Book Review!

Yes, I needed a break. So I curled up with a nice mystery and spent a few hours in hiding. Trust me, it's a good thing.

THE NINE TAILORS
by Dorothy L. Sayers
copyright 1934; 280 pages

Lord Peter Wimsey's Daimler ended up stuck in a ditch on New Year's Eve 1928. He and his driver commenced walking, happened upon the rector of Fenchurch St. Paul, and received an invitation to stay at the rectory until after the New Year, when the blacksmith could haul the Daimler out of the ditch and repair its axle. (As an aside, how cool is it that the town blacksmith could repair one's car axle?)

The town was quite proud of its carillon consisting of 9 bells, and plans had been laid to perform a certain series consisting of 15,000 rings, and lasting 9 hours, commencing at midnight on New Year's Eve. Unfortunately, one of the change-ringers had caught the flu, and was unable to perform, but Lord Peter, having experience at bell-ringing was able to fill in. During his visit, Lord Peter met the townsfolk, learned of the mystery of emeralds having been stolen some 10 years earlier and never recovered, and attended a couple of funerals. Shortly thereafter, when a recent grave was dug up, a second body was discovered in said grave, and the mystery began: Who was he? Who killed him, and why? Did this have to do with the emeralds? And what do the bells have to do with it? The story led Lord Peter through London, Belgium and France, and ultimately led to a satisfying conclusion.
This book is still available through Amazon, and I was surprised to learn that Lord Peter stars in several other books. I might just have to keep an eye out for those, too!