Dorothy L. Sayers (1893-1957)

Death: 17th December 1957
Location: Cremated. Ashes interred beneath the tower of St. Anne's Church, London, England
Cause of Death: Heart Attack / Failure
Photo taken by: DeadGoodBooks
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English crime writer. Best known for her series of mystery novels and short stories featuring the English aristocrat and amateur sleuth, Lord Peter Wimsey.

She was born in Oxford and educated at Somerville College, Oxford, where she studied modern languages. She worked as a teacher and then as a copywriter at an advertising agency in London. Sayers began working on her first novel, Whose Body?, in 1920 and her creation, Lord Peter Wimsey, appeared in ten of her novels. 

In 1922 she became pregnant while unmarried and the baby was raised by Dorothy’s cousin. In 1924 Sayers married Oswald Fleming and they adopted the baby, John, but he never lived in the same house as them and Sayers never publicly acknowledged that he was her biological son. 

Sayers also worked as a translator, she considered her translation of Dante’s Divine Comedy to be her best work. 

Sayers was a warden at St. Anne’s church in Soho. Even though the church was bombed during the Second World War, leaving only the tower standing, Sayers wanted to be buried there. She was cremated at Golders Green Crematorium and her ashes are interred beneath the tower.