Dorothy L. Sayers Trivia

1. How much time does Lord Peter have to prove Harriet is innocent before a new trial in the murder of Philip Boyes begins?

From Quiz Peter & Harriet: "Strong Poison" Pt. 2 - Sleuthing

Answer: One month

Harriet's barrister, Sir Impey Biggs, explains to Lord Peter that the new trial will be scheduled at the next "Assizes," which would begin in a month. According to the website, parliament.uk, the Courts of Assize in England and Wales were "courts held in the main county towns, and presided over by visiting judges from the higher courts based in London." In London, the Assizes were calendar periods during which trials were scheduled to be conducted. In 1971, however, the system was completely overhauled, and a permanent Crown Court was established.

From Quiz Peter & Harriet: "Strong Poison" Pt. 1-The Trial

Answer: Judge's summation of the evidence

British jurisprudence of that era, ca. 1929, called for the presiding judge to completely recap the case as presented by both the Crown Prosecutor and the barrister representing the defendant. In this instance, it is apparent to some spectators, including Lord Peter, that the judge is demonstrating a certain bias in favor of the Crown's version of what happened, and rather expects the jury to return with a guilty verdict.

From Quiz About Lord Peter

Answer: Death Bredon

In the story "Murder Must Advertise", Lord Peter takes a job at Pym's Publicity Ltd. using his middle names ("Death Bredon") as his other identity. Incidentally "Death" should be pronounced to rhyme with "teeth". David Balfour is a hero in the works of Robert Louis Stevenson, (Sir) Donald Bradman an Australian cricketer (arguably the greatest Australian cricketer), and Donald Booth a modern English actor.

From Quiz More on "Gaudy Night" by Dorothy L. Sayers

Answer: Shrewsbury College

All are fictional Oxford colleges. Lonsdale College was created by Colin Dexter for the "Inspector Morse" series, Bartlemas College by Veronica Stallwood in the "Kate Ivory series", and College of St Christopher in the "Gervase Fen mysteries" written by Edmund Crispin.

From Quiz Wimsey and Vane: Strong Poison

Answer: crimson red roses

Sayers opens, "there were crimson red roses on the bench; they looked like splashes of blood." These flowers sit in a vase on the judge's bench.

From Quiz Wimsey and Vane: Have His Carcase

Answer: a bruised heart

Sayers opens, "the best remedy for a bruised heart is not, as so many people think, repose upon a manly bosom. Much more efficacious are honest work, physical activity, and the sudden acquisition of wealth."

From Quiz Monty Egg and His Rhyming Couplets

Answer: Plummet & Rose, Wines and Spirits

Monty travels the country selling fine wines and spirits (and getting involved in mysteries which he invariably helps to solve). The incorrect answers are or were real or fictional British stores.

From Quiz The "Lord Peter Wimsey" Mystery Series

Answer: Whose Body?

One of the better installments in the series, even though they're all great. This book was originally published in 1923 as a hardcover.

From Quiz Harriet and Peter - A Love Story

Answer: Phillip Boyes

Impey Biggs was the barrister defending her, Charles Parker the policeman who had her charged and Freddy a friend of Peter's, also at the trial.

From Quiz Poetry in Dorothy L Sayers' novels

Answer: Gaudy Night

From Gerard Manley Hopkins' wonderful poem "Duns Scotus' Oxford". The sonnet begins with the lines quoted above which should have the characteristic Hopkins' accents.

From Quiz Harriet Vane

Answer: In jail

Lord Peter first becomes enamored with Harriet after seeing her in court.

From Quiz Dorothy L Sayers' Montague Egg

Answer: Wines and spirits

Monty's expertise in the wine and spirits line leads to the solution of two mysteries, "The Poisoned Dow '08", and "Bitter Almonds".

From Quiz Gaudy Night

Answer: Mary Stokes

Mary, waiting to go abroad for a delicate and dangerous operation and having not met Harriet since they went down, asked her former friend to come to the Gaudy. Harriet found it hard to relate to her. "Mary is a dear: as she always was ... but we have nothing to say to each other." Having introduced Harriet to the story setting, Mary fades out of the story unobtrusively.

From Quiz Busman's Honeymoon

Answer: Worth

"Fierce bustle about the wedding dress -Worth's- period gown in stiff gold brocade, long sleeves, square neck, off the face head dress, no jewels..." wrote Honoria, Dowager Duchess of Denver.

From Quiz Five Red Herrings

Answer: Kirkudbright

"The small town of Kirkudbright had always been a happy mixture of artists and fishermen."

From Quiz Strong Poison

Answer: Writer

Writers and painters feature frequently in Dorothy L Sayer's mysteries, and one of Lord Peter's lady friends, Marjorie Phelps, makes her living as a sculptress. However, musicians appear to be above suspicion as regards their criminal tendencies: though Lord Peter plays the piano and sings madrigals...

From Quiz Clouds of Witness

Answer: Paris

The Hotel Meurice in Paris, to be precise. He had been to Corsica on the advice of a doctor at the end of his previous case.

From Quiz Murder Must Advertise

Answer: Pym's Publicity Ltd

Though Mr Armstrong and Mr Hankin were highly placed in the agency, Mr Pym was the "presiding genius". Darling was one of the companies who used the agency to promote their goods.

From Quiz Lord Peter Wimsey Novels

Answer: Whose Body?

The first Wimsey novel "Whose Body?" was published in 1923. In this book, Lord Peter seems a bit of a caricature, with lots of mannerisms (and the mystery isn't one of the most plausible ever written). However, it's still quite a good read.

From Quiz Lord Peter Wimsey 1

Answer: Whose Body?

Dorothy Sayers was an early Oxford graduate who had been an advertising copywriter before her success in 1924 with Lord Peter Wimsey. By 1936 she had abandoned the stories in favour of her religious fiction.

From Quiz Complete this Dorothy L. Sayers Title

Answer: Body

"Whose Body" was Ms. Sayers' first mystery, and introduces Lord Peter Wimsey, who, much to the despair of his family, has taken up crime-solving as a hobby. In this book, he must discover the murderer of an unknown corpse that is found in a man's bathtub one morning.

From Quiz Peter & Harriet: "Strong Poison" Pt. 3-Progress

Answer: Charles Parker

Lady Mary had had rather a tempestuous romantic life. Two of the incorrect answers (Cathcart and Goyles) are the names of men with whom she had been involved in the past. The details of those events are recounted in "Clouds of Witness," during which Gerald, Duke of Denver (Peter's older brother) is on trial for the murder of Denis Cathcart. Chief Inspector Charles Parker is a fine man who fell for Lady Mary during that case, but has been deeply reluctant to pursue the relationship because the idea of a police officer and a member of the nobility marrying seems impossible. Peter, however, highly approves and, at his sister's request, convinces Charles to propose. Lady Mary is elated, and the engagement is a fait accompli, though she is keenly aware her brother, the Duke, will be furious.

From Quiz Peter & Harriet: "Strong Poison" Pt. 2 - Sleuthing

Answer: Philip had an aunt, an elderly actress whose stage career had been successful, but scandalous.

One of Lord Peter's theories of the crime hinges on the possibility of Philip Boyes having had expectations of inheriting money. Is it less likely that he committed suicide if he could reasonably expect an influx of sudden wealth? Does money figure in the case at all? Rev. Boyes makes a casual reference to an aunt who accumulated a fortune over the years as a flamboyant entertainer whose risque performances were frowned upon by those in "polite" society. She was firmly ostracized by almost all the members of her own family who preferred to pretend she didn't exist.

From Quiz Peter & Harriet: "Strong Poison" Pt. 1-The Trial

Answer: Philip Boyes

Philip Boyes was Harriet's ex-lover. Like her, he is an author, but he considers his writings in literature and poetry far more important than Harriet's mystery novels. Her work, though, is what brings in a steady income. His published works are of narrow appeal to the intellectual set and sell far fewer copies.

From Quiz About Lord Peter

Answer: Modern History

Dorothy L. Sayers provided a biography for Lord Peter for several of her novels, very much like an entry in "Who's Who", in which all sorts of personal details are revealed, including his graduation with first-class honours in the school of Modern History in 1912. "Greats" is the name given to one of Oxford's more famous programme of studies, covering what we would call Classics, combined with Ancient History and Philosophy.

From Quiz Lord Peter Who's Who

Answer: Gerald

Gerald Christian Wimsey, Viscount St George, Duke of Denver. In "Clouds of Witness"(1926), the Duke is accused of murder. He refuses to give an explanation of his actions the night of the murder, or to produce an alibi. In the unravelling of the mystery, we find that he takes after his father. The current Duchess of Denver, his wife, is a humourless and strictly correct woman - she and Wimsey cordially loathe each other.

From Quiz More on "Gaudy Night" by Dorothy L. Sayers

Answer: Balliol College Cricket Ground

She locates Shrewsbury College in the part of Oxford known as "St Cross", north of Jowett Walk and between Mansfield and St Cross Roads. In the "Author's note" she apologises to Balliol for this infringement on their grounds.

From Quiz Wimsey and Vane: Have His Carcase

Answer: takes snapshots of the murder scene

Realizing that the tide is moving in, the enterprising Miss Vane takes snapshots of the corpse. This is the only early evidence that there is of a body. She also calls to a boat for help, checks out the footprints, and searches the corpse.

From Quiz Monty Egg and His Rhyming Couplets

Answer: The Salesman's Handbook

"Palgrave's Golden Treasury" is a fine book of poetry - somehow I can't see the doggerel Monty spouts getting in! I wonder if modern salesmen have this sort of thing?

From Quiz The "Lord Peter Wimsey" Mystery Series

Answer: Strong Poison

Wimsey begins to court Vane in this book. This book was originally published in 1930.

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Last Updated Apr 22 2024 11:00 AM

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