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The Late Scholar

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The Late Scholar

By: Jill Paton Walsh
Narrated by: Gordon Griffin
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When the fellows at an Oxford college appeal to Peter Wimsey to resolve a dispute, he and Harriet are happy to oblige. The dispute between the two passionate parties is evenly balanced, that is, until several of the fellows unexpectedly die. And the causes of death bear an uncanny resemblance to the murder methods in Peter's past cases - methods that Harriet has used in her novels…©2013 Jill Paton Walsh and the Trustees of Anthony Fleming, deceased (P)2014 W.F. Howes Ltd Crime Fiction International Mystery & Crime Mystery Suspense Thriller & Suspense Fiction Crime Murder
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Would you listen to The Late Scholar again? Why?

Yes, because I'm addicted to DL Sayers, Lord Peter Wimsey & Harriet Vane.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Late Scholar?

There was no one moment that stands out.

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

Sadly Edward Petherbridge has not lent his voice to this reading which is a great shame. While Gordon Griffin does a competent job, his quavering voice and mis-pronunciation of "Domina" amongst other things grated and in no way conjured the image of Peter Wimsey. Ian Carmichael and Edward Petherbridge have stamped my auditory memory so anyone else reading this book is doomed to failure.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

The Late Scholar met my double passion for the Wimseys and Oxford, so on that score alone it has to be a winner.

Any additional comments?

Jill Paton Walsh is no Dorothy L Sayers, there is an element of dumbing down of the language and sentiment, perhaps she is trying too hard? Nonetheless, it's a competent work, not faultless but it feeds the insatiable desire to follow the central relationship of Harriet Vane and Lord Peter Wimsey. Quite what Miss Sayers would have made of this volume remains to be seen. Having said that, I still give it 7/10 as it is much better than a lot of historical whodunits on the market.

Not as good as a DL Sayers but better than nothing

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Where does The Late Scholar rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I enjoyed listening and will no doubt listen to other Jill Paton Walsh.

What other book might you compare The Late Scholar to, and why?

Deliberately reminiscent of Gaudy Night.

Have you listened to any of Gordon Griffin’s other performances? How does this one compare?

Shame about the voice used for Charles, Wimsey's police inspector brother-in-law. Far too old.

Any additional comments?

The big let down was the relationship with the police. With a suspected serial killer on the loose, it is hard to imagine Wimsey being given the freedom he has. The police would have been all over the place.

Nearly as good as Dorothy

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I enjoyed revisiting Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane later on in life but the mystery plot was over-complicated and ultimately unsatisfying. The concept of using DLS's plots as Harriet's and then basing murders on them got tiring rather quickly. There was no sense of urgency in the detection which, with academics dropping like flies, there really should have been. What I did enjoy was the small details of Peter and Harriet's lives like the education of their children and the ageing of the Dowager Duchess.

The reading was better with some voices than others. The rendition of Peter and Harriet was OK but it was lucky there wasn't too much of Charles Parker as that sounded completely wrong to me.

Good enough but not Dorothy L Sayers

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Jill Patton Walsh captures the atmosphere of the original Dorothy Sayers stories. Lord Peter and his wife have aged beautifully. Returning to an Oxford which I doubt remains the same it is nostalgic but not sentimental and the mystery is as complex as one would like. An excellent, comforting read which holds one's attention from beginning to end.

Meeting an old friend

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The story is brilliant - expertly weaving into the new plot all we know of the characters from the original Sayers stories. The reading is awful - incorrect phrasing, some mispronunciations and a continuous whining tone of voice which is grating on the ear.

A Brilliant Story, but ..……...

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