From AudioFile
This delightful "whodunit" unfolds at the all-female Shrewsbury College at Oxford. It features Harriet Vane, a returned alumna and mystery writer and Lord Peter Wimsey, noted detective and sometime boyfriend of Ms. Vane. Since most of the leading characters are female, one might think the publisher would have selected a female reader. However, this audiobook is a magnificent illustration of how a trained male reader can change his voice to achieve excellent character differentiation among a host of females. Carmichael's portrayal of the dons is so vivid that the listener feels transported to the Senior Common Room and other places at Shrewsbury College. J.D.N. An AUDIOFILE Earphones Award winner (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine


Times Literary Supplement (London)
"Gaudy Night stands out even among Miss Sayer's novels. And Miss Sayers has long stood in a class by herself."


Chicago Tribune
"Dorothy Sayers is in a class by herself."



"Very skillful writing. Miss Sayers has done a real tour de force, and done it with eases and grace."



"A royal performance."


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 obsentities, 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; all are perfectly ghastly; yet in spite of their scurrilous nature, all are perfectly worded. And 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.


About the Author
Dorothy L. Sayers is the author of novels, short stories, poetry collections, essays, reviews and translations. Although she was a noted Christian scholar, she is most known for her detective fiction. Born in 1893, she was one of the first women to be awarded a degree from Oxford University. Her first book featuring Lord Peter Wimsey, Whose Body?, was published in 1923 and over the next 20 years more novels and short stories about the aristocratic amateur sleuth appeared. Dorothy L. Sayers is recognized as one of the greatest mystery writers of the 20th century. Letter from the Editor: Dorothy L. Sayers is recognized as one of the greatest mystery writers of the 20th century. In 1923, Whose Body?, her first book, featuring the aristocratic amateur sleuth, Lord Peter Wimsey, was published, and over the next 20 years more novels and short stories appeared. All 15 of Sayers' mysteries are available from HarperPaperbacks.Now there is a new Dorothy L. Sayers novel. A long-lost partial manuscript titled Thrones, Dominions was discovered last year, and acclaimed mystery writer Jill Paton Walsh has completed it. St. Martin's Press will publish this book in February. This is a signal publishing event, and HarperCollins congratulates St. Martin's Press. We are sure that Thrones, Dominions will delight Sayers' fans and find new ones for her, and in the process whet appetites for Sayers' other mysteries. A list of these books is attached. In the words of Dorothy L. Sayers herself, "Murder must advertise." So, in addition to an announcement about Thrones, Dominions in a recent issue of Publisher's Weekly, the next edition of the HarperCollins mystery newsletter, Deadline, will include a piece on the Sayers books, as will St. Martin's Press' newsletter, Murder at the Flatiron Building. HarperCollins will also feature information about the Sayers' backlist on its web page.Dorothy L. Sayers died in 1957, but her books continue to enthrall readers today. Please help us celebrate the doyenne of the Golden Age of the Mystery, Dorothy L. Sayers.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Malicious mischief is the order of the day in Gaudy Night. Lord Peter Wimsey continues to ply Harriet Vane with marriage proposals, but she has other things in mind — a reunion at her alma mater, Oxford. The normally staid academic setting suffers 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, all are perfectly ghastly, and all are impeccably worded. Harriet finds herself ensnared in a nightmare of romance and terror, with few clues to challenge her powers of detection and those of her sometime boyfriend, Lord Peter. Reader Ian Carmichael expertly renders not only the male characters but a slew of females as well in this audio edition of a book the Saturday Review called "a real tour de force."

SYNOPSIS

When Harriet Vane attends her Oxford reunion, known as the "Gaudy," the prim academic setting is haunted by a rash of bizarre pranks: scrawled obsentities, 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; all are perfectly ghastly; yet in spite of their scurrilous nature, all are perfectly worded. And 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.

FROM THE CRITICS

AudioFile