Murder Must Advertise
I have always loved Sir Peter. I haven’t read all of the books yet and this one was new to me, the setting of the advertising world was perfect for his scary middle name and his ability to get wrapped up in the darkest alleyways of crime. As usual Dorothy Sayers brings in so many main, side and trivial characters that you have no idea who is going to pop onto the convicted list. I love how in depth she goes. Coo! What a wordy woman she must have been! I can always tell I have been reading Sayers, my vocabulary takes on such words as ‘anticipatory’ and ‘intolerable’ when speaking of my morning coffee and oatmeal. How droll the humor, how in depth the crime!
I would list my favorite Wimsey stories but I love them all!
Laurie R King has Sir Peter in one of her Mary Russel and Sherlock Holmes mysteries. I think in ‘Kingdom Hall’.
A very suitable read for acuppa and scones!
posted by Sky @ 12:09 PM
3 comments
3 Comments:
Sayers is brilliant. :)
I was first introduced to Lord Peter my senior year in college, and promptly chucked all my school work and secluded myself with every Lord Peter book I could lay hands on. I didn't see people, I didn't take calls; I only sort of did homework and classes.
I believe my favorite by her is "The Nine Taylors" for various reasons. "Murder Must Advertise" is just as clever, but much more light-hearted. Or so it seems on the surface; that one event walking home near the end of the book caught me quite off-guard (even though I had read it before). Certainly a more sobering note in a story about frivolity.
Over all: excellent!
I'm naming one of my boys Peter Death. Hehehe.
Ok, so I FINALLY finished this last night. For some reason, despite the fact that the book had witty dialogue and a fun plot, I could NOT get into it at all. I could only read a chapter at a time and then I'd be off doing something else! I really don't know what the issue was. It just wasnt' what I was interested in reading in the moment, I suppose!
Nevertheless, I did finish it and, like I said -- it DID have witty dialogue and I like Sayers style. Normally I'd say, "FUN read! Yeah! Yeah!" but this time I can just sigh that I'm done with it! WHY??!?!
Meanwhile, I had to request the Iliad be put on hold for me at the library. Apparently it's a popular read and all the copies have been checked out for...awhile. I finally got notice that it's now MY turn to read it. So I'll pick it up tomorrow....
I haven't read this book freshly (I read all the Sir Peter Wimsey books a few years ago), so here's a general remark. I love Dorothy Sayers' writing! The narrative is clever and concise - the plots don't drag, as a rule - and the dialogue is simply exquisite. Sayers' books have the usual charm of British writings, complete with quaint slang, spellings, and cultural references. My favourite line: 'I always have a quotation for everything - it saves original thinking.'
But now you've made me curious about that mysterious event near the end, so methinks I must hie me ho to the library to re-read it.
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