370. The Nine Tailors

The Nine Tailors
Dorothy Sayers
1934
Around 400 pages

This is the follow up to Murder Must Advertise, which means the book includes number eight and nine in the series. Usually I'm much more of a stickler for that kind of stuff, but I am showing everybody I can let my hair down. If I end up having to go back and read all the Lord Wimsey series, well then, that's my business.

Lord Peter Wimsey becomes stranded after a car accident in the Fenland village of Fenchurch St. Paul on New Year's Eve. This is lucky, because they need somebody in the church to ring the bells for nine hours after one of the ringers gets the flu. Wimsey learns about an old theft, and the reader learns a lot about bells. 

I didn't enjoy this as much as the previous Sayers mystery, which had a lot to do with the heavily technical jargon of bells. I think she was tempted to include a little too much of her research into the novel, which wasn't necessary to the story. However, I was impressed by the answer to her mystery, which I thought was very original. 

Once again, a fun mystery which are few and far between on this List.

RATING: ***--

Interesting Facts:

The book's title are taken from the old saying "Nine Tailors Make a Man. This refers to the nine strokes which at the beginning of the toll for the dead announcing to the villagers that a man is dead. A woman's death is announced with six strokes. God, men routinely find way creative ways to be dicks to us.

UP NEXT: Burmese Days by George Orwell.