A review by judyward
A Presumption of Death by Jill Paton Walsh

3.0

At Dorothy Sayers death, she left behind an unfinished Lord Peter Wimsey novel and notes on how the characters were coping with life during World War II. Sixty years later, Jill Paton Walsh finished the book and the result is a success. Set in 1940 at the beginning of the Blitz. Harriet Vane, Lord Peter Wimsey's wife, has moved with her two young sons to a small village to escape the dangers of the cities. During the village's first air-raid drill, no bombs were dropped, but a body was found lying in the street at the all-clear. Since Lord Peter is overseas on a secret government mission, the police persuade Harriet to help with the investigation. Fairly slow as a mystery, but excellent at describing how the war changed lives, uprooted people from their comfortable prewar existence, and how the population of England began to cope with the restrictions and rationing imposed during the crisis. Since the relationships between the characters are already established, it would be helpful to read the early Lord Peter Wimsey books before reading this one.