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Summary: One of the greatest mystery/human insight novels ever.
Review: P.D. James' writing takes you so far into the mind of her characters, their fears, motivations, and secrets it's startling. She makes you look deeper and closer at the people around you, and into yourself, as you walk through her writing. Her details shake you and jump out at you like rays of laser light. She walks you down a street and you can feel the wind against your skin. Great.
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Summary: James's best-written work
Review: As with "Devices and Desires," a sociopath plays an important role in "A Certain Justice." This time around, however, P. D. James offers even more insight into the life events that have shaped the sociopath--in this case, one Garry Ashe, who at the opening of the novel is being defended on murder charges by a brilliant lawyer, Venetia Aldridge, who, in many ways, is as unsavory a character as Ashe.The way in which people are shaped by their pasts has become an increasingly important concern in James's works. In her previous work, "Original Sin," the characters' pasts were integral to the plot, yet it could be argued that they were expounded on at too great a length. In contrast, "A Certain Justice" is absolutely seamless in taking us between past and present, especially in the details of Venetia Aldridge's troubled life. For this reason, "A Certain Justice" supplants "A Taste for Death" as the best written of P. D. James's works. The mystery itself is as intricate as ever, and only after the last chapter do we fully understand the significance of the book's title and realize the message that James has imparted on us.
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Summary: Outstanding British mystery.
Review: IMHO P. D. James is the best living Mystery writer and her Adam Dalgliesh is the most well developed character in the modern novel. I wish Dalgliesh had a larger role in this particular book. "A Certain Justice" delivers a wide array of interesting personalities involved in a complex and unpredictable mystery. Lots of fascinating details about the English system of Law.
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Summary: Insight into the human heart and soul of each character
Review: James has insight into the heart of darkness of each character she writes about. James goes beyond the surface nicities of life to the inner mind and thoughts of the characters. Each one operates in its own world, and these worlds collide with others, etc. until they clash. James is able to in this particular book show how the past intrudes on the future, so that the past sufferings of the characters motivate their future actions, thoughts and feelings. She is also very honest about how petty, spitful and malicious even the most educated and articulate people can be, as people use words instead of daggers to hurt their victims. She also shows what an "eye for an eye" truly means to someone, and how rage can undermine and control even the most ordinary of human lifes. James knows her people are real people, they are complex and do things for the most basic reasons, love, hate, rage, pain, jealousy, greed, etc.,and the person you least suspect is as capable as the person you most suspect of the most terrible revenge, if pushed to far. She is the most fascinating writer.
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Summary: Many layered character study ala P.D. James
Review: As are all of P.D. James novels, this is very involved with character development. I felt that the effect s of obsession was the main theme of the novel. Kate's character is further explored. Ms James also delves into the divergent paths taken by Kate and Ash who are born into the same appalling circumstances...Kate becoming a police officer, Ash, a sociopath. The effects of love of all kinds... or the lack of it... is also explored. Dagliesh in this novel does not do much except glue the pieces together. All in all a most fascinating book which is more than an ordinary mystery and happily filled the hours driving a 1500 mile trip.
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Summary: Complex, high-quality murder mystery.
Review: Anyone who enjoys a murder mystery with a complex plot will be delighted with "A Certain Justice." As other reviewers have pointed out, however, the case is solved by patience and industry rather than by any flash of genius. The plot is tangled and intricate, but logical. I advise you to make a list of the dramatis personae and their relationships as you go along, just as if you were reading a long Russian novel. Dickensian coincidences abound; the niece, former mentor, or cleaning lady of a character will turn up in some other connection. Middlebrow "fine writing" in the characters' meditations will make you think the book is somehow good for you. The author gleefully recounts how the first victim, Venetia, verbally zaps her male colleagues--she needs plenty of enemies for the sake of the plot. The characters and locales are interesting enough. If you like this book, I suggest you read something by Iris Murdoch, such as "The Book and the Brothe! rhood." Her novels are not murder mysteries, but her characters are even better, and you can NOT predict what is coming next.
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Summary: Excellent murder mystery, character development, style.
Review: This is the first P.D. James novel I have read. I will read others based upon my experience with "A Certain Justice". The entire plot was well thought out and her (James) characters came to life. I enjoyed the book from the first paragraph to the ending. I would very much recommend this intriguing mystery.
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Summary: Edge of you seat thriller from P.D. James
Review: I am a big P.D. James fan and eagerly await every Dalgliesh mystery that she writes. Although A Certain Justice was not her best Dalgliesh novel (Devices and Desires is her best), I really enjoyed it and could not put it down. Thematically this novel is about what happens to people who are deprived love, and it is interesting to discover how this situation affects the several of the main characters. Also the way she began the novel, which was from the victims point of view before she was murdered, was very interesting. What I didn't like was that we did not get to spend enough time inside Adam Dalgliesh's head, which is usually a very interesting place. I recommed this novel to any fans of mystery and any P.D. James fans.
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Summary: Worth dredging through the first 40 pages!
Review: I had a very tough time getting "into" this book. However, once I made my mind up to get through it, I was pleasantly surprised. It was my first PD James book and I recommend it for those with a little patience.
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Summary: Loved this book!
Review: Maybe because I'm not a diehard Dalgliesh fan (I love the tv series), I enjoyed this book because of the insight into the Old Bailey and the world of solicitors and heads of chambers. It added to my knowledge gleaned from Rumpole. And Ms James's descriptions put me there. Also, since the other books seem a little complicated and I get lost, this one was more readable. If I were a Dalgliesh fan, for instance if it been Dexter writing about my hero Morse, I would have been really disappointed since there was little of AD in this one. But I enjoyed getting to know Kate better. I plan on rereading the earlier books in order so I can become better acquainted with them both. But I could hardly put it down and enjoyed it.
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