James makes places come alive in my mind. I love her skill with describing people and places, and creating atmosphere.

While Dalgleish is leading the investigation, he isn't the main focus. It's varying between his staff and the people they're investigating. It has a psychological element - how our perceptions can lead us down the wrong trails - all of us. James weaves in the past - WWII and further back to when Innocent House was built.

I would love to work in a place like Innocent House - or at least I think I would - well, maybe before the murders happened.

There is not one uplifting moment or character in this book. It's awful. It's about one person after another who is horrible and mean and/or unhappy. There is not one glimmer of light or humor in its many many pages. It goes on and on. It's not what you want. Don't even start it. Because you risk getting roped in (like I did--I thought I knew early on who the murderer was and I stuck with it just to see if I was right and I WASN'T!!! And in fact I got to the end having suffered through it--and it was pure torment--and the person I suspected actually got dropped from the action and more or less disappeared. As it turned out I don't know why the character I suspected was even in the damn book.) So don't start. You don't want to get hooked into the plot for some reason (or feel like you have to read it because you spent money on it) and then feel forced to follow James' droning on and on page after page about these horrible warped individuals whose lives are consumed by hatred, insecurity, and greed. You can watch the news to see that. Pick a different book.

An old, declining publishing company is beset by sabotage, then suicide, then murder. At the end of the attacks, with its staff severely depleted, Peverell Press will at least have its integrity. That’s more than Dalgliesh’s special unit will have.

I felt there was far too much description in this 9th of the series. I often had to bear down to concentrate.

Without giving anything away, anyone think that Ms. James' publishers got nervous after reading this? No wonder she kept on writing for so long! And, of course, it helps that her stories are amazing and her writing is beautiful. As always, she keeps you working the case until the end....

Rate: 6

At a publishing house on the Thames, the company is barely making ends meet. Then one of the board is murdered, and no one understands a motive or why Mr. Etienne's body would be messed with after the death. The story centers on the relationships at the publishers as well as the cops investigating. you find out Etienne's family was highly regarded in the resistance during WWII, and you also find out the company is in serious financial straights.

While I liked some of the characters, the plot itself fell flat and I didn't like the twist at the end. It seemed contrived and stupid. I did enjoy the different view points and the setting it described, but overall, a little too easy.

Giving Away

Children of Men is the only other James novel I'd read. I thought it was inspired and tautly plotted and was eager to get my hands on another of her books. However, I didn't realise this was a crime procedural and part of a series. I simply didn't care about unraveling the mystery of this murder, and stopped halfway through. I'll just read Children of Men again....

It was a good story albeit a farfetched plot. The murder of Gerald Etienne the managing director of Peverell Publishing the oldest publisher in England. It is located on the Thames in a Venetian type building. There are lots of suspects, red herrings and a theme of criticism about Jewish people throughout the story. A new detective Daniel is introduced who is Jewish and an atheist.

The length of the novel could have been edited down a hundred pages. The description of how many stops on the underground was an example of too descriptive. What James did well was the psychology of the characters. Claudia with her toy boy, the elderly staff. Frances and James, Gabriel the 76 year old who was an unlikely murderer.

Why I gave it a 4 instead of a 3 was the twist at the end and the murders all done for the wrong motive.

It's been awhile since I've read an Inspector Dalgleish mystery, probably 4 or 5 years and this book has been on my shelf for awhile. I'm glad I dusted it off. I enjoy P.D. James' writing style very much, very intelligent writing. The story was interesting and well-crafted. The book doesn't focus on any one character and Dalgleish's team of Kate Miskin and Daniel Aaron are as important to the plot as is Dalgliesh. In fact, I felt that often Dalgliesh was in the background and even more so when we come to the final chapters. The plot moves along sedately, but holds your interest and James takes her time to develop characters and the story. The ending was somewhat abrupt and left me feeling kind of angry; you'll have to read to see how it ends but suffice it to say I agreed with Kate's opinion. I will read more of James' mysteries now that I've read this one..

This book was probably one of my favorite by PD James...Jame writing can sometimes drag on, but this one was constant action and getting to know very quirky characters.

This one was so slow, plodding. Alot of character description. The plot, the who done it got pushed off to the end. Nearly all the clues came together near the end. 75% covered all the different characters being clueless as to who, what did the deeds. Suspense was weak.

4.5 stars

So glad I finally read PD James! I love a good murder mystery and this did not disappoint. Well crafted and insightful, the twists and turns kept coming. It was slow to start but truly engaging.

I was struck with James’ intelligent and original writing style. For example: “The car was riding more smoothly now. They must have thrown off the last tentacles of London and be in open country.”

Half a star off for the ending- I thought it could have been stronger but it was still satisfying.

Heading off to request more PD James from my library now.

Die ersten zweidrittel dieses Romans waren mit unnötigen Beschreibungen und schlicht Geschwafel künstlich in die Länge gezogen.
Das letzte Drittel war dann fast spannend. Das wurde aber durch das unsägliche Ende wieder verdorben.
Es kann sein, dass ich als Deutsche eine spezielle Sicht auf die Nazizeit habe, aber eine Nazischergen zum Opfer zu erklären geht meiner Meinung nach gar nicht.