In this episode, Charis and Sharon talk about the real-life inspiration for Philip Boyes and what was happening in Sayers’ life around the time she wrote STRONG POISON. We also see more of Marjorie Phelps, learn about Harriet’s circle of friends, and reflect on Peter’s gender performance and privilege in a world of double standards.
This is the second of our episodes on the first half of STRONG POISON. We talk about events up through chapter 11 and do not give away the whodunnit. Here’s our previous episode with part one of our discussion.
*Audio note: There is a slight high-pitched buzz in the background of this episode on Charis’ side of the audio that we could not quite edit out and do apologize for!
*Content note: We bring up the topic of narcissists and abusive relationships at two points in this episode. While we do not go into detail, if this is a topic you would rather not hear about, those discussions take place between minutes 23:40 and 25:04, and again between minutes 47:48 and 50:00.
Download the transcript for episode 11!
Shownotes:
- The letters Sayers wrote to John Cournos about their relationship and to Victor Gollancz about writing FIVE RED HERRINGS can be found in THE LETTERS OF DOROTHY L. SAYERS, Vol 1: 1899-1936 (edited by Barbara Reynolds).
- Sayers also published THE DOCUMENTS IN THE CASE, a mystery separate from the Lord Peter series, in 1930.
- We refer to “the marriage bar” in our discussion of The Cattery. For more about this practice of not employing married women and how it was implemented in the United Kingdom, see this article from the British Library.
- More information about the Stephen King Lord Peter fanfiction that horrified us both!
