The Five Red Herrings, by Dorothy L. Sayers (first published 1931). These are the book's opening lines:
If one lives in Galloway, one either fishes or paints. 'Either' is perhaps misleading, for most of the painters are fishers also in their spare time. To be neither of these things is considered odd and almost eccentric.
About the Book:
"The body was on the pointed rocks alongside the stream. The artist might have fallen from the cliff where he was painting, but there are too many suspicious elements — particularly the medical evidence that proves he'd been dead nearly half a day, though eyewitnesses had seen him alive a scant hour earlier. And then there are the six prime suspects — all of them artists, all of whom wished him dead. Five are red herrings, but one has created a masterpiece of murder that baffles everyone, including Lord Peter Wimsey."
Initial Thoughts:
The Five Red Herrings is one of the few Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries I've never read. It's been on my must-read list for decades now, and one of my 2020 reading challenges finally gave me the nudge I needed to get started on it.
I love Lord Peter, and he's up to his usual form in this one. But I'm having a really hard time getting through all the Scottish dialect in the book. It's definitely slowing me down. Will I be able to stick with it long enough to finish? Och! A dinnae ken.
Anyway....Happy reading, everyone!
Rose City Reader hosts Book Beginnings on Friday. As she says, the idea is to post the first sentence (or so) of the book you're currently reading, along with any first impressions or thoughts you have about the book, the author, etc. It's a wonderful way of adding new books to your must-read list, and a chance to connect with other readers and bloggers.
I haven't read any of the books in this series, but I am definitely intrigued.
ReplyDeleteI would have trouble with the dialect, too. Thanks for sharing. Here's mine: “CROSS HER HEART”