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Lord Peter Views the Body full cast audiobook

by Dorothy L. Sayers · Lord Peter Wimsey

Released · Updated · 9h 23m · 98 voices

The story (no spoilers)

Lord Peter Wimsey, London's most inquisitive aristocrat, turns his monocle and his famously quick mind on a dozen peculiar crimes in this first collection of his cases. One evening at the Egotists' Club, a film star from Los Angeles tells a smoking-room company about his stay with Eric Loder, a rich and brilliant sculptor in New York, whose house is crammed with antiques and whose beautiful mistress, Maria Morano, dreams of a restaurant of her own. Years later Varden returns to Loder's home, and finds his host older, edgier and stranger than before. Elsewhere Wimsey faces a will that has vanished, a body in pieces, a cache of stolen jewels and a thief who may be moving unseen through a respectable household. With his devoted manservant Bunter at his side, and Scotland Yard's inspectors never far behind, he trusts small details that others overlook. Each case asks the same question: what does the evidence really say, and who has taken pains to hide it?

The cast

40 speaking roles are listed; walk-on parts are not. Each voice was designed, or chosen from our library of designed voices, to fit how the book describes the character, and it stays with them from the first chapter to the last. Portraits are illustrated impressions of each character.

  • Illustrated portrait of Peter Wimsey: about 38, straw-blond, sleek and side-parted, dove-grey morning coat with a lilac silk tie

    Peter Wimsey

    Male, about thirty-eight years old, an English aristocrat living in London in 1928, a wealthy upper-class nobleman and amateur investigator. He speaks in a light, drawing-room upper-class received pronunciation, in a quiet, slightly husky light tenor. His pace is easy and unhurried, with casual apologetic phrasing. He is courteous, playful and quietly amused.

  • Illustrated portrait of Mr. Frobisher-Pym: about 62, sparse white wisps combed over a bald crown, tweed jacket in moss green with a mustard waistcoat

    Mr. Frobisher-Pym

    Male, about sixty years old, an English country gentleman living in a Home Counties village in 1928, a wealthy upper-class landowner and local magistrate. He speaks with a hearty county received pronunciation, in a fruity, full baritone with a slight huskiness. His pace is chatty and emphatic. He is opinionated, gossipy and pleased with himself.

  • Illustrated portrait of Bunter: about 45, sleek brown hair parted in the middle, silvering slightly, black jacket with a wing collar and a steel-blue tie

    Bunter

    Male, about forty-five years old, an Englishman living in London in 1928, a working-class-born gentleman's manservant. He speaks in a carefully polished, neutral received pronunciation of a trained servant. His voice is a smooth, mid-low baritone. He speaks evenly and precisely, with a measured pace. He is deferential, grave and dutiful.

  • Illustrated portrait of Detective-Inspector Parker: about 38, short dark-brown hair, crisp side parting, navy suit with a burgundy striped tie

    Detective-Inspector Parker

    Male, about thirty-six years old, an Englishman living in London in 1928, a middle-class Scotland Yard detective-inspector. He speaks with a plain educated London accent, with a touch of modern slang. His voice is a crisp, lower baritone, drier than the aristocrats around him. His pace is brisk and efficient. He is cheerful, practical and friendly.

  • Illustrated portrait of Dr. Hartman: about 28, tousled sandy-blond hair flopping over the brow, rumpled tweed jacket in rust-brown with a teal knitted tie

    Dr. Hartman

    Male, about twenty-nine years old, an Englishman living in Bloomsbury, London in 1928, a middle-class general practitioner short of money. He speaks in a light, educated London received pronunciation full of slang. His voice is a youthful, slightly tired, light baritone. He talks quickly and offhandedly, laughing readily. He is friendly, informal and a little worried.

  • Illustrated portrait of Haviland Burdock: about 40, glossy dark brown, brilliantined and parted, sky-blue silk shirt with a burgundy tie and navy blazer

    Haviland Burdock

    Male, about thirty-three years old, an Englishman living in a country village in 1928, a well-off middle-class businessman in the hosiery trade. He speaks with a brisk, slightly nasal south-of-England accent. His voice is a bright, mid-high baritone. He speaks quickly and chattily, dropping to a quiet tone when pleased. He is breezy, offhand and money-minded.

  • Illustrated portrait of Inspector Winterbottom: about 50, iron-grey bristle crop, brown tweed overcoat with an orange-brown tie

    Inspector Winterbottom

    Male, about forty-eight years old, an Englishman from the north of England working in the south in 1928, a working-class-born police detective-inspector. He speaks with a plain Yorkshire accent and colloquial phrasing. His voice is a gravelly, hearty baritone from a stocky build. He speaks at a steady, comfortable pace and laughs often. He is jovial and boastful.

  • Illustrated portrait of Varden: about 32, wavy golden-blond, swept back, camel-coloured jacket with an open-necked cream shirt

    Varden

    Male, about thirty-five years old, an American living in London in 1928, a middle-class film actor and former professional athlete. He speaks in General American with an easy conversational flow. His voice is a warm, smooth, mid-range baritone from a strong, athletic build. He speaks at a relaxed storyteller's pace. He is pleasant, unspoiled and chatty.

  • Illustrated portrait of Thomas Macpherson: about 23, shock of bright ginger hair standing up, baggy heather-purple pullover under a frayed jacket

    Thomas Macpherson

    Male, about twenty-five years old, a Scotsman living in Scotland in 1928, a middle-class medical student near his final examinations. He speaks with a light educated Edinburgh Scottish accent. His voice is a clipped, light baritone. He speaks in quick, casual, clipped phrases. He is easygoing, informal and cheerfully unbothered.

  • Illustrated portrait of Number Two: about 40, glossy auburn hair piled high, scarlet gown with black lace shoulders

    Number Two

    Female, about forty years old, a European woman living in London in 1928, an educated middle-class society member with a commanding manner. She speaks English with a faint central European accent and careful grammar. Her voice is a rich, deep contralto. She speaks slowly and imperiously, in controlled, even phrases. She is composed, proud and loyal.

  • Illustrated portrait of Bredon: about 26, sleek jet-black hair, grey suit with a coral-pink cravat

    Bredon

    Male, about thirty years old, an Englishman travelling in France in 1928, a wealthy upper-class gentleman and clever impersonator. He speaks in polished received pronunciation with a hint of French fluency. His voice is a sweet, honeyed tenor with a harsh edge. He speaks lightly and carefully, weighing words. He is jaunty, cheerful and calculating.

  • Illustrated portrait of Lady Mary: about 28, dark brown bobbed hair with a side wave, emerald-green coat with a fur collar

    Lady Mary

    Female, about thirty years old, an English aristocrat living in London in 1928, a wealthy upper-class daughter of a duke. She speaks in crisp upper-class received pronunciation. Her voice is a bright, clear mezzo-soprano. She speaks briskly and chattily with a dry, teasing edge. She is direct, sarcastic and affectionate.

  • Illustrated portrait of Pickled Gherkins: about 10, tousled mouse-brown hair, fringe falling over forehead, maroon school blazer with a striped tie

    Pickled Gherkins

    A ten-year-old English boy, a schoolboy viscount in the 1920s, with a clear upper-class English accent. His voice is high and unbroken, high bright, with excited, quick energy. He is eager, curious, enthusiastic.

  • Illustrated portrait of Jukes: about 45, coarse rust-red hair, thinning on top, navy pea jacket with a yellow neckerchief

    Jukes

    Male, about forty-two years old, an Englishman living in London in 1928, a rough working man who drinks at a local bar. He speaks in a broad Cockney accent with rough colloquial phrasing. His voice is a low, rasping, gravelly baritone, often dropped to a whisper. He speaks in short gruff phrases. He is wary and gruff.

  • Illustrated portrait of Rogers: about 35, lank sandy-brown hair, receding at the temples, cheap checked suit in tan with a green tie

    Rogers

    Male, about thirty-eight years old, an Englishman living in south London in 1928, a lower-middle-class clerk looking for extra money. He speaks with a soft south London accent. His voice is a thin, slightly nasal tenor. He speaks slowly and hesitantly, with careful pauses. He is cautious, wary and uneasy.

  • Illustrated portrait of Hannah Marryat: about 30, heavy black hair in a plain braided coil, mulberry cardigan over a cream blouse

    Hannah Marryat

    Female, about thirty-five years old, an Englishwoman living in a large country house in 1928, a middle-class reformer with heavy brows and a sombre manner. She speaks in plain educated received pronunciation. Her voice is a low, flat, slightly heavy contralto. She speaks slowly with a mournful drag. She is practical and unresponsive.

  • Illustrated portrait of Mr. Hancock: about 55, wispy silver-white hair, thin and long over the ears, black cassock-style coat with a purple stock

    Mr. Hancock

    Male, about fifty-two years old, an Englishman living in a country village in 1928, a middle-class Church of England vicar. He speaks with a careful clerical received pronunciation. His voice is a thin, precise tenor. He speaks in a fussy, lecturing pace with earnest emphasis. He is earnest, ritualistic and anxiously broad-minded.

  • Illustrated portrait of Hardy: about 40, thinning auburn curls, combed flat, loud check jacket in blue-and-tan with a yellow tie

    Hardy

    Male, about thirty-four years old, an Englishman living in London in 1928, a middle-class newspaper journalist with a plump build. He speaks in a quick London Fleet Street accent full of slang. His voice is a warm, mid-high baritone. He speaks breezily and rapidly, always eager for a story. He is chatty, cheerful and persistent.

  • Illustrated portrait of Mrs. Ruyslaender: about 45, platinum-blond waved hair, peacock-blue evening gown with a fox fur stole

    Mrs. Ruyslaender

    Female, about forty-five years old, a wealthy woman living in a London hotel in 1928, an upper-middle-class traveller of Dutch descent. She speaks in soft, refined English with a faint continental softness. Her voice is a light, slightly tremulous mezzo. She speaks hesitantly, apologising often and laughing nervously. She is anxious and polite.

  • Illustrated portrait of Miss Twitterton: about 40, faded mousy curls pinned in a frizzy knot, lavender blouse with a lace collar

    Miss Twitterton

    Female, about forty years old, an Englishwoman living in a London art dealer's staff in 1928, a genteel lower-middle-class unmarried clerk. She speaks in a fluttering, refined suburban English accent. Her voice is a thin, high, breathy soprano that squeaks when excited. She speaks fast and breathlessly. She is excitable, gossipy and eager.

  • Illustrated portrait of Mrs. Frobisher-Pym: about 58, silver curls in a soft low knot, rose-pink cardigan with a pearl necklace

    Mrs. Frobisher-Pym

    Female, about fifty-seven years old, an Englishwoman living in a country village in 1928, an upper-middle-class magistrate's wife and hostess. She speaks in gentle county received pronunciation. Her voice is a soft, low-pitched mezzo. She speaks slowly and kindly. She is polite, proper and mildly critical.

  • Illustrated portrait of Martin: curly chestnut hair, black dinner-jacket with a scarlet cummerbund

    Martin

    Male, about thirty-one years old, an Englishman who lives abroad in 1928, a well-off middle-class film producer. He speaks in a lazy, slangy English accent with a transatlantic tinge. His voice is a relaxed, lower baritone. He speaks slowly, with a nonchalant drawl. He is breezy, defiant and cheerful.

  • Illustrated portrait of Comte de Rueil: about 65, sleek silver hair swept back, plum velvet smoking jacket

    Comte de Rueil

    Male, about sixty-five years old, a Frenchman living in a country house in France in 1928, a wealthy aristocratic count and eccentric host. He speaks English in a strong French accent with elaborate ornate phrasing. His voice is a dry, reedy tenor. He speaks slowly and ceremoniously. He is courteous, formal and eccentric.

  • Illustrated portrait of Duchess of Medway: about 75, white hair curled under a hat, black silk dress with a purple shawl

    Duchess of Medway

    Female, about seventy-six years old, an English aristocrat living in Park Lane, London in 1928, a wealthy upper-class dowager duchess. She speaks in old-fashioned, clipped upper-class received pronunciation. Her voice is a deep, gravelly, cracked contralto. She speaks bluntly and with commanding slowness. She is imperious, shrewd and amused.

  • Illustrated portrait of Melville: oily black hair in a rakish quiff, dinner jacket with a green silk waistcoat

    Melville

    Male, about thirty-two years old, an Englishman in a London club in 1928, an upper-middle-class army officer. He speaks in clipped, quick received pronunciation. His voice is a sharp, rough-edged tenor-baritone that tends to gruff. He speaks rapidly and defensively. He is hot-tempered and blustering.

  • Illustrated portrait of Plunkett: about 78, wispy yellowed-white hair straggling over the ears, patched brown smock with a red neckerchief

    Plunkett

    Male, about eighty years old, an Englishman living in a rural village in 1928, a poor working-class retired labourer. He speaks in a broad rustic West Country accent with old-fashioned grammar. His voice is a hoarse, quavering, cracked baritone from age. He speaks very slowly and solemnly. He is superstitious, stubborn and resigned.

  • Illustrated portrait of Mr. Abrahams: about 60, steel-grey curls ringing a bald dome, black frock coat with a wine-red cravat

    Mr. Abrahams

    Male, about fifty-eight years old, an Englishman living in London in 1928, a prosperous middle-class jeweller. He speaks in a warm, educated London accent with a gentle Jewish lilt. His voice is a rich, mellow baritone. He speaks genially and unhurriedly, ending phrases with a questioning lift. He is gracious and scrupulous.

  • Illustrated portrait of Robert Ferguson: about 50, thin grey-brown hair brushed flat over a pale scalp, rust-coloured dressing gown over a white shirt

    Robert Ferguson

    Male, about forty-two years old, a Scotsman living in Scotland in 1928, a middle-class invalid and legatee. He speaks with a thin Scottish accent. His voice is a weak, querulous, rasping baritone. He speaks slowly and suspiciously, with a gruff edge. He is resentful and defensive.

  • Illustrated portrait of Mr. Walters: about 30, cropped sandy-brown hair flattened by headgear, oilskin jacket in olive with an orange scarf

    Mr. Walters

    Male, about twenty-seven years old, an Englishman travelling the roads in 1928, a working-class motorcyclist from the north. He speaks in a Lancashire accent. His voice is a high, tight tenor that stammers when upset. He speaks fast and indignantly. He is accusing and hot-headed.

  • Illustrated portrait of Mr. Simpkins: about 33, greasy black hair, close-cropped, leather jacket with a blue polka-dot scarf

    Mr. Simpkins

    Male, about twenty-eight years old, an Englishman travelling on the Great North Road in 1928, a working-class motorcyclist. He speaks in a rough London accent. His voice is a low, gruff, growly baritone. He speaks in short, clipped bursts. He is angry and defensive.

  • Illustrated portrait of Brotherton: about 40, tousled dark-brown curls, rumpled, crumpled evening shirt with a loosened bow tie

    Brotherton

    Male, about forty-five years old, an Englishman living in London in 1928, a middle-class husband with a strained, passionate manner. He speaks in plain educated English with a cracking edge. His voice is a strong, tense baritone. He speaks in sharp, emotional bursts. He is anguished and intense.

  • Illustrated portrait of Major Lumsden: about 52, sandy-grey hair cropped short, russet tweed jacket with a regimental tie in blue and red

    Major Lumsden

    Male, about forty-six years old, an Englishman living in the English countryside in 1928, an upper-middle-class retired major. He speaks in a hearty, booming country received pronunciation. His voice is a big, deep baritone from a large frame. He speaks warmly and heartily. He is cheerful and hospitable.

  • Illustrated portrait of Dr. Conyers: about 78, sparse snow-white hair, bald on top, old olive-green overcoat with a black scarf

    Dr. Conyers

    Male, about seventy-eight years old, an Englishman living in the English countryside in 1928, an upper-middle-class retired doctor and library owner. He speaks in a mild, cultured received pronunciation. His voice is a frail, soft baritone. He speaks slowly and gently. He is courteous and determined.

  • Illustrated portrait of Crowder: about 35, long untidy black hair to the collar, paint-stained smock in ochre with a blue cravat

    Crowder

    Male, about thirty-eight years old, an Englishman living in London in 1928, a lower-middle-class working painter. He speaks in a flat, dry London accent. His voice is a dull, mid-range baritone. He speaks slowly and gloomily. He is reluctant and accommodating.

  • Illustrated portrait of Maggie: about 55, coarse iron-grey hair in a tight plait under a cap, tartan shawl in red and green over an apron

    Maggie

    Female, about fifty-two years old, a Scotswoman living in a Scottish fishing cottage in 1928, a working-class housekeeper and cook. She speaks in a broad Scots accent. Her voice is a warm, rounded, mid-range contralto. She speaks briskly and talkatively. She is hearty and cordial.

  • Illustrated portrait of Wilberforce Pope: about 38, wispy fair hair, bald on top, mid-brown suit with a salmon-pink tie

    Wilberforce Pope

    Male, about thirty-eight years old, an Englishman living in London in 1928, a plump, upper-middle-class gentleman with horn-rimmed spectacles. He speaks in a hearty, patronising received pronunciation. His voice is a fluty, light tenor. He speaks fast and jovially, with frequent laughs. He is engaging and hearty.

  • Illustrated portrait of Mrs. Burdock: about 65, grey hair in a tight roll, black mourning dress with a jet brooch and violet collar

    Mrs. Burdock

    Female, about fifty-eight years old, an Englishwoman living in a country house in 1928, a middle-class widow. She speaks in a firm, proper middle-class English accent. Her voice is a sharp, mid-high soprano. She speaks briskly and decisively. She is indignant and proper.

  • Illustrated portrait of Sir Impey Biggs: about 48, dark hair, silver at the sides, swept back, dinner jacket with a white waistcoat and a cobalt silk handkerchief

    Sir Impey Biggs

    Male, about forty-six years old, an Englishman in London in 1928, a wealthy upper-class barrister and knight. He speaks in smooth, polished received pronunciation. His voice is a resonant, rounded baritone. He speaks measuredly and persuasively. He is sensible and agreeable.

  • Illustrated portrait of Armstrong: about 33, bright carroty-red hair, crisply parted, tweed jacket in teal-green with a yellow bow tie

    Armstrong

    Male, about forty-one years old, an Englishman in a London club in 1928, a middle-class gentleman who dabbles in handiwork. He speaks in a relaxed, bantering educated English accent. His voice is a dry, medium-low baritone. He speaks at an easy, teasing pace. He is jovial.

  • Illustrated portrait of Freddy Arbuthnot: about 34, pale flaxen hair with a floppy forelock, evening dress with a lemon-yellow waistcoat

    Freddy Arbuthnot

    Male, about thirty-six years old, an English gentleman in a London club in 1928, a wealthy upper-class idler. He speaks in a drawling upper-class accent, dropping his g's. His voice is a light, nasal, slightly high tenor. He speaks slowly, vaguely and amiably. He is casual and good-natured.

Chapters

12 chapter markers; each link opens the video on YouTube at that point.

  1. The Abominable History of the Man with Copper Fingers
  2. The Entertaining Episode of the Article in Question
  3. The Fascinating Problem of Uncle Meleager's Will
  4. The Fantastic Horror of the Cat in the Bag
  5. The Unprincipled Affair of the Practical Joker
  6. The Undignified Melodrama of the Bone of Contention
  7. The Vindictive Story of the Footsteps That Ran
  8. The Bibulous Business of a Matter of Taste
  9. The Learned Adventure of the Dragon's Head
  10. The Piscatorial Farce of the Stolen Stomach
  11. The Unsolved Puzzle of the Man with No Face
  12. The Adventurous Exploit of the Cave of Ali Baba

Series

Part of Lord Peter Wimsey. 2 released so far.

About this recording

Narrator
Hugh Ellery, our house narrator voice
Runtime
9h 23m (complete and unabridged)
Voices
98
Channel
Full Cast Audiobooks on YouTube
Released
Updated
Author
Dorothy L. Sayers
First published
1928
Kind
collection
Source edition
Project Gutenberg eBook #73295
Public domain (US)
Lord Peter Views the Body by Dorothy L. Sayers is in the public domain in the United States; text from Project Gutenberg.