mary Wimsey : If you can't be a gentleman, Peter... Lord Peter Wimsey : Oh, damn it all! Here is a man who, without the slightest provocation, takes a potshot at me, then vamooses leaving me bleeding like a stuck pig! And when, in what seems to me to be jolly mild parliamentary language, I call him a sickening fellow, my own sister says I ain't a gentleman. Well, really, and in my own place, too! Lord Peter Wimsey : Well, I think we can say we've made some progress. Even if it's a bit on the negative side.

Sir Impey Biggs : Negative? Exactly! By heaven, negative indeed! Have you the faintest idea how seriously your activities have succeeded in damaging the case for the defense? Lord Peter Wimsey : Well, that's a nice thing to say, when we've cleared up such a lot of points for you. Sir Impey Biggs : I daresay. Points better left muffled up! Light where there was better darkness! Lord Peter Wimsey : But damn it, we only want to get at the truth! Sir Impey Biggs : Do you? Well, I don't! I don't care tuppence for the truth. I want a case. It doesn't matter to me who killed Cathcart, provided that I can prove that it wasn't Denver. It's really enough if I can throw reasonable doubt that it was Denver. Here's a client who comes to me with a story of a quarrel, a mysterious revolver, a refusal to produce evidence of his statements, and a totally inadequate and idiotic alibi.

I arrange to obfuscate the jury with mysterious footprints, a discrepancy as to time, a young woman with a secret, and a general vague suggestion of something between a burglary and a crime passionel. And here you come! Explaining the footprints, exculpating the unknown man, abolishing the discrepancies, clearing up the motives of the young woman, and most carefully throwing back suspicion to where it rested in the first place. Lord Peter Wimsey : I always said the professional advocate was the most amoral person on the face of the earth. I'm certain of it now. "The Nine Tailors: Episode #1.4" (1974) Supt. Blundell : [while discussing the Thoday's complicity] All this is nasty, very nasty. The Thodays are decent people! Lord Peter Wimsey : There's only one thing that would drive a decent man to murder - the shame and humiliation of a public scandal! Cranton : [During his interrogation] May I ask you an impertinent question, my lord? Lord Peter Wimsey : If you don't mind receiving an impertinent answer.

Lord Peter Wimsey : I have a particular aversion, I'm afraid, to unsolved murders. Lord Peter Wimsey : Just wait till you get stuck in a belfry after dark. Bells are like cats and mirrors... they're always queer. Helen, Duchess of Denver : I am! Deeply upset. Lord Peter Wimsey : By Jove! An emotional outburst from the Ice Queen herself. Never thought I'd live to see the day. Lord Peter Wimsey : [Commenting on Helen's outfit] Helen, you look stunning in adversity. They nailed her colors to the mark - a Roman matron to the last! Freddy Arbuthnot : Is that in the Oxford Dictionary of Quotations? Lord Peter Wimsey : Not yet, but it will be. Give it another ten years. Lord Peter Wimsey : It's rather a good idea to keep one's crimes in the family. One has certain, far more facilities. Mr. Murbles : Fraud is a penal offence, you could go to prison, man, and you should. Robert Fentiman : Don't be silly, Murbles. You're my solicitor.

It's your job to keep me out. Lord Peter Wimsey : Anyway, there are more serious penal offenses than fraud. Lord Peter Wimsey : [Speaking of Ann Dorland] In love? Marjorie Phelps : Well, she's been in love once - sort of in love. It turned out rather badly. Marjorie Phelps : Does it? Lord Peter Wimsey : Consequently I am rather careful to avoid it. Lord Peter Wimsey : [to Dr. Penberthy, who is worried about bad publicity] Newspapers are only something to wrap fish and chips. Lord Peter Wimsey : [to D.I. Parker] Aristotle says we should always prefer the probable impossible to the improbable possible. Lord Peter Wimsey : [Upon seeing the white powder that Urquhart had] My word! What have we here? Lord Peter Wimsey : Quick, Bunter, pour the champagne! Parker's about to pour the cold water! Harriet Vane : You're such a romantic, Peter... a sort of latter day knight errant searching for opportunities to perform deeds of valor... rescue damsels in distress. Lord Peter Wimsey : What's wrong with that?

Lord Peter Wimsey : [Last lines - a dialogue flashback after Harriet walks away silently] At least I can you laugh. Harriet Vane : ...and surely that's better than tears. Henry Strachan : [Angrily] I'll tell you this, Wimsey, one of these days you'll go too far, and somebody will murder you! Lord Peter Wimsey : [Nonplused] Do you know, I wouldn't be in the least bit surprised. Hugh Farren : [Discussing the circumstances of his disappearance] Well, I can't possibly make you understand. Lord Peter Wimsey : Oh. Lord! Det. Insp. Parker : Hmmm. Yes, it gives me a pain too, but I thought that was my lack of an artistic education. Lord Peter Wimsey : It was your natural good taste, Charles. Let's have a look at some others. Mmm-hmm. You know, these are the paintings of a completely untalented person who is moreover trying to copy the mannerisms of a very advanced school. Bunter : [Speaking of Ann Dorland and her servants] They like her, sir, in spite of herself. Det. Insp.

Parker : Well, likeable people have committed murder before now, Lord Peter Wimsey : Yes, but they like her in spite of herself. Do you see? Lord Peter Wimsey : Look, it may turn out to be him or you. Ann Dorland : If it comes to that, he can take what's coming to him. Lord Peter Wimsey : Good girl. I thought you were going to be noble or self-sacrificing and tiresome. Lord Peter Wimsey : [to Ann Doland] Look, sit down, Ann. Napoleon or someone said you could always turn tragedy into comedy by sittin' down. Lord Peter Wimsey : So, your client won't see us? Mr. Pritchard : Can you think of any reason why she should? Lord Peter Wimsey : Well, establish the truth perhaps. Next to the good and the beautiful, the truth is always said to be a proper object of service. Lord Peter Wimsey : [to Prichard] What an acid man you are, Mr. Prichard! No reverence... no faith. Do lawyers ever go to heaven? Mr. Pritchard : I don't think I quite understand.

Lord Peter Wimsey : There are times, Mr. Prichaed. when I hardly understand myself. Dian de Momerie : I love you, Harlequin. Lord Peter Wimsey : Pity. Your lovers seem to have a knack of coming to a bad end. Dian de Momerie : [to Whimsey in his harlequin outfit hiding in a tree] What do you want to behave like an idiot for? Lord Peter Wimsey : Advertisement chiefly. One must be different. I'm Always different. Dian de Momerie : It's a cheap way of producing an effect. Lord Peter Wimsey : It is good enough for gin-soaked minds or such as you. if you will pardon me, subtlety will be wasted. Dian de Momerie : I wish you'd come down here. Lord Peter Wimsey : Possibly, but I prefer to be looked up to. Dian de Momerie : [to an unseen Wimsey] I hate you! Lord Peter Wimsey : [Up in a tree in costume] Then you're on the high road to loving me, which is only natural. We needs must love the highest when we see it. Can you see me?

Dian de Momerie : Not very well. Dian de Momerie : [With a seductive tone] Come down, Harlequin. I wish you to come down. If you came down, I could see you better. Lord Peter Wimsey : Not as beautiful as you were, and in five years time you will be ugly. Dian de Momerie : I wouldn't want you for five years. Lord Peter Wimsey : And I wouldn't want you for five minutes. "The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club: Mysterious Circumstances (#1.1)" (1973) Robert Fentiman : I'm a married man as you know, Peter. Comic figure - the married man kept by his wife. Lord Peter Wimsey : We all have to be kept by someone, you know. Better one's wife than a person of low character. Lord Peter Wimsey : [Advising Bunter on details of his disguise] The men of the Bellona Club are advanced in years. They will see what they expect to see. They will expect to see dandruff. George Fentiman : You'd like a whiskey, I expect.

Lord Peter Wimsey : No, thanks, old lad. No, I've had a brandy already. Never mix the grape and the grain. Gerald, Duke of Denver : ...you must go and play them elsewhere. Lord Peter Wimsey : I'm sorry you find me such an irritating sort of person. I suppose it's hard for you to believe I feel anything, but I do. Seeing you like this, I'll tell you this, old lad... in spite of what you think of me, I am going to get to the bottom of this little mess - even if Bunter and I both perish in the attempt. Lord Peter Wimsey : [to Bunter] For my own part, the time has come to talk of many things to one or two of our red herrings. Lord Peter Wimsey : [Finishing up a meal prepared by Bunter] High tea rather than luncheon. Bunter : [Entering the room] High tea, my lord? Lord Peter Wimsey : [With understatement] A meal not to be despised, Bunter.

True, you have served me a twaite meunere instead of a kipper and a bottlr of Poilly-Fume instead of a mug of tea, but the result, I assure you, was just as satisfying. Bunter : Well, I'm very glad to hear it. Lord Peter Wimsey : Yes, well, I was pulling your leg, old lad. I was ravenous, and at one epicurean stroke, you have appeased both glutton and gourmet. Bunter : Thank you, my lord. Lord Peter Wimsey : No, Charles, some accidents are too accidental to be true. Lord Peter Wimsey : Polly, I'm not sure you haven't said something useful and important. Lady Mary : Everything I say is useful and important. Lord Peter Wimsey : We shall, Bunter. Bunter : Well, I procured a loaf still hot from the bakery and some fresh dairy butter. One hardly needs more.

However, to paint the lily as it were, may I suggest some patie de fois de Strasburg, followed by some cold roast capers with a green salad, to be washed down by a bottle of Muscadet cooled in the very same-said Minnoch? Lord Peter Wimsey : A suggestion of genius. Act on it instantly! Lord Peter Wimsey : [catches a fish and puts it with another he caught earlier] What did I tell you, Bunter? That's two for lunch! Bunter : [distracted, deadpan] Excellent, my lord... Insp. Andrew Kirk : What's the matter with you? Lord Peter Wimsey : Well, I have a slight headache too. "Murder Must Advertise: Episode #1.1" (1973) Chief Inspector Parker : And how's the investigation going? Found out anything? Lord Peter Wimsey : [Chuckles] Oh, I certainly have. I have found out that the truth in advertising is like leaven hidden in the three measures of meal. It produces a quantity of gas with which to blow out a mass of crude misrepresentation into a form that the public can swallow. Mr.

Willis : If you'll take my advice, you'll leave Dean and his precious friends alone, or you won't make yourself too popular. Lord Peter Wimsey : You know, that could almost sound like a threat. Mr. Willis : The best thing Dean ever did in his life was to fall down that staircase. Lord Peter Wimsey : [Quoting Shakespeare] Nothin' in his life became him like the leavin' of it. Lord Peter Wimsey : I'm so sorry. Harriet Vane : No, no, it's all right. Lord Peter Wimsey : No, no, I'm an ass. And in a moment I shall get down on my knees and apologize, and probably propose to you as well. Harriet Vane : Oh, Peter! What an idiot you are! Lord Peter Wimsey : Aren't I, though? Salcombe Hardy : You wouldn't be here for the suicide of a foreign gigolo. There's something more to it than that... unless it's just the girl? Oh, for God's sake, Wimsey, say it isn't the girl! You wouldn't play a joke like that on a hard-working journalist.

Look, how about you give me a story about you and Harriet Vane? "Romantic Engagement of Peer's Son and Crime Novelist!" Lord Peter Wimsey : Pull yourself together, Sally, and keep your inky paws off my private affairs. Lord Peter Wimsey : Facts, Bunter, must have facts. When I was a small boy, I always hated facts. Thought they were nasty, hard things, all nobs. Mervyn Bunter : Yes, my lord. My old mother always used to say... Lord Peter Wimsey : Your mother, Bunter? Oh, I never knew you had one. I always thought you just sort of came along already-made, so it were. Oh, excuse me. How infernally rude of me. Beg pardon, I'm sure. Mervyn Bunter : That's all right, my lord. Lord Peter Wimsey : Thank you. Mervyn Bunter : Yes indeed, I was one of seven. Lord Peter Wimsey : That is pure invention, Bunter, I know better. You are unique. But you were going to tell me about your mater. Mervyn Bunter : Oh yes, my lord.

My old mother always used to say that facts are like cows. If you stare them in the face hard enough, and they generally run away. Lord Peter Wimsey : By Jove, that's courageous, Bunter. What a splendid person she must be. Mervyn Bunter : I think so, my lord. Matters Criminous: Peter Wimsey Matters Criminous a critical list with discussions Crime/Mystery Series: Lord Peter Wimsey "And they say as they're asking the Duke of Denver to come down and open the Cut, but we haven't heard yet if he'll come." "He'll come all right," said Wimsey. "Dash it, he shall come. He does no work and it will do him good." "Indeed, sir?" said the waiter, a little dubiously, not knowing the cause of this certainty, but unwilling to offend.

--The Nine Tailors, Dorothy Sayers's Lord Peter Wimsey About the Author Dorothy Sayers (The Authors' Calendar) About the Character Book Review: Dorothy Sayer's Lord Peter Wimsey Mystery Stories (blog entry) (In case you came to this page you are reading from a search engine instead of through its site, I will here repeat the brief remarks on the main mystery/crime page that points here.) Lord Peter is the archetype of the fictive amateur sleuth (Holmes was not a policeman, but neither was he an amateur--he charged fees): a wealthy (and well-connected) aristocrat from one of the first families of England--dapper, urbane, a polymath--who has decided that his contribution to society (noblesse oblige) will be solving crimes. That is a horrid formula (and the very first Wimsey novel not very good), but Sayers' powerful intelligence informs the tales (mostly novels) throughout, making them entertaining and raising the characters to a surprisingly high level of plausibility. We never really and fully believe in any of them, but they are delightful company all.

In the later books, Peter is forever romancing the love of his life, Harriet Vane (curiously, a female writer of mystery fiction), who forever politely and friendlily rebuffs him, an ongoing saga-within-a-saga that some readers find delightful and others highly irritating. But the books rightly rank high in the field. The Books There are a mere eleven pure Sayers Wimsey novels, plus a number of short stories; there is also a draft novel completed by Another Hand, plus one (maybe more) wholly new Wimsey novels by the same Other Hand (Jill Paton Walsh). In these lists, the links are all to used-book searches for the title (via Abebooks). Some few can still be found in print new, but not many.

As usual, the search results are sorted from lowest price up (note that, as always in used-book searches from this site, the price sort is by actual book price, not total shipped price, though each listing also always shows the true total shipped cost; occasionally, a slightly more expensive title will be slightly cheaper shipped--but the differences are never much and you can easily eyeball those cases.) Most titles represent a number of varying editions, from original hardcovers to late paperback reprints. The Individual Novels By Dorothy Sayers and/or Jill Paton Walsh Thrones, Dominations (1998) [by Sayers, but completed by Walsh] A Presumption of Death (2003) [solely by Walsh] Short Stories Sayers worked mainly in the novel form, but wrote enough Wimsey short stories to make up a book. (In fact, she made up two books, but since the shorts are now available in a single volume, why look elsewhere?) Lord Peter : The Complete Lord Peter Wimsey Stories The Annotated Peter Wimsey There isn't one, exactly, in the sense of an edition of the tales with annotations (because they're still in copyright).

But there's a book that is essentially the annotations without the tales, and it is thus aptly named The Lord Peter Wimsey Companion , Stephen Clarke being the author. The original is now extremely rare and fantastically expensive, but copies of the Second Edition (an expanded one, at that), issued by the Sayers Society, may occasionally be available at plausible prices--try the link to see. Other Sayers Detectives Sayers produced some stories about the unofficial detective exploits of a travelling salesman with the unlikely name of Montague Egg; those appear in two of Sayer's short-story collections intermixed with Wimsey tales. She also produced a one-off epistolary murder novel, co-written with "Robert Eustace" (Dr. Eustace Robert Barton), a physician who collaborated with several mystery writers, presumably supplying the appropriate expertise for cases turning on medical matters. Hangman's Holiday (1933) - short stories: 4 Wimseys, 6 Eggs, and 2 miscellaneous singletons The Documents in the Case (1930) [written with Robert Eustace] - a one-off novel Omnibus Editions The Golden Age of Mystery: Dorothy L.

Sayers’ Strong Poison by Angie Barry London, 1929 Miss Harriet Vane is on trial for murder. It's a most scandalous case. The victim, Philip Boyes, was not only an author who advocated free love and anarchy—he was the accused murderer's lover for more than a year. But following a nasty split, Boyes started falling ill, and always after a chance encounter with Miss Vane. Until one evening in May, when a bad stomachache turned fatal, it was revealed that it was no gastritis that had afflicted Boyes. It was arsenic. The police, the public, and the court all concur that Miss Vane is guilty. She's a mystery writer well versed in murder, and she has already confessed to buying more than enough arsenic to kill a man; as research for her newest novel, she claims, but nobody believes that. Except Lord Peter Wimsey. Wimsey, the gentleman criminologist, is convinced that the clever author is being framed. More than that, he's fallen in love with her from afar and is determined to not only clear her name and save her from the gallows, but to make her his wife.

What follows is a convoluted case of squandered inheritances, fake séances, evangelical safecrackers, wild Bohemians, an agency of lady spies masquerading as secretaries, a most ingenious means of poisoning, and a very unusual courtship full of witty repartee. Already madly in love with the hopeless Harriet, Peter's first actual conversation with her is indicative of all of their exchanges to come: “Oh, by the way—I don't positively repel you or anything like that, do I? Because, if I do, I'll take my name off the waiting-list at once.” “No,” said Harriet Vane, kindly and a little sadly. “No, you don't repel me.” “I don't remind you of white slugs or make you go goose-flesh all over?” “Certainly not.” “I'm glad of that.

Any minor alterations, like parting the old mane, or growing a tooth-brush, or cashiering the eyeglass, you know, I should be happy to undertake, if it suited your ideas.” “Don't,” said Miss Vane, “please don't alter yourself in any particular.” “You really mean that?” Wimsey flushed a little. “...Only don't hesitate to say if you think you couldn't stick it at any price. I'm not trying to blackmail you into matrimony, you know. I mean, I should investigate this for the fun of the thing, whatever happened, don't you see.” “It's very good of you—” “No, no, not at all. It's my hobby. Not proposing to people, I don't mean, but investigating things. Well, cheery-frightfully-ho and all that. And I'll call again if I may.“ ”I will give the footman orders to admit you,“ said the prisoner gravely; ”you will always find me at home.“ Dorothy L. Sayers is known as ”The Mistress of the Golden Age Mystery“ for good reason.

Her novels are clever and beautifully written, full of scholastic allusions—Sayers was one of the first women to obtain a degree from Oxford, and she gave the world a translation of Dante's Divine Comedy that is still widely read today—and plenty of commentary on contemporary global events with many of her characters directly affected by the Great War (and aware of the shadow of the next). Her best loved creation, the sophisticated sleuth Lord Peter Wimsey, may not be quite the household name Sherlock Holmes is, but he's an equally vivid and colorful character. With his fair hair, trademark monocle, sharp suits, sleek Lagonda, and slightly effeminate mannerisms, he's the classic picture of British nobility. Along with his title and his buckets of money, Lord Peter has a faithful manservant and cohort in crime-solving, the dryly observant Bunter, who could very well be Jeeves's long-lost brother. The relationship between the pair is not merely that of a fond employer and a devoted servant. Bunter served under Peter in the Great War, and their bond is one of unshakeable brotherhood that leads to some rather touching moments throughout the series.

But, by far my favorite thing about this gentleman sleuth is his way with words. Peter could talk circles around a flock of parrots, throwing so many literary references and dashes of Latin into his conversations that it pays to have Google on hand to clarify things. ”If anybody does marry you, Peter, it'll be for the pleasure of hearing you talk piffle," says Harriet Vane on more than one occasion. Strong Poison is the sixth Lord Peter Wimsey mystery, but it's the first I tend to recommend to people. Mainly because this is the novel that introduces the sharp Harriet Vane, and I greatly prefer the dynamic of Peter/Harriet to any of his standalone outings. And for those who may be intimidated by such a literary mystery, the BBC released a trio of superb adaptations in 1987. The casting is all-around spot-on. Harriet Walter usually plays shrewish characters in a most convincing fashion, but here, she's wonderfully sympathetic as Miss Vane, and Edward Petherbridge—with his nasal cadence and aristocratic bearing—is a near note-perfect Lord Peter. The pair has great chemistry, considering they only share a handful of scenes together in this first adaptation.

I particularly love the following exchange in the prison: HARRIET: You still going to marry me? PETER: Of course. HARRIET: Why? What's so fascinating about me, Peter? Is it a dark side about you, something about a murderess that draws you? Excites you? PETER: It can't be that, because I know you're not a murderess. HARRIET: Well, what is it then? You are bearing in mind, aren't you, that I've had a lover? PETER: Oh yes. So have I. Several, in fact. It's the sort of thing that could happen to anyone. I can, uh, produce quite good testimonials. I've been told I make love rather nicely. Though I am at a bit of a disadvantage at the moment. One can't be too convincing at the other end of a table with a bloke looking in at the window. The mystery itself is a solid one. Not action packed, perhaps, but the whodunit-and-how reveal is quite fun, and the ending is open enough to encourage picking up the following Lord Peter/Harriet adventure as quickly as possible.

After all of that verbal foreplay, you can't just watch Harriet walk out of the courthouse while Peter adjusts his monocle. You simply have to see what comes next. Angie Barry wrote her thesis on the socio-political commentary in zombie films. Meeting George Romero is high on her bucket list, and she has spent hours putting together her zombie apocalypse survival plan. She also writes horror and fantasy in her spare time, and watches far too much Doctor Who. Come find the angie bee at Tumblr.

Question: Which author created the crime solving character Lord Peter Wimsey?
Answer: DOROTHY L. SAYERS