2016 Dorothy L. Sayers Challenge

[Susan]

Unbelievably, next month sees the end of our challenge. Just a reminder that our last novel is Busman's Honeymoon. We also have an extra book of short stories, In the Teeth of the Evidence. Only the first two stories in this collection are LP stories, so, if you want to only read the ones which feature LP, they are easy to find.

[Jay-me (Janet)]

I'm way behind on this challenge as I'm re-reading my own paperback collection, and so these are an extra to my kindle reading. However I have read all the short story collections ( which include one not in the challenge).

As I have read all of them before I may tick them on this challenge and just carry on reading next year at my own speed.

As my second challenge next year ( instead of the Christie challenge) I think I will organise and read the Bobby Owen books that I have been getting with the weekly free deals.

[Susan]

The discussion threads will stay open, so, for anyone catching up, you can post at any time.

[Daniele]

I have certainly enjoyed this series. A good friend of mine has been nagging me for years to read DLS. Now I know why.

[Jan C]

I am also way behind but they are all re-reads for me.

[Susan]

The first few were re-reads for me, but I am also glad I finally, finally got around to reading them all...

[Judy]

Anyone up for a follow-on Wimsey buddy read? We've just been chatting about this over in the Busman's Honeymoon thread, but I'm just mentioning it here too.

There are 3 more Wimsey short stories by Sayers which were published some years after her death, Striding Folly. These answer some questions about what happened next for Peter and Harriet.

Also Jill Paton Walsh completed an unfinished Wimsey novel, Thrones, Dominations and went on to write 3 more.

Is anyone interested in joining me and Susan in a buddy read of the extra short stories in the New Year - and maybe the Paton Walsh books too?

[Carolien]

I've been borrowing my mother's books for this challenge - she has the full series and she handed me Striding Folly this month as part of the stack. I'd be happy to do a buddy read.

[Judy]

Carolien, that's great - a few people have also said they are interested in the Busman's Honeymoon thread.

I'll put up a thread for the buddy read of Striding Folly soon, with people joining in as and when they get a chance to read the book. :)

[Jan C]

I have it so I may join in. But I am going away tomorrow (with my laptop).

[Roisin]

I'm way behind too. Some are re-reads for me.

[Judy]

I've now put up a thread for the buddy read of Striding Folly:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

There is also a spoiler thread.

No worries re being behind with the challenge - the threads will stay open and everyone is welcome to join in as and when they have time.

[Judy]

The new editions of the Sayers books were mentioned a little while ago. I realised today that it's possible to read the introductions to many of these by "looking inside" the Kindle edition at Amazon or downloading a sample. If you search for "Hodder paperbacks" and the title of the book, you'll find the new edition with a brightly-coloured cover. (A couple haven't been published yet.)

The introductions vary a lot in length and one or two are a bit disappointing I'd say, but others are great! Some include spoilers and Natasha Cooper's introduction to Busman's Honeymoon gives away the whole plot to one of the short stories in Hangman's Holiday!

Edward Petherbridge has written a lovely introduction to Strong Poison: Lord Peter Wimsey Book 6. He quotes some poems by Sayers about rationing, and compares Peter's love at first sight for Harriet to Dante and Beatrice.

I'd love to collect a set of these in the future. :)

[Judy]

A few of us had mentioned doing a buddy read of the unfinished Sayers novel which was completed by Jill Paton Walsh, Thrones, Dominations , this month.

Would it be OK with everyone if I put up a thread for this on or around the 10th of January?

[Susan]

Good idea, Judy. I can't promise that I will have finished it by then - but I will certainly try to start it. I do want to read the Jill Paton Walsh novels and really complete the challenge of reading all of the Wimsey novels, in whatever form.

[Judy]

Thanks Susan, no worries if you haven't read it by then!

I did read the Paton Walsh books a few years ago and remember enjoying this one and The Attenbury Emeralds. Will be interested to hear what you think.

[Sandy]

Just got the ebook from the library and finished a book last night. Luckily I have our other reads on audio. I'm ready.

[Susan]

Looking forward to it, Judy :)

[Judy]

Sandy, it's great that you have the ebook ready to go!

[Jay-me (Janet)]

I read Thrones, Dominations a while ago - borrowed from the library so I would think it was within a year of it being published (I've not borrowed a book from the library for something like ten years as the library opening hours were cut and I could never get there)
Since I am reading mainly on the kindle I got that book and two more The Late Scholar and A Presumption of Death but am still waiting for The Attenbury Emeralds to be on sale. I've not started reading any of them yet so will be ready to join in the buddy read.

[Susan]

I actually started, "Thrones, Dominations," yesterday and, having just read the first chapter or two, it looks much more promising than the 'so-called' Poirot novel by Sophie Hannah. I feel it is much more in character - although I am unsure how 'unfinished' the novel actually was and how much is in Paton Walsh's voice. Still, we will discuss that later, I suspect!

[Judy]

Just returning to the thread to say that a few of us will soon be buddy reading the second continuation by Jill Paton Walsh, A Presumption of Death. I'll put up the thread on February 10 and anyone interested is very welcome to join us.

[LovesMysteries]

Does anyone know if Jill Paton Walsh Lord Peter Wimsey novel continuation is about to come out or if one is next in the pipeline?

[Judy]

I haven't heard of any more since The Late Scholarin 2013 - just had a quick search and didn't find details of any forthcoming books by Jill Paton Walsh. Has anyone else heard anything?

[Susan]

No, I hope that there will be more though. I have enjoyed the first two that I have read.

[Judy]

I have just searched a bit more, and found a report from The Bookseller in 2015 saying she was starting to work on a 5th novel in the series, which would be published in 2017:

http://www.thebookseller.com/news/new...

So looks as if there is indeed another one in the pipeline!

[Judy]

I've also noticed there is a BBC radio 3 radio programme about Jill Paton Walsh, an episode in the series Private Passions, available to download as an MP3, though only in the UK. I will hope to listen to this soon:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04t928s

[Susan]

Excellent news, Judy! There is also an old episode of Books and Authors featuring her:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02sh8k3

[LovesMysteries]

Judy wrote: "I have just searched a bit more, and found a report from The Bookseller in 2015 saying she was starting to work on a 5th novel in the series, which would be published in 2017:

http://www.thebookse..."

This is exciting! Just hope that Walsh doesn't bring Wimsey into the 1960s! I think the 1950's is a good place to stop.

[Judy]

The buddy read for A Presumption of Death is now open:

https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

There's also a spoiler thread.