The Attenbury Emeralds

By: Jill Paton Walsh

Narrated by: Edward Petherbridge

Length: 9 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's summary

Based on the characters created by Dorothy L. Sayers.

The recovery of the magnificent gem in Lord Attenbury's dazzling heirloom launched a shell-shocked young aristocrat on his career as a detective in 1921. Thirty years later, a happily married Lord Peter has just shared the secrets of that mystery with his wife, the detective novelist Harriet Vane. Suddenly, the new Lord Attenbury—grandson of Lord Peter’s first client—seeks his help to prove who owns the emeralds. As Harriet and Peter contemplate the changes that the war has wrought on English society, Peter, who always cherished the liberties of a younger son, faces the unwanted prospect of ending up the Duke of Denver after all.

©2010 Jill Paton Walsh and the Trustees of Anthony Fleming, deceased. (P)2011 AudioGo

Lord Peter is back!

Edward Petherbridge is THE voice of Lord Peter in my head, so it was a treat to hear him reading Walsh's new tale. I enjoyed the story very much, the mystery, the insights into post-war British society, seeing how the Wimseys and Bunters and their friends have fared. I've mixed feelings always about Walsh's Lord Peter novels though. Even when I can't put my finger on any defect, I am always conscious that they were not written by Dorothy L. Sayers. And, I can't quite decide whether it is comforting to see one of my favorite literary characters age, or if I would have preferred to leave the ravages of time up to my own imagination.

A Rambling Tale

It was not a very exciting mystery as the lead character, Lord Peter, looks back over 30 years in a complicated plot. It was an historical fiction mystery and I did enjoy reading about the post-World War II descriptions of England and the friends and relatives who were unable to return to their aristocratic lifestyles. I also liked discovering the relationship between Bunter, the man servant, and Lord Peter. That was very interesting.

The mystery dragged, however, and this was my first book ever of the Dorothy L. Sayers' Lord Peter Wimsey novels. Perhaps if I was already a fan of the Lord Peter Wimsey series, I would have enjoyed it better.

The narrator, Edward Petherbridge, was excellent.

True to DLS

JPW channels the spirit of DLS as well as Lord Peter, Harriet Vane, and Bunter. An absolute pleasure to listen to. Reflects the concerns of its era well. Ready for another one!

Magical

This is a pitch perfect account of the evolving Whimsey-Vane marriage with subtle commentary on the post-World War I realities.

Classic Sayers

Well done, Magistra. If any of you have ever enjoyed Lord Peter and Harriet Vane, you will enjoy Walsh's addition to the genre. We are once more back (albeit post WWII) in the world of Lord and Lady Peter, with their two sons and a world that is progressing (if it is progressing) into the mid-20th century. Yet the author also brings us backwards, evoking tales of Peter's shell-shocked youth as he solves his first case, a case that now echoes -- through multiple murders -- into the present, along with recurrent emeralds, old friends, and new villains. And despite it all, Jill Paton Walsh manages to bring us back in contact with the characters we cherish: Peter, Harriet, and Bunter are unchanged from the Sayers originals. Magisterial, Magistra!

Wonderful read

What did you love best about The Attenbury Emeralds?

This book works well as a stand-alone for those of us not familiar with the original series by Dorothy Sayer. The author introduces us to the main characters, a brief history of their relationship toget5her and also gives us a new Lord Peter mystery.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

Certainly interested..

What does Edward Petherbridge bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I am a great reader (listener) of British novels and watcher of British documentaries. I therefore have had the opportunity to listen to many British accents and narrators. I was so impressed with the performance of Edward Peterbridge for he so perfectly nailed the accent of the British aristocracy of that time. Speakers with this accent do have a tendency to modulate the volume of their voice which makes them a little difficult to hear at times. I cannot criticize a magnificent performance for this minor difficulty inflicted on the listener.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It was certainly was funny at times.

Any additional comments?

After reading this book I became interested in Dorothy Sayer. I read three of her books. Fans of Sayer will consider this blasphemy but I preferred Walsh. Sorry.

Lord Peter Wimsey: The Attenbury Emeralds

Jill Paton Walsh has written a great tangled yarn, with just the same insouciance as Dorothy L. Sayers wrote Lord Peter Wimsey in her lifetime. I only started figuring out “who done it” at the exact correct spot. Not too early (so as to make the plot seem too simple) nor too late (so as to make it look like the author pulled a nonexistent rabbit out of a newly-conjured hat). If you liked the Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane “canon”, you’ll enjoy this. Oh, and Edward Petherbridge narrates throughout. He’s my ideal LPW, and he hasn’t lost the light touch needed to play that gentleman.

A great read

Paton Walsh has done a great job of taking Lord Peter and Harriet Vane into their future lives. A well-developed plot and read by one of the actors who portrayed Lord Peter for the BBC.

Text and narrator delightful to Sayers fans

You know those paintings dubbed "from the studio of" because the critics are not quite sure they're daVincis? This writer rates the same comparison with the quality and style of Sayers, in plot, character and setting. A fun read, and Petherbridge, of course, is a treasured Wimsey interpreter. A keeper.

Disappointing

Paton Walsh faithfully portrayed Peter and Harriet as usual. The story wasn't great. It was a long time into the book before we got to a decent mystery. Even then, there was no real suspense. The best part of the book was the non-mystery subplot. The worst was the narration. It was almost uniformly performed in a sepulchral whisper with little differentiation between characters.