“It's disquieting to reflect that one's dreams never symbolize one's real wishes, but always something Much Worse... If I really wanted to be passionately embraced by Peter, I should dream of dentists or gardening. I wonder what unspeakable depths of awfulness can only be expressed by the polite symbol of Peter's embraces?”

English crime novelist, playwright, translator and critic

Dorothy Leigh Sayers was an English crime novelist, playwright, translator and critic. She is best known for her Lord Peter Wimsey detective novels, which helped shape the golden age of British detective fiction. Beyond her mysteries, Sayers wrote plays, translated works, and produced criticism with a sharp, exacting style. Her writing moved across popular fiction and literary argument, and her reputation rests on both her storytelling and her clear, disciplined prose.