Note: The drawing above of Lord Peter Wimsey is by John Campbell as it appeared in 1926 in "Pearson's Magazine"

The novelist Dorothy L. Sayers (1893-1957) wrote 11 novels and 21 short stories featuring her aristocratic amateur sleuth, Lord Peter Wimsey. In addition, her incomplete novel, "Thrones, Dominations" was completed by Jill Paton Walsh in 1998. Also, Jill Paton Walsh published "A Presumption of Death" in 2002 which was loosely based on the "Wimsey Papers" written by Dorothy L. Sayers.

From 1973-1983 ten of the novels were dramatised for radio with Ian Carmichael in the title role. "Gaudy Night" was never made into a radio serial. However, in 2005 a version was specially recorded for the BBC Radio Collection starring Ian Carmichael and with Joanna David as Harriet Vane.

Also, eight novels have been the subject of television dramas. Between 1972-1975 five of the novels were dramatised for television, again starring Ian Carmichael but "Whose Body?" and "Unnatural Death" were never made into television serials. Then, in 1987, three further television dramatisations were made with Edward Petherbridge in the title role but the BBC were unable to secure the rights to turn "Busman's Honeymoon" into the fourth part of this series. However, in 1988 Edward Petherbridge played Wimsey in the UK production of the "Busman's Honeymoon" play staged at the Lyric Hammersmith (it also toured in the North of England), with the role of Harriet being taken by his real life wife, Emily Richard. Click to see theatre programme.

Below is the complete listing (by publication date) of all the Lord Peter Wimsey novels and short story collections. The active links will take you to pages detailing the items that I have in my collection.

1923 "Whose Body?" (novel)

1926 "Clouds of Witness" (novel)

1927 "Unnatural Death" (novel)

1928 "The Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club" (novel)

1928 "Lord Peter Views the Body" (12 short stories)

1930 "Strong Poison" (novel)

1931 "Five Red Herrings" (novel)

1932 "Have His Carcase" (novel)

1933 "Hangman's Holiday" (4 short stories)

1933 "Murder Must Advertise" (novel)

1934 "The Nine Tailors" (novel)

1935 "Gaudy Night" (novel)

1937 "Busman's Honeymoon" (novel)

1939 "In the Teeth of the Evidence" (2 short stories)

1972 "Striding Folly" (3 short stories)

1998 "Thrones, Dominations" (novel completed by Jill Paton Walsh)

2002 "A Presumption of Death" (novel by Jill Paton Walsh loosely based on the "Wimsey Papers" written by Dorothy L. Sayers)