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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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About this listen

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 International Mystery & Crime Mystery Suspense Thriller & Suspense Fiction Crime

Critic Reviews

"Sayers's fans won't be disappointed, and newcomers are in for a treat" ( Guardian on The Attenbury Emeralds)
"A pitch-perfect Golden Age mystery; not a pastiche but a gem of a period puzzle that belongs on the shelf beside the Wimsey originals." ( Financial Times on The Attenbury Emeralds)
All stars
Most relevant  
While it is not my favourite story or performance, I it was still a very good idea behind the story as well as a very good performance. Well worth listening to....

Enjoyable and entertaining

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Like a previous reviewer, I was disappointed that Peter Wimsey was depicted by Miss Paton Walsh as an atheist. Miss Sayers was a Christian and her Lord Peter would surely have been one too. Also the reader is all wrong in his depiction of the characters; they are too ponderous. Give me Carmichael or Petherbridge any day. I will have to read the book for myself and hear the characters in my head.

Disappointing

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Having left this until I could find no other of Sayers' books on Lord Wimsey, and having completed the Carmichael and Petherbridge audio books, I found this story and reading to be the least congruent and pleasing. I don't think it particularly matches Sayers' ideas of Peter Wimsey or Harriet Vane, but seems to "dumb" them down. If this was my introduction to Wimsey, I'd probably skip the whole wonderful concoction. The reading was clear and sensible, but not subtle and delightful as the others were. I think Paton Walsh was slack with this one. I enjoyed her second in the series above her others. I'm an atheist, but I don't think Sayers would represent Wimsey as an atheist, given he was an ideal male in her view; that's just one of many odd decisions from Paton Walsh in this book.

Read all Dorothy L Sayers' Wimsey books first

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The follow-onWimsey / Vane books by Ms Walsh are surprisingly satisfying even though we Sayers devotees will always find basic fault. Dorothy Sayers had unmatched powers and Wimsey himself is stuff of legend. The big problem with this is primarily the narrator, who clearly is NOT very familiar w the canon. Bunter sounds stentorious, Charles sounds ponderous and ancient. Above all, the rendition of Wimsey is unceasingly glib and - well, just wrong. The story itself is too complex in my view and the writing much flabbier than the previous Walsh books. It has its moments, but..,

Below par

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