Whose Body? by Dorothy L. Sayers was first published in 1923. It begins with Lord Peter Wimsey getting a phone call from his mother. She tells him that Mr Thipps the architect who is working on her local church’s roof, has discovered the body of a man in his bath. The body is naked apart from wearing a pair of pince nez.  When Peter goes to investigate he realises that the corpse is supposed to be the wealthy businessman Sir Reuben Levy who has gone missing. It bears a resemblance to Sir Reuben, but Peter isn’t fooled.

Inspector Sugg jumps to conclusions and thinks he has solved the case, of course he is completely wrong, and Lord Peter is going to enjoy proving him to be wrong.

This was a good mystery which kept me guessing. There is some slight discomfort in that Sir Reuben’s Jewish background is mentioned a few times, but nothing really disparaging, considering the times in which the book was written.  He’s portrayed as being a kind and generous husband and Lord Peter is an admirer, despite his father having disliked self-made men like Sir Reuben. Sheer snobbery.