Books: Bloodless Murder

GAUDY NIGHT—Dorothy L. Sayers— Harcourt, Brace ($2.50). Though murder stories form the chief mental diet of many a respectable citizen, even the most avid consumers are apt to be apologetic or defiant about their appetite. But they would not admit that detectification is the lowest form of writing. They would point out that the ability to concoct a specious and readable thriller demands more ingenuity and special training than many a novelist can command. And they would further contend that the best murder stories can compete with novels on their own ground. Partisans...

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