Rating: 
Summary: Cleverly plotted, rich and rewarding
Review: This was my first effort at a P.D. James novel and surely won't be my last. Each character is drawn in terrific detail that explains perfectly why they are who they are. More importantly, the detail explains why so many have a motive and opportunity for the murders. While reading the book I felt like I'd worked for years at the publishing house on the Thames which is at the center of the novel. James paints her settings in vivid detail that is never boring and adds so much to the story. She throws in just enough history of the Thames and explanation of the publishing industry to put real meat on this novel, and to draw the reader near the center of the mystery. Her resolution makes perfect sense, and leaves you wondering how you ever missed the clues that were placed so clearly before you. I noticed that a few reviewers seemed to feel that this was not James' best effort. I hope they're right, because I'll be reading a pile of P.D. James novels in the next few months.
Rating:
Summary: Another winning mystery and surprise solution for Dalgliesh!
Review: ~ - ~
P.D. James gets better and better! You do not have to be a Dalgliesh fan to read this book. Each of her mysteries stand alone as a complex study of the disasters that happen when the wrong mix of characters and motives come together.
In this story Superintendent Adam Dalgliesh, (who is also a poet, and lost his wife and baby son in a long ago tragedy), and his assistant Kate Miskin, investigate a murder at a publishing house on the brink of closing.
As always, James paints such well-described portraits of all the characters that make up the closed community around the murder. It is very easy to get swept away by this story. The characters are all so three-dimensional: each has motives for their different actions that are unique to them. As in all James, mysteries, we do get to see the action through the eyes of the other characters, not just the detectives. It's only in re-reading that you'll realize the view from the murderers eyes was carefully limited by the author, to keep us in suspense.
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The solution to the mystery was quite a surprise. (Being such a mystery fan, many books are now transparent) As always-, James has a clever, unexpected solution, and a dramatically satisfying ending.
If you've heard of P.D.James - this is a great mystery to jump into! James fans- Don't miss it!
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