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The Attenbury Emeralds (Lord Peter Wimsey/Harriet Vane, #3)

Jill Paton Walsh

Start date: November 21, 2010

Finish date: November 29, 2010

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Nov 06, 2010 Dolly rated it really liked it

Shelves: england-english, 2010, library, mystery, historical-fiction, military, india, goodreads-first-reads-giveaways, iran-persia

I won this book through Goodreads giveaways. Thank you! I had only read one of Dorothy L. Sayers's Lord Peter Wimsey books (Murder Must Advertise) and it was a couple of years ago, so I decided to read the one other book I had at the house in the series prior to reading this one. It was Gaudy Night and it was a long, but very good story. And as I am not very familiar with the series, I'm not sure how deeply some of her earlier stories go into Harriet and Peter's relationship, but Gaudy Night is I won this book through Goodreads giveaways. Thank you! I had only read one of Dorothy L. Sayers's Lord Peter Wimsey books (Murder Must Advertise) and it was a couple of years ago, so I decided to read the one other book I had at the house in the series prior to reading this one. It was Gaudy Night and it was a long, but very good story. And as I am not very familiar with the series, I'm not sure how deeply some of her earlier stories go into Harriet and Peter's relationship, but Gaudy Night is the one where they finally get engaged. So, I started this book, where they are much older, married, and with children, with fresh eyes on how they came together and I will look forward to reading more in between the two.

The story is fascinating and the characterization is very thorough and detailed. As I have mentioned, I am no expert on Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane, but I feel as though this author has captured the essence of Dorothy L. Sayers in her writing and is true to the rarified and aristocratic characters.

I appreciated Harriet and Peter's (yes, I am being rather familiar with them) style, unpretentiousness, respect and sophistication. And I noticed a couple of references to the story Gaudy Night, which made me very glad to have read it first. One funny note in that regard: after all these years have passed, is Harriet still working on her book on Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu? (p. 99) Although I didn't recognize references to other Lord Peter Wimsey books, I am sure there were at least a few and I hope to recognize them as I read more of the books; perhaps I will read them in order now. I also liked the nod to Dorothy L. Sayers herself on p. 86, lumping her together with other famous authors as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie. One error I spotted: on p. 158, Peter mentions that he "didn't meant to cast nasturtiums at her work..." I think perhaps it should read instead "didn't mean to cast aspersions at her work..."

Overall, this story spanned several decades and was quite involved with numerous characters and familial grudges, financial hardships and drama. It was an entertaining tale and I am so glad that I won it on Goodreads!

new words: trug, secateurs, parure, chiaroscuro, baize, purdah, alarum, pelf, wrack, bounden, sprat, gewgaws, suborning, blether, lubricious, incunabula, louche, antimacassars, chinwag, redound, palaver, delectation, purlieus, bursaries ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Feb 27, 2011 Jgrace rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: england, audio, judithg, murder-mystery, mystery, series, historical-fiction, jgrace, 20th-century, mystery-series

The Attenbury Emeralds – Jill Patton Walsh
4 stars

It’s 1951. Lord Peter Whimsy and his lady wife are at leisure in the library of their London home. The recent death of an old acquaintance induces Lord Peter to relate the tale of his very first case in 1921. This is like a visit with old friends. Both Bunter and the Dowager Duchesse become involved in Peter’s recollections. Harriet realizes that in asking for the story, she has asked Peter to recall a particularly difficult time from his past, t ...more

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Aug 15, 2012 Carmen rated it it was ok

Shelves: mystery-and-thrillers

Jill Walsh uses Dorothy Sayers' characters and original story and adds to it. The Attenbury emeralds are discovered to be the wrong ones 50 years later. Yet again, Lord Wimsey has to find out what is going on. He does so with the help of his wife. The plot is not very intriguing, in fact the culprit was easy to figure out. Didn't keep my interest. I kept drifting off as I was reading it. ...more

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Oct 17, 2010 Jennifer Defoy marked it as to-read

Jan 05, 2013 Blue Eyed Vixen marked it as to-read · review of another edition

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