Dorothy L. Sayers

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Fourteen essays by a virtual British and American Who's Who in the mystery field bear witness to English doyenne Sayers's influence on the genre even after her death in 1957. Academics Carolyn G. Heilbrun (aka Amanda Cross) and Sharyn McCrumb (who also writes mysteries) are among the notables united here in praise of this remarkable woman's career. H.R.F. Keating and Ian Stuart object to what they see as Sayers's wordy, affected style and inability to create a realistic milieu, but most of the contributors agree that she earned a singular status in crime literature. British author Michael Gilbert remembers her as the friend who initiated him into the prestigious Detective Club, which she helped to found. Others portray her as a pioneering feminist fighting male dominance at Oxford; the innovative author of the Lord Peter Wimsey stories, first published in 1920 and still popular; a playwright on religious themes; and translator of Dante's Inferno . Dale, who chronicled Sayers's life in Maker and Craftsman , provides a biographical sketch and bibliography, as well as an essay on the final, unfinished Wimsey mystery. ( June )

Library Journal

Now, even with the relative wealth of material available for readers of Sayers's works (which was not always so readily accessible), this collection provides an uncommon opportunity to ``listen in'' on reminiscences of Sayers, erudite discussions of her work, descriptions of her biographies, and even a diatribe against elitism in her mystery fiction. The celebratory essays are written by such literary lights as Amanda Cross, Aaron Elkin, H.R.F. Keating, and Carolyn G. Hart. All phases of Sayers's writing career are covered, including a fascinating examination of her translation of The Divine Comedy by Catherine Kenney. A brief biography and a selected bibliography round out the work. All public libraries will want to purchase this most enjoyable Festschrift. Academic libraries collecting criticism in genre fiction or women's literature will find it useful as well.-- Denise Johnson, Bradley Univ. Lib., Peoria, Ill.

Booknews

Twenty essays by mystery writers and critics reflect the broad scope of the author's interests and influence and discuss the ways in which Sayers--through her own crime writing and commentary--helped others to develop their craft. This year marks the 100th anniversary of her birth. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)