A Sorrowful Sanctuary - (Lane Winslow Mystery) by Iona Whishaw (Paperback)

About the Book

In the fifth book of the series that the Globe and Mail calls "terrific," Lane Winslow investigates the murder of an unidentified man she found adrift in a boat near King's Cove.

Book Synopsis

In the fifth book of this post-war mystery series that Kirkus Reviews calls "riveting," Lane Winslow investigates the murder of an unidentified man she found adrift in a boat near King's Cove.

Lane Winslow is enjoying a perfect, sunny day at the lake when she spots a gravely injured young man drifting in a sinking rowboat. Hypothermic, bleeding, and soaked in icy, bloody water, he is unable to speak, leaving Lane at a loss. What series of events brought him to this grisly fate?

Darling and Ames are quick to pick up the case, but leads are few until Angela's young son finds an unsettling clue on the beach--a bright red swastika lapel pin--that points to the National Unity Party of Canada. When the anonymous man succumbs to his injuries, Darling and Lane are thrown headlong into a murder investigation with ties to the old country.

Fans of Maisie Dobbs, Bess Crawford, and the ever-popular Kopp Sisters will be enchanted by Lane Winslow, a clever, no-nonsense sleuth based on the author's own mother, who was a wartime spy.

Review Quotes

Praise for A Sorrowful Sanctuary (#5)

"There's no question you should read it--it's excellent." --Toronto Star

"An excellent mystery complemented by an appealingly down-to-earth look at life in postwar Western Canada." --Kirkus Reviews

"The setting is fresh and the cast endearing, and Lane's spy skills turn out to be quite handy in solving murders. The author based Lane on her mother, who was a real spy during the Second World War, and her devotion to the facts show." --CrimeReads

"If you've yet to meet Lane Winslow, erstwhile spy and reluctant detective, you're in for a treat. . . Complex, suspenseful, and deeply felt, this is a smart series for the ages." --Francine Mathews, author of the Nantucket Mysteries

"Engrossing and deftly plotted, the latest Lane Winslow Mystery is sure to enthrall readers. Filled with rich history, clever intrigue, and subtle romance, this series is perfect for fans of Jacqueline Winspear and Susan Elia MacNeal." --Anna Lee Huber, bestselling author of the Lady Darby and Verity Kent Mysteries

"Whishaw's intricately plotted fifth Lane Winslow mystery opens with a bang. . . Whishaw brings all the narrative threads together for a satisfying finale." --Publishers Weekly

"I love this series." --CBC Ontario morning

"Each book in the series is an impressive combination of mystery, history, and a little bit of romance. Readers are sure to fall in love with Lane, Inspector Darling, and Constable Ames as well as the scenic community of King's Cove." --Lethbridge Herald

"Full of history, mystery, and a glorious BC setting . . . a wonderful series." --Sleuth of Baker Street

Praise for the Lane Winslow Mysteries

Winner of the 2021 Bony Blithe Light Mystery Award for A Match Made for Murder (#7)

Finalist for the Left Coast Crime "Lefty" Awards (2019, 2024)

Finalist for the Canadian Crime Writers of Canada Awards (2023, 2024)

Finalist for the Bill Duthie Booksellers' Choice Award (2022)

Loan Stars Top 10 Pick (2017, 2020, 2022)

"Iona Whishaw's Lane Winslow series is a real treat. With a quaint cast of characters and the feel of Louise Penny's Three Pines, the independence and quick wit of Kerry Greenwood's Phryne Fisher and the intelligence of Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs, this mystery series has it all!" --Murder by the Book, Texas

"Highly entertaining . . . fans and newcomers alike will find lots to love." --Publishers Weekly, STARRED review

"Relentlessly exciting from start to finish." --Kirkus Reviews

"Well plotted and laced with dry wit, Lane's adventures are entirely satisfying summer reading." --Shelf Awareness

"Whishaw goes all out on the historical bits and it's all great fun." --Globe and Mail

"The setting is fresh and the cast endearing." --CrimeReads

"Brave, bold and brilliant, Lane Winslow is a force to be reckoned with." --Toronto Star

"As always, Whishaw's characters are the heart of the whodunit--we adored spending time with Lane and her entourage, from the wisecracking Inspector Darling to his quirky but highly skilled crew of constables." --Apple Books

"Reliable bestsellers." --Quill & Quire

"It's the perfect series for fans of Miss Fisher and Maisie Dobbs." --Zoomer Magazine

"Very charming and delightful. If you like Louise Penny's novels, this is right up your street." --CBC Ontario Morning

"It Begins in Betrayal has a wonderfully complex plot with threads that eventually resolve most satisfactorily." --Maureen Jennings, author of the Murdoch Mysteries series

"Iona Whishaw's writing is worthy of taking its place alongside the works of Agatha Christie and Dorothy L Sayers. . . deftly crafted and briskly paced." --Fiona Valpy, author of The Dressmaker's Gift

"Another fantastic entry in the unique and compelling Lane Winslow series!" --Anna Lee Huber, author of the Lady Darby Mysteries

"An engaging, superbly crafted page turner of a mystery." --Alan Hlad, international and USA Today bestselling author of The Long Flight Home

"I absolutely love the modern sensibility of these novels, of their feminism, sense of justice, their anti-racism, their progressiveness, which somehow never seems out of place in a tiny BC hamlet in 1948." --Kerry Clare, author of Mitzi Bytes, Waiting for a Star to Fall, and Asking for a Friend

"What a delight! . . . crafted with such charming finesse that readers will fall in love as I did." --Genevieve Graham, #1 USA Today bestselling author of Bluebird

"Stellar . . . " --Eliza Knight, USA Today bestselling author of Starring Adele Astaire

"Whishaw is a master of the historical mystery." --Sam Wiebe, award-winning author of Sunset and Jericho and Hell and Gone

"Richly conjured and Whishaw's trademark examination of the mores of the day add depth and enjoyment to another deftly plotted puzzler . . . this series just keeps getting better!" --Catriona McPherson, award-winning author of the Dandy Gilver series

"An intriguing mix of character, plot, time, and place. Highly recommended." --Ian Hamilton, author of the bestselling Ava Lee novels

"Iona Whishaw has again raised the bar . . . This is seriously good storytelling." --Don Graves, Canadian Mystery Reviews

"A compelling series that combines a cozy setting, spy intrigue storylines, and police procedural elements--not an easy task, but one that Whishaw pulls off." --Reviewing the Evidence

"An enthralling mystery." --Historical Novel Society

"A simply riveting read by a master of the genre." --Wisconsin Bookwatch

"A series that's guaranteed to please." --Mercer Island Books, Washington

"Full of history, mystery, and a glorious BC setting . . . a wonderful series." --Sleuth of Baker Street, Ontario

"Each book in the series is an impressive combination of mystery, history, and a little bit of romance." --Lethbridge Herald