Dorothy L. Sayers
The Nine Tailors: A Lord Peter Mystery

The Nine Tailors: A Lord Peter Mystery

Critics have argued that this mystery–set in 1934 England–is the greatest detective novel ever written. I’m not the judge of that, but I do know that Sayers’s mystery novels keep me turning the page until way past my bedtime. The Nine Tailors is one of the 11 Lord Peter novels and the one Nancy Pearl recommends you start with. I'm a big fan of this series; no need to read these in order.

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Strong Poison: A Lord Peter Mystery
Lord Peter Books

Lord Peter Books

Sayers is one of the greatest mystery writers of the 20th century, and many of her mysteries center around Lord Peter Wimsey--the aristocratic detective who loves expensive clothes, fine wine, and British wit. There are 11 novels featuring Lord Peter, and several short story collections, but they need not be read in order. The first is Whose Body? (published 1923), in which Lord Peter investigates a naked dead body found in the bath, wearing nothing but a pair of pince-nez.

My favorite is Gaudy Night (published 1935), a psychological thriller set at Oxford that features female protagonist Harriet Vane. Sayers is a mystery writer, but she approaches her topic delicately: though many of her novels feature murder plots, they’re not at all graphic.

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Murder Must Advertise

Murder Must Advertise

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Genre: Mystery

I just love Sayers' Lord Peter Wimsey novels. In this installment, Wimsey goes undercover at a post London ad agency to investigate a suspicious accident.

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Lord Peter Views The Body (Lord Peter Wimsey Mystery Book 4)

Lord Peter Views The Body (Lord Peter Wimsey Mystery Book 4)

I love Sayers mysteries; this one is no exception. These can be read in any order.

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The Five Red Herrings: A Lord Peter Mystery

The Five Red Herrings: A Lord Peter Mystery

I love this mystery series; no need to read these in order. From the publisher: "The majestic landscape of the Scottish coast in the idyllic village of Kirkcudbright, every resident and visitor has 2 things in common: They either fish or paint (or both), and they all hate Sandy Campbell. Though a fair painter, he is a rotten human being. No one weeps when he dies. Campbell's body is found at the bottom of a steep hill, suggesting that he took a tumble while painting. But something about the death doesn't sit right with gentleman sleuth Lord Peter Wimsey. Six hated him enough to become suspects; five are innocent, and the other is the perpetrator of the most ingenious murder Lord Peter has ever encountered."

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Clouds of Witness (The Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries Book 2)

Clouds of Witness (The Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries Book 2)

Lord Peter fights to save the family name in the second installment of Sayers's Lord Peter mystery series. I love these books; they can be read in any order.

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The Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries: Whose Body?, Clouds of Witness, and Unnatural Death

The Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries: Whose Body?, Clouds of Witness, and Unnatural Death

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Genre: Mystery

A special edition of the first three classic mysteries featuring British aristocrat and sleuth Lord Peter Wimsey. I'm a big fan of this series.

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Whose Body? (The Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries Book 1)

Whose Body? (The Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries Book 1)

British mystery lovers, rejoice: this is the first in the classic mysteries series featuring British aristocrat and sleuth Lord Peter Wimsey. Click here to view all the Lord Peter Wimsey books. I'm a big fan of this series.

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Hangman’s Holiday (Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries Book)

Hangman’s Holiday (Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries Book)

I'm a big fan of this series; they can be read in any order. The Chicago Tribune says, "The Wimsey books are literate and delightful mysteries." and Saturday Review calls them "the very last word in sophisticated murdering." From the publisher: "In the annals of mystery writing, Lord Peter Wimsey and Montague Egg are among the most memorable detectives. Lord Peter—noble by birth, brilliant by nature—is a fly in the ointment of criminals across Britain, turning up whenever the police ask him to lend his quick wit and keen eye to an investigation. Montague Egg is a free-spirited figure, a traveling wine salesman with an unfortunate habit of stumbling over murder scenes. Both are inimitably charming, and neither has ever failed to catch his man."

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The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club (Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries)

The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club (Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries)

I love Sayers mysteries; these can be read in any order. From the publisher: "A wealthy general dies in his club, surrounded by fellow veterans—and Lord Peter must battle to solve the case. Even the Bellona Club's most devoted members would never call it lively. Its atmosphere is that of a morgue—or, at best, a funeral parlor—and on Armistice Day the gloom is only heightened. Veterans of the Great War gather at the Bellona not to hash over old victories, but to stare into their whiskies and complain about old injuries, shrinking pensions, and the lingering effects of shell shock. And this Armistice Day, death has come to join the festivities. The aged General Fentiman—a hero of the Crimean War—expires sitting up in his favorite chair. Across town, his sister dies on the same day, throwing the General’s half-million-pound inheritance into turmoil. As the nation celebrates and suspicions run riot, Lord Peter must discover what kind of soldier would have the nerve to murder a general."

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The Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries Volume Two: The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club, Strong Poison, The Five Red Herrings, and Have His Carcase

The Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries Volume Two: The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club, Strong Poison, The Five Red Herrings, and Have His Carcase

From the publisher: "A gentleman needs hobbies. For Lord Peter Wimsey—a Great War veteran with a touch of shell shock—collecting rare books, sampling fine wines, and catching criminals are all most pleasant diversions."

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Striding Folly: A Collection of Mysteries (The Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries Book 15)
The Lord Peter Wimsey Short Story Collection: Lord Peter Views the Body, Hangman’s Holiday, In the Teeth of the Evidence, and Striding Folly

The Lord Peter Wimsey Short Story Collection: Lord Peter Views the Body, Hangman’s Holiday, In the Teeth of the Evidence, and Striding Folly

Sayers is one of the greatest mystery writers of the 20th century, and many of her mysteries center around Lord Peter Wimsey--the aristocratic detective who loves expensive clothes, fine wine, and British wit. There are 11 novels featuring Lord Peter, and several short story collections, but they need not be read in order. I love this series.

More info →
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Have His Carcase (The Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries Book 8)

Have His Carcase (The Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries Book 8)

Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane investigate a dead body on the beach in this “nearly perfect detective story” by the author of Busman’s Honeymoon (Saturday Review).

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The Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries Volume Three: Murder Must Advertise, The Nine Tailors, Gaudy Night, and Busman’s Honeymoon

The Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries Volume Three: Murder Must Advertise, The Nine Tailors, Gaudy Night, and Busman’s Honeymoon

British mystery lovers, rejoice: this is a special edition of four classic mysteries featuring British aristocrat and sleuth Lord Peter Wimsey—the aristocratic detective who loves expensive clothes, fine wine, and British wit. Sayers is one of the greatest mystery writers of the 20th century; I'm a big fan of this series. There are 11 novels featuring Lord Peter, and several short story collections, but they need not be read in order.

More info →
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Unnatural Death (The Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries Book 3)

Unnatural Death (The Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries Book 3)

British mystery lovers, rejoice: this is a great deal on a classic mystery featuring British aristocrat and sleuth Lord Peter Wimsey. I'm a big fan of this series; they can be read in any order.

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Busman’s Honeymoon (Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries)

Busman’s Honeymoon (Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries)

New York Times says, "Busman’s Honeymoon has everything—mystery, comedy, love, and drama—all served up in Dorothy Sayers’s best style."

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Gaudy Night: A Lord Peter Wimsey Mystery with Harriet Vane

Gaudy Night: A Lord Peter Wimsey Mystery with Harriet Vane

Part campus novel, part intricately-plotted mystery: this is Sayers’ tenth Lord Peter novel, the first told from the perspective of Harriet Vane, and undoubtedly one of her finest. (They needn’t be read in order.) When Ms. Vane returns to Oxford for her college’s reunion (the “gaudy” of the title), the festive mood on campus is threatened by an alarming outbreak of murderous threats. Sayers makes this much more than a crime novel, though it's a good one—Harriet grapples with questions of love and friendship, life and work, gender and class, and the writing life.

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