From the Bookshelf of Reading the Detectives…

Unnatural Death (Lord Peter Wimsey, #3)

Dorothy L. Sayers

Start date: April 15, 2025

Finish date: May 7, 2016

Discussion: Buddy reads

Why we're reading this: For all our Wimsey fans
[close] For all our Wimsey fans

Find A Copy At

Libraries

Group Discussions About This Book

Showing 2 of 468 topics — 9,065 comments total

Buddy reads

* Vale of Tears (Bradecote and Catchpoll #5) by Sarah Hawkswood (Sept/Oct 25)
By Susan · 1 post · 7 views

last updated Aug 25, 2025 11:07PM

* Vale of Tears (Bradecote and Catchpoll #5) - SPOILER Thread - (Sept/Oct 25)
By Susan · 1 post · 5 views

last updated Aug 26, 2025 01:08AM

showing 10 of 12 topics view all »

What Members Thought

Dec 28, 2013 Susan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This is the third Lord Peter Wimsey novel. Wimsey and Charles Parker are interrupted, while in a teashop, by a doctor who overhears them talking about crime. He relates a tale of how he was treating an elderly lady for cancer, whose niece insisted was much nearer than death than he felt she was. When she died suddenly, without leaving a will, the doctor insisted on an autopsy, leading to bad feeling with both the niece, Miss Whittaker, and the local community. Indeed, his actions led to him havi This is the third Lord Peter Wimsey novel. Wimsey and Charles Parker are interrupted, while in a teashop, by a doctor who overhears them talking about crime. He relates a tale of how he was treating an elderly lady for cancer, whose niece insisted was much nearer than death than he felt she was. When she died suddenly, without leaving a will, the doctor insisted on an autopsy, leading to bad feeling with both the niece, Miss Whittaker, and the local community. 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." A spinsterish lady, much in the style of a slightly younger Miss Marple, she is an enquiry agent for Lord Peter; settling herself into a boarding house near where the elderly lady died and sending letters (which you feel the author had great fun writing) reporting on the people and places involved. 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. ...more

31 likes · Like · see review

Oct 31, 2013 Lady Wesley rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: listened

I picked up this audiobook at audible.com's BOGO sale, which ends tonight. I've read all of the Lord Peter Wimsey books many, many times, and I adored Ian Carmichael's portrayal of him in the 1970s BBC series. I know already that this one will be a five-star listen! ...more

5 likes · Like · see review

May 04, 2023 Lemar rated it really liked it

Shelves: mystery, brit-lit

Lord Peter Wimsey, somewhat shellshocked, incredibly bright, amateur sleuth, a type described by a pastor in this book as follows, “Dear, dear,” he said, “how nice they are. So kindly and scrupulous, and so vague outside their public school code. And much more nervous and sensitive than people think. A very difficult class to reach.” Wimsey is portrayed by Sayers in all his neurotic, occasionally condescending brilliance.

An interesting theme in this novel is the life of lesbians in 1920s Englan ...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Aug 31, 2019 Bev rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: british-mystery, mystery, vintage-mystery, audionovel

Forging ahead with my audio "rereads" of the mystery novels of Dorothy L. Sayers, I have finished listening to Ian Carmichael's rendition of the third book in the Lord Peter Wimsey chronicles. As with the other Sayers books I've listened to this year, I will not be doing an in-depth review of the story. Those interested in my thoughts about the plot may click HERE--it links to the review I posted when I read all the Wimsey novels for the As My Whimsy Takes Me Challenge in 2011.

I, of course, tho Forging ahead with my audio "rereads" of the mystery novels of Dorothy L. Sayers, I have finished listening to Ian Carmichael's rendition of the third book in the Lord Peter Wimsey chronicles. As with the other Sayers books I've listened to this year, I will not be doing an in-depth review of the story. Those interested in my thoughts about the plot may click HERE--it links to the review I posted when I read all the Wimsey novels for the As My Whimsy Takes Me Challenge in 2011.

I, of course, thoroughly enjoyed listening to Carmichael read to me. His was the first filmed version of Wimsey that I saw and, despite the excellent portrayal by Edward Petherbridge, will always be Wimsey in my mind. The only thing that could have made the Carmichael audio versions better would have been to have Glyn Houston read the Bunter portions.

I was struck even more so than when I read it myself previously by how Wimsey's crusade to prove the doctor correct--that there really was some kind of hanky-panky in the death of Agatha Daswon--managed to result in several more deaths and the attempted murder of both Lord Peter and his right-hand woman Miss Climpson. It poses a moral dilemma--was it better to bring a murderer to justice or would it have been better to leave well enough alone and save lives? I still feel that even if Lord Peter had curbed his curiosity the killer had such a personality that next person to get in their way (in whatever form) probably would have been dispatched as well.

I had a particularly good moment of fun this time round when Peter decides to take Charles to meet Miss Climpson. Poor Charles is certain that Peter has chosen this moment (for reasons known best to himself) to introduce his friend to his "kept woman." It proves how very fond Charles is of Peter that he plunges on through his discomfort just so Peter can share this bit of his private life. And, as always, it was a delight to listen to Miss Climpson in action--and Carmichael's interpretation of her exclamatory (!) and underlined reports. Another fun audio romp.

First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. Please request permission before reposting content. Thanks. ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Sep 08, 2019 Zander rated it liked it

The whole mystery and a lot of deaths and near deaths could have been avoided by Wimsey seeing in person or even having a photograph of the suspected murderer. Starting a story already knowing who the murderer mostly is means the rest of the story has to be quite interesting in the how and the why. The why never really seems believable to me while the how is possible but not as easy as they claim in the story and they got the veins wrong. I also didn't like the "kill your queers" trope. While th ...more

Like · see review

Mar 15, 2014 Christine PNW rated it really liked it

46/150

1 like · Like · see review

Apr 17, 2018 Paperbackreader rated it really liked it

Shelves: all-collections, read-but-unowned, british, classic, mystery, detective, lord-peter-wimsey

Lord Peter Wimsey takes interest in a cold case. A string of bizarre events follow in the wake of the case's revival. Even though, some of the characters in this book are problematic, it held my attention right up to the end. ...more

Like · see review