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A review by jeanm333
Innocent Blood by P.D. James
5.0
Extraordinary book. It's why I wish everyone wouldn't give every book they read 5 stars, because then there's no room for the truly excellent 5-star books. I found this book in a little Free Library, which adds to the fun of finding it.
P.D. James writes mysteries with a wonderful detective called Adam Dalgleish. But Innocent Blood isn't a typical mystery; it's more of a suspense thriller and a psychological study of several people whose lives intersect in Philippa Palfrey.
Philippa has been adopted by Maurice and Hilda Palfrey, but she wants to find out who her real parents are, so she applies to find out after her 18th birthday. Turns out her parents aren't at all who she imagined them to be. And neither are her adoptive parents.
James writes with understated prose, leaking out the secrets one at a time over the course of the book, until the climax. The denouement, when it came, was a shocker, but like in all great novels, it was perfectly in keeping with what is known of the characters.
James also does a wonderful job of describing places, especially London. I felt as if I were back in the late 1970s with Philippa as she wandered around the city. The sights, sounds, smells of a great city are part of the charm of this novel.
I have read all of P.D.James, so I must have read Innocent Blood at one time, but I'm glad I was able to read it again. I would encourage you to read P.D. James, particularly Children of Men, another non-mystery but another 5 star book.
P.D. James writes mysteries with a wonderful detective called Adam Dalgleish. But Innocent Blood isn't a typical mystery; it's more of a suspense thriller and a psychological study of several people whose lives intersect in Philippa Palfrey.
Philippa has been adopted by Maurice and Hilda Palfrey, but she wants to find out who her real parents are, so she applies to find out after her 18th birthday. Turns out her parents aren't at all who she imagined them to be. And neither are her adoptive parents.
James writes with understated prose, leaking out the secrets one at a time over the course of the book, until the climax. The denouement, when it came, was a shocker, but like in all great novels, it was perfectly in keeping with what is known of the characters.
James also does a wonderful job of describing places, especially London. I felt as if I were back in the late 1970s with Philippa as she wandered around the city. The sights, sounds, smells of a great city are part of the charm of this novel.
I have read all of P.D.James, so I must have read Innocent Blood at one time, but I'm glad I was able to read it again. I would encourage you to read P.D. James, particularly Children of Men, another non-mystery but another 5 star book.