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Major Awards and Honors

Dagger Awards

Dorothy L. Sayers

(1893 – 1957)

Bibliography

The Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries

The Lord Peter Wimsey/Harriet Vane Mysteries

Nonseries Fiction

Anthologies

Plays

Poetry

Nonfiction

Translations

Themis-Athena's Reviews

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Gaudy Night

icon Rich, Rewarding and Way Ahead of Her Time.

Harriet Vane is long past marrying age, independent (like Ms. Sayers herself, she is a mystery writer) ... and on top of all that, she was the primary suspect in the murder of her own fiancé not too long ago. So can she possibly be a good choice as the person that her alma mater, Oxford's [fictional] Shrewsbury College turns to in order to help solving crimes ranging from poison pen letters to acts of vandalism and assault? Not all of the college's dons think so. In fact, even before being called on for this delicate task, upon returning to Oxford for the first time in years for a school reunion ("Gaudy Night"), Harriet's presence in the college triggers thinly-veiled inquiries into the details of her encounter with the criminal justice system and, coincidentally with that experience, into her difficult friendship with Lord Peter Wimsey (much-acclaimed graduate of another Oxford college, diplomat, amateur sleuth and, for much of his career, one of literary history's most dashing bachelors). Shrewsbury's teachers and students, past and present, heatedly discuss issues ranging from a woman's choice between profession and family, and the respective values of independence and loyalty, to the meaning of truth and accuracy in a scholar's work ethics. Those who were never in favor of the college's decision to ask Harriet to help unraveling the secret behind the progressively evil deeds plaguing Shrewsbury are, predictably, even more scandalized when she ultimately brings in Lord Peter Wimsey; who after all, as everybody has long since concluded, is vying for her hand in marriage. Ultimately, however, the dons find themselves almost uniformly grateful to Harriet and Lord Peter: The perpetrator's identity is revealed, and the sleuthing pair has managed to keep the affair out of the headlines and out of the local police's reach – which would have meant immeasurable damage to the college's reputation, so crucial at a time when the presence of women on the sacred grounds of a traditional and highly acclaimed university was anything but a given.

This novel has it all: the best of Dorothy Sayers's writing (rich characters, intimate knowledge of her subject and the setting of her story, suspense, humor and a thoroughly believable plot), a profound and engrossing discussion of moral issues way before her time and, last but not least, one of the classiest and most unusual marriage proposals I know of, in fact or fiction. ("Placet, magistra?") Unlike many other mysteries it does not open with the crime to be solved; rather, Ms. Sayers leads the reader into the story through Harriet's reflections upon returning to Oxford for her school's reunion. This book, then, is not to be measured by the standards or the sensationalism of an action thriller – it follows the beat of a more measured drummer, although tensions are certainly running high throughout the story; emotionally, socially and otherwise. This is one of Dorothy Sayers's best works, and not only a great mystery story but as truly rewarding and lasting a reading experience as any literature ever will be.

For further information consult:

Themis-Athena's select Lord Peter Wimsey bibliography

Themis-Athena's Lord Peter Wimsey & Harriet Vane BBC features page

Dorothy L. Sayers's biography at the Kirjasto Authors' Calendar

The website of the Dorothy L. Sayers Society

Themis-Athena's select British detectives bibliography and filmography

Themis-Athena's select British detectives audiography

Themis-Athena's Guide to Women Writers: Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3

Themis-Athena's select bibliography of mystery tie-in cookbooks