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nichola's review against another edition
4.0
So I am developing a sneaking suspicion that P. D. James might be sneakily becoming one of my favourite authors between her and Christie. Apparently I like ladies with serious detectives.
The best part of this is that HE GETS IT WRONG! It's quite brilliant and human and makes this so much more relatable.
The best part of this is that HE GETS IT WRONG! It's quite brilliant and human and makes this so much more relatable.
janani134's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
acornish1's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
mariamchld's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
angrygreycatreads's review against another edition
3.0
My first P.D. James read. I don't know if it is indicative of all the others. I like the sleuth Dalgliesh, interesting and logical character. I really don't know how I feel about the mystery. It seems like the misdirection (red herring plot) worked better than the actual resolution and the killer seemed rather obvious in any case. Interesting aspect was the accepted use of LSD in psychiatric care. The sleuth and his actual investigation was well written, but the secondary characters seemed flat to me. I don't know if I will read more, but since PD James is such an iconic mystery writer I feel that I should read a couple more before I make a decision to give up on this series.
psalmcat's review against another edition
4.0
This is one of James' early books and there are a couple of points at which the story is mildly dated, but the story holds up pretty well.
We find Inspector Dalgliesh at a publicity event for his recent publication of poems. He is called across the square in the midst of it: a psychiatric clinic has just been found to have a dead body in it. The main office assistant has been whacked on the head and then stabbed.
There are plenty of reasons for her to be killed: she wasn't very friendly, she played favorites among the doctors, she passed gossip. And when you work with mental patients and their staff, there are plenty of less rational reasons for mayhem. James concocts loads of red herrings as well as several really shady people that the reader would like to be murderers. Unfortunately, only one of them really is.
Good story, very Agatha-ey and locked-room-ish.
We find Inspector Dalgliesh at a publicity event for his recent publication of poems. He is called across the square in the midst of it: a psychiatric clinic has just been found to have a dead body in it. The main office assistant has been whacked on the head and then stabbed.
There are plenty of reasons for her to be killed: she wasn't very friendly, she played favorites among the doctors, she passed gossip. And when you work with mental patients and their staff, there are plenty of less rational reasons for mayhem. James concocts loads of red herrings as well as several really shady people that the reader would like to be murderers. Unfortunately, only one of them really is.
Good story, very Agatha-ey and locked-room-ish.
leahr711's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
siguirimama's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
audreyf's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5