Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Palatable (and Palettable) Crofts, 27 Dec 2002
By A Customer
The five red herrings of the title are five of six artists suspected of the murder of the most unpopular member of an artists’ colony in Scotland; the sixth is, of course, the murderer. (Unusually for Sayers, this is a “whodunit,” rather than a “howdunnit.”) Wimsey, holidaying in Scotland, assists the local police, foremost among them Inspector Macpherson, who, although Scottish, is really French (perhaps he went over after Culloden?). This is fitting, for this, the most Croftsian of all Sayers’ novels, is a map (unfortunately very poorly reproduced) and train puzzle, complete with boats and bicycles. Although slower-moving than other Sayers novels, it is, like all her books, immensely satisfying: she has the rare gift of grabbing the reader’s attention and never letting go. A great deal of entertainment is to be derived from the vanishing beard of Matthew Gowan, and there is an excellent scene between Wimsey and the artist Strachan on the cliffs, in the course of which Wimsey is nearly murdered. In the end, Wimsey, arguing from an object not found at the scene of the crime (although hinted at throughout), is, like the illustrious Dr. Thorndyke, able to deduce four characteristics of the murderer, whose complicated alibi borrows and improves on J.J. Connington’s The Two Tickets Puzzle (not a hard task, mind you!). The only regret the reader has with this tale is the excess of phonetically-rendered Scottish dialect, for D.L.S. lacks Gladys Mitchell’s abilities.
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Buy this now!, 26 Jan 2000
By A Customer
I am a regualr user of audio entertainment, I use it in the car driving to and from work, and also to play while doing boring things like the ironing.The Radio dramtisation is just fantastic, it has the one and only Ian Carmichael as Lord Peter, and is made by the experts at this the BBC. If you are considering audio always get a BBC one, they are much better value for money, you get a whole threatrical experience in the car. This story is riveting, I would strongly recommend it. David
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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A 5-star extraordinary reading, 31 Mar 2001
By A Customer
This 10-tape publication is the size of a hefty hardback, but it has pride of place on my shelves! I hadn't appreciated just how gifted Patrick Malahide is as a voice actor until I heard this Chivers recording. He injects life & soul into the characters & brings definition to each one - together with just enough Scots accents to transport you straight to Galloway and the McClellan Arms. Most importantly, for me, Malahide clearly understands Sayers' dry humour & he has a sure touch in bringing it into the reading. It's the only recording of her work that has me laughing out loud at her wit. A pure pleasure to listen to from start to finish!
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by Dorothy L Sayers
by Dorothy L Sayers
