Nine Tailors By DL Sayers

 Im re reading this book at the moment, and just wanted to mention it. Although a lot of the plot centres around bell ringing, in which I have no interest, the novel as a whole is very readable. 

It is set in the Fens, where Sayers grew up, in a small village, where the parson and squire are the leaders of the community.  Her parson, Rev Theodore Venables, is based on her own father, the Rev Henry Sayers.  Mr. Venables is a kind good, rather vague old chap who is devoted to his work and his people.  His wife is more practical but equally kindly.  

The Fenlands are wet, and drainage is a problem, with frequent floods and problems with building gates and sluices to hold the water back. 

Peter's car has a crash on New Years Eve, and he and Bunter seek a bed at the local inn.  Mr. Venables invites them to stay, because there is an outbreak of flu, and the local pubs are not taking in visitors. They are relieved to get a bed for the night but Peter finds that the vicar is an ardent bell ringer and that he and his group are planning to have a long session of bell ringing during the night. Peter has some experience of bell ringing and he offers to help out as some of the ringers are down with flu. He takes part in the long ringing session.. and next day he and Bunter learn the story of a local drama, 20 years earlier, just before World War One when the butler at the house of Sir Henry Thorpe stole a valuable necklace belonging to one of the guests at Henry's wedding.  However, the jewels were never found, and Geoffrey Deacon, the butler was sent to prison. He served a few years but then he escaped and was found dead.   Sir Henry paid the lady who owned the necklace its value, because she had not had it insured, and left himself very badly off. 

The story becomes very complicated with a body being found in the grave of Sir Henry's wife, who has recently died.  His face and hands have been mutilated so noone knows who he is, but Peter and the police wonder if the strange crime has any connection with the theft 20 years earlier. 
Deacon was married to Mary, the parlourmaid, and after his death she married a local farmer, Will Thoday. However they find that Deacon had not died. He escaped prison and killed a drunken soldier he met and stole his uniform. He ended up in France where he married a French girl bigamously, and lived quietly on a farm there for some years. But he decided to return to England to get hold of the emeralds and sell them. Peter solves the crime eventually. He finds the emeralds and finds out how Deacon finally died and ended up in Lady Thorpe's grave.. He is in the village a year later, when there is a massive flood, owing to the dam breaking and the water flooding the village.   Mr Venables gathers his parishioners into the church which is on high ground, and they stay there till the water recedes.  

Its not my favourite Wimsey novel because of the complex plot and the very involved details about bell ringing, but it is a warm picture of a rural community and Peter getting involved in it....