Perfect
|
Lord Peter and Bunter drive into a ditch in the Fens. They are rescued by the vicar of Fenchurch St. Pauls, whereupon we meet Peter's previously unsuspected bell-ringing skills. This pastoral idyll is disturbed, however, by the discovery of a faceless, handless corpse in the churchyard. With almost no means of identification, even Lord Peter is pushed to discover the identity of the corpse and its murderer, but the ending to this is both a witty twist on whodunnit convention, and a genuinely moving paean to English village life.
The Peter Wimsey revealed by this quaint setting and the proximity of the clergy is a pleasant antidote to the aristocratic fool and hopeless lover we so often see. Out of the city, his charm is less forced, his wit less studied, his intellect at once more obvious and less overt. No Harriet Vane either (hurrah), just the inimitable Mr Bunter, a lot of books and a murder. What more could anyone want?
|
|
"You ain't got no call to be afeared of the bells...if you follow righteousness."
|
Set in Fenchurch St. Paul, a remote village where Lord Peter Wimsey stops unexpectedly, this mystery involves an unknown body, disfigured and mysteriously buried in the same grave as a local dignitary, shortly before the New Year in 1934. Many years before, a magnificent necklace of emeralds was stolen here, though it was never found. Two men and a local woman were implicated in the theft, and both men served time in prison. Now the unknown body, the fate of the two men involved in the theft of the emeralds, the whereabouts of the emeralds, and the involvement of seemingly upright citizens of Fenchurch St. Paul are all under investigation.
Lord Peter Wimsey, accompanied by his "man" Bunter, becomes involved in the investigation when their car runs into a ditch on a snowy New Year's Eve. Lord Peter ultimately agrees to substitute for an indisposed bell-ringer when the rector attempts to set a record of more than 18,000 rings in nine hours on New Year's Eve. The bells are an integral part of the mystery, with the "nine tailors," a pattern of bell ringing, figuring prominently in the action. A coded letter suggests that the bells themselves may relate to the location of the emerald necklace.
Author Dorothy Sayers creates vivid characters--the somewhat arrogant Lord Peter Wimsey, his faithful manservant Bunter, the ditzy rector of the local church and his wife, the French wife and children of one of the thieves, assorted odd characters from the town, and local law enforcement. The opportunity to locate the emeralds and ascertain the fate of the thieves, one of whom escaped shortly after being sentenced to jail, intrigues Lord Peter, and some townspeople have much to gain (or lose), depending on the identity of the man in the grave and his possible killer. Sayers's complex mystery and the equally complex interactions of the various characters keep the reader guessing to the very end.
Ingenious and clever, this mystery is full of dry humor, as Lord Peter and Bunter engage in word play, hilarious who's-on-first dialogue, and multiple absurdities as they try to solve the case. The characters go beyond stereotype, eliciting sympathy and often respect, as they contrast with the sometimes stuffy and aristocratic Lord Peter. A mystery which is as satisfying in its conclusion (resembling the divine intervention of classical Greek tragedy) as it is in its immediate action, The Nine Tailors is one of Sayers's best and most intricate mysteries. Mary Whipple
|
|
|
Thrills and chills
|
|
This is my favourite (non-Harriet) Sayers mystery. The description of the art of change-ringing is fascinating, and the bells themselves are strangely human and wonderfully sinister. You'll never forget the solution to the murder, it will chill you to the core...
|
|
|
Good but technical
|
I am interested, on rereading these novels, by how much of a part the Great War plays, years later. Peter Wimsey, of course, was badly shell-shocked in the war, and is still sometimes badly affected by his memories; and this is one of the good points about the characterisation. Part of the action of "The Nine Tailors" takes place during the war years, and one of the characters is a wounded ex-officer.
There's rather too much technical detail about the subject indicated by the title for my taste, but all in all it's a good read, with an ingenious plot.
|
|
|
Wonderful Book! Supurb Reading!
|
|
The Nine Tailors is one of the greatest mysteries of all time. It is full of twists and turns with many surprises to trap the reader. The audio captures the full flavor of the book. For those of us not familar with English change ringing, it's a bit difficult to imagine when reading the book, but Ian Carmichael's great rendition helps out a lot in the audio version. This book should be a must read for everyone -- and a must have to any mystery collection!
|
|
|
United States | 
United Kingdom | 
Canada