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thenovelbook's review against another edition
5.0
How I enjoy Dorothy Sayers' creation, Lord Peter. Aside from a few gruesome tales, these are some of the most enjoyable mysteries I have ever read, because they are so literate. The puzzles are often quite ingenious, but what's better is the characterization.
trin's review against another edition
2.0
Mystery box book #28!
Oh dear. I think this was in the box because I had tried previously to get through it and failed. Now, I adore Sayers' Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries, so no one is more disappointed than me. But these stories simply do not do for me what the (better) novels do. I think this is because the focus of the novels is on character; here, they are on the mysteries themselves, and Sayers has a tendency to try to be too clever (with timings, crossword clues, outdated technology, evil twins, etc.). Some of these tales have an evocative gothic atmosphere, which is kind of fun, but since Peter just floats in and out of the narratives, there's rarely any emotional impact. And like, the ramifications for the overall canon: he pretended to be dead for two years??? Literally where did he find the time?
Also I have to say, Sayers is usually better than Christie in terms of letting her (generously: period typical) unpleasant views show like a sloppy slip, but there's an unusual amount of antisemitism in these pages, and some shocking uses of the n-word. I didn't care for it!
Oh dear. I think this was in the box because I had tried previously to get through it and failed. Now, I adore Sayers' Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries, so no one is more disappointed than me. But these stories simply do not do for me what the (better) novels do. I think this is because the focus of the novels is on character; here, they are on the mysteries themselves, and Sayers has a tendency to try to be too clever (with timings, crossword clues, outdated technology, evil twins, etc.). Some of these tales have an evocative gothic atmosphere, which is kind of fun, but since Peter just floats in and out of the narratives, there's rarely any emotional impact. And like, the ramifications for the overall canon: he pretended to be dead for two years??? Literally where did he find the time?
Also I have to say, Sayers is usually better than Christie in terms of letting her (generously: period typical) unpleasant views show like a sloppy slip, but there's an unusual amount of antisemitism in these pages, and some shocking uses of the n-word. I didn't care for it!
ec_newman's review against another edition
4.0
I will always always be grateful for Lord Peter Wimsey.
cimorene1558's review against another edition
4.0
A fine collection of Wimsey short stories, including a rare glimpse of Peter and Harriet as parents!
brandypainter's review against another edition
5.0
Dorothy Sayers is brilliant and, as a result, so is Peter. I have so much fun reading these stories. This collection contains all of the short stories featuring Peter Wimsey complete with his amazing abilities of dection and witty banter. The stories run the gamut of mystery plotting. There are murders to solve, thieves to catch, subterfuge to enact and even a giant crossword puzzle that must be solved to find a missing will. Many of the other beloved characters from the Lord Peter novels, including Bunter and Harriet (accompanied by little Wimseys) are found peppered throughout the collection. For anyone who is a fan of great detective fiction this is a must read!
michael5000's review against another edition
medium-paced
2.0
Both the foreword and the afterword to this collection pretty much concede that the Lord Wimsey short stories aren't so great, and they are right. In terms of plausibility, they make the Sherlock Holmes stories look like rigorous realism, and the mysteries are contrived puzzles of the kind you associate with Encyclopedia Brown. The pick of the litter, a previously unpublished and rather charming little family tale, is saved for last.
2024 Update: I was hoping I could announce I'd been a little too rough with the short-form Wimsey, but really these stories are for the most part pretty poor.
2024 Update: I was hoping I could announce I'd been a little too rough with the short-form Wimsey, but really these stories are for the most part pretty poor.
siria's review against another edition
5.0
Overall, this was a terribly enjoyable collection of short stories. Some of the stories were less engaging than others. Sayers' strengths never included writing pot-boilers along the lines of the story where Lord Peter infiltrates some kind of international communist criminal ring. That felt rather too much like dated pulp fiction. The best stories, in my opinion, were those which dealt with the people and incidents which I am so familiar with from the full length novels; the story which featured Peter and a young Lord St George, for instance. My favourite stories were the last two, The Haunted Policeman, which tells the story of the night when Peter's first son was born, and Talboys, which takes place in 1942, a couple of years after Peter and Harriet's last child is born. There are some fantastic lines scattered throughout, and Sayers uses the backdrop of the 'mysteries' to show us some lovely aspects of the characters.
"I'll tell you a secret, Bredon. Grown-up people don't always know everything, though they try to pretend they do. That is called 'prestige', and is responsible for most of the wars that devastate the continent of Europe."
Oh, Peter. If Harriet ever tires of you, for some unknown reason, I would gladly have you.
"I'll tell you a secret, Bredon. Grown-up people don't always know everything, though they try to pretend they do. That is called 'prestige', and is responsible for most of the wars that devastate the continent of Europe."
Oh, Peter. If Harriet ever tires of you, for some unknown reason, I would gladly have you.