Gaudy Night

Gaudy Night is one of several books featuring Harriet Vane, a mystery writer who first meets detective Lord Peter Wimsey while on trial for allegedly poisoning her lover. Set in a fictional Oxford women’s college, the story involves threatening letters, escalating vandalism, and violence.

Harriet is an educated professional. She is notorious due to scandal. She is trying to balance her independence in the 1930s and her romance with Peter. She is conflicted about whether her future should involve marriage and children.

This book is both a detective story, and a novel about the work-life balance struggles faced by women.… show more.

Well, this is a little bit of a cheat because I re-read Gaudy Night every single fall—about the time I start to get nostalgic about going to college.

This is one of Dorothy Sayers’ “Peter Wimsey” mysteries, but it’s not centered on Lord Peter, it’s all from the viewpoint of Harriet Vane, his reluctant love-interest. She has a lot of reasons to be reluctant; a terrible experience with an ex-lover—ex, because he was murdered, and terrible because she was accused of the murder.

Reluctant because Lord Peter saved her, and she not only was not interested in having another man… show more.

My college reunion is coming round again and I usually find myself rereading Gaudy Night beforehand.

Although it was published before I was born, it speaks to the issues that bedevil educated women, maybe particularly female writers. It’s set at a women’s college in Oxford and is the only one of Sayers’ mystery novels that doesn’t have a corpse. Instead, it has a creepy, increasingly dangerous somebody with a grudge against women dons. Or maybe a woman don herself. That’s the trick, because it’s not that easy to figure out.

It’s an excellent book for those pondering whether you can… show more.

Gaudy Night was recommended to me by my Aunt many years ago. I had been reading British detective novels and she said that Gaudy Night was the sweetest love story/detective novel ever written. She was right. Lord Peter Wimsey, the famous detective, meets Harriet Vane in various friends’ salons, but comes to know her and becomes quite fascinated, after she is accused of killing her lover. (This was quite a scandal in 1930s London.) He gets her off by discovering the real killer. The romance takes place over two more books – Gaudy Night is the third.

Harriet is reluctant.… show more.

Finally, a female flawed detective! Gaudy Night was published in 1935. It’s the tenth in the series featuring Lord Peter Wimsey and the third featuring the woman he loves, Harriet Vane. It’s set in a women’s college at Oxford University. The dons have called Harriet in to help find out who’s sending poison pen letters and vandalizing the college. Harriet, who was charged and acquitted of her lover’s murder (Strong Poison) feels unable to return Wimsey’s love. Nevertheless she seeks his help and together they solve the case. 

Yes, the society depicted here is outdated, and Sayers’ reverence… show more.

Dorothy L Sayers is most known for her amateur detective, Lord Peter Wimsey. In Gaudy Night, however, she hands the reins over to Harriet Vane, mystery writer and close friend of Lord Peter’s. Harriet is invited to her Alma Mater – Shrewsbury College, Oxford – and while there, is asked to investigate some recent poison pen messages and obscene vandalism. From there the mystery ramps up, eventually leading to an attack on Harriet herself.

Clues are dropped slowly throughout the book and the many threads are brought together satisfyingly at the end. Sayers also examines the challenges faced by… show more.

Gaudy Night centers around a college reunion at Oxford University, the women knowing each other and having a shared history. There is no murder, but the harassment and murderous threats are nearly as scary. Who is behind these terrifying events? Although people may come and go, thereby not technically a secluded group, they stay together due to the reunion. No outsiders are considered a suspect; therefore, the focus is narrowed to one in this group as the perpetrator. I liked this book despite there being no murder. The intensifying fright I felt as each strange event occurs makes it mysterious… show more.

This is a completely absorbing mystery set in an Oxford University College. Dorothy L. Sayers is one of the classiest writers of the genre and the characters are multi-faceted and completely believable. Lord Peter Wimsey comes to the help of his friend Harriet Vane and together they solve the problem of who is behind some very unpleasant activity that has been happening at the college. In working through the situation and unmasking the culprit, Harriet and Lord Peter are also able to assess their relationship and make a major decision.

I admit it. This is my fantasy world: Oxford, complete with sherry, academic gowns, and dinner at the High Table. An English Lord—who falls in love with a mystery writer for her mind. Not only does everyone talks in complete sentences, they actually have something to say. I’m sure I’m not the only kid who grew up dreaming that a career in academia would be just like the one in Sayers’ book. Of course, I discovered quickly enough that the reality was very different, but I still love reading and writing about my childhood fantasy world.

Gaudy Night puts mystery writer and amateur sleuth Harriet Vane front and centre as she reluctantly investigates a series of crimes at her Oxford alma mater. Like my heroine, Astra, Harriet was orphaned in her early 20’s and had to make her own way in the world. She pursued a college education at a time when this was very unusual for women, lived with a man (scandalous!), and rejects the romantic attentions of an aristocrat until she feels the two can come together on equal terms. She’s fantastic and I adore her. I also love how, in this novel, she… show more.