Lord Peter Wimsey - April - LP Views the Body

Welcome to the April Lord Peter Wimsey group read. This month we're reading short stories. I didn't have a copy but Open Library has copies, so go to: https://archive.org/ to get a copy if you don't own it. Or, your library is closed, like mine is.

>1 majkia: Thanks for starting us off! I have already started reading the stories, as I am actually reading one of the Open Library copies. I'll try to finish up tonight or tomorrow night. While I'm staying home, I am working.

One of my libraries had an estimated 5 week wait, but it was available at the other so I downloaded it.

>1 majkia: I'm going to download a copy too.

I have a copy so I'm all set!

I just checked - it's $2.99 on Kindle in the U.S. I've bought pretty much the entire series over the years, when I've found them on sale.

>6 Dejah_Thoris: Oh thanks for saying that. I've got nearly every other book in the series.

Do you guys think I will be lost if I join in for Lord Peter Views the Body next month? I've never read a Lord Peter Wimsey Mystery before: in fact, I know zilch about it. I only checked out the series for the first time today.

Will it be a bad introduction to the series? I'm thinking I might be interested in the November read with The Nine Tailors.

>8 Majel-Susan: It's a short story collection so you'll get snippets of Lord Peter. Please feel free to join us.

>8 Majel-Susan: do join us!

Personally I feel The Nine Tailors is the best of the Wimsey books, but the others range from mildly good to very good as well.

Okay, I'll bite. :)

My e-library has a few copies, so that's good!

>8 Majel-Susan: The first Lord Peter I read was The Nine Tailors as it was on the 1001 Books list. I have read the first three books now in this group and agree that The Nine Tailors is my favourite by far.

>8 Majel-Susan: Each of the novels is pretty much self contained, at least the first 3. So joining in now won't be that difficult as far as the series is concerned.

Glad to have you with us!

I do hope Miss Climpson continues on in the series!

>10 fuzzi:, >12 JayneCM: I too like The Nine Tailors (though I am not sure I would say it is my favorite - that varies!) but I know many people find the bell-ringing bits tedious and because of that don't care for this book.

>14 JayneCM: She does, a least in a few of the novels.

>10 fuzzi: > 12 >15 leslie.98: The Nine Tailors is very good, but not my favorite - my favorite varies, too! The bell ringing doesn't bother me; I find it rather fascinating.

>16 Dejah_Thoris: I'm chomping at the bit to get to Strong Poison. I loved it many years ago.

>17 NinieB: Oh yes - I love the Harriet novels, even though Have His Carcase can be slow going at times. Oddly enough, Murder Must Advertise is probably my favorite non-Harriet novel. I know many people don't care for it, but it makes me smile.

>18 Dejah_Thoris: I also loved Murder Must Advertise, seem to recall Wimsey doing a cartwheel down the hall at the agency?

>19 fuzzi: Yes! And Sayers certainly puts her background in advertising to use - it's a perfect milieu for Lord Peter's cleverness and wit. We'll get there.

I have started this - my plan is to read one story a day. Of course, that plan might go out the window if my love for Sayers & Lord Peter take hold!

The second story - "The Entertaining Episode of the Article in Question" - gives a good glimpse into Lord Peter's past & his habit of mind which led him into detecting. I completely missed the clue to the mystery which is because, though I took French in school, I just skimmed over all that French language dialogue! And the title has such a pointed reference to what the clue is (once you know)!!

1. The Abominable History of the Man with Copper Fingers
Loder's death was a touch too tidy of a conclusion for me, but I did find the idea of murdering your lover à la entombment as a piece of art to be forever sat upon as your couch, rather---shall I say, fascinating?

I see here that Wimsey is not a professional detective, more like an amateur sleuth with a lot of (mis)fortune? A Jessica Fletcher type, perhaps? I noticed this story also wasn't so much of a whodunnit as a howdunnit.

2. The Entertaining Episode of the Article in Question
So, the solution hinged on me understanding French and catching the slipped article? Hmm, guess I shouldn't have stopped studying French.

The mystery began without me understanding why, the crime happened all at once, and the solution simply popped out just as suddenly---but I guess that's just its narrative style since it is after, well, a short story.

Wimsey is quite a charming guy, isn't he? Sweet-talking and buttering up...

Also, I think I need my own personal Who's Who to peruse at my leisure.

>22 leslie.98: I did, too! And it's so obvious once you know.

I've just started my reread of Lord Peter Views the Body - it seems as though several of us are dipping into Lord Peter's adventures today!

>23 Majel-Susan: Lord Peter is charming - he's quite easy to crush on. I can see with the short stories how it might take a while to learn much about him, as compared to the novels, but I think you'll be alright. I'm pretty sure the only people from the first story who are regulars are Freddy Arbuthnot, Peter's friend who's a bit dim about some things but is a whiz in the financial markets and Bunter, Peter's "man" (valet, butler, keeper, assistant, Sargent, etc.), who is mentioned in passing but is key in all the novels.

>23 Majel-Susan: I loved the bit when he is sweet-talking the Dowager Duchess!

I liked the crossword aspect of the 3rd story - "The Fascinating Problem of Uncle Meleager's Will" - though I didn't have the patience to actually try to solve it myself. I am not good at English crossword puzzles which I find much more difficult than American ones. But I would bet my mother worked on it when she read this story the first time - she was a crossword fiend!

>27 leslie.98: Yeah, the crossword element was cute, though, I've never been one for crosswords myself either. On the other hand, I can imagine that if someone loved Wimsey stories and crossword puzzles, this would be a dream come true.

Also, this was a nice change in pace: no murder, no theft, just a frivolous riddle of sorts. And Lord Peter and Mary are showing themselves true siblings here.

>27 leslie.98: That's one of my favorites so far!

>28 Majel-Susan: Mary was something of a surprise in this, I felt. It clearly is set after Clouds of Witness which is briefly referred to and Mary is much more similar to Peter here. As you said, true siblings!

4. "The Fantastic Horror of the Cat in the Bag"
I didn't feel like there was much deduction in this story. It all hinged on the fact that Wimsey recognized the man's description. I enjoyed the story but it wasn't a puzzle that the reader could try to figure out.

I've noticed so far, for me, at least, that the stories are neither who- nor how- dunnits; they just simply flow such that the who and the how are revealed together, which is a comparatively fresh narrative angle for an inexperienced mystery reader like myself. And so far the style has been whimsical and light-hearted.

I'm getting Murder, She Wrote vibes here, whatwith "walking into" crimes with casual regularity, and the flamboyant flair I'm getting off Wimsey keeps reminding me of one of the Murder, She Wrote characters, a Dennis Stanton, who was a thief-turned-insurance-investigator and had a frivolous attitude of his own.

Of course, Jessica Fletcher was inspired by Miss Marple; but I've only ever read two or so Miss Marple novels and that was years ago... On the other hand, I've basically watched all the adaptations with Margaret Rutherford, Angela Lansbury, Helen Hayes, and Joan Hickson. :)

But really, I used to enjoy Murder, She Wrote, but several seasons in, Jessica Fletcher and her murderous Cabot Cove really stretched the limit for me, and I'm not sure I've quite recovered yet.

I'm going off topic, of course, but does anybody else here love crime dramas?

>32 Majel-Susan: said "I'm going off topic, of course, but does anybody else here love crime dramas?"

Yes, of course! I didn't know that Jessica Fletcher was inspired by Miss Marple but now that you have said it, I can see it. Perhaps Dennis Stanton was inspired by Raffles - at least, that is who he always reminded me of!

5. "The Unprincipled Affair of the Practical Joker"
Another one which is "crime" rather than "mystery". Not one of my favorites...

>33 leslie.98: Ooh, I had not heard of Raffles before, but I'm checking him out now and I see he is one of Conan Doyles. Nice!

I suspect #9 "The Learned Adventure of the Dragon's Head" will be my favorite story in this collection. I loved Peter with his 10-year-old nephew! It was exactly the kind of adventure/mystery I loved when I was 10.

I've finished my reread of Lord Peter Views the Body and my two favorite stories remain "The Bibulous Business of a Matter of Taste" and "The Learned Adventure of the Dragon's Head." To me, they both perfectly reflect aspects of Lord Peter and are very nice stories as well.

Like you, Carrie, I love Peter with Jerry aka Gherkins. The description of the reason for his "way" with children -
He succeeded, however, in earning tolerance on honorable terms by treating the young with the same scrupulous politeness which he extended to their elders
is a perfect description of how Peter treats everyone. I also loved the line "It was at this point that Lord Peter was apotheosed from the state of Quite Decent Uncle to that of Glorified Uncle."

As for "The Bibulous Business of a Matter of Taste," it has long stuck with me, for some reason. It has Peter be charming, Peter being clever, Peter being gracious - it's a story that would only work for Lord Peter.

I was reminded, as I read, of how Sayers' short stories sometimes serve as a proving ground for ideas, themes, and even character names that turn up in later works.

I'm really glad we're doing this - it's fun to examine the books in order, and in such good company.

>36 cbl_tn: >37 Dejah_Thoris: I read the "Dragon's Head" last night. I loved the sequence with Gherkins asking Peter for advice!

This is a reread for me but the last time was long enough ago that they are practically new . So far I have finished the first four and may read another one tonight.

>35 Majel-Susan: Ummm... Raffles was a gentleman thief featured in the books by E.W. Hornung. Hornung was Arthur Conan Doyle's brother-in-law so I guess in a way you could say he was Doyle's.

>37 Dejah_Thoris: That way of Lord Peter's "treating the young with the same scrupulous politeness which he extended to their elders" to me epitomizes the meaning of the term gentleman. It is that attitude, more than any other attribute, that endears him to me.

I liked the one with his nephew too. I think the collection was better overall than many short story collections.

>40 leslie.98: Oops! Haha, a misreading on my part... 😳 😁

6. The Undignified Melodrama of the Bone of Contention.
This one is probably the most mysterious of the stories, with the most "devil in the details" so far! I liked the ghost carriage and the fact that even Wimsey began to be suspicious of his whiskey, even though he still had the pluck to pursue the phantom. Finally, the drama between the brothers was pretty amusing and cute, in a cut-throat kinda way, that is, as well as the way it ends with everybody leaving the two brothers to fight, as they shake their heads in disgust over the both of them. And, ah! the poor vicar, so distressed, so green! It was cute.

>44 Majel-Susan: This story (#6) was the longest one so far. I did guess about the white (grey) horses and their driver having black hoods to make it appear that they were headless though it is possible that my subconscious mind remembered that from my previous reading many moons ago.

I liked the little scene with Lord Peter & his old Army buddy -- not only did it give the reader a bit of background about Lord Peter but also a sense of the times.

I have finished my re-read and was surprised that I could only recall two of them vividly before starting out: the copper fingers because it was so ghoulish and the dragon's head because of the wonderful relation Peter had with his nephew. I think the last one, The Cave of Ali Baba, was a bit over the top. Was she trying to ridicule a type of story fashionable at the time? Or mabye just trying plots...

>46 MissWatson: I wish I'd left the last story unread. I thought it was the worst story in the collection, and I hated ending on a sour note.

>46 MissWatson: >47 cbl_tn: I agree - I've never liked the criminal gang plot line that seems to have been so popular at the time. It's definitely the weakest story of the lot.

>48 Dejah_Thoris: I didn't like Agatha Christie's attempts at that plot either.

>49 cbl_tn: Nor Patricia Wentworth's.

I don't if there were actual, successful criminal gangs in the era or if they were just someone's vivid fantasy. And even if they did exist in some form, I doubt they wore masks and danced before and after the meal at their meetings, lol.

>50 Dejah_Thoris: That was really over the top, wasn't it?!

#7 "The Vindictive Story of the Footsteps that Ran"
This story felt more like the traditional mystery/detective story. I found Lord Peter's disquisition on how he processes his observations fascinating. And it was fun that Bunter was so involved in this one.

>46 MissWatson: >48 Dejah_Thoris: It's also very hard to buy that Lord Peter allowed the world to believe him dead for two years. I might just have been able to accept two months, but two years?!! And where was Bunter during all that time?!

>53 cbl_tn: Sitting in Lord Peter's London flat with a 500 pound annuity, lol. I agree - I thought the same thing. The obit claimed that Peter was 37 when he 'died'. I wonder if two missing years would actually fit into a timeline of his life. Hmmm. I may go see what I can find.

ETA: Lord Peter's biography on Wikipedia brings up the two missing years referred to in the story, but points out they are never mentioned in any of the later books, which matches my memory. I can't help but suspect that Sayers decided she'd made a mistake with that bit.

>52 leslie.98: Was anyone else struck by the phrase "little grey matter" in #7? I naturally thought of Poirot's "little grey cells" when I read that phrase. I wonder if Christie influence Sayers, Sayers influenced Christie, or if it was a meme at the time they were both writing?

>55 cbl_tn: Totally missed that! Poirot talked about the little grey cells in The Mysterious Affair at Styles, which predates all the Lord Peter Wimsey stories.

He tapped his forehead. "These little grey cells. It is 'up to them'--as you say over here." (page 226)

>55 cbl_tn: Same thought crossed my mind, Carrie. I just looked it up - Hercule Poirot first appeared in 1920. Lord Peter Views the Body was published in 1928, so I imagine that it's a nod - or bit of a dig, really - to Christie and her creation, just based on the timing. Hard to say, though - I imagine there are Christie and Sayers scholars, thoroughly familiar with their era, who know, though. We just need to find one!

>53 cbl_tn: >54 Dejah_Thoris: My thoughts exactly!

>55 cbl_tn:, >56 NinieB:, >57 Dejah_Thoris: I noticed that and just assumed it was a nod (or a poke?) at Christie/Poirot. When did the Detection Club (of which both women were members) start? Of course, even if they didn't know each other in the 1920s, they would be familiar with each other's books.

#8 "The Bibulous Business of a Matter of Taste"

Lord Peter & DLS enter the world of espionage! Well, sort of... I wasn't sure at first who the man entering the train at the beginning was - Lord Peter or a man tracking him. And what fun that Lord Peter's palate was the method of determining the truth!

>60 leslie.98: As I mentioned above, it's one of my two favorites from this collection - very Lord Peter!

>52 leslie.98: Oh, yes, that's what I noticed too. It felt much more like a traditional mystery story, and this one was pretty fun, too.

>55 cbl_tn: I also paused at that "little grey cells" line. I was just like, "Ookay. Was Sayers pointing at Poirot, or was it actually just a thing of the times?"

>59 leslie.98: The Detection Club was formed in 1930. The funny thing is that Lord Peter Wimsey only came onto my radar because I came across The Floating Admiral last month and saw that it was written by a whole set of classic mystery writers, including Agatha Christie, G.K. Chesterton, and Dorothy Sayers, which was when I thought that Dorothy Sayers' name was familiar. I checked her out and found that she had a detective called Lord Peter Wimsey, and then I was like, "Oh, wait. I've seen that name somewhere on one of those LT group reads. Let me check that out now." And here I am!

I have to say, though, that The Floating Admiral's description has really got me. I'm hoping to read it sometime after I get more familiar with Sayers' style and read some Father Brown.

"In 1931, Agatha Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers and ten other crime writers from the newly-formed 'Detection Club' collaborated in publishing a unique crime novel. In a literary game of consequences, each author would write one chapter, leaving G.K. Chesterton to write a typically paradoxical prologue and Anthony Berkeley to tie up all the loose ends. In addition, each of the authors provided their own solution in a sealed envelope, all of which appeared at the end of the book, with Agatha Christie's ingenious conclusion acknowledged at the time to be 'enough to make the book worth buying on its own'."

9. The Learned Adventure of the Dragon's Head
This was the most charming story so far. Uncle Peter and Gherkins are such a cute duo! Now imagine a spin-off series about the two of them!

>63 Majel-Susan: I have a copy of The Floating Admiral in my library! I'm due for a re-read.

>63 Majel-Susan: I confess that while the description of The Floating Admiral is arresting, the whole idea sounds like a recipe for disaster to me!

>65 cbl_tn: What did you think of it? It's not available in my library system - not that I could get my hands on it right now, anyway.

>66 Dejah_Thoris: It's been so many years since I've read it that I don't remember much about it, other than thinking it was better in theory than in execution.

>64 Majel-Susan: I loved the way Lord Peter encourages his nephew to think about getting the book as the start of a collection rather than just as a book to read.

>37 Dejah_Thoris: has said everything else I would say about this story ("The Learned Adventure of the Dragon's Head")!

And by the way, I am loving the titles of these stories as well as the stories themselves.

It just occurred to me that even though I had started to suspect Bredon was Wimsey simply because he was so smart, "The Bibulous Business of a Matter of Taste" wouldn't have worked to keep me guessing at the "real" Wimsey if I were a more seasoned reader and knew that Wimsey's full name is Peter Death Bredon Wimsey. And what a name! Fancy walking into a room and announcing, "My name is Death!"

11. The Unsolved Puzzle of the Man with No Face
I think one of these mundane days in my life, I need to run in with such fascinating company and conversation! I think this story was pretty good and I like how the crime was unpremeditated, but hinged on the psychological exhaustion of the murderer whose hatred suddenly overtook him in the instant he perceived that his boss could invade even his most personal of havens.

Also, true words to live by: "I has such a sinking in my inside I has to get up and eat biscuits."

>69 Majel-Susan: Doesn't the story give his full name? I think that it is given on the luggage tag in the railway car. - I just checked. The young man in the railway carriage has a case with "P.D.B.W." but the whole name isn't given.

Of course I had the advantage of recalling Murder Must Advertise in which Lord Peter uses the name Death Bredon.

>69 Majel-Susan: And it's not quite as shocking as it sounds - we are later told it's pronounced Deeth, rhyming with teeth.

#10 "The Piscatorial Farce of the Stolen Stomach"

What a bizarre plot this story has! There is in fact a stolen stomach - yuck! Especially yuck after it has been pecked at by seagulls!

>73 leslie.98: Yeah, the stolen stomach was super gross, especially as I was wondering how practical it is to preserve the entire digestive tract and its contents, and not to mention, it actually survived more or less intact after being beaten up in the river! Great-Uncle Joseph wasn't kidding about having some kind of top-notch digestive tract. I mean, the stomach lining is pretty thin and it changes after death, and those digestive juices are pretty corrosive stuff. And keeping it on your shelf would be like what? a soft, squishy bag soaking in formaldehyde or somethin'. Gross... my stomach is turning already to think on it.

On the other hand, I thought this story had a pretty fascinating premise in its own bizarre way. Also, I've noticed that a lot of these criminals behave pretty caricaturish? You know, kinda sullen and close to saying, "Why, if it hadn't been for you meddlesome..."

>69 Majel-Susan: >71 leslie.98: My edition of Clouds of Witness has a biographical note preceding the text, and it gives his full name.

>73 leslie.98: I wonder if this is where they got the idea for Diamonds Are Forever? This movie includes one of my favorite lines in a Bond film. "I know the diamonds are in the body, but where?" Bond: "Alimentary, my dear..."

>75 cbl_tn: lol!

In case anyone is interested, Amazon has several of the Wimsey mysteries on sale for 99 cents (US) including upcoming challenge books:

https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/entity/author/B000APFQ6I?_encoding=UTF8&of...

I found myself reading Unnatural Death with others in the 75ers, and now am joining in with LP Views the Body. The books are wonderful for these uncertain times, I think, and I plan to read along with you this year. I’m about to start the last story, a little hesitant because of comments above, but will proceed on anyway. Right ho!

Karen O.

>78 klobrien2: Yes, I am trepidatious about reading that final story too due to the comments here! But even if it is a 'stinker', a rotten Lord Peter story is still better than many others...

I have now read Story #11 - "The Unsolved Puzzle of the Man With No Face". Again I really enjoyed it.

I liked the way LP deduced almost all the most important points on the train! But I am not so sure about his letting the police continue thinking the dead Italian was the murderer. Sayers has written LP as being a bit squeamish about the results of his sleuthing which never quite sat right with me.

I am glad that I did not buy a copy of this month's book, as I jusy discovred that all the stories are included in an omnibus I already own Lord Peter. It also has Wimsey stories from other upcoming books.

Yippee! I can start reading...

>80 leslie.98: I think you may have misjudged Lord Peter. The police offer tells Peter that the Italian has confessed - and pretty much tells Peter flat out that he's dreamed up a nice little story, but they've got their man, thank you very much. Peter is believes that he could convince them otherwise with some further effort, but could he really , in the face of a confession?

I agree that Lord Peter is often squeamish about the end results of his sleuthing - and he's particularly torn when he can understand, sympathize, or empathize with the murderer. It doesn't bother me - it's just part of his sensitive nature, magnified by his experiences in the Great War.

>81 fuzzi: Yeah, I have Lord Peter Views the Body as an ebook and Lord Peter in hardcover. I think I have every Lord Peter book in both ebook and paper formats, come to think of it.

>82 Dejah_Thoris: Yeah, I didn't get that bit about the confession. I mean, I understand that I'm supposed to trust that Wimsey knows the goods, but then why on earth would the Italian nearly as good as write a confession about "murder in his heart" and "I have revenged myself on him who dared to love you"? I didn't get that, but I was just like, "Yeah, okay."

>82 Dejah_Thoris: Perhaps I have - I can certainly empathize with his desire to not be responsible for people being condemned to death, especially after his experiences in WW1! But on the other hand, if a person resorts to murder once, can one just trust that it won't happen again? In this case, the motive may have been emotionally overwhelming but rationally it was pretty thin so who's to say that the artist won't suffer from a similar situation in the future? That has always been my viewpoint (shared by Inspector Parker who doesn't seem to feature in these stories much!).

>84 leslie.98: I agree that it's a burden Peter puts on himself - and that the people around him do NOT agree with him. That said, the people who love him try to understand and support him.

And I'm very fond of Inspector Parker - I'm glad he joins the family!

>79 leslie.98: Yes! And it (the last story) wasn't half bad!

Karen O.

Story #12 - "The Adventurous Exploit of the Cave of Ali Baba"
I think that the English must have had a thing for secret criminal societies in the post-WW1 years. But although I agree with others that this is the weakest story in the book, I still had fun reading it. Of course, I knew Lord Peter wasn't really dead but I didn't guess who he was for the longest time!.

Here are my thoughts about the book as a whole:

This collection of 12 short stories featuring Lord Peter Wimsey does a good job of showing the reader different facets of Wimsey's character and interests. Each story is a bit different - some showing his ability to make detailed observations, some his deductive powers and others involve more intuition or his knowledge of other subjects (particularly rare books & fine wines).

>88 leslie.98: Nice summary!

>88 leslie.98: >89 Dejah_Thoris: Oh yes!

May post is up: https://www.librarything.com/topic/319700