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Have his carcase
First published 1932 · 696 pages
A coastal holiday turns into a race against the tide as two sharp minds untangle a washed-away murder and their own lingering romantic tension.
What it feels like
This traditional English mystery offers a steady, methodical reading experience that balances the grim discovery of a seaside murder with the sparkling, reluctant romance of its central duo. The mood is at once breezy and morbid, contrasting a solitary coastal vacation with the sudden shock of a bleeding body on the rocks. As the physical evidence washes out to sea, the narrative shifts into a cerebral puzzle, driven by sharp observations and the maddeningly charming dynamic between two amateur sleuths. The prose feels classic and observant, capturing both the ticking clock of the incoming tide and the emotional hesitation of a woman trying to escape her past. It is a perfect fit for readers who delight in traditional detective fiction where the romantic tension is as engaging as the central whodunit.
- Mood
- coastal
- suspenseful
- breezy yet morbid
- Tone
- wry
- observational
- romantic
- methodical
- Pace
- steady
- Themes
- reluctant romance · amateur sleuthing · escaping the past · methodical investigation
- The writing
- Classic and observant, balancing the grim reality of a crime scene with the sparkling dynamic of its central duo.
- The arc
- Moves from a solitary desire for escape into a collaborative, romantically charged pursuit of the truth.
- Who it's for
- Readers who love traditional English mysteries where sharp-witted amateur sleuths navigate both baffling clues and their own romantic tension.
Content notes
- murder
- blood
- throat trauma
About the book
When Harriet Vane finds a dead body on the beach, she and Lord Peter Wimsey must solve a murder when all the evidence has washed out to sea Harriet Vane has gone on vacation to forget her recent murder trial and, more importantly, to forget the man who cleared her name & mdash;the dapper, handsome, and maddening Lord Peter Wimsey. She is alone on a beach when she spies a man lying on a rock, surf lapping at his ankles. She tries to wake him, but he doesn & rsquo;t budge. His throat has been cut, and his blood has drained out onto the sand. As the tide inches forward, Harriet makes what observations she can and photographs the scene. Finally, she goes for the police, but by the time they return the body has gone. Only one person can help her discover how the poor man died at the beach: Lord Peter, the amateur sleuth who won her freedom and her heart in one fell swoop. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Dorothy L. Sayers including rare images from the Marion E. Wade Center at Wheaton College.
Description from Open Library.
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