Crime, Mysteries & Thrillers discussion

Welcome to the discussion thread for The Nine Tailors, by Dorothy Sayers.

Hello fellow Crime, Mystery & Thriller readers,


Welcome to our discussion about The Nine Tailors, Lord Peter Wimsey #11 by Dorothy Sayers, which is part of our Mysteries for A Cold Winter's Night Collection Group Read. Your discussion leader is Lisa.
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About spoilers:

Please note: If you have not finished reading the book spoilers are permitted in this discussion from the start. If you would like to use the spoiler formatting it can be found on the top right of the comment box in the "(some html is ok)" menu. ___________________________________________

Summary

When a disfigured corpse is discovered in a country parish, the local rector pleads with Lord Peter to take on what will become one of his most brilliant and complicated cases.

Hi everyone! Looking forward to this one. If anyone is having trouble finding it, it's available on Hoopla.

I was able to find this at my little library. Go figure. It's interesting to start.

Sheri wrote: "I was able to find this at my little library. Go figure. It's interesting to start."

Sheri, did you finish this one already? I started last night, one Chapter in. I had no idea that there existed such an elaborate system around bell ringing!

Lisa wrote: "Sheri wrote: "I was able to find this at my little library. Go figure. It's interesting to start."

Sheri, did you finish this one already? I started last night, one Chapter in. I had no idea that ..."

Yes, I finished it and I'm with you about the bell ringing. I learned a lot. Really liked this book.

Just starting it. I can’t wait!

Finished the book two days ago. It was my second Sayers as I had already read Whose Body and quite ejoyed that as well. I learnt a lot about the bells and the bell ringing. I liked the secondary characters and the humour that run through the entire book.

It didn't expect that ending. I'm not sure if he thought that by trying to save a life he would be atoning for taking a life. It must have been hard to live with the consequences of his actions, once he realised what he had done as he came across as a decent human being. All in all, I enjoyed the mystery.

Thanks for the group read. I'm addicted to collecting books and stockpiling them for future reads. I've got some other Sayers in my library and will now definetly move them up the TBR rung. I've already located one for the December read so that will be one more off the list.
Regards

Rubena, I'm glad you liked it. I'm a little over halfway and it's bogging a bit for me. I find all the text on the bells interesting, but there's so much of it and I also am finding it a bit hard to follow...like I can't really absorb so much about the art by reading about it in this context. I'm finding much of the text dense, and am backing up to reread frequently. Probably just me, and maybe I'm just in a thick spot right now :)

Yes, there is a rather a lot about the bells but I just let it wash over me, sort of like when you're listening to music. The bells are also characters in the book and having finished it, I guess that's why Sayers makes you feel their presence so strongly. It's probably that "presence" that's bogging you down. I usually read two books at a time and was reading The Hope That Kills by Ed James. Maybe the difference in time and style of writing made reading Sayers easier. Hope you finish it soon.

Lisa wrote: "Rubena, I'm glad you liked it. I'm a little over halfway and it's bogging a bit for me. I find all the text on the bells interesting, but there's so much of it and I also am finding it a bit hard t..."

I was going to post that I had to reread a lot of this book. I thought about not finishing it a time or two but am glad I did. It's a good story.

Rubena wrote: "Yes, there is a rather a lot about the bells but I just let it wash over me, sort of like when you're listening to music. The bells are also characters in the book and having finished it, I guess t..."

I love the “let it wash over me” analogy! Thank you. I will keep that in mind going forward :)

I finished the book and I liked it. I have read prior Lord Wimsey books (the ones with Harriet Vane). He does like to prattle on quite a bit. I also was not expecting that ending.

As for the bells, I re-read it a few times then started skimming. Rubena, I like the “let it wash over me”... it sounds better than skimming.

Nancy wrote: "I finished the book and I liked it. I have read prior Lord Wimsey books (the ones with Harriet Vane). He does like to prattle on quite a bit. I also was not expecting that ending.

As for the bells..."

Yes, it does, doesn´t it. To be honest, at first I did read those parts slowly, trying to take everything in because I thought, it must be important, like a clue. Then I figured it was for atmosphere so I let it wash over me. Still, I would hate to die that way.

Looking forward to 1st December to begin the next group read...and the challenge.

Finally finished. There was a lot to like here, but overall, I really struggled to get through this one. I had trouble staying focused, and the story never really grabbed me. There seemed to be so much text, so much explanation and detail and backstory, and it felt hard to follow. The actual story, which was rather slight, ended up getting overwhelmed. Between this, and the great deal of text devoted to the bells, I found myself doing a lot of skimming ... I mean, letting words wash over me :) This indeed is a beloved book, and I am so glad that folks in the group seemed to like it. I think it’s just me - I felt a bit dim reading this one :)

Rubena wrote: "Nancy wrote: "I finished the book and I liked it. I have read prior Lord Wimsey books (the ones with Harriet Vane). He does like to prattle on quite a bit. I also was not expecting that ending.

As..."

I did like the murderer reveal. (view spoiler)[ What a way to go, indeed. It was clever and satisfying when you consider how much of this book was about the bells. I should have probably figured it out, but I sure did not (hide spoiler)]

Rubena wrote: "Yes, there is a rather a lot about the bells but I just let it wash over me, sort of like when you're listening to music. The bells are also characters in the book and having finished it, I guess t..."

Rubena, is it by design or coincidence that you were reading a book at the same time as this one with a character called Fenchurch?

Lisa wrote: "Rubena wrote: "Yes, there is a rather a lot about the bells but I just let it wash over me, sort of like when you're listening to music. The bells are also characters in the book and having finishe..."

Would you believe that I didn't realise that until you mentioned it. I was so caught up in his story that I didn't connect the two at all. I must admit though, that I was more emotionally involved with poor Fenchurch than with Lord Peter.

Rubena wrote: "Lisa wrote: "Rubena wrote: "Yes, there is a rather a lot about the bells but I just let it wash over me, sort of like when you're listening to music. The bells are also characters in the book and h..."

Wow, that is really an incredible coincidence!

Lisa wrote: "Rubena wrote: "Yes, there is a rather a lot about the bells but I just let it wash over me, sort of like when you're listening to music. The bells are also characters in the book and having finishe..."

I didn't figure it out either. I think this is a very good mystery.

I checked an ebook copy out the same time I check out the Agatha Christie selection but didn't start reading it until last night. I've got five days to finish it, lol.

I read the first two chapters last night and goodness me, I never want to hear about bell ringing again lol. I know "what it is" and I've enjoyed listening to it on the rare occasion I've heard it but that was enough information to make my eyes cross.

Lisa wrote: "Rubena, I'm glad you liked it. I'm a little over halfway and it's bogging a bit for me. I find all the text on the bells interesting, but there's so much of it and I also am finding it a bit hard t..."

One of the things I do if I'm finding something difficult to read, is after the first couple of chapters once I know the majority of the characters have been introduced, is to switch to an audiobook. That has allowed me to get through some of the tomey (did I just make up a word? lol) classics. I really enjoy the audiobooks if the narrator is good. (The Harry Potter series has to have my all time favorite narrator, Jim Dale... he does different voices for different characters... it make the little girl inside me squee.) Audiobooks (often available through Hoopla) have allowed me to get through books I might otherwise put down.

I'm now in The Second Part and two things have struck me.

(view spoiler)[ In The First Part the Rector couldn't find his keys. That suggested to me that someone took them. I don't know if that's the case, I'll have to wait to find out.

Additionally, they just indicated that the book "History of the Bells of Fenchurch St. Paul" which Wimsy requested was found in "a small room devoted to the activities of the Clothing Club "and how it could have got there, I cannot imagine!" <-- Said the Rector. (hide spoiler)]

I'm think those items are linked to the killer but I still have no idea how this will play out.

Gem Let us know if you figure things out. I didn't.

Sheri wrote: "Gem Let us know if you figure things out. I didn't."

Will do.

I didn't either. I was also beside myself with all of the bell ringing details. Like this is really cool to know about, but, I'm good now 😊

Lisa wrote: "I didn't either. I was also beside myself with all of the bell ringing details. Like this is really cool to know about, but, I'm good now 😊"

Waaaay to much bell ringing detail but the way it was written is what saved it for me.

I agree. That`s why I think that the emphasis on the bells and the whole process for ringing them had to be there for a reason. It didn`t feel like a ¨filler¨ . I knew it was relevent but just didn´t know why.,,,until the end. It also ties back to something that was mentioned earlier on,,,about the bells ¨punishing¨ people. Correct me if I´m wrong, Excessive bell details aside, it was a nice story.

I finished! Wow! That was all the awesomeness, I do believe this has become my most favorite mystery novel ever. I did not see that end coming, at all.

Sheri wrote: "Gem Let us know if you figure things out. I didn't."
Well, I got as almost as close as Wimsey and the Superintendent did prior to the last chapter. (view spoiler)[I figured that Will Thoday and his brother had something to do with it and I was very unsatisfied with the way they wrapped things up. I should have put two and two together when Wimsey went up the tower while the bells were ringing and had such a horrible reaction to them. (hide spoiler)]. Nope, didn't see the ending coming. Now I can forgive all the bell and bell-ringing information, it really did fit at the end.

I was skeptical about reading this book because I tried to read the first one of the series a while back and wasn't enjoying it. I think I have that figured out... I didn't realize these books were set in the time period between WWI and WW2. I thought they were contemporary and there was some kind of disconnect for me. Now I understand why.

Gem wrote: "I finished! Wow! That was all the awesomeness, I do believe this has become my most favorite mystery novel ever. I did not see that end coming, at all.

Sheri wrote: "Gem Let us know if you figure..."

So far none of us figured this one out. Must be a good mystery.

Gem wrote: "I finished! Wow! That was all the awesomeness, I do believe this has become my most favorite mystery novel ever. I did not see that end coming, at all.

Sheri wrote: "Gem Let us know if you figure..."

I agree - when (view spoiler)[Wimsey was in the bell tower and there was so much made about his reaction, I was like what the heck? And I still didn't figure it out! (hide spoiler)]

I too finally finished a bit late! But so many twists and depth wow!!!