From Publishers Weekly
In her second Lord Peter Wimsey/Harriet Vane whodunit, Booker Prize finalist Walsh (Knowledge of Angels) does a far better job of honoring Sayers than she did in their first posthumous collaboration, Thrones, Dominations (1998). Walsh's starting point here is "The Wimsey Papers," a series of letters on home front conditions, ostensibly written by various members of the Wimsey family, which ran in the Spectator at the outset of WWII. Lord Peter himself is offstage for most of the novel, involved in some covert mission in Europe, leaving his wife to take care of their household. When a young Land Girl is found murdered during an air raid, the local superintendent enlists Harriet's aid. Harriet's traditional line of inquiry into possible spurned suitors is diverted when an eccentric and seemingly paranoid dentist discloses that the quiet, ordinary village of Paggleham is actually a nest of German spies. Despite Peter's diminished role, he remains a vital presence throughout, thanks to his place at the center of Harriet's thoughts. Should Walsh have no further original Sayers material to draw on, she seems perfectly suited to continue the series entirely on her own.Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From AudioFile
The legions of readers who regularly reread Sayers's 1930s mysteries can take heart. Jill Paton Walsh has produced a new Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane book based on notes left by Sayers. Don't let loyalty to Sayers make you resist. This, the second "Sayers" novel written by Paton Walsh, is tremendously good. It's witty, subtle, and full of WWII period detail. In fact, it's well-nigh perfect. Edward Petherbridge's BBC television role as Lord Peter Wimsey is widely regarded as the best of the best. He captured the character's nervy brilliance and his mix of fragility and strength. A narrator, of course, is called upon to make every character come alive. Petherbridge succeeds admirably, a particularly impressive feat with a story in which Lord Peter, who is off to war, hardly appears. This audiobook delights. May Jill Paton Walsh write many more. A.C.S. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Review
"Once again Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane and their companions come back to life, vividly evoked by the magic pen of Jill Paton Walsh."-Barbara Reynolds, President of the Dorothy L. Sayers Society

"The real strength of the book is its brilliant evocation of what it was like to live in a countryside torn by war...A Presumption of Death works as a splendid historical mystery as well as a well-grounded continuation of Sayers' popular series."-Rocky Mountain News

"A wonderfully rich mystery...the latest from Walsh will keep readers intrigued until the very last page." -The Tampa Tribune & Times

"Walsh, quite an accomplished writer in her own right, not only brings back the familiar characters but also convincingly envisions how they would have evolved since Thrones, Dominations."-Orlando Sentinel

"The charm and grit of this historical picture make the book an entertaining read."-The Contra Costa Times


Book Description
Completed posthumously, this final whodunit from mystery maven Dorothy L. Sayers's brings her beloved characters together again. It's 1940, and Harriet Vane, now Lady Peter Wimsey, flees with her children to the relative safety of the English countryside. But when the village's first air raid drill ends with the discovery of a corpse, it soon becomes clear that it's not a war casualty.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Completed posthumously, this final whodunit from mystery maven Dorothy L. Sayers's brings her beloved characters together again. It's 1940, and Harriet Vane, now Lady Peter Wimsey, flees with her children to the relative safety of the English countryside. But when the village's first air raid drill ends with the discovery of a corpse, it soon becomes clear that it's not a war casualty.

FROM THE CRITICS

AudioFile