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we_are_all_mad_here26's review against another edition
4.0
I am fairly sure this was never meant to be a cozy mystery - and so why did PD James use a cozy seaside town as the setting? Alas we shall never know.
I am very much enjoying this series, enough so that I purchased book #4 when the Kindle version didn't become available at my library soon enough. This is despite Unnatural Causes wanting me to believe it's possible to distinguish one person's typing from someone else's (on pages produced via an actual typewriter). I learned to type on an actual typewriter with an actual carriage return and I would never have imagined such a thing. My own typing did not look in any way unique, but then, I was not a Scotland Yard detective in the 1960s.
Note: #4 became available at the library within a day of my purchase. A good reminder to return books as quickly as possible upon completion.
I am very much enjoying this series, enough so that I purchased book #4 when the Kindle version didn't become available at my library soon enough. This is despite Unnatural Causes wanting me to believe it's possible to distinguish one person's typing from someone else's (on pages produced via an actual typewriter). I learned to type on an actual typewriter with an actual carriage return and I would never have imagined such a thing. My own typing did not look in any way unique, but then, I was not a Scotland Yard detective in the 1960s.
Note: #4 became available at the library within a day of my purchase. A good reminder to return books as quickly as possible upon completion.
benevolentruler's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
I read a lot of golden age mysteries but this one in particular did not work for me. A lot of the language and characterizations will be jarring to modem sensibilities. (When reading I reluctantly searched "was PD James homophobic").
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Homophobia, Sexism, and Classism
erinreadsbooks's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
A typical small-cast murder mystery. Entertaining, although pacing was a bit slow in the beginning before picking up in the second half.
Read if you like classic murder mysteries.
Read if you like classic murder mysteries.
aimee_percival's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
hbcbray's review against another edition
5.0
Excellent story, excellent mystery. Audiobook read somewhat coldly.
lauraborkpower's review against another edition
2.0
Although P.D. James is an excellent writer and her mysteries are interesting and intelligent, I just can't seem to warm up to Adam Dalgliesh. He's such a cold fish and it doesn't help that he--or James, through him--seems to have a certain disdain for the audience, who are the "suspects" in Dalgliesh's case and the reader in James's case.
In this mystery, James avoids a typical "reveal" where Dalgliesh sits everyone down and lets them and the reader know how and why the crime occurred. Instead, she has him discover the how about 75 pages from the end, but though he tells the detective in charge of the investigation (Dalgliesh himself is on vacation visiting his aunt and not officially involved with the case) and helps to solve the murder, James keeps this revelation from the reader, which feels to me like a cheat. Dalgliesh is observing something, the knowledge comes to him, we never knew how, and that is that. End of story. Now, we do get the why and how at the very end, but never Dalgliesh's epiphany and we're left to feel how he has "outgrown the satisfaction of being proved right. He had known who for a long time now and since Monday night he had known how. But to the suspects the day would bring a gratifying vindication and they could be expected to make the most of it."
Well, since I'm in there, as an observer along with the suspects because James keeps so much hidden from the reader, I feel that Dalgliesh is tired of me, too. And that's just off-putting.
Now, as I mentioned, James's writing is good as always, and the murder takes place in a seaside town full of authors of one kind or another, which is fun. But that ending really soured it for me and I'll be hard pressed to pick up the next Dalgliesh mystery unless I'm snowed in and have gone through all of my Christies.
In this mystery, James avoids a typical "reveal" where Dalgliesh sits everyone down and lets them and the reader know how and why the crime occurred. Instead, she has him discover the how about 75 pages from the end, but though he tells the detective in charge of the investigation (Dalgliesh himself is on vacation visiting his aunt and not officially involved with the case) and helps to solve the murder, James keeps this revelation from the reader, which feels to me like a cheat. Dalgliesh is observing something, the knowledge comes to him, we never knew how, and that is that. End of story. Now, we do get the why and how at the very end, but never Dalgliesh's epiphany and we're left to feel how he has "outgrown the satisfaction of being proved right. He had known who for a long time now and since Monday night he had known how. But to the suspects the day would bring a gratifying vindication and they could be expected to make the most of it."
Well, since I'm in there, as an observer along with the suspects because James keeps so much hidden from the reader, I feel that Dalgliesh is tired of me, too. And that's just off-putting.
Now, as I mentioned, James's writing is good as always, and the murder takes place in a seaside town full of authors of one kind or another, which is fun. But that ending really soured it for me and I'll be hard pressed to pick up the next Dalgliesh mystery unless I'm snowed in and have gone through all of my Christies.
amyingomar's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
jimbowen0306's review against another edition
3.0
This wasn't a bad book. It's the third in the Adam Dalgliesh series, and was another typical Agatha Christie style "country house" thriller, and sees a mystery writer disappear, only to turn up dead later, in a similar way to the plot of one of his thrillers.
It's not a bad book, but I will say that initially Dalgliesh doesn't seem to be best detective in the world. Secondly,the early books in the series seem a little too "country house" for my liking. Others might feel the same way.
It's not a bad book, but I will say that initially Dalgliesh doesn't seem to be best detective in the world. Secondly,the early books in the series seem a little too "country house" for my liking. Others might feel the same way.
jnelsontwo's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
bookwoman1967's review against another edition
1.0
Bleh. I've read other P.D. James that I enjoyed but not this one. I thoroughly disliked all the characters, including the police. The plot was bloated and slow. And there were no real clues for the reader or any indication of how Dalgliesh worked out the mystery.
About the only thing going for ths is description of the environment and that's pretty desolate.
About the only thing going for ths is description of the environment and that's pretty desolate.