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in Four Complete Lord Peter Novels, Random House Value Publishing (1982)
Description
In a shocking scandal, the likes of which has not been seen in the English aristocracy since the 18th century, the Duke of Denver stands accused of the foul murder or his sister's fiance, shot through the heart on a cold, lonely night at Riddlesdale Hall in Yorkshire. The Duke's brother, Lord Peter Wimsey, attempts to prove Denver's innocence, but why is the Duke refusing to cooperate? And what does his sister, Lady Mary, know about the affair? Trying to reveal the truth, Wimsey uncovers a web of lies and deceit within the family and finds himself faced with the unhappy alternative of sending either his brother or his sister to the gallows - until he himself becomes a target...
User reviews
LibraryThing member mmyoung
While this, the second of Sayers’ Wimsey books, is a longer and more discursive volume than the first, its greater length is not due to padding. In fact what the reader is presented with is a fine and nuanced examination of English society and culture in the decade after the end of the “Great
The story itself is structured much like an onion with layers that must be peeled away in order to discover what lies at the center. The reader will find, especially upon subsequent readings, that the nature of the center is not what they thought it to be and that each layer deserves to be carefully examined upon removal.
Warning: beyond here lie spoilers.
The opening of the book seems simple and straightforward. Lord Peter Wimsey discovers, while in Parisian hotel returning from a “get away” holiday on Corsica, that his brother, the Duke of Denver, has been charged with murder. Wimsey dashes to his brothers’ side in England only to find that Denver is no more willing to explain to Lord Peter his mysterious behaviour on the night in question than he was to his lawyer. Wimsey, even if he had not previously done work as amateur detective, would no doubt have done everything he could to free his brother. The reader is, however, gently and wittily reminded by Sayers, that his efforts might not have been received in the same fashion were it not for his social ranking, “[t]he Police Superintendent at Ripley received Lord Peter at first frigidly, and later, when he found out who he was, with a mixture of the official attitude to private detectives and the official attitude to a Duke's son.”
Sayers provides us with many examples of the ways in which Lord Peter, and his family, exist in a world that fundamentally differs from that of most people living in England at the time. For example, Wimsey had been unaware of his brother’s plight because Lord Peter was on holiday in Corsica. He rushes back to England and then returns to Paris to track down evidence of Denver’s innocence. He is then able to expedite travel to the United States because of his access to important people:
"His next appearance was at the American Embassy.
The Ambassador, however, was not there, having received a royal mandate to dine. Wimsey damned the dinner, abandoned the polite, horn-rimmed secretaries, and leapt back into his taxi with a demand to be driven to Buckingham Palace. Here a great deal of insistence with scandalised officials produced first a higher official, then a very high official, and, finally, the American Ambassador and a Royal Personage while the meat was yet in their mouths."
Finally, in order to return in a timely manner from America with the evidence to prove his brother’s innocence, Wimsey takes to the air. The unusualness of this is underlined in Denver’s legal representative announcement to the House of Lords. Wimsey, he tells them:
"[is] at this moment . . . cleaving the air high above the wide Atlantic. In this wintry weather he is braving a peril which would appall any heart but his own and that of the world-famous aviator whose help he has enlisted so that no moment may be lost in freeing his noble brother from this terrible charge."
Contrast Lord Peter’s ability to travel and get access to people and information with Wimsey showing off London to Mrs. Grimethorpe as if it was a foreign land and with Mr. Watchett not having been back to London in the 35 years he had tended bar in Yorkshire. Working class English men and women at that time seldom traveled for pleasure and certainly could not have afforded to holiday in Corsica, stay in Parisian hotels and dash across the Atlantic.
Sayer’s provides many other contrasts between the lives of the working and upper classes in England. Wimsey travels to Corsica, “admiring from a cautious distance the wild beauty of Corsican peasant-women, and studying the vendetta in its natural haunt. In such conditions murder seemed not only reasonable, but lovable.” He returns to England to almost lose his life in a bog in Yorkshire and to have his life threatened by a Yorkshireman who felt he had a right to kill any man who stepped on his property or looked at his wife. What Wimsey found lovable in “wilds of Corsica” he found anything but when it happened at home and to him. Mrs. Grimethorpe, threatened, beaten and living her life in fear is terrified to leave her husband because she knows that even if she is able to sue for divorce the legal system will not offer her adequate protection. Lady Mary Wimsey, on the other hand, is protected by her family from the consequences of her bad choices in men. The jeweled mascot given to Cathcart by his mistress, Simone, was worth 5000 francs (which would roughly translate into between 45 and 50 pounds sterling in 1925) while Mr. Groyles was willing to elope with Lady Mary on between 6 and 7 £s a week.
Sayers builds her story around the fact that all of us lie for reasons that seem important to us. Lady Mary lies to her brother about Cathcart in order to gain independence from her family. She lies to the police to protect Groyles when she thought he might have committed murder. Denver lies about his affair with another woman to protect that woman from her husband. Mrs. Grimethorpe lies in order to protect her own life. In fact, the only crimes that would have taken place had so many individuals not lied would have been Cathcart’s suicide (if that is to be considered a crime) and the inevitable, and likely deadly, assault that Grimethorpe would have made on his wife had he had more proof that she was being unfaithful to him.
Sayers draws a picture, in this book, of the vast gulf between the classes in England and of the grim circumstances faced by so many women of the time. Mrs. Grimethorpe is not rescued from the brutality of her married life by the intervention of the law but by the accidental death of her husband without which there was little any legal power in England could do save her. Lady Mary was willing to sell herself into a marriage without love in order to gain some independence from her family. Simone was willing to sell herself to the highest bidder in order to have physical luxury and a chance to lay a bit aside for the days when her beauty no longer paid her way.
Sayers, herself, could not legally be awarded a degree when she finished her time studying at Oxford in 1915 and was among the first to be awarded a degree when that rule was changed. In Clouds of Witness she took the opportunity to witness to the world through the medium of a cozy mystery novel the difficult realities of life for women and the working class in the England of 1926.
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War” and before the onset of worldwide depression. England is changing and yet England has not yet changed. The class system is not what it once was and yet the class system still functions. Education is no longer solely the privilege of the upper and monied classes and yet markers of education are still evident in interactions among people. The story itself is structured much like an onion with layers that must be peeled away in order to discover what lies at the center. The reader will find, especially upon subsequent readings, that the nature of the center is not what they thought it to be and that each layer deserves to be carefully examined upon removal.
Warning: beyond here lie spoilers.
The opening of the book seems simple and straightforward. Lord Peter Wimsey discovers, while in Parisian hotel returning from a “get away” holiday on Corsica, that his brother, the Duke of Denver, has been charged with murder. Wimsey dashes to his brothers’ side in England only to find that Denver is no more willing to explain to Lord Peter his mysterious behaviour on the night in question than he was to his lawyer. Wimsey, even if he had not previously done work as amateur detective, would no doubt have done everything he could to free his brother. The reader is, however, gently and wittily reminded by Sayers, that his efforts might not have been received in the same fashion were it not for his social ranking, “[t]he Police Superintendent at Ripley received Lord Peter at first frigidly, and later, when he found out who he was, with a mixture of the official attitude to private detectives and the official attitude to a Duke's son.”
Sayers provides us with many examples of the ways in which Lord Peter, and his family, exist in a world that fundamentally differs from that of most people living in England at the time. For example, Wimsey had been unaware of his brother’s plight because Lord Peter was on holiday in Corsica. He rushes back to England and then returns to Paris to track down evidence of Denver’s innocence. He is then able to expedite travel to the United States because of his access to important people:
"His next appearance was at the American Embassy.
The Ambassador, however, was not there, having received a royal mandate to dine. Wimsey damned the dinner, abandoned the polite, horn-rimmed secretaries, and leapt back into his taxi with a demand to be driven to Buckingham Palace. Here a great deal of insistence with scandalised officials produced first a higher official, then a very high official, and, finally, the American Ambassador and a Royal Personage while the meat was yet in their mouths."
Finally, in order to return in a timely manner from America with the evidence to prove his brother’s innocence, Wimsey takes to the air. The unusualness of this is underlined in Denver’s legal representative announcement to the House of Lords. Wimsey, he tells them:
"[is] at this moment . . . cleaving the air high above the wide Atlantic. In this wintry weather he is braving a peril which would appall any heart but his own and that of the world-famous aviator whose help he has enlisted so that no moment may be lost in freeing his noble brother from this terrible charge."
Contrast Lord Peter’s ability to travel and get access to people and information with Wimsey showing off London to Mrs. Grimethorpe as if it was a foreign land and with Mr. Watchett not having been back to London in the 35 years he had tended bar in Yorkshire. Working class English men and women at that time seldom traveled for pleasure and certainly could not have afforded to holiday in Corsica, stay in Parisian hotels and dash across the Atlantic.
Sayer’s provides many other contrasts between the lives of the working and upper classes in England. Wimsey travels to Corsica, “admiring from a cautious distance the wild beauty of Corsican peasant-women, and studying the vendetta in its natural haunt. In such conditions murder seemed not only reasonable, but lovable.” He returns to England to almost lose his life in a bog in Yorkshire and to have his life threatened by a Yorkshireman who felt he had a right to kill any man who stepped on his property or looked at his wife. What Wimsey found lovable in “wilds of Corsica” he found anything but when it happened at home and to him. Mrs. Grimethorpe, threatened, beaten and living her life in fear is terrified to leave her husband because she knows that even if she is able to sue for divorce the legal system will not offer her adequate protection. Lady Mary Wimsey, on the other hand, is protected by her family from the consequences of her bad choices in men. The jeweled mascot given to Cathcart by his mistress, Simone, was worth 5000 francs (which would roughly translate into between 45 and 50 pounds sterling in 1925) while Mr. Groyles was willing to elope with Lady Mary on between 6 and 7 £s a week.
Sayers builds her story around the fact that all of us lie for reasons that seem important to us. Lady Mary lies to her brother about Cathcart in order to gain independence from her family. She lies to the police to protect Groyles when she thought he might have committed murder. Denver lies about his affair with another woman to protect that woman from her husband. Mrs. Grimethorpe lies in order to protect her own life. In fact, the only crimes that would have taken place had so many individuals not lied would have been Cathcart’s suicide (if that is to be considered a crime) and the inevitable, and likely deadly, assault that Grimethorpe would have made on his wife had he had more proof that she was being unfaithful to him.
Sayers draws a picture, in this book, of the vast gulf between the classes in England and of the grim circumstances faced by so many women of the time. Mrs. Grimethorpe is not rescued from the brutality of her married life by the intervention of the law but by the accidental death of her husband without which there was little any legal power in England could do save her. Lady Mary was willing to sell herself into a marriage without love in order to gain some independence from her family. Simone was willing to sell herself to the highest bidder in order to have physical luxury and a chance to lay a bit aside for the days when her beauty no longer paid her way.
Sayers, herself, could not legally be awarded a degree when she finished her time studying at Oxford in 1915 and was among the first to be awarded a degree when that rule was changed. In Clouds of Witness she took the opportunity to witness to the world through the medium of a cozy mystery novel the difficult realities of life for women and the working class in the England of 1926.
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LibraryThing member atimco
Clouds of Witness, the second Lord Peter Wimsey mystery, brings the action close to home for the amateur detective. Peter’s elder brother Gerald, the Duke of Denver, has been indicted for the murder of Denis Cathcart, who had been engaged to Peter’s and Gerald’s younger sister, Lady Mary. And
Mysterious accomplices, ducal discretion, a brush with death in the peat bog, a final solution discovered by the most coincidental (providential?) means — this is a Dorothy Sayers mystery and the characters all play up to their roles. Peter is, as always, the witty and disarming peer whom everyone underestimates. Parker is his faithful sidekick, willing to take on the drudge work but also quite a keen thinker himself. And don’t forget the efficient Bunter, whose resemblance to Jeeves grows more and more pronounced every time I meet him.
I’m reading the series hopelessly out of order, and it is fun to see the early developments of later events (like in this book, the beginning of Parker’s admiration of Lady Mary). Interesting too is Lord Peter’s own development; his look of benign idiocy isn’t quite perfected yet in this early story. But the Lord Peter/Parker partnership is well in hand, and the Dowager Duchess’s brief appearances confirm her as one of the more delightful minor characters ever penned.
Though this was an entertaining and well-written mystery, I didn’t find it quite up to the best of the Lord Peter stories. But Sayers’s average effort is another author’s masterpiece, and there are few detectives I enjoy more than the intelligent and charming Lord Peter Wimsey. Recommended.
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that young woman isn’t telling everything she knows, not by a long shot. Nor is Gerald, for that matter. Even the dead man has his secrets.Mysterious accomplices, ducal discretion, a brush with death in the peat bog, a final solution discovered by the most coincidental (providential?) means — this is a Dorothy Sayers mystery and the characters all play up to their roles. Peter is, as always, the witty and disarming peer whom everyone underestimates. Parker is his faithful sidekick, willing to take on the drudge work but also quite a keen thinker himself. And don’t forget the efficient Bunter, whose resemblance to Jeeves grows more and more pronounced every time I meet him.
I’m reading the series hopelessly out of order, and it is fun to see the early developments of later events (like in this book, the beginning of Parker’s admiration of Lady Mary). Interesting too is Lord Peter’s own development; his look of benign idiocy isn’t quite perfected yet in this early story. But the Lord Peter/Parker partnership is well in hand, and the Dowager Duchess’s brief appearances confirm her as one of the more delightful minor characters ever penned.
Though this was an entertaining and well-written mystery, I didn’t find it quite up to the best of the Lord Peter stories. But Sayers’s average effort is another author’s masterpiece, and there are few detectives I enjoy more than the intelligent and charming Lord Peter Wimsey. Recommended.
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LibraryThing member JaneSteen
Where I got the book: purchased on Kindle. A re-read. [I find LibraryThing's method of handling editions confusing - I would never buy the CreateSpace version listed here. The Wimsey series just cries out for a really good boxed-set edition, but failing that, the one to collect, if you can, is the
One thing I always appreciate about the Wimsey stories is that each book has a distinct character. In Clouds of Witness the pace is fast and frenetic, with a wildly confusing murder mystery at the center, and yet Sayers does more to develop her characters here than in some of the other books. The mystery itself almost takes second place to the doings of Wimsey's family, placing Wimsey himself very firmly in a distinct social setting, his home turf where he seems more real than in many of the other books. He doesn't show off nearly as much when he's in the countryside, either; I can't help feeling that, titles aside, this is a depiction of the sort of society Sayers was raised in before she went off to London.
I also enjoy the sketch of Wimsey's sister Lady Mary Wimsey, who turns up in later novels but only as a cardboard cutout (his brother Gerald never gets his character developed, which is a great shame). Watching Parker go all chivalrous and defensive of her is always amusing, albeit out of character. Mary is real in this book: later on, the Wimsey family becomes more and more a caricature of a noble English household, and Mary becomes a boring housewife, alas.
Plenty happens to Wimsey in this book: he gets chased by dogs, shot, falls into a bog, and flies across the Atlantic (in the 1920s that was a noteworthy adventure). I have never seen a bullet wound heal with such great speed and thoroughness.
There is an absolutely priceless little cameo of two writers talking about the trends of the day, something Sayers is able to pick up in the later novels once she writes herself in as Wimsey's love interest when Harriet Vane comes along.
I absolutely zipped through this novel (which was supposed to be strictly a post-workout cool down read but ended up as a Main Book) despite having read it several times before. And that really defines the enduring success of the Wimsey novels; they're downright entertaining, and despite (or because of?) being set so firmly in a lost era, never seem to age.
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Gollancz hardcover.]One thing I always appreciate about the Wimsey stories is that each book has a distinct character. In Clouds of Witness the pace is fast and frenetic, with a wildly confusing murder mystery at the center, and yet Sayers does more to develop her characters here than in some of the other books. The mystery itself almost takes second place to the doings of Wimsey's family, placing Wimsey himself very firmly in a distinct social setting, his home turf where he seems more real than in many of the other books. He doesn't show off nearly as much when he's in the countryside, either; I can't help feeling that, titles aside, this is a depiction of the sort of society Sayers was raised in before she went off to London.
I also enjoy the sketch of Wimsey's sister Lady Mary Wimsey, who turns up in later novels but only as a cardboard cutout (his brother Gerald never gets his character developed, which is a great shame). Watching Parker go all chivalrous and defensive of her is always amusing, albeit out of character. Mary is real in this book: later on, the Wimsey family becomes more and more a caricature of a noble English household, and Mary becomes a boring housewife, alas.
Plenty happens to Wimsey in this book: he gets chased by dogs, shot, falls into a bog, and flies across the Atlantic (in the 1920s that was a noteworthy adventure). I have never seen a bullet wound heal with such great speed and thoroughness.
There is an absolutely priceless little cameo of two writers talking about the trends of the day, something Sayers is able to pick up in the later novels once she writes herself in as Wimsey's love interest when Harriet Vane comes along.
I absolutely zipped through this novel (which was supposed to be strictly a post-workout cool down read but ended up as a Main Book) despite having read it several times before. And that really defines the enduring success of the Wimsey novels; they're downright entertaining, and despite (or because of?) being set so firmly in a lost era, never seem to age.
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LibraryThing member DeltaQueen50
The second book in her Lord Peter Wimsey series, Clouds of Witness has Lord Peter trying to clear his brother of a murder charge. Aided by his faithful valet, Bunter, and his police Chief Inspector friend, Parker, they embark on witness interviewing and clue gathering, knowing full well that Lord
With their ingenious detective skills they wade through the evidence, and realize that Lord Denver is not the only one who is not telling the exact truth, Lord Peter’s sister Mary, who was the fiancée of the murder victim, is also bending the facts and evading the truth.
With great skill Dorothy L. Sayers weaves a delightful mystery with multiple storylines and a few red herrings to keep the reader on their toes. Lord Peter is a intriguing character, and one that I definitely want to continue to follow. I particularly love the brittle, humorous dialogue that puts an upper crust edge to this story of clearing the family name.
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Denver is incapable of murder, even though he refuses to alibi himself.With their ingenious detective skills they wade through the evidence, and realize that Lord Denver is not the only one who is not telling the exact truth, Lord Peter’s sister Mary, who was the fiancée of the murder victim, is also bending the facts and evading the truth.
With great skill Dorothy L. Sayers weaves a delightful mystery with multiple storylines and a few red herrings to keep the reader on their toes. Lord Peter is a intriguing character, and one that I definitely want to continue to follow. I particularly love the brittle, humorous dialogue that puts an upper crust edge to this story of clearing the family name.
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LibraryThing member eurohackie
This one started out so promisingly but ended up being a hot mess.
Lord Peter's brother, the Duke of Denver, has been arrested, charged with the murder of his prospective brother in law, Captain Denis Cathcart. Denver found the body outside his lodgings at 3 am, but steadfastly refuses to give any
Basically, everyone in this story is a complete idiot, up to and including the entire Wimsey family, save the Dowager Duchess. (Even Peter himself acts like a twat in the bizarre final scene of the novel.) Because of their stupidity and obstinacy, a very simple situation spiraled out of control. To make matters worse, we are given cruelly minute detail of every scrap of evidence during the trial near the end of the book, even though its already obvious that Denver didn't commit the crime. This was such a long, boring, and completely useless couple of chapters. And then there's the end, where Peter & co are drunken idiots in the middle of London. What was the point of that, exactly??
This is a terrible follow-up to the amusing Whose Body?. I think you can definitely give it a miss and nothing of value will be lost.
Lord Peter's brother, the Duke of Denver, has been arrested, charged with the murder of his prospective brother in law, Captain Denis Cathcart. Denver found the body outside his lodgings at 3 am, but steadfastly refuses to give any
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reason why he himself is out so late at night, and why his weapon was used to fire the fatal shot. Of course, the arrest and trial of a peer of the realm is Big News, and though Peter has never been especially close to his elder brother, he does take it upon himself to investigate the matter with his BFF Charles Parker and his handy valet Bunter.Basically, everyone in this story is a complete idiot, up to and including the entire Wimsey family, save the Dowager Duchess. (Even Peter himself acts like a twat in the bizarre final scene of the novel.) Because of their stupidity and obstinacy, a very simple situation spiraled out of control. To make matters worse, we are given cruelly minute detail of every scrap of evidence during the trial near the end of the book, even though its already obvious that Denver didn't commit the crime. This was such a long, boring, and completely useless couple of chapters. And then there's the end, where Peter & co are drunken idiots in the middle of London. What was the point of that, exactly??
This is a terrible follow-up to the amusing Whose Body?. I think you can definitely give it a miss and nothing of value will be lost.
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LibraryThing member thorold
It was an unexpected pleasure to discover that there was a Wimsey novel I hadn't read yet - rather like finding the last bottle of the '47 lurking dust-covered at the back of the cellar. The book - the second full-length Wimsey novel - isn't up to the standard of some of the later ones, but it does
What is most interesting about the book, seen as part of the Wimsey "canon", is the way it establishes the relationships between Lord Peter, his brother the Duke, his sister Lady Mary, their mother the Dowager, and Chief Inspector Parker. The Duke is accused of murdering Mary's fiancé: we know, of course, that Wimsey will be able to get him off the hook (any other outcome would pretty much rule out any further Lord Peter novels), but it's an interesting challenge for him, not least because the Duke refuses to explain where he was on the night in question, while Mary's evidence at the inquest conflicts with the other witnesses.
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have quite a lot to entertain and interest the reader. The Yorkshire setting is nicely observed, with dialect characters who are portrayed as individuals and manage to avoid becoming stereotypes. The scene where Wimsey goes astray on the moors on a foggy night is pure melodrama (Wilkie Collins at his most wuthering), but Sayers defuses the tension with neat irony by tying it into the song "On Ilkley Moor baht'at"What is most interesting about the book, seen as part of the Wimsey "canon", is the way it establishes the relationships between Lord Peter, his brother the Duke, his sister Lady Mary, their mother the Dowager, and Chief Inspector Parker. The Duke is accused of murdering Mary's fiancé: we know, of course, that Wimsey will be able to get him off the hook (any other outcome would pretty much rule out any further Lord Peter novels), but it's an interesting challenge for him, not least because the Duke refuses to explain where he was on the night in question, while Mary's evidence at the inquest conflicts with the other witnesses.
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LibraryThing member laytonwoman3rd
The second in Sayers' Lord Peter Wimsey series. He's still clever, yet Woosterish at times, and he comes to the wrong conclusion more than once before hitting on the solution. To begin, Lord Peter's future brother-in-law is found dead of a gunshot wound to the chest on the family premises; Peter's
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brother, the Duke, is suspected and arrested, but will say nothing in his own defense. Their sister, the dead man's fiance, begins acting very strangely, shuts herself in her room, and refuses all attentions. There is evidence at the scene that another person, identity unknown, was present on the night in question. Theoretically, this being a Golden Age mystery and Sayers being very particular about the fairness doctrine, the reader should be able to pick up all the necessary clues to solve the case. I quibble. When Lord Peter takes off for Paris, and then for America, to follow up his brainstorm (which is NOT totally shared with the reader), I could certainly see how he came to his deduction, but I could not make the deduction myself. Maybe I just need more practice. I enjoyed this one very much up to a point, and then I got a bit impatient for the reveal. I think there was one too many red herrings in the pot. Show Less
LibraryThing member Kaethe
The plot is absurdly complicated, amusingly so. There are no end of intrigues in the country house where the murder takes place.
But that's not the joy of reading a Sayers' novel: the pleasure is all in the humor. Wimsey acting a fool, Bunter's magical ability to produce anything needed, Mary's good
Personal copy
But that's not the joy of reading a Sayers' novel: the pleasure is all in the humor. Wimsey acting a fool, Bunter's magical ability to produce anything needed, Mary's good
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heart, and the Dowager's formidable control of everything. It's Downton Abbey written by Oscar Wilde.Personal copy
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LibraryThing member kaitanya64
I'd read some of Sayers' lit. crit, but this was my first of her mysteries. I just felt it was too easy to see where this was going. The one really effective red herring falls apart half way through and then it's just a gradual unravel. I wasn't even convinced that the resolution was clearly
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inevitable from the clues provided. At one point there is a physical implausibility that seems to be sheer carelessness by the author. I'll read more by Sayers and hope they are better. Show Less
LibraryThing member Kasthu
Clouds of Witness is one of Dorothy Sayers’s earlier Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries. It’s definitely not as good as Murder Must Advertise, or The Nine Tailors, but it certainly shows some promise.
Having just spent time abroad in Corsica, Lord Peter Wimsey returns to find that his brother Gerald,
This book (the second Sayers wrote about Lord Peter, actually) isn’t as strong as some of her later books, but it’s pretty good nonetheless. The identification of the murderer isn’t as important here, though, as is a major twist that’s revealed near the end. Lord Peter himself, with his unusual manner of speaking and varied pursuits, is an endearing character, and it’s easy to see why Peter might have inspired many other gentleman-detectives in fiction (Inspector Linley from Elizabeth George’s books). I thought that Lady Mary was one of the weaker characters (way too many dramatics for me). Clouds of Witness may be the second book in this series (after Whose Body?), but if you’re new to the series, you may want to start with this one—there’s a lot more character development, as well as the introduction of some characters who make recurring appearances throughout the series.
Having just spent time abroad in Corsica, Lord Peter Wimsey returns to find that his brother Gerald,
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the Duke of Denver, has been accused of the murder of one of his houseguests at Riddlesdale Lodge, a house rented for the hunting season. The murdered man was Lord Peter and the Duke’s brother-in-law-to-be—so Lord Peter intervenes in what promises to be a sticky mess. It turns out that a lot of people are guilty of a lot of things, and it’s up to Wimsey to sort things out. What I love about this book is that you know who didn’t do it—the fun is in figuring out who did.This book (the second Sayers wrote about Lord Peter, actually) isn’t as strong as some of her later books, but it’s pretty good nonetheless. The identification of the murderer isn’t as important here, though, as is a major twist that’s revealed near the end. Lord Peter himself, with his unusual manner of speaking and varied pursuits, is an endearing character, and it’s easy to see why Peter might have inspired many other gentleman-detectives in fiction (Inspector Linley from Elizabeth George’s books). I thought that Lady Mary was one of the weaker characters (way too many dramatics for me). Clouds of Witness may be the second book in this series (after Whose Body?), but if you’re new to the series, you may want to start with this one—there’s a lot more character development, as well as the introduction of some characters who make recurring appearances throughout the series.
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LibraryThing member RubyScarlett
I fear I might have been really lucky with Gaudy Night (which I think is a masterpiece). Sayers has been disappointing ever since I started to read Peter in order. Oh well. I'll keep on reading and see if it gets better.
The story's fairly good but the writing is incredibly heavy and the pacing is
The story's fairly good but the writing is incredibly heavy and the pacing is
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wrong - it's way too slow. I also was relatively indifferent to all the characters, which didn't help. Some funny moments mostly to do with Peter's personality but all in all frankly a bit of a bore. Show Less
LibraryThing member themulhern
Much better than Sayers' previous and first detective novel, "Whose Body". Her cleverness with different means of narrative, for example the many transcript-like depictions of inquests and trials, is evident. In humour, Sayers far outdid her two "rivals", Marsh and Christie. Whimsey is less
Ian Carmichael's narration was excellent. I would enjoy the novel less without the Yorkshire accents.
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irritating than previously, although his doggerel at the end of the trial is still pretty tough to get through.Ian Carmichael's narration was excellent. I would enjoy the novel less without the Yorkshire accents.
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LibraryThing member bell7
When Lord Peter Wimsey finds out his brother the Duke has been accused of murder, he hightails it over to try to sort it out. Who really killed his sister's fiance, Denis Cathcart? Lord Peter may find out a few family secrets by the time he's finished detecting...
This entertaining second book in
This entertaining second book in
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the Lord Peter Wimsey series could easily be read as a standalone. Lord Peter reminds me a lot of Bertie Wooster with his prattling and his valet. The twists and turns of the plot kept me guessing until quite close to the end. The adventures of Lord Peter as he gets to the bottom of things generally kept me amused, and sometimes provoked a laugh. I didn't fall head-over-heels in love with it, but I'd be willing to keep reading the series. Show Less
LibraryThing member antiquary
This is probably my second favorite of the Wimsey novels, after Murder Must Advertise, particularly for the trial before the House of Lords --a tradition now ended by later legal reform.
LibraryThing member seoulful
Once more Dorothy Sayers brings forth an admirable cast of characters including Lord Peter Wimsey, amateur sleuth; Bunter, his excellent manservant; Lord Peter's brother, the Duke of Denver, who has been accused of murder; Lord Peter's indomitable mother, the Dowager Duchess; Inspector Parker,
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whose investigating is hampered by his falling in love with Lady Mary Wimsey, Lord Peter's sister who is withholding information about the case, and a host of colorful local villagers. Wonderful window into the life of the nobility in 1920s England with fortunes still intact and servants to care for every need. One must have some French and be well-read in Shakespeare and other great writer's of the past to catch the asides of this most intelligent, witty and insightful writer of mystery. Show Less
LibraryThing member cyderry
This mystery with Lord Peter Wimsey and his valet, Bunter, has them working diligently to clear Lord Peter's brother (the Duke of Denver) of a murder charge. The characters include not only the Duke of Denver, but Peter's sister Lady Mary, his Mother the dowager Duchess, colorful villagers, and a
Again this mystery was written in the early part of the 20th century but it was still entertaining and challenging for the reader.
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few political malcontents.Again this mystery was written in the early part of the 20th century but it was still entertaining and challenging for the reader.
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LibraryThing member WintersRose
While not as wonderful Gaudy Night and Hangman's Holiday, Clouds of Witnesses, which follows Lord Peter Wimsey's investigation of the murder charge against his brother, will keep you turning pages. Sayers characterization is wonderful, as usual. Wimsey's brother, the Duke of Denver refuses to
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account for his whereabouts during the time of the murder; Wimsey's sister is obviously lying, and Wimsey's brother-in-law to be is the victim. An interesting development is that Detective Parker, Lord Wimsey's associate, reveals for the first time his attraction to Lady Mary, Lord Wimsey's sister. Show Less
LibraryThing member elliezann
Dorothy L. sayers is at the top of the cozy field. In this Lord Peter Wimsey book, his brother is on trial for murder and his sister is acting strangely. With the help os his manservant, Bunter, and his friend Parker, Wimsey sets out to find the whole truth about the murder of his almost
Denis Cathcart is found in the Riddlesdale lodge where the Wimsey family was preparing for the marriage of Mary , Peter's sister,and Denis. He had been shot.Everyone noticed the tension between Denis and Wimsey's brother,Jerry and since Jerry was discovered over the body by Mary, Jerry was indicted for murder.
Peter knows his brother is innocent but how can he prove it when his brother won't talk and his sister is acting sickly and telling lies.
Across two continents and three countries, Peter races to solve the crime and,of course, in the nick of time he does.
Splendid example of an English cozy by one of the truly great mystery writers.
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brother-in-law.Denis Cathcart is found in the Riddlesdale lodge where the Wimsey family was preparing for the marriage of Mary , Peter's sister,and Denis. He had been shot.Everyone noticed the tension between Denis and Wimsey's brother,Jerry and since Jerry was discovered over the body by Mary, Jerry was indicted for murder.
Peter knows his brother is innocent but how can he prove it when his brother won't talk and his sister is acting sickly and telling lies.
Across two continents and three countries, Peter races to solve the crime and,of course, in the nick of time he does.
Splendid example of an English cozy by one of the truly great mystery writers.
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LibraryThing member thornton37814
Lord Peter Wimsey's brother Gerald, the Duke of Denver, is arrested for the murder of Mr. Cathcart whose body was found at Riddlesdale Lodge on a night when the Duke had gone out. His brother refuses to talk. His sister is not telling the truth. Wimsey's adventure takes him to England, France, and
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America as he tries to clear his brother of the charges. There are a few almost comical moments in the book. I was a bit distracted as I read this book, but it was enjoyable. Show Less
LibraryThing member sriemann
Love the writing and the dialogue of the different characters - it brings an era of England to life. the mystery itself is pretty good, too. lots of twists, where you think you're done and have figured it out... but no, you're not quite right.
LibraryThing member JeremyPreacher
Still good fun, although I found the pace and complexity a little much after Whose Body? and the ending not entirely satisfactory - it seemed like it was all red herrings until the clue was produced literally in the nick of time that changed everything. Not bad, but not my favorite so far.
LibraryThing member JudithProctor
Holds up better than the first book in the series. The characters are getting more depth to them now. The first couple of chapters are a bit dry as they're done in the form of court reporters. Once we get into first person viewpoints, it works a lot better.
LibraryThing member druidgirl
I love Lord Peter Wimsey, he has an incredible sense of wrong and right, of honor and love of family. He finds that his brother has been accused of murder and jailed. Lord Peter drops everything and rushes to investigate. His brother refuses to talk,so he does it his way. This is a true British
***I received this book in exchange for an honest review***
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mystery which I love.***I received this book in exchange for an honest review***
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LibraryThing member JeffreyMarks
Another wonderful title by Sayers and not to be missed.
LibraryThing member Sable677
Clouds of Witness was chosen as the book for the month for my mystery book club. This book is the first one that I have read by Sayers, and while the story was all right it was not a favorite of mine. However hearing other opinions at our meeting, it was said that there were other books in the
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series that were better and not to base this series on this one book. The mystery in the book was one the reader would definitely have trouble solving. There are many twists and turns however the ending came out of left field for me. I enjoyed the characters of Bunter and Parker and found Peter to be the most enjoyable of his family members. Clouds of Witness was a nice read however I am not sure I would have chosen it on my own. Show Less
Language
Original publication date
1926
Local notes
Lord Peter, 02
DDC/MDS
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