Have His Carcase
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| Early paperback edition cover | |
| Author | Dorothy L. Sayers |
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| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Series | Lord Peter Wimsey |
| Genre(s) | Mystery Novel |
| Publisher | Victor Gollancz |
| Released | 1932 |
| Media Type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| ISBN | NA |
| Preceded by | Five Red Herrings |
| Followed by | Murder Must Advertise |
Have His Carcase is a 1932 novel by Dorothy L. Sayers, her seventh featuring Lord Peter Wimsey and her second novel in which Harriet Vane appears. The title is a pun on the writ of Habeas Corpus.
[edit] Plot summary
Harriet goes off on a hiking trip along the seashore, after being acquitted of murder charges in Strong Poison, and discovers the body of a man with his throat cut and the blood still runny. The case is complicated by the fact that the body is found on an isolated rock on the shore, with the tide rapidly advancing, and no footprints in the sand other than the man's and Harriet's going to the rock. Though Harriet is able to take a few photos of the corpse, it is washed away before the police can arrive. Lord Peter comes to help her deal with the press as well as the police, and together they solve the crime. Meanwhile, he keeps taking every likely opportunity to ask her to marry him, and she keeps refusing, as much because she mistrusts her own feelings as because she doubts his.
It turns out that the man is a Russian dancer who is engaged to a rich widow, and her (stupid) son conspires with an ingenious criminal to lure him to this isolated rock by convincing him that he is the rightful Tzar and can return to Russia. By riding a horse through the sea the son can commit the murder while reliable witnesses will swear that he was elsewhere, and leave no footprints. However the dancer has haemophilia and this causes everyone to mistake the time of death.
The book is also notable for having Wimsey out-sleuth Holmes by cracking a Playfair.
[edit] Film, TV or theatrical adaptations
Have His Carcase was adapted for television in 1987 as part of a series starring Edward Petherbridge as Lord Peter and Harriet Walter as Harriet Vane.
