Will I love Busman's Honeymoon?

Because Sayers took a priggish middle-aged British aristocrat (Lord Peter Wimsey), second son of the Duke of Denver, and a dilettante detective, and turned him into the most romantic man in all my reading experience. And finished this transformation by marrying him off to a woman (Harriet Vane) he saved from death by hanging, and had him establish one of the best relationships I have seen modeled in a book.

I've always been fascinated by stories that show what happens to a couple after the wedding.

As wonderful as it is to watch Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane fall in love and finally marry in the previous books in the series, I find it even more interesting to see them adjust to marriage and the challenges it brings. The final scene in particular has been a huge influence on my own writing.

Inside the cover of this precious gift was scrawled: “To Jo. For who, besides Harriet, deserves Peter Wimsey?”

Who indeed. Lord Peter might be a bit of a toff to some; but his brilliance, his turn of phrase, his PTSD, and above all his passion for Harriet Vane reaches my heart and stirs my imagination. It is difficult to choose a favourite Sayers novel — indeed, Gaudy Night may take the gold — but when Peter finally finds himself in Harriet’s arms, all is right with the world.