Here we have another Lord Peter Wimsey mystery, (before his marriage to Harriet), where his brother, The Duke of Denver, is brought to trial for murder. And it is an unusual trial indeed since members of the British nobility who were charged with murder, during the era of Lord Peter Wimsey, had to be tried, not at the Old Bailey, but rather by the full House of Lords!
The Duke of Denver, ("Jerry" to his friends), has purchased a small hunting lodge on the edge of the moors and his guests are in for some bird shooting. But on a cold, rainy night, the Duke's prospective brother-in-law, Lady Mary's dubious gold-digging fiance, ultimately becomes the victim of an apparent murder.
At the inquest, one lie after another is proffered by the Wimsey family and the jury brings in a murder indictment against the Duke for his clear skullduggery in the matter. Lord Peter is away on an extended vacation to the European continent but rushes to his brother's aide when he hears of the fiasco. Lord Peter then teams up with his Scotland Yard pal, Inspector Parker, to find the real killer and thus free his brother -- but Lord Peter gets shot for his trouble!
WARNING TO READERS -- SEMI-SPOILER AHEAD!!!
Now, the most compelling caveat of this Sayers entry is the fact that, in this one, the stogy Duke of Denver (Jerry) is having an affair with the wife of a very nasty character, a farmer who also happens to be the Duke's neighbor! If that were not enough, Lord Peter and his lawyer make every effort to get the Duke off the hook without disclosing to his wife that she's been cheated on, and they SUCCEED in that devious endeavor!!! I mention this as Sayers treats this indiscretion in a notably cavalier manner and many women readers might not exactly savour this particular caveat of the book. These days, we are not surprised by similar writings but, in the 20s, Sayers was clearly breaking new ground, sort of in an anti-feminist way.
I enjoyed the book, all around, but it's far from being Sayers' best work. If you are new to this renowned author of British mysteries, you might want to read either "Whose Body?" or, "The Unpleasantness at the Belonna Club" first. They are her two best, in my opinion. |
Clouds of Witness: A Lord Peter Wimsey Mystery Books In Print, Audio Books.