"Cummings has no signs of greatness about him, and his trousers are not what I would wish to see in a man of his profession."

Oh, the trousers. I love all those related to Peter. Except his sister-in-law, who you haven't met yet, but she's awful. Bleh.

I must be getting better at mysteries, or Ms. Sayers just knows how to make me suspicious. Sir Julian is so wrong. Shady to the nth degree. Surgeons are always shady. They know too much about cutting up bodies. :)

I love Bunter's letter to Peter. How he apologizes and cuts out certain parts of the conversation. You couldn't find a better man than Bunter.

Sayers is a genius at sketching characters in only a few lines. I don't know how she does it. There's often like two lines of description (if that), and dialogue and you have a totally clear picture of the character. Brilliant.

She also doesn't berate a point. She just says what needs to be said and trust the reader to be smart enough to pick it up. I don't have an example from this story, but i have one from Strong Poison that i think it amazing.

Peter is investigating a murder and trying to prove Harriet Vane innocent. He has also proposed to Miss Vane the day he visits her in jail. :) He has just found out some interesting things about the victim and some of the suspects. His friend, Marjorie is with him because she knows the slightly artsy types he needs to talk to.

"And you are and I am right and everything is quite all right," said Wimsey.

Marjorie Phelps looked at him and said nothing. She suddenly felt as though something inside her had been put through a wringer. (pg. 105 Strong Poison)

In two sentences, you know that Marjorie loves Peter and that she knows that he loves Harriet. And that's it. It breaks your heart, but Ms. Sayers doesn't go on and on about the heartbreak for Marjorie. It's there, in two lines. Like I said, Brilliant.

I realize that I do a lot of my book analysis as a writer now. It's habit, i have to do it for class. I hope it's interesting to you guys too.

KIND OF SPOILER FOR CHAPTER TEN:

The entire conversation with Piggott (great name) is perfect. Can't remember everything? Just have Peter pull a Socratic conversation with you. Amazing.

The end is near!!