STRONG POISON is the first of the four-book Sayers series featuring Harriet Vane as Lord Peter Whimsey's love interest. I recommended it several years ago to my literary study group. Surprisingly, several of the women were not familiar with Sayers' work. Some critics hail her as the greatest mystery writer of the 20th century. Her methods of murder are unique. Other books in the Vane series are HAVE HIS CARCASE, GAUDY NIGHT and BUSMAN'S HONEYMOON. An old interview with Sayers indicated she was annoyed with the public's clamor for more of Harriet Vane after STRONG POISON. The article said she wrote the others rather grudgingly, after having done two more without Harriet. GAUDY NIGHT, which is my all-time favorite book, is almost entirely Harriet. Another news account said that every British soldier in WWII was given a copy of BUSMAN'S HONEYMOON to carry in his hip pocket. Sayers prefaced HONEYMOON by describing it as "A love story with detective interruptions." Her quirky sense of humor catches me off-guard throughout. I read her work again and again. After HONEYMOON, she began doing C.S. Lewis-type works, which apparently never caught on. She died in 1957. I was a kid and had not heard of her in 1957, but I'm pretty sure I felt her pass. I credit Harper, which re-issues her books periodically, for linking me to her. There is something about her thoughts that are terribly familiar. It's as if she speaks to me personally with no regard for time or distance. She may do the same for you.

I read THE BUTTERFLY GARDEN for a contest and loved it. I read it again this month to double-check my prior opinion, and was delighted to recommended it for my literary discussion group for the 2007-08 season.