I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Whose Body?
by
Dorothy Sayers
mystery, amateur sleuth, detective mystery, vintage mystery in a Kindle edition that was published by Rising Star Visionary Press on January 19, 2010 and has 170 pages.
Explore it on Goodreads or Amazon
Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Thrones Dominations, Clouds of Witness, Unnatural Death, Lord Peter Views the Body, The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club, Strong Poison, The Five Red Herrings, Book Review: Dorothy Sayers’ Hangman's Holiday, Murder Must Advertise, The Nine Tailors, Gaudy Night, Busman's Honeymoon
First in the Lord Peter Wimsey private investigator vintage mystery series revolving around the younger brother of a duke in England. The focus is on an unidentifiable naked body. The story was originally published in 1923.
My Take
I can’t remember the first time I picked up a Dorothy Sayers, but I do know I was captivated.
Lord Peter is a nobleman, bored and suffering PTSD from World War I, and he’s discovered that the game of solving a crime is both fun and intriguing. He’s well-educated which comes out in his quotations and speech. He loves good food and dressing well. You could definitely say he enjoys life. And of course, there’s Bunter, who can be tyrannical, lol.
He’s a complex man, intrigued enough to delve into crime, care about his fellow man, and become depressed when he solves it. He’s also great friends with a chief inspector at Scotland Yard.
Lord Peter hornswoggled Milligan, pulling his mother in to ingratiate himself with Milligan. Luckily for Peter, his mother is very intelligent, if sometimes confused, lol.
Whose Body? is a peek into the culture, manners, and dress of the early 1920s, as well as phone protocol and transportation. A time with live-in servants, butlers, and a fascination for nobles. Thipps’ embarrassment when his friend takes him to an after-hours club is so sweet. And Sayers peppers the story with slang of the period.
“What a blessing it is none of my friends have any ideas at all!”
Sayers uses third person global subjective point-of-view with perspectives from Lord Peter primarily as well as Parker and Bunter. It’s particularly interesting when Peter explains how detectives work, eliciting information and making connections. He’s good.
I do wish Sayers had indented Lord Peters’ quotes. It made for confusing reading. Nor did I understand why Sayers included that childhood memory of Peter yanking the tablecloth.
It’s about humiliation, not love. While there is action, it’s primarily a character-driven story, focusing on Lord Peter. I do enjoy how Sayers depicts Peter’s and Parker’s friendship. A nobleman of wealth and a copper with limited income. They’re truly friends with a warmth between them and in the story. As much as I love Detective-Inspector Roderick Alleyn, his stories are a little cold compared to Lord Peter Wimsey.
It can feel slow, however, as Peter goes off on his “flights of fancy”.
The ending? Whoa. Whoa. It’s too gruesome to believe.
Go get it. It’s only 99¢ at Amazon!
The Story
It’s a call from the duchess — the church’s architect has an unknown body in his bath. It’s possible it’s the body of a missing financier, but Lord Peter Wimsey discovers too many disconnects.
The Characters
Lord Peter Death Bredon Wimsey, the younger brother of the duke, enjoys city life and books — I love him for that alone!. Mervyn Bunter had been a sergeant under Major Wimsey in the war and accepted an offer to buttle for him. Bunter is quite handy with photography and understands Wimsey very well. Honoria Lucasta is the Dowager Duchess of Denver, Peter’s mother, and an amazing lady. Gerald “Jerry” is Peter’s stodgy brother and the Duke of Denver, who is so embarrassed about Peter’s hobbies. Mrs Throgmorton is the vicar’s wife. The Rev. Constantine Throgmorton presides over St John-before-the-Latin-Gate Vicarage at Duke’s Denver.
Chief Inspector Charles Parker is a great friend of Peter’s. The unimaginative Inspector Sugg is something of an idiot. Dr Grimbold is the medical examiner. The unimaginative coroner doesn’t suffer fools. Sir Andrew Mackenzie appears to be in charge at Scotland Yard. Dr Colegrove was at the Chelsea Workhouse. Mr Levett represents the Home Secretary. Bill will help at the cemetery. Mr Wingate.
The trembly Alfred Thipps is an architect who is working to restore the church roof at Denver. Mrs Thipps is his hard-of-hearing mother who lives with him. Gladys Horrocks is their live-in maid-of-all-work. William Williams, a glazier, is Gladys’ boyfriend.
Sir Reuben Levy is a self-made Jewish man and a giant in the world of finance. Christine née Ford, Lady Levy, is his beloved wife. Rachel is their daughter with whom the Honorable Freddy Arbuthnot, a friend of Peter’s and in finance in the City, is in love. Mr Levy is Sir Reuben’s uncle.
Sir Julian Freke is a famous neurologist who mostly does research at St Luke’s Hospital. John Cummings and his wife work for Freke in his house. William Watts is the dissecting-room attendant. Mr Piggott is a medical student; his father is an upholsterer, Piggott of Piggott and Piggott in Liverpool. Other students include Tommy Pringle, the funny man, and Bouncible Binns who is annoyed he didn’t get a head to do with Scrooger. Sir James Hodges had been Peter’s doctor.
John Milligan, an American, is a rival to Sir Reuben. Scoot is his secretary. Thomas Crimplesham, a lawyer, lost his pince-nez. David Wicks is Crimplesham’s junior partner.
Lady Swaffham is having a luncheon and her guests include Mrs Tommy Frayle and Mrs Freemantle, the wife of an eminent railway director, who is celebrated for her ignorance. Wintrington, a millionaire who controls the finances of five countries, can’t control his nerves.
The Cover and Title
To be honest, the cover is boring. It has a white background with royal blue for most of the text. The only reverse is in the royal blue box at the top with the initials of the publisher and “Mystery Classic”. After that is the title, followed by a vertical Rorschach test with the author’s name at the bottom.
The title is too, too accurate, for Whose Body? is it??
