Update the second - don't say I never do anything for you.

There's some crazy double-negatives going on in that title. But that's just the kind of girl I am. A girl on the edge! In a, er, double-negative sort of way.
Anyhow, I thought I'd do a quick update with the books I've been reading lately. They've all been Dorothy L Sayers books. There are no words for how wonderful these books are. Seriously, the progression of Peter from "Whose Body?" to "Busman's Honeymoon" is -insane-. He's REAL. Because he's so real and you love him so much, the relationship between Peter and Harriet Vane is really emotionally affecting. I can't explain what I mean, you'll have to read the books. So, in no particular order..

"Murder Must Advertise" - Dorothy L Sayers

I read this in one delicious sitting. I was initially unsure, but fell in love a few pages in - here is Peter at his witty best, undercover as his disreputable cousin Death Bredon at an advertising firm, trying to solve the murder of one Victor Dean. The actual crux of the plot, the device used (I'd elaborate, but I'd spoil it) is just genius and did actually make me shout "aha!" But we also see another side of Peter as the Harlequin, perhaps hinting at his shady (relatively speaking) past (the opera singer, anyone?!) as Sayers tackles head-on the problem of drugs. Fascinating.

"Gaudy Night" - Dorothy L Sayers

Harriet Vane is back. I think that the most remarkable thing about "Gaudy Night" is that whilst so much character progression occurs in the space of one novel, both for Lord Peter and especially for Harriet, it's believable. It's not strictly a murder mystery, there's no murder, but there's so much more for that...Harriet and Peter are so human and almost infuriating at times because you like them both so much and want them to find happiness with each other, and when they finally do.....*sigh*

"Busman's Honeymoon" - Dorothy L Sayers

The beginning of "Busman's Honeymoon", charting Harriet and Peter's engagement is told through letters and diary entries, an unusual and often amusing form and one that Jill Paton Walsh later utilises in "Thrones, Dominations". This is "a love story with detective interruptions"; the murder isn't even discovered until halfway through the novel, but in some regards it's not -about- murder, it's about so much more than that, and Peter and Harriet become even more real. The closing chapters of "Busman's Honeymoon" are absolutely tragic, but also Sayers on the top of her form. Quite simply, they're perfection. You'll weep. I did.

"Thrones, Dominations" - Dorothy L Sayers, Jill Paton Walsh

More Peter and Harriet! Whilst it's not strictly Sayers, Jill Paton Walsh has done a pretty good job with the characters. She's definitely understood Harriet; Harriet is brilliant here, and although unsure about the character development in Bunter, I'm glad that a little more is said about him. As for Peter, it's a trifle hit-and-miss in places, but it's a good effort, an enjoyable read and, at the end of the day, it's more Peter and Harriet.

I must away to work, where hopefully a copy of "A Presumption of Death" will be awaiting me.