Outside of a Dog: Sayers, Dorothy L.: (10) Murder Must Advertise

David Tate

David Tate wrote on October 3, 2006 at 12:26 PM:

The first time I read Murder Must Advertise, the "tedious and improbable drug-running subplot" kept me from enjoying it much. Indeed, I suspected it of being a trunk novel. Later re-reading allowed me to skip over the 'plot' and just enjoy the characters and setting.

(I also had a hard time swallowing... Hmm. How to say this without spoilers? I had a hard time taking the role of Death Bredon seriously.)

An enjoyable skim now and again, but not among my favorites. Certainly up to the standard of The Nine Tailors, which is my favorite Vaneless Peter book too. My other favorite Vaneless is Unnatural Death.

Kate

Kate wrote on October 3, 2006 at 8:56 PM:

Well, there's the ridiculous dive into the fountain--what is it about Sayers and water, there was the collarbone in the mire in _Clouds_ and the swim through flood waters in _Nine Tailors_.

Or do you mean Peter's incognito at the agency or in the drug running bits?

ROT13 is your friend. =>

I'm thinking _Unnatural Death_ is probably my third favorite Vane-less book, and would probably be the best place for people to start the series.

Mary Aileen

Mary Aileen wrote on October 16, 2006 at 9:40 AM:

I actually started the series with Murder Must Advertise. If I remember correctly, the friend who recommended them deliberately gave me this one first, as a good and accessible way in.

When I re-read MMA, I tend to completely skip the extended drug plot scenes.

Kate

Kate wrote on October 16, 2006 at 9:56 AM:

Mary Aileen: as long as people are warned that the drug plot is dumb and are willing to roll with it, I think it would be good as a starter, but it does lack a little something if you haven't already seen Peter _in_ his element first.

Yes, I only skimmed the drug plot here, despite my best intentions.

Kate

Kate wrote on April 13, 2007 at 2:23 PM:

I should note that I stopped listening to the radio play adaptation of this when I realized that it transformed Miss Meteyard from a copywriter to a typist. Pah.