Product Description:The stark naked body was lying in the tub.Not unusual for a proper bath, but highly irregular for murder -- especially with a pair of gold pince-nez deliberately perched before the sightless eyes. What's more, the face appeared to have been shaved after death. The police assumed that the victim was a prominent financier, but Lord Peter Wimsey, who dabbled in mystery detection as a hobby, knew better. In this, his first murder case, Lord Peter untangles the ghastly mystery of the corpse in the bath. First line: "Oh damn!" said Lord Peter Wimsey at Piccadilly Circus. "Hi, Driver!"
My thoughts: I would have never discovered Lord Peter Wimsey is it were not for the Vintage Mystery Reading Challenge at My Readers Block. I found Lord Peter to be somewhat frivolous (nicer than silly) and eccentric. However there was one look into his past where I saw a very serious side to him and caused me to appreciate him more. This was a fun, quick read introducing clues throughout. The solution came in the form of a letter where the murderer confessed all in detail. In the letter we see that Lord Peter's findings and assumptions were correct. I thought his mother was delightful. I've seen several reviews that say Sayers book "Nine Tailors" is a better Lord Peter novel. I think I'll try that one.
Quote: At Denver things moved in an orderly way; no one died sudden and violent deaths except aged setters - and partridges, to be sure.
New word: vermiform - resembling a worm in shape
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Dorothy L. Sayers
