Dorothy Sayers' Whimsey novels - do you know the (1980s) TV adaptations?

Just downloaded Jane McDowell reading The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club. Jane McDowell seems to be in the middle of recording all the Whimsey books. Anyone else listened to any of these? Any thoughts?

I have found Harriet's wedding gown.

She must have worked herself half to death to pay for it.

I think The Late Scholar should be read as stand alone really - the characters have the same name and that's about it! I prefer it to TAE where she was still trying to write in DLS's voice

Inspired by the thread, I've read TD and Presumption over the weekend.

Started The Late Scholar yesterday, but not impressed so far. The language seems very modern in comparison and I'm not convinced by the relationship between Peter and Harriet. I feel like I'm missing something.

I was somewhat surprised she started TD, given the "oh damn" bookends. I don't think she intended to but I've heard of her complaining Wimsey wouldn't leave her alone!

I've been inspired by this thread to reread Busman's Holiday. Definitely agree with the poster above that it has fanfic elements. The beginning and end are beautifully done (though the self-indulgent description of Duke's Denver is v fanfic) and there are some v strong passages about Peter and Harriet's relationship (I still think it degenerates into ick at points... But I am v unromantic).

The actual murder plot is grim and the characters unengaging, but I realise on rereading that this is Sayers' point. Murder does show humanity at its worst, and murderers are nasty pieces of work acting from unpleasant motives. There is no glamour in it, and no glamour in the horrible process of trial and execution. Hardly any detective novels follow the culprit to the gallows - most of Sayers' and many other Golden Age murderers obligingly die or commit suicide anyway - but by failing to do they are eliding a massive part of the story.

So Busman's Honeymoon is Sayers bidding farewell to the classic detective novel, and at the same time letting Harriet and Peter be real(ish) people with complex human emotions and relationships. No wonder she gave up on Thrones, Dominations - she had nothing more to say on the subject, and it would have been dishonest for her to try to do so.

Yes, the answer was what I meant - all wrong!

Hmm, I didn't mind the proposal so much as the answer. Quite liked the proposal.

Nope, didn't like TLS as much as Presumption of Death. Pale shadow of Gaudy Night. Back to re-reading GN now.

Finished the TV Gaudy Night yesterday! Loved Harriet and Peter still, but the proposal was all wrong. And it made me realise just how rich the book is with all the characters and detail that link into Harriet thinking and rethinking her view of the world. I think I might be satisfied if they had dramatised it in 8 episodes rather than 3.

I'm actually rereading BH on Kindle right now - I think you have to read it as Sayers described it - 'a love story with detective interruptions' - it's the 'what happened afterwards' bit, like the last chapter of Harry Potter - in fact in many ways it's practically a fanfic.

Yes - lots of people say it's icky.

Not ashamed to say I am besotted with BH. The sheer relief that Harriet feels once it's done, the subtle shift in power between them, (even the joy of finding she's not poor any more,) is seriously uplifting. I think there's a conversation sitting outside on a bench that to me seems like the true consummation of their entire courtship. (Because there was that episode before they married ...)

I've never been able to get on with BH at all... all those comedy accents and unengaging characters, plus Peter and Harriet's love life is a bit icky.

I maybe was too harsh re BH... I think it was because the build up to LPW and HV consummation was so charged that maybe seemed an anti-climax?
I really enjoyed the JPW follow-ups. Hoping she can squeeze out another...?

I have a big soft spot for BH myself, it was the first of the Wimsey/Vane books I happened across as a teenager.
Have now got The Late Scholar to read thanks to this thread, boding interesting so far

"BH was disappointing"

Do you think so? I love it.

Just looked back through the thread. I started with 'Strong Poison; many years ago, and a dull NYE party,. was hooked, and then read the lot. I would agree about starting with that one, then reading the pre-Harriet ones, and them finally reading HHC and GN.
BH was disappointing.

Yy Annie.

Just wanted to say a massive thanks to the OP!
As a result of finding this thread, inspired me to re-watch, after several years, the Edward Petherbridge/Harriet Walters DVDs - sheer joy.
From the first scenes of 'strong poison' the acting was so sublime - really capture the character so well - loved the books, and the tv definitely added another dimension - perfect. OP - thanks again!

Am just popping by again to salute DLS for making one of the main protagonists of a series of novel written in 1930 a woman who has, very publicly, had sex out of wedlock, and who isn't "redeemed" or "saved" in a moral sense - just saved physically (from the gallows) and intellectually (from being attached to a bore who didn't value her work or her intellect).

I do, thanks!

I didn't realise ACRFL was an audiobook, will look it up.

Iirc, the Carmichael version of Clouds doesn't have the French letter ?

www.audible.co.uk/search/ref=a_pd_Classi_tseft?advsearchKeywords=sayers+dorothy&filterby=field-keywords&sprefixRefmarker=nb_sb_ss_i_0_6&sprefix=sayers

Not sure if the above link will work for everyone else, as I'm signed in to Audible, but this is their Sayers stuff.

They are redoing the whole lot of Wimsey, starting from the beginning read by Jane McDowell, but I am hesitating because of the few reviews that there are, several don't like the narrator. Apparently she can't pronounce Balliol and when LP was looking out on the roof in Whose Body she pronounced 'the leads' as 'leeds' instead of as the metal.

I've listened to the samples a few times and noticed that she makes a slight pause before French phrases and pronounces them as if she's not very confident - and as there's an awful lot of French in Wimsey, it could get a bit annoying. Wonder what she made of Cathcart's letter in C of W?
I must admit I'm very fussy about narrators in my audio books - I think Diana Bishop who did the Miss Silver books would be wonderful, or perhaps Nadia May, who reads A Careless Rage for Life. I've got a Ngaio Marsh read by her and it's pretty good.

Yonic, you have mail!

That sounds lovely, Lindy!

Archery Annie, my mum is a member of the society. They go all over the place on trips and conventions. They visit pretty much anywhere connected with the books or Dorothy and do dinners and awards and generally have a lovely time.

The Society makes various awards, including the Dorothy L Sayers Bellringers Award.

Oooh, Lindy found it online: www.sayers.org.uk/society.html#join

£18 quid a year? Hmmm. Might do, for a year anyway, if I can justify £18 to myself.