Strong Poison
by Dorothy L. Sayers
Strong Poison
by Dorothy L. Sayers
In this classic detective novel, mystery writer Harriet Vane is on trial for the murder of her former lover, Philip Boyes, who died of arsenic poisoning. The prosecution argues that Harriet used her professional knowledge of toxins to kill Boyes after he insulted her with a belated marriage proposal. Lord Peter Wimsey, attending the trial, falls in love with Harriet and becomes convinced of her innocence despite the damning evidence. With only one month before the retrial, Wimsey must mobilize his network, including the resourceful Miss Climpson, to find the true culprit. The investigation uncovers a web of financial desperation involving Boyes's cousin, the solicitor Norman Urquhart. Wimsey eventually deduces an almost impossible method of poisoning that allowed the killer to share a lethal meal. The story concludes with Harriet's acquittal and the beginning of a complex relationship between her and her rescuer. The tone is sophisticated, witty, and intellectually rigorous.
