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| Gaudy Night (Mystery Masters) | 
| Author: Dorothy L. Sayers
Creator: Ian Carmichael
Publisher: BBC Audiobooks America
Category: Book
List Price: $47.95
Buy New: $24.98
You Save: $22.97 (48%)
New (18) from $24.98
Avg. Customer Rating:  6 reviews
Sales Rank: 300491
Media: Audio CD
Edition: Unabridged
Number Of Items: 12
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.6
Dimensions (in): 5.7 x 5.1 x 1.1
ISBN: 1572704993
Dewey Decimal Number: 823.912
EAN: 9781572704992
ASIN: 1572704993
Publication Date: January 9, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: new in original packaging - never opened.. mint plus condition - very much giftable
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Book Description
When Harriet Vane attends her Oxford reunion, known as the Gaudy, the prim academic setting is haunted by a rash of bizarre pranks: scrawled obscenities, burnt effigies, and poison-pen letters, including one that says, Ask your boyfriend with the title if he likes arsenic in his soup. Some of the notes threaten murder — and all are dreadful concoctions of a sick mind — yet in spite of their deplorable, criminal nature, the letters are perfectly worded. Soon, Harriet finds herself ensnared in a nightmare of romance and terror, with only the tiniest shreds of clues to challenge her powers of detection, and those of her paramour, Lord Peter Wimsey.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 1 more reviews...
 Superlative all the way! September 17, 2007
Lord Peter Wimsey is the urbane, civilized, gourmand, bon vivant sleuth created by Dorothy L. Sayers in the 30s. Yet the Gaudy is not totally about him. It is more Harriet Vane's book. Peter comes in later and as they say saves the day.
What a stupendous achievement! Twice the length of most detective stories of its day, this book boasts of no murder and keeps the interest in the book unflagging till the end. How did Ms. Sayers manage it? Simply by her wonderful writing skill, her command of the English language (next to none-puts Christie to shame)and her characters. Long before the women's lib movement, this spunky character braved public opinion, police scrutiny and nearly the hangman's noose, without losing her inflappable belief in herself. True, it reflected the author's own life but a character that Gloria Steinem would have revered.
Oxford, Shrewsbury College, Sayers' own alma mater, come to life like no one city and institution in the entire history of mystery fiction. Yes, Harriet is the heroine but Oxford is the crown prince. That is what distinguishes this book. It is more realized as a novel not just a detective story. Sadly, though the quality of writing remains the same, the next and last Wimsey novel with Harriet: Busman's Honeymoon, is overwritten and meandering. But that shows that Ms. Sayers was human, too.
The narration is typically British which adds to the enjoyment of this wonderful book.
 A Dithering Mess September 10, 2007
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
If you have enjoyed other Peter Winsey mysteries, you will be disappointed. The "crime" is a poison pen writer at (Harriet's alma mater, as if she is not competent to investigate anything more serious)
Manners and language of another age form an intrusive barrier to following the germ of plot through many vagaries - a most unsatisfying foray, yet testament to the waning influence of the English upper class system, despite the author's clear snobbery regarding lower class persons and tiresome pontificating about the 'role of women' . Having enjoyed other Sayers works, this one is a big null set.
The pleasure of the English language May 8, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
It seems slow at first (compared with modern mysteries that seem start with a theft, murder or other violent action), but the use of the English language was so refreshing from today's norm that I continue to listen...and very glad that I did. Today's readers will probable find the character traits and social situations unrealistic -- no one argues so politely or maintains the same level of social manners in modern settings. If written by a more recent author it would probable be a psychological thriller with a romantic interest between the two main characters. As it is, the story line is lighter, the mystery is engaging and kept me guessing (all the clues are not provided until the end), yes there is a romantic interest between the two characters. I gave it 4 stars to be conservative but I'll revisit this story again, so it has my personal 5 star - it has my long term keeper rating.
Sayers at her best! And Ian Carmichael! January 5, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Gaudy Night is Sayers at her academic best. The more you read it, the more you get from it. The characters are delightful, and there is romance as well as detection. All this is brought to life by the expert narration of Ian Carmicheal. A treasure!
An Oxford reunion and ghostly murder April 19, 2006
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Dorothy L. Sayers' GAUDY NIGHT benefits from Ian Carmichael's pointed production: his BBC background lending accent and tension to the story of an Oxford reunion which involves mystery writer Harriet in a case of ghostly murder. Tension evolves quickly as murder turns to mayhem in this thriller.
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