Harriet Vane may face the hangman for the murder of her fiancé—and only Lord Peter Wimsey can save her—in this “model detective story” (The New York Times). Lord Peter Wimsey comes to the trial of Harriet Vane for a glimpse at one of the most engaging murder cases London has seen in years. Unfortunately for the detective, the crime’s details are distractingly salacious, and there is little doubt … and there is little doubt that the woman will be found guilty. A slightly popular mystery novelist, she stands accused of poisoning her fiancé, a literary author and well-known advocate of free love. Over the course of a few weeks, she bought strychnine, prussic acid, and arsenic, and when her lover died the police found enough poison in his veins to kill a horse. But as Lord Peter watches Harriet in the dock, he begins to doubt her guilt—and to fall in love.
As Harriet awaits the hangman, Lord Peter races to prove her innocence, hoping that for the first time in his life, love will triumph over death.
Strong Poison is the sixth 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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This first of four complex and page-turning mysteries featuring Harriett Vane, a successful mystery writer who is accused of murder in Strong Poison. These books are not to be missed if you love mysteries. Lord Peter Wimsey is the sleuth-who-falls-in-love to save Harriett’s life, and the contrast between the two characters is very entertaining.
I seem to be stuck on classics right now. If you enjoy mystery, especially classic mysteries, Dorothy Sayers may be for you. I read several, enjoying them mildly, until I found STRONG POISON and Lord Peter’s passion for the woman on trial charged with murdering her lover (and this in 1920s England!). In Harriet Vane I found a very original …
A classic from the Golden Age of English mystery. I have reread it many times.
I read this whole book in one day. Definitely my favorite Peter Wimsey novel thus far. The humor was priceless, the mystery intriguing, and the characters delightful as usual.
I loved seeing Peter fall in love, (so quick and decisive he was about it too!) And Sayers kept me guessing until the very last minute to figure out how the murder was …
Have a dictionary or at least Google open when you read a D.L. Sayers book. They are both erudite and witty and if you actually look up some of the references she casually makes, you will come out the other end both entertained with a good story and educated.
I will read more of Sayer’s books now.
Classic
I love everything Dorothy Sayers has written!
The first of Sayers’ Lord Peter Whimsey/Harriet Vane mysteries. I have read, listened to, and seen versions of the book/audio book/film as well as its sequels–they are all excellent cerebral mysteries (with an on-going romance of the two protagonists that takes three more books to resolve) rather than a hard-boiled detective story.
I love Dorothy Sayers writing, her choice of words is wonderful. I especially liked Strong Poison because of the one sided romance that was so open and witty.
Classic murder mystery. I had seen a BBC production of this story before reading the book, so there wasn’t as much surprise as there might otherwise have been. Still, though, a fun read.
GOOD BOK ON LONELY NIGHT.
A classic, by a brilliant author.
just ok
Very well written. Wanted to keep reading into the night.
This was a great book -love the characters. It was very entertaining!
Dorothy Sayers is one of the Queens of aristocratic, witty amateur sleuth mystery fiction. This is the beginning novel of a love story that will span many intriguing mysteries to resolve. I love this series and these characters. A treat for the classic mystery fan.
Brilliant writing, wry humor
Ms. Sayers has done it again. She takes a hung jury and a retrial to put Lord Peter into a tight time frame to solve a murder and save his lady from the gallows. A well written tale of crime detecting.
Dorothy Sayers was writing decades ago, and the book offered a fascinating picture of life in England between the world wars — both the status of women, and mores of the upper and middle classes of the time. It was fun to decode some of the vocabulary — not quite archaic, and understandable in context. I shall read more of her work if it’s on …