Makes me feel like Sherlock Holmes.‘ Lord Peter’s unique approach ‘ Hurray!‘ said Lord Peter, suddenly sparkling. There were actually a few Sherlock Holmes references – paying homage to his greatness (something that also occurs in another slice of classic detective fiction, Arsène Lupin, Gentleman Thief by Maurice Leblanc) that I enjoyed: Like any good amateur sleuth, Lord Peter has an arch enemy in Inspector Sugg, who – quite rightly you could say – tries to hinder Lord Peter in his investigations. Lord Peter’s footman and assistant, Bunter also has a key role in helping, the Watson in this situation, if you will. Lord Peter has no authority in an official detective capacity, but what he does have is a good friend in Detective Parker who comes to him for advice and lets him help solve crimes. ‘ I love trifling circumstances,‘ said Lord Peter, with childish delight ‘ so many men have been hanged by trifling circumstances.‘ On the surface, the cases aren’t linked, but Lord Peter Wimsey thinks that they, in fact, might be. A body randomly appears in a bath tub and a prominent society man, Reuben Levy goes missing. Set in the 1920s (and written in 1923), in Whose Body? we are thrown straight into the action. Opening sentence: ‘ Oh damn!‘ said Lord Peter Wimsey at Piccadilly Circus. I have to say, her aristocratic sleuth is quite the opposite to so many other fictional detectives – he has boundless energy that pops from the page. Sayers read and the first book in the Lord Peter Wimsey series.

Whose Body? by Dorothy L. Sayers