Rating: 
Summary: P.D.James fans- 6 Stars! Kate Miskin up close enhances plot
Review: -6 Stars! Superb, intricately plotted and riveting story....If you havent read P.D. James....it might be better to start with "Death of an Expert Witness". However, for a taste of P.D. James- this is an excellent choice!
Newcomers would still enjoy it, but may miss a little of the depth of character of the key players: Adam Dagliesh, a Scotland yard Detective with his own tragic past, who is also a published poet; and Sgt Kate Miskin, newly assigned to replace Dalgliesh's previous longtime assistant, wanting to make an impression, but plagued with problems in her personal life. As a dedicated P.D. James fan, I would say this is even a step above her usual fascinating, exquisitely crafted stories!
Beautifully written and carefully plotted as usual.
This book is notable for the wonderful glimpses into the life of Dalgliesh's Sgt.: Kate Miskin. These personal moments dont distract, but further the story, and converge with the mystery plot to create a moving and exciting climax. James always creates characters who are complex and beautifully described, but in this book she outdoes herself. She has created a rainbow of personalities ranging from the most endearing to the most odious characters.
In brief, a well-crafted, imaginative, wonderfully absorbing mystery. Only caveat would be a fairly bloody crime scene encountered by the detectives. Hopefully this wont put you off, as James never throws in gratuitous gore or violence. This was my absolute favorite P.D. James novel. If youve heard the authors name, and want to see if you like her without starting "at the beginning": This is a great choice.
In short: If you love mysteries, and dont own this book- RUN, dont walk to the "add to shopping cart" link! 3/5/02 edited 3/19/02
Rating:
Summary: Don't Pinch Your Grandmother
Review: Among the masters of crime writing stands P.D. James, 80 years old, read by millions, and still selling (better than ever). She got her peerage in 1991 and sits in the House of Lords as the Baroness of Holland Park, on the Tory side opposite her rival Ruth Rendell, who is, incidentally, probably the better writer. Proclaimed as the Queen of mystery, P.D. was constrained by straightened circumstances to enter the British civil service. There she worked her way up eventually ending in the Police and Criminal Law Departments of the Home Office. Along the way she has also served as a Magistrate and as a governor of the BBC. All of which experiences she brings to bear on her wonderful, entertaining, and innovative fiction. Need I remind anyone that Baroness Holland Park in 1971 invented Cordelia Gray, the world's first female private eye and showed that women can have the same intelligence, powers of observation, and deductive sense as men? A Taste for Death, her best book, takes us into the world and minds of all characters, expresses their complex beliefs, psychological attitudes, and interesting thoroughly British behaviors so that we understand why these people are taking every fatal step. Some have found PD's writing slightly flat and wordy and have thought that this book, which runs 211,000 words, could have benefited from the kindly ministrations of a good editor. But who would dare edit her? It would be like pinching one's grandmother. Personally, I like reading how London homes look on the inside and I enjoy all those hallmark details of tea preparation and descriptions of elegant and not so elegant gardens. It's like reading Barbara Pym with the additional benefit of a horrible set of murders thrown in. Yes, friends, this is crime fiction at its very best. It goes beyond that fine achievement into another realm, the redemptive realm of art.
Rating:
Summary: Another great book
Review: I am amused at reviewers who say that P. D. James writes too much detail. As it any other book, if there is too much detail to suit me, I just skim over it. No one says you have to read every word! This book is another example of the mystery books that the English seem to write so well. What is it about them that make their mysteries so interesting? Is it that they seem more civilized? This book was interesting because of the way she wrote about class distinction and reserve. I have recently discovered this author and am thoroughly enjoying her writing. Wanted to read her books in the order they were were written, but check out what library has. She doesn't disappoint.
Rating:
Summary: Another great book
Review: I am amused at reviewers who say that P. D. James writes too much detail. As it any other book, if there is too much detail to suit me, I just skim over it. No one says you have to read every word! This book is another example of the mystery books that the English seem to write so well. What is it about them that make their mysteries so interesting? Is it that they seem more civilized? This book was interesting because of the way she wrote about class distinction and reserve. I have recently discovered this author and am thoroughly enjoying her writing. Wanted to read her books in the order they were were written, but check out what library has. She doesn't disappoint.
Rating:
Summary: For P.D. James fans- this one gets 6 stars!
Review: If you havent read P.D. James....it might be better to start with "Death of an Expert Witness". However, as a P.D. James fan, I give it ***6 stars***! Beautifully written and carefully plotted as usual. This book is notable for the wonderful glimpses into the life of Dalgliesh's Sgt, Kate Miskin. These personal moments don't distract the reader, but add to and advance the story's plot. James always creates characters who are complex and beautifully described, but in this book she outdoes herself. We encounter the full range of personalities from the most endearing to the most odious characters she has ever created. This was (nearly) my absolute favorite P.D. James novel. If you love mysteries, and dont own this book.. *Run, Don't walk: to the "add to shopping cart" link!
Rating:
Summary: A Taste for P.D. James
Review: In this Adam Dalgliesh mystery, a homeless man and a Baronet are found slain in the vestry of St. Matthew's Church. With this as the beginning of the novel, one can only imagine how quickly the rest of the book unravels. This is one of P.D.'s greatest novels to date. The reader wants to know what brought these unlikely companions in death together, and why did they die so tragically? As the plot thickens, we are introduced to the Baronet's family- an elite group of Londoners who all seem ruthless enough to have committed the crime, and before the end of the story, the reader has questioned him or herself about each character, wondering if they could have "done it". This cast includes his elderly mother and his society wife, and her galavanting brother. As the novel progresses the Baronet Paul Berowne's life is opened up. His not so clean past seems to make him the obvious target for a murderer--rumors of getting hired help pregnant, stories of his behavior leading to the suicide of yet another household staff member-and a startling article in a scandal type tabloid that points a finger at him for each of these crimes. We are also quick to find out that his extra marital relationship may play a part in his untimely demise. P.D. James leaves each of these avenues open for exploration. In addition to the crime at hand, A.D.'s assistant Kate Miskin is having problems of her own. The subplot in the novel is tied very neatly to the plot at hand near the end of the novel, in a shocking and page turning culmination. This is not a novel to be missed.
Rating:
Summary: A Taste for P.D. James
Review: In this Adam Dalgliesh mystery, a homeless man and a Baronet are found slain in the vestry of St. Matthew's Church. With this as the beginning of the novel, one can only imagine how quickly the rest of the book unravels. This is one of P.D.'s greatest novels to date. The reader wants to know what brought these unlikely companions in death together, and why did they die so tragically? As the plot thickens, we are introduced to the Baronet's family- an elite group of Londoners who all seem ruthless enough to have committed the crime, and before the end of the story, the reader has questioned him or herself about each character, wondering if they could have "done it". This cast includes his elderly mother and his society wife, and her galavanting brother. As the novel progresses the Baronet Paul Berowne's life is opened up. His not so clean past seems to make him the obvious target for a murderer--rumors of getting hired help pregnant, stories of his behavior leading to the suicide of yet another household staff member-and a startling article in a scandal type tabloid that points a finger at him for each of these crimes. We are also quick to find out that his extra marital relationship may play a part in his untimely demise. P.D. James leaves each of these avenues open for exploration. In addition to the crime at hand, A.D.'s assistant Kate Miskin is having problems of her own. The subplot in the novel is tied very neatly to the plot at hand near the end of the novel, in a shocking and page turning culmination. This is not a novel to be missed.
Rating:
Summary: Murder Mystery and Great Writing
Review: James has the greatest depth in her characters of any of the detective fiction writers that I have read. In A Taste for Death a tramp and a government minister are found in a church with their throats cut. Dalgleish knew the minister slightly and felt a strong connection with him at their meetings. As the case unfolds Dalgleish finds himself drawn in far more personally than he expected, which hampers his investigation to some extent. Apart from the mystery, this novel explores the remnants of the british class system as it crumbles, the old guard represented by Lady Ursula hanging on for grim death and Kate Miskin determined to sweep away all vestiges of her upbringing and create a new life. Neither character ultimately achieves their aim as nothing can remain unchanged, but as James aptly illustrates you also cannot just dismiss your past as though it did not take place. James develops each character brilliantly as the story unfolds from the lonely spinster Miss Wharton who discovers the bodies, to Kate Miskin a newy assigned assistant to Dalgleish who's complicated personal life becomes tragically caught up in the case. The book has been rated by other reviewers as both her best and one of her less noteworthy works. I found it superb and rate it up there with her best. Several reviewers also complain about the amount of detail the author goes into, in my opinion the detail is what brings the books to life, makes them believable and raises them above the mundane coffee table crime novel. James achieves so much more than a mere who dunnit in her work, as she explores her complex characters insecurities, hang ups and emotions. In addition she always explores some new facet of English society and leaves you with something to ponder long after the book is back on the shelf. I feel James's work compares favourably with any contemporary "serious novelist" I have read recently and recommend her whole heartedly.
Rating:
Summary: Murder Mystery and Great Writing
Review: James has the greatest depth in her characters of any of the detective fiction writers that I have read. In A Taste for Death a tramp and a government minister are found in a church with their throats cut. Dalgleish knew the minister slightly and felt a strong connection with him at their meetings. As the case unfolds Dalgleish finds himself drawn in far more personally than he expected, which hampers his investigation to some extent. Apart from the mystery, this novel explores the remnants of the british class system as it crumbles, the old guard represented by Lady Ursula hanging on for grim death and Kate Miskin determined to sweep away all vestiges of her upbringing and create a new life. Neither character ultimately achieves their aim as nothing can remain unchanged, but as James aptly illustrates you also cannot just dismiss your past as though it did not take place. James develops each character brilliantly as the story unfolds from the lonely spinster Miss Wharton who discovers the bodies, to Kate Miskin a newy assigned assistant to Dalgleish who's complicated personal life becomes tragically caught up in the case. The book has been rated by other reviewers as both her best and one of her less noteworthy works. I found it superb and rate it up there with her best. Several reviewers also complain about the amount of detail the author goes into, in my opinion the detail is what brings the books to life, makes them believable and raises them above the mundane coffee table crime novel. James achieves so much more than a mere who dunnit in her work, as she explores her complex characters insecurities, hang ups and emotions. In addition she always explores some new facet of English society and leaves you with something to ponder long after the book is back on the shelf. I feel James's work compares favourably with any contemporary "serious novelist" I have read recently and recommend her whole heartedly.
Rating: 
Summary: TOO MANY WORDS
Review: P.D. James is clearly a very knowledgable writer, and thus had a very clear idea of the innerworkings of the British legal/criminal justice system. Her character, Adam Dalgliesh, was a major operative within the system. He was very delightful-almost like Lord Peter Wimsey from Dorothy L. Sayers' series featuring him. What impressed me about him is his willingness to accept a woman, Kate Miskin, on his investigative team. He was always very respectful of her, and commented on her intelligence. The only thing I did not enjoy about the book were its lengthy descriptions about everything. I know that description is important, but do we really need to know every gory detail about somebody's outfit or bedroom if it doesn't pertain to the mystery? Overall, though, I enjoyed this book very much. It allowed me to play along, which is something I enjoy doing when I read mysteries.
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