Unnatural Death

1927, 1987 Perennial Library edition
Dorothy L. Sayers
Unnatural Death
Original price $4.95, bought used for 25 cents
Worn paperback
B-

I think I've only read this once before.  It's entertaining and reasonably plausible, but it didn't stick with me enough to reread it, or to search out other Peter Wimsey mysteries.  And yes, Lord Peter is whimsical, particularly with his literary quotes.

Continuing 1927 as the first Official Year of Lesbians in Straight Literature, we have two probably sapphic couples in this novel.  Two young women born in the 1850s decide to never marry and instead spend their lives together, which indeed happens.  The brother of one marries the sister of the other, and that couple has a granddaughter Mary, who ends up killing both great-aunts.  Mary also uses the crush, or schwärmerei (extreme enthusiasm), of an adoring younger woman, for her nefarious schemes.  I've read but don't own The Well of Loneliness, and it is notable that it didn't come out till the following year.  Clearly though, more sophisticated heterosexual writers were aware of, if not exactly tolerant of, lesbians.


Also notable is this sentence: "His jaw slackened, giving his long, narrow face a faintly foolish and hesitant look, reminiscent of the heroes of Mr. P. G. Wodehouse."  The Jeeves stories had been appearing for a decade at that point, although I won't be reviewing them till we get to 1931, for reasons I'll explain at that time.