The dead in the bathtub

The Dead in the Bathtub (new translation: A Dead Too Little 1971) is a crime novel by Dorothy L. Sayers published in German by Scherz Verlag in 1952 . The English original was published under the title Whose Body? in 1923. It is the first novel in which the amateur detective Lord Peter Wimsey investigates.

action

A corpse is found in the bathtub of the architect Thipps, famous for Lord Peter, which is only dressed in a pince-nez. Lord Peter is investigating the case with his friend, Inspector Charles Parker, despite the ongoing investigation by the incompetent Inspector Sugg. He connects the stranger's body with the rich businessman Reuben Levy, who has disappeared at the same time, and is convinced that the two cases are related. The trail leads via some very bizarre detours (the owner of the pince-nez is a well-respected senior provincial attorney) to the hospital near Thipps' apartment and the corpse that the neurologist Sir Julian Freke gave his students to dissect.

Characters

Many of the recurring characters from the Wimsey series are introduced in this novel.

• Lord Peter Death Bredon Wimsey : The brother of the Duke of Denver is financially independent and owns an elegant, expensive bachelor apartment in 110a Piccadilly, London. His hobbies are collecting rare book editions and solving criminal cases. Lord Peter was a terrific cricketer as a student at Oxford.
• Mervyn Bunter: The servant of Lord Peter, his sergeant in the First World War . He helps solve criminal cases, especially by taking photos of evidence.
• Charles Parker: Inspector at Scotland Yard. Later Wimsey's brother-in-law. He takes over the "routine work" with the aids that the police can dispose of.
• The Honorable Frederick (Freddy) Arbuthnot: Friend of Lord Peter. He speculates very successfully on the stock market.

reception

“The novels about Lord Peter Wimsey are set in the period from 1920 to the mid-thirties and reflect the social order of the time, albeit with a sometimes biting sense of humor. The mother of Lord Peter especially stands out here, who acts rather unconventionally and often spares him when members of the 'higher society' criticize his hobby. "

“The novel is not a thriller; It is still exciting because the reader is pointed out to the perpetrator in the course of the story, but does not know how he could be convicted. Conclusion: A first work with a very special detective figure already whets the appetite for more! "

Adaptation

The West German Broadcasting Corporation produced the novel under the title "The undesirable guest" in 1962 under the direction of Erik Ode with Hansjörg Felmy as Lord Peter as a radio play .

book

• Dorothy L. Sayers: Ein Toter zuwenig (The Dead in the Bathtub) , Scherz Verlag 1952
• Dorothy L. Sayers: One Dead Too Little , Wunderlich Verlag 1971

Individual evidence

1. ↑ One dead too little (The dead in the bathtub) at krimi-couch.de, accessed on November 6, 2016.
2. ↑ Monika Röhrig: Dorothy L. Sayers | The dead in the bathtub at krimirezensions.wordpress.com, accessed on November 6, 2016.
3. ↑ "The Unwanted Guest" at Pidaxfilm