I opted for Dorothy L Sayers as an undemanding read over Christmas, thinking that I'd read Gaudy Night again - but I'd forgotten how terribly wordy it is, all those arch quotations from clever people. And I still couldn't keep track of who's who amongst all those female dons. Then it struck me that I'd never read Strong Poison, the earlier book that explains how Lord Peter Wimsey saved Harriet Vane from the gallows. Much shorter, much brisker, and Harriet - who can be rather irritating - is safely out of action in Holloway Prison throughout. Funny how Lord Peter seems to have changed over the course of two books; is it spurned love? He seems much more urbane and sophisticated in Oxford and not nearly so much of a chinless but brainy wonder.
4 comments:
Oh, Edward Petherbridge as Lord Peter! He's so old now :-( Just to show how old I am, I saw him in the very first performance of Rosencrantz and Guildernstern are Dead at the National Theatre.
I usually read Gaudy Night and Busman's Honeymoon as a pair, which works better, I think. In the Petherbridge/Walter series, Gaudy Night was really bad.
My favourite book in the series is probably Murder Must Advertise, leaving out the tiresome Harlequin nonsense. No Harriet!
I know I've read Murder Must Advertise but it doesn't really stick in my mind, Callmemadam. Maybe I'll try Busman's Honeymoon.
Both Peter Wimsey, and Albert Campion (Margery Allingham's fabulous series) did evolve, sometime dramatically, from book to book. Both started off somewhat chinless and fatuous and ended up incredibly bright, well connected, sensitive, thoughtful and very clever.
I think my favourite is Tiger in the Smoke, Ginny.
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