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A Dorothy L Sayers Mystery (1987).
I’ve re-watched the excellent Lord Peter Wimsey/Harriet Vane mystery series. Based on the Dorothy L Sayers books Strong Poison, Have His Carcasse and Gaudy Night (the production team sadly couldn’t get the rights to Busman’s Honeymoon. The series features Edward Petherbridge as the aristocratic sleuth and Harriet Walter as detective writer, Harriet Vane.
I just love this series. Petherbridge brings a romantic vibe to the quirky sleuth and Walter is lovely as the plucky mystery writer. Wimsey falls head-first in love with Harriet in Strong Poison as she’s on trial for murder. When he helps clear her name, Harriet goes on holiday and stumbles upon another body. Peter races to the seaside to help investigate. After solving this murder together, Harriet’s on her own when someone is causing trouble at Harriet’s old college in Oxford. Peter arrives to help in the end, continuing to woo Harriet along the way. They come together in the end, but it’s a slow burn all the way.
Fans of this pair will enjoy the Jill Paton Walsh books(I do) that continue on where Dorothy L Sayers left off. Peter and Harriet continue to solve mysteries, make babes and basically be lovely to each other.
One of Harriet’s lines to Peter in Strong Poison is perfect: “If anybody does marry you, Peter, it will be for the pleasure of hearing you talk piffle.” He does talk piffle, usually to camouflage his true feelings or to make others thing he’s sillier than he really is.
The two sleuths suit each other in so many ways. Peter loves and worships Harriet, but he doesn’t control her or smother her. She still keeps her career as a writer. He comes to her aid when she needs it, but never forces himself into her business unless asked. Harriet is always on Peter’s side and is never afraid of his darker, vulnerable moods. It would be nice to find someone like Peter - someone who can make you laugh and comfort you and love you and think you are the smartest woman in the world and still be your champion when you’re in trouble.