Indeed, his actions led to him havi This is the third Lord Peter Wimsey novel. Indeed, his actions led to him having to leave the area and begin work elsewhere. Of course, Lord Peter is immediately intrigued - how many people do 'get away with murder'?
However, Parker is not conviced there is a case to answer. Presumably, as an officer of the law he had enough real work to be getting on with, but Wimsey is determined to investigate. In this entertaining novel, Lord Peter uses the indefatigable Miss Climpson as his "ears and tongue and especially nose.
Before long there is a further murder and even Parker is convinced that something is amiss. Did Miss Whittaker hurry her aunt along to make sure she inherited?
Who is the mysterious Mrs Forrest? Is Lord Peter Wimsey himself going to become a victim? This is a real puzzle of a mystery, with endless clues and suspects and sometimes you do feel a little bogged down in information.
However, the real fun and sense of righting a wrong does shine through and you happily embark on the journey with Lord Peter, Parker, Miss Climpson and, of course, Bunter. Very enjoyable, brilliantly plotted if a little confusingly at times and, of course, much of the pleasure is in the character of Lord Peter Wimsey himself.
If you enjoy Golden Age detective fiction then you will love this. Sep 08, Ruth rated it it was amazing Shelves: golden-age-and-vintage. For years I've been convinced that I much prefer the Lord Peter Wimsey books after Harriet Vane makes an appearance, but this book changed my mind.
I always picture Lord Peter as an empty-headed fop in pre-Harriet days but I've had to revise my opinion as he came across as sensitive and conscientious rather than just a rich man of leisure with too much time on his hands The character of Miss Climpson shines throughout the book for me and her situation made me think about the limited possibilities For years I've been convinced that I much prefer the Lord Peter Wimsey books after Harriet Vane makes an appearance, but this book changed my mind.
I always picture Lord Peter as an empty-headed fop in pre-Harriet days but I've had to revise my opinion as he came across as sensitive and conscientious rather than just a rich man of leisure with too much time on his hands The character of Miss Climpson shines throughout the book for me and her situation made me think about the limited possibilities open to spinsters in the s.
Miss Climpson certainly rises to the challenge this last to be said in capital letters with many exclamation marks. Nov 02, mark monday rated it liked it Shelves: murdertime. View all 5 comments. I would have liked it at half its length, as a BBC play, or even a movie more.
It was very well read. The characters were good. Parker was a bit of cardboard straight man, though. Wimsey was well done, of course. He is a hoot. I'm not much on English humor, but this had me chuckling occasionally. Third in the series, I was told that they stood alone well enough that I shouldn't worry too much about finding the first.
That held true. The plot was fairly obtuse. The villain was so obvious from the first that I kept waiting for a twist that never came. I don't think I'll listen to another, at least no time soon.
View all 4 comments. Jun 08, Cindy Rollins rated it really liked it Shelves: , mysteries , reread. I decided to begin my rereadings of the Lord Peter books with book 3. I have started over on volumes 1 and 2 so many times that I thought it would be better to skip them and get right to it. This is a delightful episode in the series with the appearance of Miss Climpson.
It is also quite a series of contrasts between the various female spinster characters in the book. I almost finished the book today during my three hour stint at the DMV, keeping up my record of reading appropriate literature wh I decided to begin my rereadings of the Lord Peter books with book 3. I almost finished the book today during my three hour stint at the DMV, keeping up my record of reading appropriate literature while waiting, waiting, waiting at the DMV.
I told Alex he would have an unnatural death if he failed his test and I had to return to that place. He was in full agreement and passed with flying colors. View 1 comment. Oh man, this one is so hard for me to rate. On the one hand, this is a definite improvement in the quality of the mystery from the previous two entries in the series.
I also continue to love Bunter, and frankly, I wish he were our MC. My issue with this one is around how race and lesbianism are portrayed. Yes, I think this is a function of the time period, and I do think Sayers is attempting a kind of commentary here it actually reminds me somewhat of Hickory Dickory Death by Agath 2.
Yes, I think this is a function of the time period, and I do think Sayers is attempting a kind of commentary here it actually reminds me somewhat of Hickory Dickory Death by Agatha Christie. Mar 27, Jane rated it it was amazing Shelves: fiction. Where I got the book: My bookshelf. A re-read. Wimsey seems younger in the latter, somehow. The Wimsey books, in general, are superb examples of Golden Age detective fiction: intricate plots which give you all the clues on the page and yet count on misdirection to keep you guessing.
The plot of Unnatural Death seems to arise from a question: do doctor Where I got the book: My bookshelf.
The plot of Unnatural Death seems to arise from a question: do doctors ever suspect wrongdoing around their patients' deaths?
Wimsey meets such a doctor by chance, and sets about investigating the slightly premature decease of an old lady who refused to make her will. There are three interesting points I'd like to note about this book. First, the initial signs of Wimsey's transformation into the godlike figure of the later books are there, notably in the hints about his vast experience of women and skill as a lover.
Not to mention his ability to climb drainpipes and locate a body in a large expanse of countryside. Second, we see the hammering home of a theme Sayers weaves through the Wimsey novels: what right does Wimsey have to go around detecting given that his interfering inevitably seems to result in more deaths?
I love the way Sayers makes her detective think about the internal logic of detective novels. Third, Sayers gets to tackle the topic of LESBIANS without actually being able to clarify that point to the reader, since the book was written in the s and homosexuality could only be hinted at in the broadest manner. It always makes me laugh that the main "proof" of the villain's same-sex preference is that she doesn't fancy Wimsey.
Nice to be so irresistible. Black marks on this book, always quoted by Sayers' critics, are her casual use of racially offensive terms; but the reader needs to remember that this kind of speech was the norm in her day, and if anything she shows greater sympathy toward non-Christians or non-whites than many writers of her time. Clouds of Witness now loaded on my Kindle.
View all 8 comments. This is by far my favourite Sayer so far. The Whittaker case begins almost imperceptibly, with the overhearing of a casual remark in a Soho restaurant where Lord Peter Wimsey and Charles Parker are dining. It ends amid a roar of publicity that shakes England from end to end.
A wealthy old woman is died some three years earlier, a little earlier than was expected, but then she was in the last stages of cancer. Miss Dawson's death has aroused no suspicion, despite her doctor's dismay at her end comi This is by far my favourite Sayer so far.
Miss Dawson's death has aroused no suspicion, despite her doctor's dismay at her end coming so quickly. But something tells Wimsey that this was, indeed, an unnatural death, and he makes a bet with Parker that he can prove it. Lord Peter's personality grows in leaps and bounds in this, the third of the Lord Peter Wimsey series. Lord Peter's family are not in evidence, but his friend Charles Parker, and the loyal manservant Bunter are both there, and Wimsey is aided by the intelligence of Miss Climpson whom he sends out to the Hampshire village to be his ear to the ground.
A lovely, lovely read. And I am greatly looking forward to reading the next in the series. The problem is he isn't the only main character here. I don't mind Parker but both of them got swept under all the gossip you get to read here. I will just pretend I never read this book. There are so many problems in this book that I am at a loss where to start. First, Wimsey doesn't play that much a role here anyway. He does start everything though. The case starts 'almost imperceptibly, in the overhearin 1.
The case starts 'almost imperceptibly, in the overhearing of a casual remark dropped in a Soho restaurant' but then goes south.
The stupidity of everyone involved in it is staggering. Most of this book is he said, she said reporting. This is one of the most gossipy novel I've ever read. One of the biggest problems I had with this case and what ruined this so-called mystery for me is that the author so obviously tried to keep Parker and Wimsey away from a person of interest. It was so in your face I started thinking it could be a parody of some sort. It was glaringly obvious. God, it was tedious to get through it.
Not much of a mystery I'm afraid. The less I say about other characters, the better. The way a distant cousin of Miss Dawson's, Rev. Dawson, is treated is horrible. To say it was uncomfortable to read parts of this book would be an understatement.
There are a couple of things I did like but I am not sure if they could be enough to redeem this book. The relatio0nship between the murder victim Agatha Dawson and her best friend Clara Whittaker is lovely. And I do like Wimsey and Parker so there's that. I hope this will be the only weak story in the series. Starting the New Year with a Sayers review?
Yes, please. On the other hand, you do get to see Peter again treating it a little like a hobby, a curiosity, and then having to face the consequences of his ego.
So not my favourite, but it does work and come together beautifully. May 20, Sara rated it it was ok Recommends it for: I suppose if you want a watered down version of Agatha Christie. Shelves: women-writers , detective , mystery , kindle-purchase. Uh, no. If I never meet Lord Peter Wimsey again, that will be too soon.
Jul 29, Jeanette rated it really liked it. One of the earliest of the series that I'm going back to read. And this one is excellent. It seems to introduce Miss Climpson too- who is a spinster that works undercover for Lord Peter in her travels and visitations rift with gossip gathering gems of information.
Something that a high class Lord by his very presence and manner would not successfully approach. I love how Lord Peter continually rolls with the punches of the social order and locale or associated "conditions" to finding out what HE One of the earliest of the series that I'm going back to read. I love how Lord Peter continually rolls with the punches of the social order and locale or associated "conditions" to finding out what HE wants to know.
Sayers is honed here in her conversational tidbits and dialect diatribes. Usually between groups of church women or female servants.
It's melodic. The case prime premise is essentially core to being a standard central original. She's the prime literary source, possibly, for this "method". Poisons have been SO overdone. Among other unique and original features of hers, hardly ever given the credit, IMHO! Agatha is colder, trickier and more devious in the tellings, but I do think that Sayers is far more inventive, actually.
Although their styles are so different, I can absolutely understand how Christie became the standard. Sayers is too unique and high brow of tones and of wit to be as universally admired. But I think in some nuance and critical thinking skill displays, she might be better than Christie.
In this one we have some tricky moves that don't become apparent until 30 pages from the ending. Unlike some Sayers of Lord Wimsey, this one is not at all overlong. And he has not meet Harriet yet, nor is he at all embedded within great detail of Lord Denver or other family members.
This one is Det. Parker and himself with his "new" help. Bunter is not even centrally involved. I found the entire believable and an excellent and entertaining read. And the Vicar very much like the dozens of priests and brothers I have known. A miracle! I'll definitely read them all. Top rung entertainment and all kinds of serendipity knowledge displayed! Lastly, all of these books my copies of various date publications but nearly all were the hardcovers - have delightful letters or some business correspondence or some other 2 page essential prize gem at the beginning or the ending.
It will "catch you up" or give essential past or family mood nuance - or plant the emotive specifics for a death or an inheritance or something. This one has an entire genealogical chart of 2 page width at the ending- which gives you the year or so family branch ancestor history for the "old lady" victim. I laughed out loud for the terms of "old" people in this book- twice. This ancient is Also a short aside warning to those of you who are highly politically correct social warriors. This is a book of its era-the earliest quarter of the 20th century.
The language and standards names used for other humans beyond the UK's high classes for other groups or visual conditions is quadruple XXXX. Do not judge these present day language bombs now of Sayers or Lord Wimsey's time by those of your own time. Apr 13, Alan rated it it was amazing. This follows Clouds of Witness in composition, though not a sequel. It also improves on her second novel, especially early on; later, the legalisms may intrude on easy comprehension. Inheritance law changed in , and that change impinges on the first, possibly perfect, undetectable murder.
Lord Peter Wimsey enlists meticulous help from an older spinster, Miss Climpson. Hence, older unmarried women were considered almost useless, but not by Wimsey. He was checking in and under them for evidence, tougher for him than for us, merely walking between them. My artist wife recognizes faces better than I do, but she claims to know people seen from behind even better. For such a delectable novel, my review is too brief.
Oct 09, Deb Jones rated it really liked it Shelves: series. Lord Peter Wimsey, a year-old self-taught private sleuth, is at it again with his friend and crime-solving partner Charles Parker of Scotland Yard. Wimsey, who sometimes refers to himself as Sherlock Holmes, has resolved to take a case that for much of the book doesn't seem to be much of a case at all except in Wimsey's mind. Reading Unnatural Death is "jolly good fun" for mystery lovers. Wimsey is sometimes cocky and so full of himself I found myself rolling my eyes a time or two -- but in th Lord Peter Wimsey, a year-old self-taught private sleuth, is at it again with his friend and crime-solving partner Charles Parker of Scotland Yard.
Wimsey is sometimes cocky and so full of himself I found myself rolling my eyes a time or two -- but in the end, he proves his mettle. Found the audio copy of this at the library waiting for me to go to North Carolina. Made the miles fly by. This ancient is My usual disclaimer; I still prefer to read uncensored. Recommended for readers of detective fiction or anyone unnaturxl in a dispassionate portrayal of the mores and social hierarchies of a now long past England.
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If you see a Google Drive link instead of source url, means that the file witch you will get after approval is just a summary of original book or the file has been already removed. Loved each and every part of this book. I will definitely recommend this book to mystery, fiction lovers.
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