Unnatural Death (The Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries Book 3)

Dorothy Sayers, a.k.a. Dorothy Leigh Sayers Fleming, one of the first women to ever be granted a degree from Oxford University, created one of the leading figures in, and indeed in so doing helped to create the genre of, the British mystery novels. Lord Peter Wimsey, an elegant, refined London-based aristocrat with a taste for books and a penchant for the piano, is again here the leading figure, in 'Unnatural Death', also published as 'The Dawson Pedigree'.

Wimsey is an old Etonian, Balliol Oxford (of course), served with distinction in His Majesty's forces during the War (this book having been written in 1927, I shall leave it to your good services to deduce which War), who resides both town and country somewhat fashionably, and takes great pride in the ancient family history (by the time one gets to be the fifteenth Duke of anything, the family can be easily considered ancient). Wimsey has a vocation as criminologist, not out of necessity, surely, and not by training either (for such training did not formally exist, but, as an Oxford Arts man, he was trained for most anything intellectual, or at least, that is what an Oxford Arts man would tell you). An interesting addition to the beginning of the book is a short biographical sketch of the fictional Wimsey by his equally-fictional uncle.

All of this, of course, is but preamble to the latest mystery to come calling upon Lord Wimsey. There are the requisite features: a dead woman, Agatha Dawson, wealthy and having left a will that might not be a will, but rather a sham (a delirious woman whose nurse insists that there was no possible way of having made a will during the last month, yet oddly there is a document, complete with a witness who claims that dear old Agatha Dawson wanted nothing to do with the signing -- ah, the plot thickens here).

Of course, to most of the world, Wimsey is, well, following a whimsey of his own. The woman was after all elderly and in poor health; surely his investigations are misplaced. The doctor (not the one who tended Miss Dawson's death, to be sure, but an earlier doctor, suspicious of Dawson's sole heir, her niece) was accused of having blackened the name of Miss Whittaker, the niece, unnecessarily, particularly as no evidence of mischief had been uncovered. Wimsey with the assistance of Inspector Parker are able to rectify the situation vis-a-vis the doctor, but there is still the mystery.

Then, more death. This time the maid. To lose one woman may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose two women... (well, you can fill in the rest yourself).

Of course I won't spoil it for you; perhaps my tag-team reviewers will do that for you, but I sincerely hope not. Suffice it to say, Wimsey proves himself a consummate actor in which the truth comes out (in London, and in style!).

One of the glories of Sayers work is the intricacies of her plots. She tends to get a huge number of people involved (the number of people who seemed to have trouped through the ill woman's bedchamber is in itself surprising, given the era) each with subplots and agenda that nonetheless get neatly resolved in the end. Sayers' development of character (even of the already dead ones!) is done with style and subtlety; while Wimsey is developed over several novels, one doesn't feel him a stranger by reading this one alone. The other characters fit their parts admirably (had Sayers not been a writer, she may well have made a good career as a casting director in Hollywood), in physical and personality attributes.

Her descriptions of the milieu, both in town (London) and in the country (the village and surroundings, in this case, of Hampshire, are interesting reading. Sayers is very much the cosmopolitan, and somewhat condescending toward the countryfolk. However, that is not a heavy element, and perhaps can be written off to her attempt to make Wimsey even more the worldly character he turns out to be over the course of her novels.

In all, an excellent read, a great diversion, and well worth musing over while sipping tea on a Regency-style sofa in one's dressing gown.

Dorothy Sayers, a.k.a. Dorothy Leigh Sayers Fleming, one of the first women to ever be granted a degree from Oxford University, created one of the leading figures in, and indeed in so doing helped to create the genre of, the British mystery novels. Lord Peter Wimsey, an elegant, refined London-based aristocrat with a taste for books and a penchant for the piano, is again here the leading figure, in 'Unnatural Death', also published as 'The Dawson Pedigree'.

Wimsey is an old Etonian, Balliol Oxford (of course), served with distinction in His Majesty's forces during the War (this book having been written in 1927, I shall leave it to your good services to deduce which War), who resides both town and country somewhat fashionably, and takes great pride in the ancient family history (by the time one gets to be the fifteenth Duke of anything, the family can be easily considered ancient). Wimsey has a vocation as criminologist, not out of necessity, surely, and not by training either (for such training did not formally exist, but, as an Oxford Arts man, he was trained for most anything intellectual, or at least, that is what an Oxford Arts man would tell you). An interesting addition to the beginning of the book is a short biographical sketch of the fictional Wimsey by his equally-fictional uncle.

All of this, of course, is but preamble to the latest mystery to come calling upon Lord Wimsey. There are the requisite features: a dead woman, Agatha Dawson, wealthy and having left a will that might not be a will, but rather a sham (a delirious woman whose nurse insists that there was no possible way of having made a will during the last month, yet oddly there is a document, complete with a witness who claims that dear old Agatha Dawson wanted nothing to do with the signing -- ah, the plot thickens here).

Of course, to most of the world, Wimsey is, well, following a whimsey of his own. The woman was after all elderly and in poor health; surely his investigations are misplaced. The doctor (not the one who tended Miss Dawson's death, to be sure, but an earlier doctor, suspicious of Dawson's sole heir, her niece) was accused of having blackened the name of Miss Whittaker, the niece, unnecessarily, particularly as no evidence of mischief had been uncovered. Wimsey with the assistance of Inspector Parker are able to rectify the situation vis-a-vis the doctor, but there is still the mystery.

Then, more death. This time the maid. To lose one woman may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose two women... (well, you can fill in the rest yourself).

Of course I won't spoil it for you; perhaps my tag-team reviewers will do that for you, but I sincerely hope not. Suffice it to say, Wimsey proves himself a consummate actor in which the truth comes out (in London, and in style!).

One of the glories of Sayers work is the intricacies of her plots. She tends to get a huge number of people involved (the number of people who seemed to have trouped through the ill woman's bedchamber is in itself surprising, given the era) each with subplots and agenda that nonetheless get neatly resolved in the end. Sayers' development of character (even of the already dead ones!) is done with style and subtlety; while Wimsey is developed over several novels, one doesn't feel him a stranger by reading this one alone. The other characters fit their parts admirably (had Sayers not been a writer, she may well have made a good career as a casting director in Hollywood), in physical and personality attributes.

Her descriptions of the milieu, both in town (London) and in the country (the village and surroundings, in this case, of Hampshire, are interesting reading. Sayers is very much the cosmopolitan, and somewhat condescending toward the countryfolk. However, that is not a heavy element, and perhaps can be written off to her attempt to make Wimsey even more the worldly character he turns out to be over the course of her novels.

In all, an excellent read, a great diversion, and well worth musing over while sipping tea on a Regency-style sofa in one's dressing gown.

Dorothy Sayers, a.k.a. Dorothy Leigh Sayers Fleming, one of the first women to ever be granted a degree from Oxford University, created one of the leading figures in, and indeed in so doing helped to create the genre of, the British mystery novels. Lord Peter Wimsey, an elegant, refined London-based aristocrat with a taste for books and a penchant for the piano, is again here the leading figure, in 'Unnatural Death', also published as 'The Dawson Pedigree'.

Wimsey is an old Etonian, Balliol Oxford (of course), served with distinction in His Majesty's forces during the War (this book having been written in 1927, I shall leave it to your good services to deduce which War), who resides both town and country somewhat fashionably, and takes great pride in the ancient family history (by the time one gets to be the fifteenth Duke of anything, the family can be easily considered ancient). Wimsey has a vocation as criminologist, not out of necessity, surely, and not by training either (for such training did not formally exist, but, as an Oxford Arts man, he was trained for most anything intellectual, or at least, that is what an Oxford Arts man would tell you). An interesting addition to the beginning of the book is a short biographical sketch of the fictional Wimsey by his equally-fictional uncle.

All of this, of course, is but preamble to the latest mystery to come calling upon Lord Wimsey. There are the requisite features: a dead woman, Agatha Dawson, wealthy and having left a will that might not be a will, but rather a sham (a delirious woman whose nurse insists that there was no possible way of having made a will during the last month, yet oddly there is a document, complete with a witness who claims that dear old Agatha Dawson wanted nothing to do with the signing -- ah, the plot thickens here).

Of course, to most of the world, Wimsey is, well, following a whimsey of his own. The woman was after all elderly and in poor health; surely his investigations are misplaced. The doctor (not the one who tended Miss Dawson's death, to be sure, but an earlier doctor, suspicious of Dawson's sole heir, her niece) was accused of having blackened the name of Miss Whittaker, the niece, unnecessarily, particularly as no evidence of mischief had been uncovered. Wimsey with the assistance of Inspector Parker are able to rectify the situation vis-a-vis the doctor, but there is still the mystery.

Then, more death. This time the maid. To lose one woman may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose two women... (well, you can fill in the rest yourself).

Of course I won't spoil it for you; perhaps my tag-team reviewers will do that for you, but I sincerely hope not. Suffice it to say, Wimsey proves himself a consummate actor in which the truth comes out (in London, and in style!).

One of the glories of Sayers work is the intricacies of her plots. She tends to get a huge number of people involved (the number of people who seemed to have trouped through the ill woman's bedchamber is in itself surprising, given the era) each with subplots and agenda that nonetheless get neatly resolved in the end. Sayers' development of character (even of the already dead ones!) is done with style and subtlety; while Wimsey is developed over several novels, one doesn't feel him a stranger by reading this one alone. The other characters fit their parts admirably (had Sayers not been a writer, she may well have made a good career as a casting director in Hollywood), in physical and personality attributes.

Her descriptions of the milieu, both in town (London) and in the country (the village and surroundings, in this case, of Hampshire, are interesting reading. Sayers is very much the cosmopolitan, and somewhat condescending toward the countryfolk. However, that is not a heavy element, and perhaps can be written off to her attempt to make Wimsey even more the worldly character he turns out to be over the course of her novels.

In all, an excellent read, a great diversion, and well worth musing over while sipping tea on a Regency-style sofa in one's dressing gown.

I really enjoyed this novel. I found the characterizations to be well-constructed and -detailed. I found the villain to be utterly convincing as a sociopathic murderess. I liked the fact that Wimsey and Parker weren't always ahead of the curve on everything, and even when they occasionally were they often laid back rather than expose their positions too soon. The chronology at the end was a little wonky, but not too bad. I appreciated that while Miss Climpson had a bit of a "deus ex machina" moment toward the end, Lord Peter didn't profit from it directly. Bunter's photographic memory was a bit much, but then, that's Bunter for you.
The majority of the plot in Unnatural Death is of such a sophisticated nature that it could have as easily been written in this century as in the last. In fact, with today's forensic-medicine/crime-solving thrillers on TV, Mary Whittaker would fit right in as a villain on Crossing Jordan or one of the CSIs or Law & Orders (to the benefit of those programs, as well). About the only thing that wouldn't really fit - without better explanation - is the suspected blackmailing angle (at least I was never sure how that was supposed to work).
The entrance of Miss Climpson gives the book moments of coziness in an otherwise technically-oriented investigation. I had previously encountered Miss Climpson in Strong Poison (a later novel), so it was great fun being in on Lord Peter's joke on his brother-in-law when he introduced D.I. Parker to his "mystery lady."
In addition to tackling issues of race relations, feminism, Catholicism, and the grade of ham enjoyed by the upper classes, Ms. Sayers delves into the topic of euthanasia and the ethics surrounding it. It's not the typical fare found in a mystery, but Sayers is not your typical mystery writer. I enjoy the way she weaves social issues into her novels without becoming preachy; here the debate, while complex, never slows the momentum of the story.
This is an extraordinary novel. Wimsey's eccentricities are at a minimum (a helpful biographical note before the story (in the 8th Avon edition, at least) does much to explain some of them) and the plot is really first rate. Of the several Sayers books I've read, this is the one I'd recommend reading first (I haven't read the two earlier mysteries yet, so my mind may yet change); Strong Poison is a good second, but it's probably best to meet Miss Climpson here first before reading the 6th Lord Peter novel.

Dorothy Sayers, a.k.a. Dorothy Leigh Sayers Fleming, one of the first women to ever be granted a degree from Oxford University, created one of the leading figures in, and indeed in so doing helped to create the genre of, the British mystery novels. Lord Peter Wimsey, an elegant, refined London-based aristocrat with a taste for books and a penchant for the piano, is again here the leading figure, in 'Unnatural Death', also published as 'The Dawson Pedigree'.

Wimsey is an old Etonian, Balliol Oxford (of course), served with distinction in His Majesty's forces during the War (this book having been written in 1927, I shall leave it to your good services to deduce which War), who resides both town and country somewhat fashionably, and takes great pride in the ancient family history (by the time one gets to be the fifteenth Duke of anything, the family can be easily considered ancient). Wimsey has a vocation as criminologist, not out of necessity, surely, and not by training either (for such training did not formally exist, but, as an Oxford Arts man, he was trained for most anything intellectual, or at least, that is what an Oxford Arts man would tell you). An interesting addition to the beginning of the book is a short biographical sketch of the fictional Wimsey by his equally-fictional uncle.

All of this, of course, is but preamble to the latest mystery to come calling upon Lord Wimsey. There are the requisite features: a dead woman, Agatha Dawson, wealthy and having left a will that might not be a will, but rather a sham (a delirious woman whose nurse insists that there was no possible way of having made a will during the last month, yet oddly there is a document, complete with a witness who claims that dear old Agatha Dawson wanted nothing to do with the signing -- ah, the plot thickens here).

Of course, to most of the world, Wimsey is, well, following a whimsey of his own. The woman was after all elderly and in poor health; surely his investigations are misplaced. The doctor (not the one who tended Miss Dawson's death, to be sure, but an earlier doctor, suspicious of Dawson's sole heir, her niece) was accused of having blackened the name of Miss Whittaker, the niece, unnecessarily, particularly as no evidence of mischief had been uncovered. Wimsey with the assistance of Inspector Parker are able to rectify the situation vis-a-vis the doctor, but there is still the mystery.

Then, more death. This time the maid. To lose one woman may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose two women... (well, you can fill in the rest yourself).

Of course I won't spoil it for you; perhaps my tag-team reviewers will do that for you, but I sincerely hope not. Suffice it to say, Wimsey proves himself a consummate actor in which the truth comes out (in London, and in style!).

One of the glories of Sayers work is the intricacies of her plots. She tends to get a huge number of people involved (the number of people who seemed to have trouped through the ill woman's bedchamber is in itself surprising, given the era) each with subplots and agenda that nonetheless get neatly resolved in the end. Sayers' development of character (even of the already dead ones!) is done with style and subtlety; while Wimsey is developed over several novels, one doesn't feel him a stranger by reading this one alone. The other characters fit their parts admirably (had Sayers not been a writer, she may well have made a good career as a casting director in Hollywood), in physical and personality attributes.

Her descriptions of the milieu, both in town (London) and in the country (the village and surroundings, in this case, of Hampshire, are interesting reading. Sayers is very much the cosmopolitan, and somewhat condescending toward the countryfolk. However, that is not a heavy element, and perhaps can be written off to her attempt to make Wimsey even more the worldly character he turns out to be over the course of her novels.

In all, an excellent read, a great diversion, and well worth musing over while sipping tea on a Regency-style sofa in one's dressing gown.

Lord Peter Wimsey, the sleuth in this third novel of Dorothy Sayers' detective series, wants to investigate what he calls the perfect murder--one without evidence or motive. He is intrigued by all the successful crimes, ones that are not discovered by police. In this case Lord Peter has to pursue his investigation for quite a while before his friend and colleague Detective Parker believes there is a case to investigate.

Lord Peter has the assistance of an associate, Miss Climpson, an elderly spinster who has natural sleuthing talent and has the advantage that no-one suspects her of being anything more than a busybody. In the process of investigating they come across a diabolical plot and both Lord Peter and Miss Climpson are in danger.

The Lord Peter mysteries are satisfying and comfy. They give a glimpse into another era, the 1920's. Lord Peter is an appealing character; a man with urbane charm and wit and with a keen analytical mind, particularly when it comes to detective work. He has an achilles heel--he fought in WWI and was buried for a long time in a fox hole after an explosion. When under stress he has nightmares and flashbacks.

Interspersed with his detective work, Lord Peter participates in the social life of a peer. He often dines at the Savoy and pursues his hobby of researching and purchasing antiquarian books. An endearing and satisfying detective series!

In this, her third Peter Wimsey novel, Sayers continues adding information and depth to Wimsey's character, and also to that of Inspector Parker. In this book she introduces Miss Climpson, who helps Wimsey in this book and will make appearances in other books, much to the delight of readers. Still, Sayers writes a different kind of mystery, perhaps one peculiar to herself, in which the reader can usually guess the identity of the murderer, then spends the book watching Lord Peter try to figure out how he can prove "who done it."

In this novel, an older woman who seems destined to die from cancer does in fact die -- but sooner than her doctor thought she would. Or should. Was she helped to her death by a greedy heir? Or by somebody else with a different motive?

I enjoy these books, but the early ones don't offer quite as much detecting as do the later ones, so I enjoy the later ones more. Sayers is a strong writer who thinks logically, plots well, and has both the reader and Wimsey making false assumptions. The books are fun because the author enjoyed her creation so much, and this enjoyment shows in the books.

UNNATURAL DEATH (THE DAWSON PEDIGREE) is the third Lord Peter novel, orginally published in 1927. The case centers around the death of an old woman who died just a bit sooner than expected. The early demise came to the benefit of her devoted niece who had been her intended heir all along. Still the suddeness of her demise did seem odd and lead ultimately to the attention of Lord Peter. His attempt to satisfy his curiousity took him to the country, back to town, delving into the past and finer points of law along the way.

As with some of the other earlier Lord Peter books the attraction here is in the characters more than the mystery. More information on Peter is given in the form of biographical notes in the beginning of the book. We are again treated to Parker and Bunter but most notable are the introductions of Mr. Murbles, the attorney and Miss Climpson, the spinster private detective.

The 21st century reader will need to make allowances for the state of forensic science in the early '20's as well as the prejudices of the day (against blacks), the limited opportunities for women and the coy way in which lesbian relationships are hinted at but never actually spoken of. Still, the charm of the novel is in the characters and the setting, the mystery is merely the vehicle. If you are looking for a serious, challenging mystery look elsewhere. If you are a fan of Lord Peter or just 'cozies' in general this one is for you.

"Be careful what you wish for---"
Lord Peter makes a light-hearted wager with friend Charles Parker. To win, he was must prove a murder was committed in the death of a wealthy, elderly lady who had terminal cancer. Said lady, Miss Agatha Dawson, had made no will, and the medical certificate said "heart failure."
True, her young doctor was unhappy about the situation. He had thought Miss Dawson's death entirely too sudden and had made strenuous inquiries, so many in fact, the people of her village turned against him, and he had to give up his practice there. In fairness, it must be stated that the good doctor did seem rather egotistical, and perhaps he was just miffed that his prognosis of six more months was a shade too optimistic.
Further investigation divulges that Miss Dawson's young ex-servant has died mysteriously of a heart attack in a meadow. The more Lord Peter investigates, the more the injuries and mysteries pile up. A young lawyer has a near miss, Lord Peter is drugged, a young village lady is murdered while vacationing by persons unknown, and Lord Peter's associate is held hostage.
Lord Peter wins his wager, but at what a cost! The reader is left with an interesting moral dilemma. Is it better to let a complacent murderer be to avert the consequences of his or her obsession?
This is one of the earlier Lord Peter Wimsey books. It has a great deal of banter---what some would call silly dialogue, and poor Charles, Peter's brother-in-law to be and Scotland Yard detective, looks a bit like a stuffy fool. But in this book the mystery is real and the stakes are high. This will be good news to some Sayers readers who feel cheated when they find nothing of import has happened at all! I was relieved to note "Unnatural Death" is pre-Harriet Vane, as I find her perfection tiresome; other readers may miss her. This is a complex tale and will keep you turning the pages.

When Dr. Edward Carr overhears Lord Peter Wimsey and Detective Charles Parker discussing crime and the responsibility of the medical profession, he is drawn to share a perplexing problem of his own. When a patient of his who was slowly dying of cancer suddenly took much worse and died, he was unable to sign the death certificate with confidence and insisted on a post mortem, greatly discomfiting the survivor, one Mary Whittaker. When nothing suspicious is found, Dr. Carr found himself losing patients, and eventually had to sell his practice.
Wimsey is intrigued, and, despite the misgivings of both the doctor and Detective Parker, dispatches the elderly Miss Alexandra Climpson to gather information in the town of Leahampton while he pursues other leads in London. He finds many suspicions, but no facts, even when one death and then another are reported. In each case there are no indications of foul play, and Wimsey becomes convinced that he has grabbed the tail of the perfect crime. His opinion is not shared by Parker, however, and it is only reluctantly that the latter consents to investigate.
Gradually circumstance builds, and even Parker must admit that there are many questions to be answers. Yet all are baffled. Even knowing who the perpetrator must be, the investigators are unable to formulate a case that will stand in court. Wimsey is up against one of those sociopathic minds that pays careful attention to detail and apparently has the means to murder as if by magic. Dorothy Sayers has created a truly baffling case.
The greatest delight of this novel is the first appearance of Miss Alexandra Climpson. A delightfully sharp woman who is a persistent and dedicated investigator in the service of Lord Peter. Initially giving the appearance of the archetypal maiden aunt, it quickly becomes apparent that Miss Climpson has unplumbed depths and she will return often to the delectation and joy of the reader.
While 'Unnatural Death' is an eminently readable and entertaining story, it does not bear up as well on rereading. For one thing, most of the book is spent knowing exactly who is guilty but not having the important clue in hand. As a matter of personal preference, I like to have to guess the criminal better than guessing the means. Also, since the story depends on a trick solution, the ending is less satisfying than it might have been. All this aside, it is still a great story. Dorothy Sayers' worst (which this isn't) is far better than most writers' best. Have no fear, you will enjoy this.

Here we have Lord Peter Wimsey, teamed up with Inspector Parker, sticking his aristocratic nose into yet another heinous murder case. In fact, no one even discovers that this IS a murder until Wimsey ferrets out some key clues, albeit with the aid of a little old lady whom he's hired as one of his investigators. The initial crime: An old woman, on her deathbed, gets bumped off prematurely so that her last will and testament will get probated in a particular way. And before it is over, more murder follows. Within these pages, the mystery fan will find plenty of cool clues, spectacular locations, atmosphere galore, and just enough English cliche to make this one a top read. I recommend it for both newbies to mysteries and to seasoned veterans as well. You'll love the crusty old characters that Wimsey and Parker encounter out in the English countryside locations as they pursue this shrewd and heinous murderer. This is also available in audiobook and is well-read.

Dorothy Sayers, a.k.a. Dorothy Leigh Sayers Fleming, one of the first women to ever be granted a degree from Oxford University, created one of the leading figures in, and indeed in so doing helped to create the genre of, the British mystery novels. Lord Peter Wimsey, an elegant, refined London-based aristocrat with a taste for books and a penchant for the piano, is again here the leading figure, in 'Unnatural Death', also published as 'The Dawson Pedigree'.

Wimsey is an old Etonian, Balliol Oxford (of course), served with distinction in His Majesty's forces during the War (this book having been written in 1927, I shall leave it to your good services to deduce which War), who resides both town and country somewhat fashionably, and takes great pride in the ancient family history (by the time one gets to be the fifteenth Duke of anything, the family can be easily considered ancient). Wimsey has a vocation as criminologist, not out of necessity, surely, and not by training either (for such training did not formally exist, but, as an Oxford Arts man, he was trained for most anything intellectual, or at least, that is what an Oxford Arts man would tell you). An interesting addition to the beginning of the book is a short biographical sketch of the fictional Wimsey by his equally-fictional uncle.

All of this, of course, is but preamble to the latest mystery to come calling upon Lord Wimsey. There are the requisite features: a dead woman, Agatha Dawson, wealthy and having left a will that might not be a will, but rather a sham (a delirious woman whose nurse insists that there was no possible way of having made a will during the last month, yet oddly there is a document, complete with a witness who claims that dear old Agatha Dawson wanted nothing to do with the signing -- ah, the plot thickens here).

Of course, to most of the world, Wimsey is, well, following a whimsey of his own. The woman was after all elderly and in poor health; surely his investigations are misplaced. The doctor (not the one who tended Miss Dawson's death, to be sure, but an earlier doctor, suspicious of Dawson's sole heir, her niece) was accused of having blackened the name of Miss Whittaker, the niece, unnecessarily, particularly as no evidence of mischief had been uncovered. Wimsey with the assistance of Inspector Parker are able to rectify the situation vis-a-vis the doctor, but there is still the mystery.

Then, more death. This time the maid. To lose one woman may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose two women... (well, you can fill in the rest yourself).

Of course I won't spoil it for you; perhaps my tag-team reviewers will do that for you, but I sincerely hope not. Suffice it to say, Wimsey proves himself a consummate actor in which the truth comes out (in London, and in style!).

One of the glories of Sayers work is the intricacies of her plots. She tends to get a huge number of people involved (the number of people who seemed to have trouped through the ill woman's bedchamber is in itself surprising, given the era) each with subplots and agenda that nonetheless get neatly resolved in the end. Sayers' development of character (even of the already dead ones!) is done with style and subtlety; while Wimsey is developed over several novels, one doesn't feel him a stranger by reading this one alone. The other characters fit their parts admirably (had Sayers not been a writer, she may well have made a good career as a casting director in Hollywood), in physical and personality attributes.

Her descriptions of the milieu, both in town (London) and in the country (the village and surroundings, in this case, of Hampshire, are interesting reading. Sayers is very much the cosmopolitan, and somewhat condescending toward the countryfolk. However, that is not a heavy element, and perhaps can be written off to her attempt to make Wimsey even more the worldly character he turns out to be over the course of her novels.

In all, an excellent read, a great diversion, and well worth musing over while sipping tea on a Regency-style sofa in one's dressing gown.

Originally published in 1927, UNNATURAL DEATH is the third of Dorothy L. Sayer's "Lord Peter Wimsey" mystery novels--and a novel in which Sayers manages to strike the same balance of literary style and humor that she previously created in the 1926 CLOUDS OF WITNESS. But also like CLOUDS OF WITNESS, UNNATURAL DEATH is not a murder mystery per se--a fact that may annoy readers in search of a classic "whodunit" novel. In this instance, the criminal is a foregone conclusion; it is catching her that poses the problem.

That problem proves remarkably convoluted. Miss Agatha Dawson, an elderly lady of considerable wealth, has died after a long battle with cancer--a reasonable death. Even so, the doctor in charge of the case feels uneasy; not only did the death benefit Miss Dawson's great-niece considerably, it seemed to him a little premature. And when Lord Peter Wimsey becomes intrigued, it seems that any individual who could give evidence against the niece suddenly dies! This poses an unexpected moral issue for Wimsey. Should he continue to pursue the case--even though his persistence seems to force the killer to kill again or again?

While somewhat marred by her occasional tendency toward a patronizing sort of racism, UNNATURAL DEATH is far from the worst of the worst of Sayer's work--it is not, mercifully, as painfully overworked as the slightly later THE FIVE RED HERRINGS or HAVE HIS CARCASS. And although it falls a bit short of her masterpieces of the mid-1930s (MURDER MUST ADVERTISE, THE NINE TAILORS, GAUDY NIGHT, and BUSMAN'S HONEYMOON, titles that continue to dazzle readers and inspire writers to this day), it not only indicates the style of those works but it holds up very well as a tightly written, fast-paced, and intriguing read. Recommended.

GFT, the store Reviewer

A story overheard by chance in a restaurant puts Lord Peter Wimsey on the trail of a woman who may have committed the perfect murder. The investigation leads him and his associates, Inspector Parker and spinster detective Miss Climpson, back and forth between city and country before the suspenseful (if rather contrived) conclusion. The background and details of this novel, first published in 1927, add interest. Several lesbian characters (though never directly identified as such) figure prominently, but unfortunately author Dorothy Sayers adheres to the common theme that homosexuals are particularly prone to all manner of vices. Still, this is an enjoyable mystery.

Ian Carmichael's narration of Unnatural Death adds a wonderful intimacy to Dorothy Sayers dialogue style. In a book I first read thirty years ago, the Audible edition adds a smile and a laugh to the memories of an entertaining mystery. Ian Carmichael provides a varied collection of voices and language diversity that quickly identifies the characters and keeps them recognizable. This is an interesting story that the audio presentation makes delightfully enjoyable.

This is the first Dorothy Sayers book I have read, but it will most certainly not be the last. It's a wonder to me that she had escaped my serious notice until now, but I have feeling we are going to be great friends. I found this book to be second only to the Father Brown series (G.K. Chesterton) in mystery. I look forward to many further readings of this, and Sayers' other books.

I turned to Dorothy L. after exhausting most of Agatha Christie's works (yes, she wrote about eighty novels and plays, and I've read the majority of the novels, primarily the Poirot and Marple tales, as they are my favorites). I was pleased by Sayers's methodical and thourough spinning of a detective story, as well as the charm and wit of her hero, Lord Peter Wimsey.
Unnatural Death has become one of my favorite Wimsey tales. It has the suspense and threat of danger that some of her other books lack. Wimsey and Parker's unravelling of an intricately woven plan of crime is really a literary feat.
If you felt that suspense and chills were lacking in some of the other Sayers tales, give this one a shot. I will grant you, it takes a little while to dig into this story before it really gets going, but it is well worth the effort!

The audio book is wonderful. Ian Carmichael does a fabulous job and creates real atmosphere for this stereotypical 'cozy' English murder mystery. I wondered -- am I the only one to pick up on the lesbian themes in this book? The old spinster who died under suspicious circumstances was the life partner of another woman who owned her own business. Both were described as 'determined not to marry.' The suspected murderess had a female accomplice whom Lord Peter was sure despised the touch of men as well as a young woman who was slavishly devoted to her. Does the term 'unnatural' speak to these relationships too? (In the author's mind -- not the mind of the contemporary reader.)