<< 1 >>
Rating: 
Summary: Another Intelligent and Realistic Mystery from James
Review: Adam Dalgliesh has come to the Norfolk headland, Larksoken, to finalize the property left to him by his recently deceased aunt. He is on unofficial business, and not there to help the local officials sort out the case of the serial killer known as The Whistler. Though touted as "An Adam Dalgliesh Mystery", it is not really. He is a minor character, there more to give continuity than to contribute to the novel. Dalgliesh stumbles on a murdered victim, copycat-killed to look like The Whistler's work and becomes the sounding block for Inspector Rickards as he sorts through the likely candidates and motives. The victim is not well-liked and therefore the list of suspects would be rather large except for one thing: The Whistler's particular signature was known by only a few people. As is unique in this genre and yet typical of all P. D. James novels, the characters are well-rounded and well-known before the actual murder takes place. (It was page 154 before the crucial murder was committed.) James delves deep into the mind of these people, and I felt I knew them--even cared for some of them--and was disturbed as I saw bits and pieces of evidence. There were several characters that I just did NOT want to be the murderer! Also typical of James is the realism and complexity of the plot and characters. I have yet to have read a mystery by her that did not satisfy me as a reader, and yet at the same time stirred my emotions in some fashion. I vividly remember one of her novels, in which the perpetrator did not come to justice. I agonized over that one for days. Devices and Desires does not have anything that traumatic, but still left me hung-over in the plot for a day or two later. On a side note, in this novel Larksoken is home to a nuclear power plant. Written in 1989, James uses this as her vehicle to air both sides of the nuclear power question. It is intelligently done and she reaches no conclusion, gives neither side her full approval. I can not recommend P. D. James highly enough to anyone who enjoys mysteries. She writes an intelligent, entertaining, realistic novel involving characters that come alive. Devices and Desires was no different and despite a lack of Dalgliesh persona, was another excellent read that kept me turning pages well past midnight.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Mystery Writing
Review: This is great mystery writing! There were lots of plot twists, along with murder and mayham and a thick and juicy plot line.
Rating:
Summary: book lover
Review: Very good! It kept me guessing "who done it" until the very end and I still was surprised. Lots of twists and turns in the plot but easy to stay with all that's happening.
Rating:
Summary: book lover
Review: Very good! It kept me guessing "who done it" until the very end and I still was surprised. Lots of twists and turns in the plot but easy to stay with all that's happening.
<< 1 >>
| 
