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.
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.
Reviews
“An excellent mystery complemented by an appealingly down-to-earth look at life in postwar Western Canada.” —Kirkus Reviews
“Whishaw’s intricately plotted fifth Lane Winslow mystery opens with a bang. . . Whishaw brings all the narrative threads together for a satisfying finale. Progress in the often fraught personal relationship between Lane and Darling will please series fans.” –Publishers Weekly
“Whishaw’s series follows ex-intelligence officer Lane Winslow as she searches for a new start in British Columbia, Canada in 1946, but the war and its repercussions are never far from the characters’ minds. 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. Iona Whishaw writes with an eye for the telling detail; she conjures a vanished British Columbia out of thin air. 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
“Captures the tone and depth of a mystery entwined in a story about people taking painful steps forward with post WWII life. Vivid plotting, inventive dialogue in a setting that puts you right in the action. This is one of the best series currently in print.” —Don Graves, Canadian Mystery Reviews
“While there’s no question you should read it — it’s excellent — a dilemma remains: Should you read it now, or wait until you’ve read the previous titles in the series first? . . . While you could wait forever to read the series from the start (many books, little time, etc.), the taste offered by A Sorrowful Sanctuary of Lane Winslow and her companions pretty much guarantees you won’t be waiting much longer to go back to the beginning and read everything about them.” —Toronto Star
“A thought-provoking series [set] apart from many cozies.” —Lourdes Venard, ReviewingtheEvidence.com
“Whishaw’s writing is excellent. The plots are complex and the characters show great emotional depth. The stories also prove to be great history lessons too – I definitely don’t know enough about the late ’40’s in Canada. It’s fascinating stuff.” —The Bookish Life blog