The Five Red Herrings (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. A Lord Peter Wimsey Galloway Murder Mystery of Artists, Alibis, and Railway TimetablesBy Dorothy L. Sayers
Length14h 23m
About this audiobook
In The Five Red Herrings (1931), Dorothy L. Sayers sends Lord Peter Wimsey to the Galloway artist colony, where the violent death of the quarrelsome painter Sandy Campbell appears at once accident, suicide, and murder. The plot turns on six plausible suspects, meticulous railway timetables, bicycles, paints, and alibis—five of them, as the title promises, artful misdirections. Written at the height of Golden Age detective fiction, the novel is a bravura exercise in fair-play puzzle construction, enlivened by sharply observed landscapes, Scots-inflected dialogue, and Sayers's characteristic blend of wit, technical exactitude, and social comedy. Sayers, born in 1893 and educated at Somerville College, Oxford, brought to crime writing a formidable classical training, a professional advertising writer's sense of structure, and a theologian's seriousness about moral choice. By 1931 she had already made Wimsey one of the genre's most distinctive sleuths. Her knowledge of Scotland's southwest, her interest in craft communities, and her membership in the Detection Club all inform this novel's almost mathematical commitment to clues and reconstruction. Readers who admire ingenious plotting and do not mind patient attention to schedules will find this a demanding, rewarding classic. It is especially recommended for those interested in the detective novel as both intellectual game and literary artifact.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- An Author Biography reveals milestones in the author's life, illuminating the personal insights behind the text.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.
Audiobook details
GenreMystery and Thriller
Length14 hrs 23 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateDec 12, 2023
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1The Five Red Herrings (Annotated)
20CHAPTER XIV
2Introduction
21CHAPTER XV
3Synopsis
22CHAPTER XVI
4Historical Context
23CHAPTER XVII
5Author Biography
24CHAPTER XVIII
Show all chaptersShow less
6FOREWORD
25CHAPTER XIX
7CHAPTER I
26CHAPTER XX
8CHAPTER II
27CHAPTER XXI
9CHAPTER III
28CHAPTER XXII
10CHAPTER IV
29CHAPTER XXIII
11CHAPTER V
30CHAPTER XXIV
12CHAPTER VI
31CHAPTER XXV
13CHAPTER VII
32CHAPTER XXVI
14CHAPTER VIII
33CHAPTER XXVII
15CHAPTER IX
34CHAPTER XXVIII
16CHAPTER X
35CHAPTER XXIX
17CHAPTER XI
36Analysis
18CHAPTER XII
37Reflection
19CHAPTER XIII
38Memorable Quotes
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