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Unnatural Death
Unnatural Death | Dorothy L. Sayers
34 posts | 41 read | 15 to read
When a terminally ill woman dies much earlier than expected, Lord Peter suspects murder Though never quick-witted, Agatha Dawson had an iron constitution and a will to fight that never abated in her old age. Even after 3 operations failed to rid her of her cancer, she refused to give in. But as her body began to weaken, she accused lawyers, nurses, and doctors of trying to kill her and snatch her fortune. The town physician, an expert in cancer, gives her 6 months to live. Only 3 days later, she is dead. Though the autopsy reveals nothing surprising, the doctor suspects that Agathas niece had some hand in the old womans death. When Lord Peter Wimsey, the dashing gentleman detective, looks into the matter, he finds that death stalks all those who might testify. How can he continue his investigation when every question marks another innocent for murder? Unnatural Death is the 3rd book in the Lord Peter Wimsey Mysteries, but you may enjoy the series by reading the books in any order. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Dorothy L. Sayers including rare images from the Marion E. Wade Center at Wheaton College.
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review
ImperfectCJ
Unnatural Death | Dorothy L. Sayers
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Pickpick

I really enjoy how Lord Peter seems clever but also a little silly and impetuous, but there's a point in each of Sayers's novels when his serious side comes through, not in a heavy-handed way, but often just as a glimpse. In many ways I find this mask/true self characterization more realistic than the more either/or characters in many books, and it helps to explain why those around him are so devoted to him, even when he acts like an ass.

kspenmoll Perfect analysis of him!!! 8mo
39 likes1 comment
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CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian
Unnatural Death | Dorothy L. Sayers
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Pickpick

This was a great re-read of a classic mystery! The #audiobook version is read wonderfully by Ian Carmichael. I love Mrs Climpson, Wimsey's detective for hire, who gets all sorts of juicy information from people because she's an inquisitive older lady and no one suspects her of being a spy. This one also has interesting (for the time) sapphic subtext, both for the murder victim and the killer.

32 likes2 stack adds
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CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian
Unnatural Death | Dorothy L. Sayers
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Getting a cold when you are 33.5 weeks pregnant: not recommended

Listening to an old Dorothy L Sayers mystery you've already read while sick and very pregnant: recommended

Soubhiville I hope you‘ll Feel better soon! (edited) 11mo
31 likes2 comments
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Smarkies
Unnatural Death | Dorothy Leigh Sayers
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Pickpick

Another witty book by the author. Lord Peter Wimsey is just so droll. 😁
The mystery itself was not the most riveting but the humour made up for it.

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Handheld
Unnatural Death | Dorothy L. Sayers

Don't know how many times I've read this, but as I'm going to London by train (mask on!) and I was looking up a quote in it only yesterday, I'm going to just have to read it again.

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Leniverse
Unnatural Death | Dorothy L. Sayers

"To the person who has anything to conceal - to the person who wants to lose his identity as one leaf among the leaves of a forest - to the person who asks no more than to pass by and be forgotten, there is one name above others which promises a haven of safety and oblivion. London.
(...)
London, whose rather untidy and grubby bosom is the repository of so many odd secrets. Discreet, incurious and all-enfolding London."

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Leniverse
Unnatural Death | Dorothy L. Sayers

"'Was it Voltaire who said that the English had three hundred and sixty-five religions and only one sauce?'
'Judging from the War Tribunals,' said Parker, 'I should say that was an understatement. And then there's America - a country, I understand, remarkably well supplied with religions.'"

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Leniverse
Unnatural Death | Dorothy L. Sayers
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Continuing my påskekrim reading after a quick detour to read some Sandman. We're playing the @DeweysReadathon board game, and I landed on graphic novel. Now I'm on book to movie/TV and mysteriously the Lewis trilogy has not been adapted for the screen. I don't get it, it's so visual it's like reading a TV show. But no worries, I have a Lord Peter mystery I don't think I've read yet (or if I did it was years ago).

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PickwickPlockPlock
Unnatural Death | Dorothy L. Sayers
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Mehso-so

Eh, definitely not among my favourite Wimsey novels. Bonus points for Miss Climpson, though. But I guessed the twist at the end, and I got a strong sense of 'even if this old lady might indeed have been murdered, she was terminally ill anyway, so it's not that bad a crime'. I'm sure the woman in question would beg to differ!

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Smarkies
Unnatural Death | Dorothy L. Sayers
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📖 (as tagged)
✒️ Updike, John
🎥 The Usual Suspects
🎤 Usher
🎶 Under Pressure (by Queen)
#letteru
#manicmonday
@JoScho

Zoes_Human Love Under Pressure. It was a tough choice between that and Unchained Melody for me. 4y
Smarkies @Zoes_Human my dad is a huge fan of Queen so we were brought up on the music 😁 4y
Zoes_Human @Smarkies That‘s how I came to love Led Zeppelin 😊 4y
13 likes3 comments
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Andrew65
Unnatural Death | Dorothy L. Sayers
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Pickpick

It all started with an interruption in a conversation in a Restaurant. From this Lord Peter Wimsey gets involved in a case that doesn‘t seem a case but at first glance a death from natural causes. Watch as he goes on the hunt that leads to more than one murder. This ended up in an excellent murder mystery with suspense at times and the reader trying to work out what went on and why. Definitely recommend this one and look forward to reading others.

Bklover I read the Lord Peter Wimsey books years ago and recently bought one for a reread. I remember really enjoying them! 5y
Andrew65 @Bklover That was my thought on reading this one, my first, and will definitely come back for more. 5y
Tove_Reads Only read the first in the series and didn‘t like it. 5y
Andrew65 @Tove_Reads Not read the first one, this is the only one I‘ve read. 5y
77 likes3 stack adds4 comments
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Andrew65
Unnatural Death | Dorothy Leigh Sayers
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Started reading Unnatural Death, which is the third book in the Lord Peter Wimsey Series by Dorothy L Sayers. This was published in 1927. #CenturyOfBooks

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shanaqui
Unnatural Death | Dorothy Leigh Sayers
Pickpick

I've probably told the story about when I had my gallbladder out: I had a panic attack while coming out of anaesthesia. The nurses could not calm me down and I was hyperventilating so badly my blood oxygenation was dangerously low. So they called my mother in, and she put on an audiobook... I don't think it was Unnatural Death, but it was one narrated by Ian Carmichael. That's why this series is so comforting for me.

It worked this time too.

shanaqui Not that I needed comforting now as badly as I did back then! 5y
9 likes1 comment
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shanaqui
Unnatural Death | Dorothy Leigh Sayers

Rereading because I feel bleh. Dorothy Sayers is always good for that! I never think of this as my favourite, but it has so many good bits with Miss Climpson, and the dialogue between Peter and Parker.

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Sarah83
Unnatural Death | Dorothy L. Sayers
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Mehso-so

Finished my first #cozyinthesun .
It was the third installment of Lord Peter Wimsey. Wimsey is introduced to a story about an elderly woman, who should die because of cancer and who dies just too early... The doctor is sure, something went wrong and Wimsey and Parker start their observation.
A nice read, but I still don't like the hints to Sherlock Holmes and Miss Marple... 😉 @Librarybelle @ferskner

jillrhudy He's my favorite detective of all time. 5y
Librarybelle Hooray for completing the first book in the challenge! 5y
ferskner Ooooo are those stroopwaffels? 5y
See All 9 Comments
Sarah83 @ferskner yes they are.... 😋😋😋😋😋 5y
ferskner 🤤🤤🤤 5y
Sarah83 @ferskner definitely. 🙃🙃🙃🙃 5y
Sunraven @ferskner: I literally thought the same thing, hahaha. 5y
ferskner @Sunraven haha! It's pretty hard to think about anything else when stroopwafels are around! 5y
Sunraven @ferskner: Stroopwafels, the ultimate secret ninja technique for creating a distraction! 😆 5y
54 likes9 comments
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Sarah83
Unnatural Death | Dorothy L. Sayers
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Finally the headache is getting better. So it's time for #cozyinthesun @Librarybelle @ferskner

ferskner Feel better! Headaches are a constant issue for me so I sympathize. 5y
readordierachel Glad you're feeling better! 5y
Librarybelle Glad you‘re feeling better! 5y
53 likes3 comments
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Sarah83
Unnatural Death | Dorothy L. Sayers
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Also starting this one for #cozyinthesun hosted by @Librarybelle and @ferskner 💓😍💖

JazzFeathers Ooooh! I listen a a couple of Sayers's short stories recently and l really liked them. 5y
ferskner I LOVE LOVE LOVE Sayers! 5y
Librarybelle Perfect choice! 5y
65 likes3 comments
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thea-block
Unnatural Death | Dorothy L. Sayers
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Pickpick

In this Lord Peter mystery I enjoyed watching LPW use all of his contacts in an effort to solve the mystery. It also illuminated the difference between finding the truth because others want it or finding the truth for truth‘s sake.

⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2

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Tonton
Unnatural Death | Dorothy L. Sayers
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Pickpick

12/28th was the last day of work, and what I expected was a nice relaxing end of the working year turned into a hot mess complete with having to confront a co-worker. So upset I went to the library to calm down and found an old friend. Lord Peter instinctively senses the death of an old woman is murder and sets out to prove it. So comforting!

Suet624 💕💕💕 6y
gradcat I agree 😍🥰❤️ 6y
batsy These books are wonderful 😍 6y
31 likes3 comments
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Lizpixie
Unnatural Death | Dorothy L. Sayers
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#BookMail My last BookMail Of 2018 is a Lord Peter Wimsey novel by Dorothy.L.Sayers. Even though I‘ve ordered the first four books in the series, unfortunately they‘re not coming in order so I can‘t start reading yet🙄Oh well, not like I‘m running out of options😋 #LastBookMailOf2018 #wishmeluckworkingouthowmanyiboughtin2018 #somanybookssolittlefunds

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rwmg
Unnatural Death | Dorothy L. Sayers
Pickpick

Good puzzle. Although they would not pass muster these days, Lord Peter's (and presumably the author's) racial attitudes are more enlightened than other some of the characters'. Although it couldn't be openly said in 1927, I assume Mary Whittaker is supposed to be a lesbian. Perhaps Miss Dawson and the elder Miss Whittaker are also supposed to be more sympathetically drawn lesbians.

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rwmg
Unnatural Death | Dorothy L. Sayers

Aaagh. I have to go back to work after lunch with only the final chapter to go. 😨 Will Lord Peter solve the case in time to rescue plucky Miss Climpton from the murdering fiend? 😨

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rwmg
Unnatural Death | Dorothy L. Sayers
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... the cheerful brutality of the man who has never in his life been short of money.

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rwmg
Unnatural Death | Dorothy L. Sayers
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Happy murderers

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rwmg
Unnatural Death | Dorothy L. Sayers
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Reading the tagged book from this collection because some friends were talking about it on FB and I'd forgotten most of it.

7 likes1 stack add
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shanaqui
Unnatural Death | Dorothy L. Sayers
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Pickpick

Finished rereading this last night, wife's listening to it this morning as we drive back from picking up our favourite #BunniesofLitsy. Such a clever mystery.

shanaqui (One day, we will spend Christmas with the buns. For now, they went to a swanky bunny hotel.) 7y
Clare-Dragonfly Bunny love! 😍🐰 7y
keithmalek How dare you click-bait me! I know nothing about this book, and don't care to. But you posted bunnies, so I had to click the like button. What kind of monster won't click the like button when there are bunnies involved? 7y
shanaqui @keithmalek The bunnies appreciate it. They can't say they enjoy Dorothy Sayers' work either, but their ears are sometimes plagued with it on car trips like today. 7y
Karkar 🐰🐰🐰🐰❤️❤️❤️ 7y
12 likes5 comments
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annalibris
Unnatural Death | Dorothy L. Sayers
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Pickpick

I've read all of Dorothy Sayers's work multiple times, but still couldn't remember how this one ended. Ian Carmichael was a terrific narrator, and this was so much fun to listen to as I drove back-and-forth to work. I'll be getting another one for my commute soon.

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Jeg
Unnatural Death | Dorothy L. Sayers
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Started this on last leg of journey home. It was first published in 1927. So glad it's still being republished. Love the writing style. I hope we never lose the wonderful words, phrases and use of English found in books like this. I'm jet lagged , having a pj day, rain outside -- perfect for finishing this book.

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CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian
Unnatural Death | Dorothy Leigh Sayers
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Pickpick

Another delightful old school British mystery, excellently done on audiobook. (Ian Carmichael was the reader for this one, and I like him just as much as the woman reader of Whose Body?). I especially liked the implicit queer characters: more than one woman devoting herself to a bestie and vowing eternal spinsterhood while earning unladylike livings (including, of course, murder). Also loved Whimsey's new team member. #Audiobooks #Mysteries

21 likes1 stack add
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CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian
Unnatural Death | Dorothy Leigh Sayers
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"It was a most unpleasant adventure." - English man, describing the experience of attempted murder by poisoning.

TrishB Sounds about right 😄😄 8y
22 likes1 comment
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CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian
Unnatural Death | Dorothy Leigh Sayers
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Haha! It sounds like Mary Whittaker, the great niece of the murdered old lady and possibly the murderer, is following in her aunt's footsteps and is also going to follow "the lesbian lifestyle." Making pacts with other women to remain spinsters together? Sounds like early 20th century queers to me.

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CaseyTheCanadianLesbrarian
Unnatural Death | Dorothy Leigh Sayers
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This is another fun audiobook mystery so far. I am convinced that the two old spinster ladies who never married and lived together, one of whom is described as 'mannish' looking who earned a very unladylike living breeding horses, were lesbians. If this doesn't end up being the case and somehow connected to the murder of the surviving woman I will be highly disappointed.

24 likes1 stack add
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raeintheworld
Unnatural Death | Dorothy Leigh Sayers
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"My dear Charles, it doesn't do for people…to go about 'thinking' things. They may get into frightful trouble."
Read with fantastic, well-bred Englishman voice. I heart Lord Peter Wimsey.

3 likes1 stack add
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gracetopia
Unnatural Death | Dorothy Leigh Sayers
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"She was obstinate, you know, and what they call a character, at the best of times." ~ that's a murder victim if ever I met one