Murder Must Advertise
Murder Must Advertise is part of the Lord Peter Wimsey series, and it's the first book I've read by Dorothy L. Sayers and so the first book I've read from this series, although it is no less than installment number ten! I can safely say not much is lost if you read this as a stand-alone novel.
Lord Peter Wimsey is a nobleman and a sleuth related to Scotland Yard Chief-Inspector, for whom he tries to solve mysteries as a private detective. (I'm guessing that is how it goes in the rest of novels). Lord Peter Wimsey resembles Sherlock Holmes, since both are archetypal classy and intelligent detectives, able to beat Scotland Yard in identifying the murderer and good at most things. The difference is that Wimsey is less of a loner than Holmes, which makes a great opportunity for Sayers to show her skills at writing witty dialogues. Basing my opinion solely on Murder Must Advertise, I prefer Sayers' to Doyle's, because Sayers wrote not only an interesting whodunnit, but also a very good novel. Actually, I would say she wrote a novel with a casual mystery thrown in for good measure. In Murder Must Advertise, Wimsey takes a job in a Publicity Agency, disguised as his fictional cousin, Death Bredon. Sayers perfectly captured the atmosphere of an office and the nuances of the relationships between employees and I would say it is still perfectly relatable and relevant, while the advertisement part of the business has a unique 1930s feel.
I really liked Murder Must Advertise and will try to read the whole series if I can get hold of it. Really recommended!
Lord Peter Wimsey is a nobleman and a sleuth related to Scotland Yard Chief-Inspector, for whom he tries to solve mysteries as a private detective. (I'm guessing that is how it goes in the rest of novels). Lord Peter Wimsey resembles Sherlock Holmes, since both are archetypal classy and intelligent detectives, able to beat Scotland Yard in identifying the murderer and good at most things. The difference is that Wimsey is less of a loner than Holmes, which makes a great opportunity for Sayers to show her skills at writing witty dialogues. Basing my opinion solely on Murder Must Advertise, I prefer Sayers' to Doyle's, because Sayers wrote not only an interesting whodunnit, but also a very good novel. Actually, I would say she wrote a novel with a casual mystery thrown in for good measure. In Murder Must Advertise, Wimsey takes a job in a Publicity Agency, disguised as his fictional cousin, Death Bredon. Sayers perfectly captured the atmosphere of an office and the nuances of the relationships between employees and I would say it is still perfectly relatable and relevant, while the advertisement part of the business has a unique 1930s feel.
I really liked Murder Must Advertise and will try to read the whole series if I can get hold of it. Really recommended!
- A book with a number in the title: Three Italian Chronicles by Stendhal
- A book with jewelry or a gem in the title: Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier
- A book with a size in the title: Fall of Giants by Ken Follett
- A book with travel or movement in the title: If on a Winter's Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino
- A book with evil in the title: Murder Must Advertise by Dorothy L. Sayers
- A book with a life stage in the title: The Child of the Cavern by Jules Verne