12 Reasons the Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries Should be on Your 2017 Reading List

Cover to Whose Body? by Dorothy L. Sayers. Image via Open Road Media, digital publishers of this edition.

1. Lord Peter Wimsey Himself

It’s hard to make a detective likable sometimes. Even modern adaptations like Sherlock retain some elements of jerkishness, to use what’s obviously a technical term.

Lord Peter Wimsey generally does not have that problem. Perhaps it’s partly due to the fact that he actually ages as the novels progress instead of staying at some indeterminate age. He has one love interest for the entire series. One suspects that his mental health issues as a result of his service in World War I also contribute to his general greatness as a character. Of course, his love of cars — Mrs. Merdle in particular — helps make him relatable as well. In short, we love his wit, we love his willingness to hide said wit, and we love that he’s actually just a lot of fun in general.

Basically, Lord Peter has to carry the majority of the series by himself, seeing as he’s the main character, and he does it beautifully.

Lord Peter goes wherever his whimsy takes him, to paraphrase his family’s motto, and we’re happy to follow along.

Next: 18 LGBTQ Classics to Read

With that, we’ve summed up 12 reasons why you should take a look at Dorothy L. Sayers’ books about Lord Peter Wimsey this year. If you do decide to pick them up — or pick them up again, as the case may be — happy reading!