A review by proust_mobile
The Nine Tailors by Dorothy L. Sayers

5.0

After a number of punchy openings, I was caught off guard by the curious and somber start to this later entry in the Lord Peter series. There's a lot of gorgeous stage-setting and no murder to speak of for quite a while, and I slowly realized that this was Dorothy L. Sayers' way of rolling up her sleeves to deliver her masterpiece.

While I normally complain about the slow decrease in humor in this series, its absence here makes a lot of sense. In its place is a deep respect for an ancient craft and an overflowing of empathy for its practitioners and for the residents of this small town, even for the criminals. Sayers had done deep dives into obscure cultures and societies before, and she outdoes herself here. Through her patient reverence, the art of liturgical bell-ringing is fascinating and never feels forced. And with regards to the mystery itself, she's firing on all cylinders, concocting an addictive and engrossing story that slowly spirals into a final terrifying point. Her care and passion has never been more apparent.