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phoebemurtagh's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
4.99 and not a jot less - the only reason it would be that low is it isn't Gaudy Night.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Racial slurs, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Drug use
Minor: Antisemitism
buildingtaste's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
my first Sayers, and that was not a good call. just could not get into the advertising milieu, so I ended up skipping a lot, which in turn undermined the mystery. sorry, wimsey!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Murder
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Xenophobia, and Classism
kjboldon's review against another edition
5.0
2022: Just delightful. Twisty plot, shady drug runners, and the day to day of life in an ad agency, which doesn't seem to have changed in a century, or across continents. There were many times in reading when I'd smile to myself. Such a fun read.
2024: a romp of a read. Yet, the body count. And the racism. And the classism. And capitalism. And several pages of abstruse cricketing talk. Still, fun to read, and perhaps the best mystery she wrote, and lots of POV changes, great secondary characters (Ginger Joe!), and I think that's a nod to Ulysses. Wherefore art thou, Harriet?
2024: a romp of a read. Yet, the body count. And the racism. And the classism. And capitalism. And several pages of abstruse cricketing talk. Still, fun to read, and perhaps the best mystery she wrote, and lots of POV changes, great secondary characters (Ginger Joe!), and I think that's a nod to Ulysses. Wherefore art thou, Harriet?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Murder, Gaslighting, and Classism
meggymoocow's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Murder Must Advertise draws on Sayer’s own experience in the advertising business in inter-war Britain. While a slightly odd flavour for a detective novel, the discussion of advertising is gently witty and, for a modern reader, brings to mind the sort of charming vintage adverts that people now like to hang framed in their kitchens. Other than a last-minute dark turn for one of the supporting characters, this is a fun read which, in classic Sayers style, leaves all the threads of the mystery neatly tied up by the end. It was the lack of emotional depth that made this one of her less interesting works for me. The Wimsey novels are at their best when exploring class and gender, which this novel touches upon only briefly. Fun, but wouldn’t re-read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide and Murder