It is 1936 and Lord Peter Wimsey has returned from his honeymoon to set up home with his cherished new wife, the novelist Harriet Vane. As they become part of fashionable London society they encounter the glamorous socialite Rosamund Harwell and her wealthy impressario husband Laurence. Unlike the Wimseys, they are not in love - and all too soon, one of them is dead. A murder case that only Lord Peter Wimsey can solve.
Thrones, Dominations: The new Lord Peter Wimsey Novel
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Asked by her new husband, the gentleman detective Lord Peter Wimsey, why she is having trouble writing her latest mystery novel, Harriet Vane explains, "When I needed the money, it justified itself. It was a job of work, and I did it as well as I could, and that was that. But now, you see, it has no necessity except itself. And, of course, it's hard; it's always been hard, and it's getting harder. So when I'm stuck I think, this isn't my livelihood, and it isn't great art, it's only detective stories. You read them and write them for fun." Is this a clue to the mystery of why Dorothy L. Sayers put aside her 13th full-length Lord Peter novel in 1938 and never finished it? She had made lots of money, and was much more interested in translating Dante and writing about religion. Or is it another excellent novelist, Jill Paton Walsh, speculating--in a perfect imitation of Sayers's voice--on what might have happened? Walsh was invited by the estate of Sayers' illegitimate son, Anthony Fleming, to finish Thrones, Dominations. She has done a splendid job, certain to please Sayers loyalists on the "dorothyl" listserv as well as those new to the Wimsey canon. Lord Peter has been made much more human and interesting by marriage; Harriet is a wise and acerbic companion; and the story, about the murders of two beautiful young women involved with a theatrical producer, is full of twists and connivance. There's also a fascinating subplot involving the soon-to-abdicate King Edward VII and a country on the brink of the second world war. Earlier Wimseys in paperback include The Five Red Herrings, Gaudy Night, Murder Must Advertise, and Unnatural Death. Books in print by Walsh include a mystery called A Piece of Justice and a novel, The Serpentine Cave.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
Jill Paton Walsh has...given us a Lord Peter story in the true Sayers' style and tradition (Norma Major - The Week on Thrones, Dominations)
An engrossing, intelligent and provocative novel in the guise of a conventional mystery. (Joyce Carol Oates, New York Times Book Review)
Could this be the best book Dorothy L. Sayers never wrote? She has done a splendid job - certain to please the legions of Sayers loyalists as well as readers new to the Wimsey canon . . . Lord Peter has been made much more human and interesting by marriage. . . and the story is full of twists and connivance. (Chicago Tribune on THRONES, DOMINATIONS)
A must for all Wimsey lovers...an entertaining read which offers some longed for insight into the lives of the Wimseys after their marriage (Northern Echo (Presumption of Death))
Vintage whimsey ... Wimsey lives on in delicious familiarity in this triupmh not just of one writer's art, but of two (Huddersfield Daily Examiner (Presumption of Death))
An admirable page-turner with some fascinating detail (Publishing News)
Jill Paton Walsh excels as Ms Sayers' posthumous voice. As before the two authors blend seamlessly and the intricately woven plot would grace anything from the golden age of detective writing (Norfolk Journal (Presumption of Death))
Undeniably fascinating reading for lovers of good crime novels - nad, in particular, those who loved the Lord Peter Wimsey series. (Liverpool Echo)
A must for all Wimsey lovers, this beautifully written novel is a murder mystery in the style of Agatha Christie. (Lancashire Evening Post)
A truly engaging read (Lancashire Evening Post)
An engrossing, intelligent and provocative novel in the guise of a conventional mystery. (Joyce Carol Oates, New York Times Book Review)
Could this be the best book Dorothy L. Sayers never wrote? She has done a splendid job - certain to please the legions of Sayers loyalists as well as readers new to the Wimsey canon . . . Lord Peter has been made much more human and interesting by marriage. . . and the story is full of twists and connivance. (Chicago Tribune on THRONES, DOMINATIONS)
A must for all Wimsey lovers...an entertaining read which offers some longed for insight into the lives of the Wimseys after their marriage (Northern Echo (Presumption of Death))
Vintage whimsey ... Wimsey lives on in delicious familiarity in this triupmh not just of one writer's art, but of two (Huddersfield Daily Examiner (Presumption of Death))
An admirable page-turner with some fascinating detail (Publishing News)
Jill Paton Walsh excels as Ms Sayers' posthumous voice. As before the two authors blend seamlessly and the intricately woven plot would grace anything from the golden age of detective writing (Norfolk Journal (Presumption of Death))
Undeniably fascinating reading for lovers of good crime novels - nad, in particular, those who loved the Lord Peter Wimsey series. (Liverpool Echo)
A must for all Wimsey lovers, this beautifully written novel is a murder mystery in the style of Agatha Christie. (Lancashire Evening Post)
A truly engaging read (Lancashire Evening Post)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
23 of 26 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Initially I wasn't too sure of this book; I get a slightly queasy feeling at the idea of one author taking over the characters of another but this novel is such a treat!
I'm fairly sure I can spot at least some of the areas where Sayers leaves off and Patton Walsh takes over (DLS didn't have to work so hard to be 'period' for example - she just was!) but it was so delightful to have Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane alive once more.
A word of warning, however... whilst deeply engrossed in this book I've missed my stop on the tube a couple of times and managed to get on completely the wrong train and ended up miles from home (not a common occurance) still, at least I had the book for company!
15 of 17 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
This, the final Peter Wimsey book, began as a few pages and some schematic notes left by Dorothy L Sayers, and was completed by Jill Paton Walsh in the 1990s. Walsh does an excellent job: "Thrones, Dominations", while not quite as good as "Busman's Honeymoon" or "The Nine Tailors", is easily up there with, say, "Have His Carcase". The join between the two authors is almost invisible. The development of the Wimsey/Vane marriage is convincingly described; the characterizations of both major and minor players are excellent; and Jill Paton Walsh comes up with an original and plausible explanation as to why the faithful Bunter was so much less in evidence in the short stories set after the marriage, despite obviously still working for Peter.
13 of 15 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
Jill Paton Walsh is surely a credit to the memory of Dorothy L. Sayers and a true friend to Peter and Harriet Wimsey's fans the world over. Thrones, Dominations is entirely convincing and hugely enjoyable. Perhaps the first chapter does not quite hit the Sayers note but the book then reads in a manner which honours one of Britain's favourite Queens of Crime, especially after the introduction of the criminal element.
I found Harriet Vane on the whole slightly better drawn than Peter Wimsey. Her growing confidence in her new persona as 'her Ladyship', her ever present sense of fun and essential decency are all very credible. They also represent a convincing progression from the troubled soul of Strong Poison and Have His Carcase and then her more mellow moods in Gaudy Night and Busman's Honeymoon. Peter Wimsey is at once too stuffy (in his reaction at Bunter's momentous decision and his disapproval of the new King for instance) and too socially in advance of his times for plausability. But Wimsey did evolve under Sayer's pen, from a rather superifical dilettante to a more thoughtful and complex character. And who can blame Paton Walsh for having a little fun with one of his ex-mistresses or a less than respectful jobbing actor ? As to the plot, this is worked through most competently and entertainingly, with suitably dramatic and sinister moments which involve exploring a tributary of the Thames and an unfortunate dog.
It is only to be hoped that the little précis of events in the Wimsey households during the war years, at the end of the book, is not an indication that Paton Walsh does not intend to write them up as further novels. The short paragraphs are a tantalising tasters of what could make several novels between The Haunted Policeman and Talboys, where the Wimseys appeared for the last time under Sayers's pen.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
This is a good read.
It's good to be able to continue reading about Lord Peter's adventures into detection. Started by Dorothy L Sayers and finished by Jill Paton Walsh the book lacks a little of the... Read more
Published 1 day ago by Val Meadowcroft
5.0 out of 5 stars
Really good read.
I always wondered 'What next?' after I read Busman's Honeymoon. This was just as I'd imagined. Wonderfully evocative of the way I imagine the period and very much how I suspected... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Bethany
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not vintage DL Sayers but very close...
I enjoyed this - there were a few occasions when I thought, 'Lord Peter wouldn't have said that!' but still a good read.
Published 1 month ago by Linda Lee
4.0 out of 5 stars
Love these stories
Having read all the existing Peter Wimsey stories, started this one with little hope of enjoying it as much. I really liked it though. Read more
Published 2 months ago by nomad
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not as good as Dorothy L Sayers but good story
Lovely to find out more about Lord and Lady Peter, and it's a good read but doesn't work as well as the original. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Ms. R. Austin
5.0 out of 5 stars
Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane in the Post War World
I find the characters of Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane fascinating, and after reading the canonical books by Dorothy Sayers, I was interested to see if Jill Paton Walsh could carry... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Richard Christou
5.0 out of 5 stars
In keeping with Sayers
I read a recommendation of Paton Walsh's Wimsey novels and decided to give them a try because I was having difficulty finding something new to read. Read more
Published 4 months ago by gimmielinda
1.0 out of 5 stars
Slow, boring, disappointing.
I like Sayers and have read most of the Wimsey books, but this is slow drags on and on without getting anywhere. I struggled to get 3/4 through before abandoning it as a bad job. Read more
Published 14 months ago by BooBoo
5.0 out of 5 stars
Loved it
Having read and very much enjoyed all Dorothy L Sayers' Lord Peter Wimsey stories, I started reading this book with some caution, but soon found myself thoroughly engrossed. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Seagull
4.0 out of 5 stars
Emulates Dorothy L Sayers pretty well
The book starts sluggishly and I wondered when the action would get going, but once the author had got all her characters in place the story took off. Read more
Published on 5 April 2011 by Bluebell
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