Source: Publisher
Description: Ninety-year-old General Fentiman was definitely dead, but no one knew exactly when he had died—and the time of death was the determining factor in a half-million-pound inheritance. Lord Peter Wimsey would need every bit of his amazing skills to unravel the mysteries of why the General's lapel was without a red poppy on Armistice Day, how the club's telephone was fixed without a repairman, and, most puzzling of all, why the great man's knee swung freely when the rest of him was stiff with rigor mortis.
Genre: Mystery - Classic
Why I Picked This Book: This was the next Lord Peter Wimsey so of course I had to read it!
My Impression: This was a clever mystery with a few unexpected twists! Lord Peter Wimsey is called in not to figure out a murder but to figure out just when a man in his 90s died. As he determines that family dynamics are called into question as to just why the old General didn't have a poppy in his lapel and why is his lower leg free from rigor mortis.
Why I Picked This Book: This was the next Lord Peter Wimsey so of course I had to read it!
My Impression: This was a clever mystery with a few unexpected twists! Lord Peter Wimsey is called in not to figure out a murder but to figure out just when a man in his 90s died. As he determines that family dynamics are called into question as to just why the old General didn't have a poppy in his lapel and why is his lower leg free from rigor mortis.
This is definitely not an action oriented mystery but I don't really expect that from this particular genre. Instead there is lots of debate and theorizing and it felt like the reader was pulled into the theorizing. There were several bits that surprised me and I really enjoyed the ending. I think this was probably the Lord Peter Wimsey mystery I have enjoyed the most and I liked it enough to keep reading Dorothy L. Sayer's mysteries.
Would I Read More of this Series/Author? I would! I don't think I'll ever like Sayers better than Christie but I'm really starting to enjoy the way she spins a mystery.
Would I Recommend this Book? If you enjoy a very bloodless take on a mystery this was an interesting read.
Would I Recommend this Book? If you enjoy a very bloodless take on a mystery this was an interesting read.
I always want to go back and read classic mysteries like this series. ...one of these days. Glad it was interesting, and bloodless!
ReplyDeleteI've enjoyed this series. I read all of it but quite a long time ago.
ReplyDeleteAnne - Books of My Heart
Sounds like it hit the mark and that lower leg is an interesting point.
ReplyDeleteI need pick up a classic mystery soon. This sounds like something that I would probably like.
ReplyDeleteI adore Sayers, and this is a good one, I agree. The next one in the series is Strong Poison, one of my favorites. I hope you enjoy it!
ReplyDeleteBy the way, have you watched any of the BBC adaptations? They filmed five of them in the 1970s starring Ian Carmichael, which are all pretty good. Then in 1987 they adapted three of the four mysteries featuring Harriet Vane, starring Edward Petheridge as Lord Peter; that trilogy is terrific. It might be best to wait until you have read the whole series before watching them, though.
I am glad you continue to enjoy this series!
ReplyDeleteI think I would like the debate and theorizing rather than action. 📗
ReplyDelete