The Documents in the Case by Dorothy L. Sayers:

Allusions and British Interwar Audiences

Abstract

Dorothy L. Sayers and Robert Eustace’s Documents in the Case (1930), an epistolary novel
published during the Golden Age of British crime fiction (1920s–1930s), represents an
ambitious project that attempts not only to entertain readers with a murder story but also to
capture the contemporary sociocultural background of its publication. The novel is notable for
its frequent use of allusions to works that were published and staged in the 1920s, which makes
it an authentic portrayal of contemporary opinions on literature. A significant part of the
analysis is the consideration of best–selling novels that show the reading preferences of the
majority. The paper aims to explore the novel through the lens of intertextuality. A special focus
is given to the character of Margaret, who identifies with the bestsellers and shapes the reality
of her life according to these pieces of literature. As will be demonstrated in works such as If
Winter Comes and the Sacred Flame, the consumption of such pieces alters Margaret’s
worldview, perception of herself and her approach to morality, leading her to the wrong solution
to her marital problems. The use of literary allusions in the crime novel thus reflects the
audience’s attitudes towards the interwar period in Britain.