A Sanctuary for Sinners

- Gladys Mitchell's St. Peter's Finger (1938)









Definitely recommended to both fans and newcomers!  


  1. This review certainly should get people to want to read this book. I think it's possibly the best Mitchell starter, because it's one of her most sober efforts and you can actually follow the plot clearly! It's also probably the closest thing she wrote to a P. D. James (now I've killed it for Patrick! ;) ).

  2. Nck Fuller is a fan of this one. I've known it to be one of the more serious books in her immense output and have avoided it. It's also, I believe, the longest of all of her books. I have yet to be won over by Mitchell. She's so hit and miss with me. Mostly miss, I sorry to say. Though I will say this review has made it just that more enticing. Even though I was thinking HERE COMES A CHOPPER is more to my lurid, outrageous tastes and would be the mext one I would sample. :^)

  3. @Curt (TPT)

    The story's kinship to P.D. James makes it surprising that, during this ongoing renaissance of her work, this particular book hasn't been brought back into print. It's not only an excellent starting point, but should also appeal to both classically and more modern orientated crime-fiction fans.


    Well, Gladys Mitchell is not a writer everyone can warm up to, I'm afraid, but you should definitely give her another shot before giving up on her.

    My personal favorite is Come, Away Death, which perfectly combines an exotic backdrop, populated with memorable characters, and one of her most original and imaginative plots (a pseudo-scientist tries to summon the gods of ancient Greece). But it's another one of those books you either admire or hate from start to finish.

    I'm an unabashed admirer of "The Great Gladys."

  4. This has got to be one of your best reviews. An excellent job, TomCat-- most intriguing and you've made me start to eagerly anticipate getting around to it!

  5. Thanks, I'm also quite pleased at how the review turned out.