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

Cover to Unnatural Death by Dorothy L. Sayers. Image via Open Road Media, digital publishers of this edition.

7. The Ladies

Lord Peter Wimsey may be the star of the show, since it’s his name on the series, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t also have plenty of praise for the different women who feature in the stories.

A personal favorite of mine is Miss Alexandra Katherine Climpson. As a spinster, she has access to places and people that Wimsey doesn’t, and he’s more than happy to put that to use. Of course, she has some quirks of her own. Chief among them is a tendency to emphasize certain words when she speaks and writes. She also ends up faking a séance at one point. We won’t provide any context.  Just know that it is great.

Lord Peter’s mother and sister also appear. We’ve briefly mentioned Lady Mary, but she really does get a small arc of her own as she goes along in her relationship with Inspector Parker. Additionally, Wimsey’s mother, the Dowager Duchess of Denver, has a marvelous penchant for showing up and providing commentary on certain matters. Basically, it’s no surprise that she’s Peter’s mother at all.

Because Sayers tends to keep a core cast as opposed to mostly relying on Lord Peter to carry the day, it gives these women a chance to shine.