Best Dorothy L Sayers
Murder Must Advertise is a 1933 detective novel by Dorothy L. Sayers featuring the aristocratic investigator Lord Peter Wimsey. Wimsey enters a London advertising agency under an assumed identity after a copywriter dies in suspicious circumstances, then examines connections among office rivalries, d...
Why this score?
One of Sayers's most praised novels, admired for advertising-world satire, pace, and clever undercover detection.
Scoring methodology
Strong Poison is a 1930 detective novel by Dorothy L. Sayers featuring Lord Peter Wimsey and introducing mystery novelist Harriet Vane. Harriet is tried for poisoning her former lover with arsenic, but the jury cannot reach a verdict, giving Wimsey limited time to identify another explanation before...
Why this score?
Major Wimsey novel introducing Harriet Vane, strong courtroom tension and character stakes; one of Sayers's most admired.
Scoring methodology
Busman's Honeymoon is a 1937 detective novel by Dorothy L. Sayers and the final full-length novel centered on Lord Peter Wimsey. Newly married Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane travel to a country house purchased for their honeymoon, only to discover the former owner dead in its cellar. The book combine...
Why this score?
Beloved Wimsey finale blending marriage comedy and murder; acclaim strong, though mystery element is less dominant.
Scoring methodology
Have His Carcase is a 1932 detective novel by Dorothy L. Sayers featuring Lord Peter Wimsey and mystery writer Harriet Vane. While walking along the English coast, Harriet discovers the body of a man whose throat has been cut, but the tide complicates preservation of the physical evidence. Wimsey jo...
Why this score?
Well-regarded Wimsey-Vane mystery with strong detection and romance; sometimes criticized for length and cipher complexity.
Scoring methodology
Whose Body? is a 1923 detective novel by Dorothy L. Sayers and the first book to feature Lord Peter Wimsey, an aristocratic amateur investigator. Its mystery begins when an unidentified naked man wearing pince-nez is discovered in the bathtub of an architect, while a prominent financier has disappea...
Why this score?
Important Wimsey debut with wit and period charm; admired, though characterization and plotting mature later.
Scoring methodology
Unnatural Death is a 1927 detective novel by Dorothy L. Sayers featuring the aristocratic amateur investigator Lord Peter Wimsey. After hearing about an elderly woman's seemingly natural death shortly before she could change her will, Wimsey and Inspector Charles Parker investigate whether a murder...
Why this score?
Noted for unusual murder method and Miss Climpson; respected but sometimes faulted for pacing and dated elements.
Scoring methodology
Clouds of Witness is a 1926 detective novel by Dorothy L. Sayers and the second book featuring Lord Peter Wimsey. When Wimsey's brother, the Duke of Denver, is accused of murdering their sister's fiancé at the family's hunting lodge, Wimsey and Inspector Charles Parker investigate the household's co...
Why this score?
Enjoyable early Wimsey with aristocratic setting and energy; generally seen as less polished than Sayers's peak.
Scoring methodology
