The Nine Tailors
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 Early paperback edition cover |
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| Author | Dorothy L. Sayers |
|---|---|
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Series | Lord Peter Wimsey |
| Genre(s) | Mystery Novel |
| Publisher | Gollancz |
| Released | 1934 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| ISBN | NA |
| Preceded by | Murder Must Advertise |
| Followed by | Gaudy Night |
The Nine Tailors is a 1934 mystery novel by British writer Dorothy L. Sayers, her ninth featuring sleuth Lord Peter Wimsey.
[edit] Plot introduction
For this novel, Sayers had to learn about change ringing. In it, Lord Peter not only rings one of eight church bells in a record-setting series of sound patterns called "changes", but also uses his knowledge of bell-ringing to solve a 20-year-old mystery, located in the Fens, involving a stolen emerald necklace.
[edit] Explanation of the novel's title
The title refers to the nine times a church bell was rung to signal a death in the parish. There is a ring of eight bells at the local church, each with its own name and history.
The largest is Tailor Paul, the great bell that is rung nine times at the death of a man in the parish, and six times for the death of a woman. The names and positions of the bells from highest tone (first position) to lowest tone (last position) are:
- (1) Gaude (treble)
- (2) Sabaoth,
- (3) John,
- (4) Jericho,
- (5) Jubilee,
- (6) Dimity,
- (7) Batty Thomas,
- (8) Tailor Paul (tenor)
[edit] Film, TV or theatrical adaptations
The Nine Tailors was adapted for television in 1973 as part of a series starring Ian Carmichael as Lord Peter.
