The Murder Room

Rating:
Summary: Murder Room
Review: P.D. James has written 17 books, and I've read all of them. Some of them were better than others, and the reviews have been mixed on Murder Room, her latest book. In my opinion, this is one of her best, particularly in terms of setting the scene and character development. One feels one knows the characters, especially Tally Clutton, a housekeeper who lives in a cottage on the grounds of the Dupayne Museum. The Dupayne is a small, family run, specialty museum in London whose fate hangs on all three trustees signing a new lease. This sets the stage for murder. The museum has a "Murder Room" featuring famous English murders of the 1920s and 30s, and it is where one of the murders takes place. James writes the classic British mystery, and she has an extraordinary command of the English language. This book is a must read for her fans.

Rating:
Summary: A Bit Disappointing
Review: James best books are psychological novels in a crime setting. In the very best of them, she combines clever plotting, a high level of writing and characterization, and sustained examination of a particular psychological theme. In none of these categories does James approach her best work. In most respects, this is a fairly standard mystery with above average writing. I suspect James was aiming at attacking a particular psychological theme, the idea of secret or hidden lives, but this aspect is not developed well. This would be a good effort for most mystery writers but not close to James best novels.

Rating:
Summary: Death by fire
Review: I neglected to add the following to my previous review. The author would have the reader believe that the murderer simply poured gasoline on the victim then disposed of the gasoline can, lit a match, all while the victim stayed still waiting his fate. Assuming a fire can be easily be started in this manner, would not the murderer also have been injured by the resulting fire since she was just a few feet away? Would not the victim at the very least moved or gotten out of the vehicle since he would not have died instantly?

I fould it hard to enjoy this book based on a false premise.

Rating:
Summary: Unbelievable
Review: There are just too many coincidences and unbelievable incidents that mar this book.

A bicyclist hit by a "large car driving fast towards her" is uninjured and fails to obtain information from the driver. Much later she goes to London for no mentioned reason and while there decides to go to the gallery in the House of Lords. She almost immediately recognizes the voice of the person speaking as the one who hit her.

I presume the editor caught this and other unbelieable incidents, but it would have perhaps been difficult to make changes (after all James is 85) and still make the publishing deadline. In fact I would go so far as to say there could not have been a book if incidents such as the above were eliminated.
This is probably James' last Dalgliesh book.

Rating:
Summary: NOBODY READS IT BETTER
Review: Popular British author P. D. James never seems to run out of plots, situations and surprises - lucky for us! London born Emmy Award-winning actor Charles Keating gives a bravura performance of her latest Adam Dalgliesh mystery.
Taking its title from one of the most popular galleries in the Dupayne Museum, "The Murder Room" proves to be one of the commanders most challenging cases as each step he takes in solving the mystery seems to distance him from the woman he loves.

The Dupayne, a small private family owned museum located by London's Hampstead Heath, is bound for trouble as one member of the family is intent upon selling it and others are not. It's rather an odd museum dedicated to England between the wars (1919 - 1939). The Murder Room is a gallery full of artifacts representing heinous crimes committed during that time period.

To sell or not to sell is not a mere family squabble,
it's bitter conflict made even more so when one of the family members is murdered. Almost before Dalgliesh and his cohorts can begin their investigation another dead body is discovered. To make matters even more surreal the killings bear a strong resemblance to slayings commemorated in the Murder Room.

Now, there are a host of possible suspects, including Museum staff, and a number of possible future victims. Dalgliesh must not only work with his usual intensity but he must work rapidly.

P. D. James weaves another spell for mystery aficionados.

- Gail Cooke

Rating:
Summary: Somebody Wants to Close the Murder Room
Review: The lease is due for The Dupayne museum and it may not be renewed. Then the burnt body of trustee Neville Dupayne (whose vote will close the museum) is discovered in a flaming car, a crime that resembles one committed by Alfred Arthur Rouse back in 1930 and commemorated in the museum's Murder Room, an exhibit dedicated to sensational murders. Two more murders follow, each resembling a famous case. Commander Adam Dalgliesh is asked to investigate.

The crime wouldn't normally be assigned to Dalgliesh and his Special Investigation Squad, but his bosses have their reasons for calling in the big guns. They say it's because someone at the museum has dealings with MI5. More murders occur, copy cats of crimes chronicled in the Murder Room. While trying to sort out all the suspects and their hidden stories, Dalgliesh patiently interviews people, sifts evidence, checks alibis and, of course, solves the case.

Nobody delves as deeply into a character as Ms. James and she's at her absolute level best here in this book that is full of twists, turns, red herrings and mystery. Well, maybe there were just one or two, too many red herrings for me, and maybe a hundred pages or so, was just a bit too long to keep me waiting for that murder. But still, as usual, from P.D. James, a very fine book.

Sophie Cacique Gaul

Rating:
Summary: Museum Murder at its best!
Review: Having listened to the unabridged version of this latest story by P.D. James this past week, I was thoroughly entertained by her artful character development of all the characters. The setting is a minor museum dedicated to a short but disturbing period of 20th century history. The victim, while not shown in a very sympathetic light, was struck down shortly after insisting the museum be closed. His siblings only half-heartedly try to help the investigation, while continuing to protect their own interests, the museum. All the characters have their flaws, even the Inspector and his assistants, as they would in real life and P.D. James conveys this as well as any author I have read. The attention to the little details make this story exceptional in relation to other current mysteries. The killer is well concealed until the end of the story. This is one of the best Dalgleish mysteries I have read and strongly recommend this book to P.D. James' fans.

Rating:
Summary: Brava to the living Dame of literary mystery
Review: Reading another P. D. James mystery is comforting. For, not only is there going to be a crime and its solution, there is going to be a fine set of characters with whom the reader can become acquainted, another extension of Dalgliesh and his staff of detectives, and another set of privileged people who give in to their basic instincts of greed.

The Dupayne museum and the siblings who own it are just one set of complicating characters. For not only do these three have their personal differences and hang-ups, the sets of people who surround and service them espouse equally human needs at various levels. Even the most menial worker, is fleshed out in a full character development.

The suspense is there, even beyond the classic red herring found, and there is a very human tying up of loose ends for the noble Dalgliesh.

I especially liked the stalwart character of Ms. Clutton, the museum's maid, the onsite resident who faces each horror with remarkable strength and dignity, not unlike that which I suppose P. D. James might herself possess. Very strong, very British, mature and able to see the joy in a simple routine existence.

One of the positive features of a P. D. James' book is her ability to integrate modern times into her work. These people are definitely a part of the real world of today's London, with its technological wizardry. But they also reflect the moral questions that currently infringe themselves upon modern life, whether they be subjects of child abuse, sexual licentiousness, poverty, parental discord, or dysfunction period, these folks represent the times of James' present world, not a simpler time of Agatha Christie.
Simply put, I do recommend this book. Just the skill of James' literary style is refreshing. Her expertise in using just the right word continues to glean my admiration. Well done! Well read!

Rating:
Summary: Good but not her best book.....
Review: I hate to give any book by P.D.James less than five stars, but as mysteries go THE MURDER ROOM is not one of her better books. She gets four stars from me because even on her worst days James is better than most of her fellow mystery writers.

James strength lies in her character development, and as ususal, in THE MURDER ROOM she has done a wonderful job of getting into the heads of the principle players and sharing their "secrets" with the reader. James also has a great talent for setting the stage and if you like being transported to England via armchair you should know that no one does it better--probably why the dramatized versions of her books are so well done.

However, plot development has never been James strong suit. She often has difficulty linking the murderer's personality with the motive to kill. Her characters seem like ordinary human beings, but sooner or later one of them does something horrendous which seems all out of character and "overkill" for someone who could probably figure out a better way to get on. Maybe that's the nature of murder--stupid.

However, for James, it's almost as though having created a fully rounded character she has difficulty connecting her creation with the act of committing murder. Sometimes she pulls it off, other times not. When she fails, the end is often frenetic and stretches the imagination beyond the breaking point.

I will always read James' tales because I appreciate her philosophical insights acquired over a long life lived in interesting times.

I bought the hardcover version of this book, but I am recommending to friends that they buy a used book (if they don't borrow mine), check the book out of the library, or wait for the soft cover. The price is too steep for the contents within.

Rating:
Summary: Mystery as Literature
Review: Each of the mysteries of P.D. James is actually literature and not for those who want a "quick read" or a lot of gunfire. This author is a master of the genre and uses it to explore the human condition. The characters are not simple cardboard cutouts who spout tough talk. These are well developed, thoughtful portraits that reflect humanity. From the beginning of the series to the present novel, it becomes clear why P.D. James is one of the most respected British authors. I have looked forward to and treasured each book and this is one of Ms. James' best. I envy those readers about to discover her.