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| Plot Summary of A Presumption of Death |
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"
St. Martin's, Mar 2003, 24.95, 384 pp.
ISBN: 0312291000
In 1940, the siren testing the warning system goes off in a remote English village. Except for the Methodists, everyone including Harriet Vane, better known as Lady Peter Wimsey, enter the cave used as the air raid shelter. After a long time, the siren finally ends signifying all clear. Everyone leaves the cave only to find the corpse of a Land Girl, “Wicked” Wendy Percival, lying in the street.
Knowing he is already shorthanded due to the war effort and her experience as a crime novelist, Superintendent Kirk asks Harriet to investigate the murder that is clearly not the work of a Nazi. He wants her to perform the role of her spouse Lord Peter, overseas on government work, to make inquiries and report back to him, but not take risks. Reluctantly Harriet begins her investigation starting with the other eight Land Girls, but quickly she finds reality much more complex and stranger than fiction.
Using fictional letters that the late great Dorothy L. Sayers wrote in support of the English World war II efforts, Jill Paton Walsh paints a powerful amateur sleuth tale that fans of the Wimsey tales will enjoy and will appreciate the cleverness of the endeavor. The story line insures that the regulars remain true to their known personalities while WW II in a remote village is used to provide the background of a strong who-done-it. Still, this tale belongs to the cast especially Harriet who provides a fine time for series fans and historical mystery readers.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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"Lord Peter Wimsey is away on secret business during World War 2 and his wife Harriet takes the family to their house in the country. During an air-raid practice a Land Girl is found murdered and Harriet (because of Peter) is called in to help the local police. While worrying about her husband and looking after her family, she must uncover a brutal and professional killer. When a second body is found, she is desperate to solve the crimes.
Jill Paton Walsh has taken "The Wimsey Papers" and created a fine mystery using Sayers' characters. It has some amusing parts (as did "Busmans Honeymoon") and plenty of introspection - it paints an image of life at the start of the war. "
Alan J. Bishop, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of A Presumption of Death |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Composition of Book
descript. of violence and chases - 10%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 50%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 25%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 15%
Tone of story
- suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
How difficult to spot villain?
- Difficult, but some clues given
Time/era of story:
- 1930's-1950's
What % of story relates directly
to the mystery, not the subplot?
- 60%
- 70%
Kind of investigator
- amateur citizen investigator
- skilled citizen investigator
Kid or adult book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot?
- life in small town
- life in that culture
Crime Thriller
Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown)
Yes
Main Character
Gender
- Female
Profession/status:
- homemaker
- writer
Age:
- 20's-30's
- 40's-50's
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
How much violence does he/she use?
- none
Ethnicity/Race
- British
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Strong but gentle sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
- Very much smarter than other characters
Physique
- very athletic
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- none
- Male
Age:
- 20's-30's
Profession/status:
- business executive
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist
- money/treasure
How sensitive is this character?
- hard edged
Sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- very athletic
Setting
Europe
Yes
European country:
- England/UK
Small town?
Yes
Small town people:
- nice, like Andy/Opie/Aunt Bee
Style
Part of a series?
Yes
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths?
- 1
- 2
Amount of dialog
- significantly more dialog than descript
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Click here for more information about this book
Jill Paton Walsh and Dorothy L. Sayers Resident Scholar Profiles
TOP SCHOLAR:
 Alan J. Bishop
SCHOLARS:
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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