Striding Folly

Lord Peter Wimsey #15

by Dorothy L. Sayers, Janet Hitchman (Contributor), Elizabeth George (Introduction)

Three of Lord Peter Wimsey's most baffling cases demonstrate his unique detction skills at their most spectacular.
The engima of a house numbered thirteen in a street of even numbers; an indignant child accused of theft, a dream about a game of chess that uncovers the true story behind a violent death. Each of the stories introduces a different side of the twentieth century's most ingenious detective hero.
This book also features a biographical essay by Janet Hitchman, Sayers' first biographer.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Short Stories, Crime, Audiobook, Classics, British Literature

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1973

About the author

The detective stories of well-known British writer Dorothy Leigh Sayers mostly feature the amateur investigator Lord Peter Wimsey; she also translated the Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri.

This renowned author and Christian humanist studied classical and modern languages.

Her best known mysteries, a series of short novels, set between World War I and World War II, feature an English aristocrat and amateur sleuth. She is also known for her plays and essays.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorothy...

Reviews

[Fiona MacDonald · Rating 4 out of 5]

I seem to have a bit of a mental block with Dorothy Sayers, and each time I have tried one of her full length novels I have to give up; the characters just don't seem to work together for me. I thought I was being to harsh on a well known and well loved writer, so I decided to have a go at her shorter stories. I must say I was impressed, Wimsey is rather amusing and the stories were sharp and to the point. I think it was a good choice to go shorter.

[Mara · Rating 3 out of 5]

The mysteries in this collection were only so-so to me, but I very much enjoyed the domestic scenes of Peter & Harriet with their boys, particularly the birth of Bredon

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a slim volume, which includes some information on the character of Lord Peter Wimsey, as well as an essay on his creator, Dorothy L. Sayers, in order to pad out what are, essentially, just three stories featuring the gentleman detective. These include the title story and The Haunted Policeman, both of which were previously published in 1939, while the final story, “Talboys,” remained unpublished until this edition.

This year, I finally read all of the Wimsey novels and, although I have not yet read the Jill Paton Walsh ‘sequels.’ Therefore, it seemed essential to include this collection and, even though there are only three stories in this book, I thought they were very much worth reading.

The first, “Striding Folly,” revolves around a murder and a chess game, with Wimsey virtually just stepping in to solve the crime. However, the next two stories feature Lord Peter Wimsey very much as a main character and also as a family man. In “The Haunted Policeman,” he is restless after the birth of his first son and comes across a policeman in the square outside his house, with an odd story to tell. Obviously, fatherhood has not dented our heroes interest in such a tale and he solves the mystery.

“Talboys,” is the house where Peter and Harriet spend a honeymoon, blighted by murder in “Busman’s Honeymoon.” In this story, they now have three sons. Their heir, Bredon; plus two younger boys – Roger and Paul. Lord Peter’s sister in law has foisted the unpleasant Miss Quirk upon the family, as being in need of a country holiday, and her views on parenting and discipline are irritating everyone. When young Bredon is accused of a misdemeanour, we see Lord Peter get involved and we also see him acting as a father. I think this is the most enjoyable story in the collection. However, this book is expensive for, essentially, only three stories. You have to decide whether you feel it is worthwhile, but I am glad I read them and enjoyed all three.

[H (trying to keep up with GR friends) Balikov · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have enjoyed reading Sayer’s stories about Lord Peter Whimsey for years. I agree with the L.A. Times that she is “one of the greatest mystery story writers of the (20th) century,” based on volumes such as The Clouds of Witness and Strong Poison. https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

In Strong Poison Whimsey tries to save Harriet Vain from the gallows. The short stories in Striding Folly take place well after that encounter.

They are delightful for those who wish to know more about Lord Peter because they contain some intimate details; particularly the final two stories. Yet to my mind, they are more designed to ingratiate the author to an existing fandom than to display more than an occasional flash of previous brilliance.

Nothing wrong with fish and chips unless you were expecting trout meunière. I wasn’t disappointed.

[Adrian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Group Read of all DID Lord Peter books 2022-23
This is the final book published purely under the name of Dorothy L Sayers is a series of 3 short stories all centred on Lord Peter.
All enjoyable in their own way, it is good to see Lord Peter settled down with his wife, and in the last story, with three young sons.

[Hope · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick fun read. Only three stories, but two of them are about Lord Peter as a father. Very endearing.

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lightweight set of three stories all featuring Lord Peter Wimsey with an enjoyable Introduction. Lord Peter is shown as married with a growing family in the second and third stories and these make an interesting contrast to the meatier content of Jill Paton Walsh's later additions to the series which I've been reading recently.

[kris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Striding Folly
A man dreams of looming towers and missing galoshes only to discover he's being accused of murder—hinging entirely on his missing boots and a chess rook! Whoever shall prove his innocence?

PETER WHIMSEY ON THE CASE. An eerie, strange little ditty that doesn't so much resolve as get expanded with Peter's input. A bit disappointing, actually. 3 stars.

The Haunted Policeman
While out breathing the fresh air on the morning of his first child's birth, Peter Whimsey encounters a policeman who has been accused of drunkenness on the job. After hearing the whole story, Peter gets in costume to investigate!

He solves the thing at the first house? It's abrupt? Highlights include: Peter's general attitude towards childbirth ("'Good God!' said his lordship. 'Did I do that?' 'All the evidence points that way,' replied his wife. 'Then I can only say that I never knew so much convincing a body of evidence produce such an inadequate result.'") and also his continual devotion to Harriet ("'It's a very interesting addition to you, Harriet; but it would have been a hell of a rotten substitute.' His voice wavered a little, for the last twenty-four hours had been trying ones, and he had had the fright of his life.") and his rooting through Harriet's drawers without any particular care in the world:

He went through into the next room; it was queer to find it empty. A peculiar sensation came over him. Here he was, rifling his wife's drawers, and there she was, spirited out of reach at the top of the house with a couple of nurses and an entirely new baby, which might turn into goodness knows knew what. He sat down before the glass and stared at himself He felt as though he ought to have changed somehow in the night; but he only looked unshaven and, he thought, a trifle intoxicated. Both were quite good things to look at the moment, though hardly suitable for the father of a family.

Beyond those familial things, the general competency is fun but weak. 4 stars.

Talboys
Peter and Harriet's eldest, Bredon, is accused of the theft of many peaches. Peter investigates.

UGH: DELIGHTFUL. What an enchanting glimpse of life at Talboys, with 3 "very different" boys and Peter's general wryness and Harriet's pragmatic intelligence and THIS FAMILY. I love the asides that highlight their closeness ("'Peter's mother used to lay into him with a slipper, and they've always been the best of friends.'") and their continued affection for one another ("Peter [...] found his wife and two-thirds of his family rolling vigorously about the lawn with Bom-bom. Being invited to roll, he rolled [...]") and their perfectly balanced approach to child-rearing.

In fact, if anything detracts from this story, it is the presence of the meddling, holier-than-thou Miss Quirk who derides how Peter and Harriet handle the punishment and innocence of their eldest. Her comeuppance is well-earned and I literally threw back my head to laugh when Peter confesses all. Ultimately: 5 heartfelt stars.

ADDITIONAL QUOTES, FOR SCIENCE:

'I knew it,' replied Harriet, 'resignedly. 'If I'd realized the disastrous effect sons would have on your character, I'd never have trusted you with any. Oh, dear! I'm thankful that woman's gone to bed; she's so in the way.'

'Isn't she? I think she must have picked up her infant psychology from the Woman's page in the Morning Mercury. Harriet, absolve me now from all my sins of the future, so that I may enjoy them without remorse.'

His wife was not unmoved by this appeal, only observing after an internal, 'There's something deplorably frivolous about making love to one's wife after seven years of marriage. Is it my lord's pleasure to come to bed?'

'It is your lord's very great pleasure.'

[TK421 · Rating 4 out of 5]

What great fun this slim collection of three Lord Peter Wimsey tales is! Having never read Dorothy L. Sayers before, I feel as if I have cheated my younger self for not having explored her writings when I was a boy. Conversely, perhaps it is best that I did not read these stories as a young and impressionable lad. Methinks I would have mined these stories for high jinks best left undone.

This will certainly not be my last encounter with Lord Peter Wimsey!

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

[Charles van Buren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three curious short stories

By Charles van Buren on March 1, 2018

Format: Kindle Edition|Verified Purchase

In reading some of the other reviews on Amazon it became apparent that some people have purchased this volume without understanding what they were getting. This volume consists of three short stories, said to be the final Lord Peter Wimsey stories, a short biography of Sayers and some photographs of Sayers. So all of the 176 pages (as listed in the Amazon description) are not devoted to the stories, though most are. Whether or not Lord Peter fans will like the stories is another matter. I am a Dorothy Sayers fan and did enjoy them.

It is difficult to explain this volume without spoilers, but I will try. Only one story concerns murder and Lord Peter's contribution to the case is much different from his actions in the novels. Another story has Lord Peter detecting to salve the reputation of a maligned policeman. This story contains what modern Americans euphemistically call the N word, but, in this story, it is not applied to anyone of African descent. Instead it shows the curious English custom of, once upon a time, using that word to refer to most non-white people. In fact there is a very old, crude English song which informs listeners that the n_____s start at Calais. I'm sure that all Britishers of the time didn't believe this but probably did believe, "Thank God I'm an Englishman (or woman)."

The final story is a tale of Lord Peter's and Harriet's domestic life and a misdemeanor theft. Silly ideas of how to raise children did not originate in the 1950's and 60's.

[Fiona · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you want some good bitesize Lord Peter Wimsey (and frankly, don't we all?), go and read 'Lord Peter Views the Body'. It's all of the marvellous lines and witty observations, all of the clever plots, and none of the casual racism and oddness. That's what they are - odd, and not in a particularly pleasing way. The stories in 'Striding Folly' are neither one thing nor the other - they feel like chapters of something longer, rather than good stand-alone stories in their own right. I was left unsatisfied, which was a shame, because there were some good premises. Honestly, it feels like they were half-ready, stories from Sayers' private notebook of ideas or something, rather than publishable works. An interesting insight, sure, but a bit disappointing.

As far as I'm concerned, with Sayers' books, I come for the mystery and stay for the fabulous ramblings of Lord Peter. In these short shories, both were in short supply. Maybe I've got out of the wrong side of bed with books of late, but this was not nearly as good as I'd hoped it would be. Next time, I'll go for a full-length novel, or go back to one of the other short story collections. By all means, if you're a fan of Sayers' work, read this, because it has her fingerprint. Just don't expect very much from it.

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I needed some short comfort reads to kick me out of an impending reading slump and this definitely fit the bill. Striding Folly is really collection of just three short stories by Dorothy Sayers, all short mysteries featuring her famous detective, Lord Peter Wimsey. These stories are nowhere near introductory to these characters and I’d only recommend it to people who are already somewhat familiar with the Peter Wimsey stories. If you’re new to Sayers and/or Wimsey, this is not a good place to start.

Compared to the other two stories, the titular mystery, Striding Folly, had enough premise to be a much longer story imo. A country gentleman, Mr Merrilow, who gets a visit from a stranger in the village to play chess with him. After the chess game, Mr Merrilow walks on over to his friend and neighbour’s house to check up on him, only to discover him dead. The solution was satisfying enough but a little hasty and I was left with a feeling of wanting more substance to it.

The second mystery, The Haunted Policeman, also had a pretty interesting premise. After having seen through his wife’s labour and delivery of his first son, Peter Wimsey meets a policeman just off his beat and is told a remarkable and slightly chilling tale of what the policeman saw in a nearby residential estate. This one fit just right into the short story format - the mystery, the pacing, the solution, everything was satisfying enough. This particular story also has some casual racist slurs in it as was typical for stories of this time period.

The third mystery isn’t really so much of a mystery as it is a humorous little tableau of Wimsey and his family (now with three sons, the eldest being six), how they get along, and what the family dynamics is like. There’s maybe just a slight mystery element here but it’s really just an aside. It might not sit well with some modern audiences though, as a pretty big topic in this chapter is about using corporal punishment on children.

[AnnaG · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short story collections to me always feel like the author had some ideas for novels that turned out not to be good enough to spend time developing properly. This collection is no different. The mysteries and solutions are perfectly good, but you don't have enough time with the characters to relate to them and the motivation for the crimes is very thin and under-developed.

That being said, like all Peter Wimsey mysteries it is well-written and engaging.

[Leslie · Rating 4 out of 5]

2022 reread didn't change my opinion :)

The final 3 short stories about Lord Peter.

I much preferred the second 2 (The Haunted Policeman & Talboys) to the somewhat odd first story (Striding Folly). I particularly liked the way Lord Peter and his eldest son worked together at the end of Talboys!

[Brenton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was sad, in a way, to finish the last of Dorothy L. Sayers' Lord Peter Wismey detection novels. Of course, I can simply read them again, but it may be too soon. While I had read some things before, I have read through everything about Wimsey in almost exactly a year, from Whose Body to a couple of Lord Peter Stories from In the Teeth of the Evidence (“In the Teeth of the Evidence,” and “Absolutely Elsewhere”) and this lovely 1972 collection, Striding Folly, with a short preface by Catriona McPherson, and a rich and strident essay, "Lord Peter Wimsey and His Creator" by Janet Hitchman. My Kindle edition has some pen and ink sketches, '70s style, that add to the stories in all but one case (where Sayers' artist in the text outstrips the artist in this volume, whose name I do not know). Apparently, my edition is supposed to have photos of Sayers and a preface by Elizabeth George, but they seem to have gone astray. As two of the stories in this three-pack of new-to-book material were published during Sayers' lifetime, they are out of copyright in Canada, so I had to sort through a number of $3 Kindle books to find the $10 version with all the goods (or most of them). I can find Sayers' photos through a Google search, but I am really glad that my edition has the Lord Peter Wimsey biography by Paul Austin Delagardie. It is rare to be able to get such a humorous and personal biography by a family member, his uncle, Paul Austin Delagardie. Such things as great secrets are usually suppressed in landed gentry families to be kept from the masses.
This book contains the final three Lord Peter stories, as far as I know. The title piece, "Striding Folly," and a quick case on the morning of Peter and Harriet's first son's birth, "The Haunted Policeman," were published decades earlier. "Striding Folly" is a nightmarish chess game of life and death with Lord Peter hiding in the background. "The Haunted Policeman" and the previously unpublished "Talboys" are delightful as they show Peter reeling from the first moments of fatherhood and then settled in as an appropriately irresponsible father of three lads, one of whom has a desire for healthy mischief. I enjoyed each of the three stories, but had to start "Striding Folly" over again a handful of times to understand what was happening.
Striding Folly is a nice farewell to Lord Peter, and I will have to decide whether to carry on with Jill Paton Walsh's resurrection of the body of work.

[Kathy Davie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fifteenth book, an anthology of the last three stories to be published in the Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries historical amateur sleuth series, and revolving around the brilliant, self-effacing Lord Peter.

The Series
You could say that "Talboys" is the second of the Talboys stories…

The Stories
"Striding Folly" is a carefully plotted murder thwarted by a dream. And it's lucky for Mr. Mellilow that Lord Peter was on the case. What I find sad about the story is the threat to Mr. Mellilow's peace. His dream of his forever bit of England.

The Characters
Lord Peter Wimsey is a second son who indulges an interest in solving crime. Mr. Mellilow is an educated man with an interest in chess who has retired to the peace of his cottage. He thought. Mr. Creech is a businessman with an eye to profit. Sir Henry Hunter has heard things about Creech. Moses is a traveling salesman for Messrs. Cohen & Gold of Farringdon Street. There's also a superintendent, a police surgeon, and the chief constable.

"The Haunted Policeman" is a conundrum, an odd variation on the locked-door mystery of a house that doesn't exist, a murder that never happened.

I do adore Sayers' humor:

"'Do you feel it's up to standard?' he inquired with some anxiety. ‘Of course, your workmanship's always sound — but you never know with these collaborate efforts.'

'I think it'll do,' said Harriet, drowsily.

'Good.' He turned abruptly to the nurse. ‘All right; we'll keep it. Take it and put it away and tell ‘em to invoice it to me. It's a very interesting addition to you, Harriet; but it would have been a hell of a rotten substitute."

And Peter has a son…

"…headed for the butler's pantry with the swift instinct of the homing pigeon. There they had treated him with great humanity, and allowed him to clean the silver."

The Characters
Lord Peter Wimsey has been married to Harriet Vane for a year now. William is the footman. Nurse Jenkyn has been engaged to help with the baby.

Constable Alfred Burt knows what he saw. Jessop and Pinker are fellow coppers. Constable Withers was on the other beat. Sergeant Jones thinks Burt was drunk on duty. Mr. O'Halloran lives at Number 12 in Merriman's End. Sir Lucius Preston is O'Halloran's snooty uncle and an R.A. Stefan Petrovinsky is a friend. I think he's married to Marfa. Number 14 is a retired Indian Civil Servant. Number 10 are two maiden ladies.

"Talboys" finds Bredon taking on a dare, and when caught, he confesses to his father. Who, sigh, must break out the cane and give him three of the best. It's a judgment that horrifies Miss Quirk who expostulates at length on the subject…until the shoe is on the other foot, lol.

Oh, I did enjoy Peter's dealings with his son, and I had to laugh at Harriet's placid explanation of Bredon's sense of being promoted to a cane. And I do like the household rule of not revisiting the issue(s).

The Characters
Lord Peter, a.k.a., Mr. Scatterblood, and Lady Peter, a.k.a., Harriet, married for seven years, now have three children: Bredon, a.k.a., Cap'n Teach, Roger, and Paul, who is disemboweling his stuffed rabbit, Bom-Bom. Bunter is Lord Peter's man. Cuthbert is the snake.

Miss Quirk, a friend of the bitchy Helen's, is staying with the Wimseys and has some really stupid ideas about discipline.

"'Just because your boy was told not to pick the peaches, he picked them. If he hadn't been forbidden to do it, he wouldn't have been disobedient.'

'No,' said Harriet. ‘I suppose that's quite true. He would have picked the peaches just the same, but it wouldn't have been disobedience.'"

Mr. Tom Puffett is a builder by trade with an interest in gardening. Jinny is Puffett's daughter. George Waggett is a big boy who appears to be a bit of a bully. Joey Maggs is another of Bredon's friends. The vicar shows peaches, and others who show include Dr. Jellyband, Jack Baker (he took Joe Sellon's position after Sellon emigrated to Canada; Busman's Honeymoon , 13), Critch, Billy Maggs the blacksmith (he has a brother), and Wagget the butcher.

The Cover and Title
The cover is a light army green with the upper half of a tweed suit jacket in oatmeal, navy, and gold plaid with a gold cableknit sweater underneath under which is a white rounded-collar shirt and a red and gold tie. There's a graphic of a monocle swirling up into the upper half of the cover, circling the title (in white) with its series information. Beneath the jacket is the author's name in a pale gray. A white round colophon is at the center bottom, overlapping the red band of the bottom that mirrors that at the top.

The title is the first story in the anthology, a tower that symbolizes the reason for events in Striding Folly.

[ValeReads Kyriosity · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mysteries as mysteries aren't a great draw to me — I'm generally not caught up in figuring out whodunnit — and Sayers's short stories don't really leave room for the aspects of her storytelling that do really engage me. I liked the third one best because it gives us a glimpse of Peter and Harriet as father and mother, and they are, true to character, quite sensible and loving in those roles.

Ian Carmichael... 😍

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Free download available at Faded Page.

Opening lines:
‘Shall I expect you next Wednesday for our game as usual?’ asked Mr Mellilow.

‘Of course, of course,’ replied Mr Creech. ‘Very glad there’s no ill feeling, Mellilow. Next Wednesday as usual. Unless ...’ his heavy face darkened for a moment, as though at some disagreeable recollection. ‘There may be a man coming to see me. If I’m not here by nine, don’t expect me. In that case, I’ll come on Thursday.’


3* The Man Born to Be King: A Play-Cycle on the Life of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ
TR The Travelling Rug
TR The Wimsey Papers
TR A Treasury of Sayers Stories
TR Are Women Human? Astute and Witty Essays on the Role of Women in Society
TR Wilkie Collins: A Critical and Biographical Study
TR The Letters of Dorothy L. Sayers. Vol. 1, 1899-1936: The Making of a Detective Novelist

Lord Peter Wimsey series:
4* Whose Body? (Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries, #1)
3* Clouds of Witness (Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries, #2)
4* Unnatural Death (Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries, #3)
3* The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club (Lord Peter Wimsey, #5)
3* Strong Poison (Lord Peter Wimsey, #6)
3* Five Red Herrings (Lord Peter Wimsey, #7)
4* Have His Carcase (Lord Peter Wimsey, #8)
4* Murder Must Advertise (Lord Peter Wimsey, #10)
3* The Nine Tailors (Lord Peter Wimsey, #11)
4* Gaudy Night (Lord Peter Wimsey, #12)
4* Busman's Honeymoon (Lord Peter Wimsey, #13)
3* Striding Folly (Lord Peter Wimsey, #15)
TR Lord Peter Views the Body (Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries, #4)
TR Hangman's Holiday: A Collection of Short Mysteries (Lord Peter Wimsey, #9)
TR In the Teeth of the Evidence (Lord Peter Wimsey, #14)

Lord Peter Wimsey & Harriet Vane series:
TR Thrones, Dominations (Lord Peter Wimsey/Harriet Vane #1)

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

These are really well done: the first is weirdly creepy and the last is hilarious. But it serves to remind me why I like novels - which I can sink into, and which aren't already finished right after they've begun.

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

This short work contains the last three Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries. "Striding Folly" barely mentions Lord Peter at all, and the plot disappointed. "The Haunted Policeman" concerns a young constable who encounters Wimsey the night Harriet gave birth to their first son. Lord Peter loosens the officer's tongue with champagne. The third, "Talboys," features Lord Peter's son Bredon in trouble for stealing a couple of peaches. Then all the neighbors' peaches disappear overnight. Many modern readers probably agree with Miss Quirk's dislike of the means Lord Peter chose of punishing the boy. However, I don't like what the boy (and his father) did to the woman later. All three were mediocre reads although it was nice to see Lord Peter and Harriet settling in as a family.

[Hpnyknits · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wimsey short stories.

[Sylvester (Taking a break in 2023) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as great as her full novels, but still good.

[Jess Manners · Rating 4 out of 5]

I mean...do I have any idea how the solutions to these stories were arrived at? I do not!
Do I know who did it, or why? I do not!
Do I know what happened? Again, I do not!
And yet, Sayers is awfully delightful! I didn't know that Lord Peter Whimsey settled down and had a family, but I'm glad he did--they seem just as delightful as he is! Also: the stuff in the third story about corporal punishment and whatnot is--again, charming, delightful, etc.--but complicated! (Plus there's a whole primogeniture throwaway line in there? The Whimsey plot thickens!)

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable set of three short stories, Striding Folly, The Haunted Policeman and Tallboys, my favourite being The Haunted Policeman.

[Teri-K · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three short stories:
I like Sayers' characters and her style, but reading a story or novella is different from a longer book, for me at least.
"Striding Folly" depended too much on a psychic dream to please me. Plus I thought it was obvious from the beginning what was going on, so I couldn't call this one a success. 1.5 stars
"The Haunted Policeman" relied on Whimsey's knowledge of an obscure piece at a museum, and I didn't really see why his mind jumped to that solution rather than some other possibility, so I wasn't a fan of this either. 2.5 stars
"Talboys" takes us back to the Whimsey home from Busman's Honeymoon, only now they have three little boys. The oldest son is accused of stealing some prize peaches, and of course Peter has to solve the mystery for sure. This was a charming story that really lets the reader look into how Peter and Harriet function as parents I also liked that their son gave them the final clue to the solution. It's worth tracking down this book to read this story, I think. 4 stars

[Orinoco Womble (tidy bag and all) · Rating 2 out of 5]

The titular tale in this collection is a case in point of why I don't really care for detective short-stories. It's all a little bit too pat, too glib, with Lord Peter appearing suddenly at the end as the Deus Ex Machina that knows all, tells all, sees all. "Tallboys" while amusing as a family story, isn't much of a mystery and far too much of a domestic comedy.(Of course Lord Peter could only sire males...God forbid he should have a girl! At least they didn't feel constrained to name the third one Death, after Daddy...) As for "The Haunted Policeman"...well, the less said about that one, the better. Faaaar too contrived. No wonder these tales didn't see the light of publication until 1972, though their author died in 1957. She obviously didn't think they were up to her usual standard, and I must say I agree with her.

I enjoyed Ian Carmichael's reading, as always. It whiled away the time while I cleaned house. Other than that, a resounding MEH.

[Katya · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not a fan of this one at all. Again, I realize this was written circa WWII (though Sayers didn't publish it in her lifetime), but between the racism and the child-abuse-as-parenting advocacy, it's not going to be one I re-read. Certainly not for the mysteries, which weren't that clever nor that interesting. (And don't get me started on the unexpected shift from the casual, thoughtless -isms perpetrated by Lord Peter in the rest of the series to outright sociopathic behavior in the third story, Talboys. I suspect that Sayers wrote Talboys to vent frustration at a certain type of person, and had no intention that the story ever see the light of day...or at least I hope that was the case.)

[LeahBethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Striding Folly is the last set of short stories in the Lord Peter Wimsey series. I have thoroughly enjoyed the Lord Peter Wimsey books and look forward to reading some of them again. There were only 3 stories in Striding Folly so it was a quick read and the mysteries were decent. The best part of the book for me? Getting a glimpse of Peter as a father.

[Lucy Blake · Rating 2 out of 5]

Introduction really long and contains spoilers if you haven't read all the other books.

[Laurie Gold · Rating 4 out of 5]

My husband and just listened to the entire series as BBC radio plays rather than the unabridged novels, and Peter was voiced throughout by Ian Carmichael. Carmichael also voices the sleuth in this collection, which I really enjoyed. Talboys is the most enjoyable as the author’s humor is so delightful, but all three stories are quite good.