The Black Tower by P D James

Inspector Adam Dalgliesh is not dying of cancer but after his recent illness he has decided to retire. He had one personal commitment to fulfil. Father Baddeley had written to Dalgliesh that he needed his professional advice and invited him to Toynton Grange, a private home for the disabled. On reaching Toynton Grange, Dalgliesh finds that Father Baddeley is dead. He also finds that one of the inmates had committed suicide. Was Father Baddeley murdered? Are both these deaths related? Did the inmate really commit suicide or was he murdered?

Not knowing if there was really a crime, weakened the case for me. For all we know Father Baddeley may have died a normal death. It was difficult for me get involved maybe because Dalgliesh does not want to get involved with the inmates or the case. There really wasn't one character I could root for. There are other deaths that got me involved. So what really is happening here. As for the mystery, I didn't guess what was happening.

It looks like P D James is an expert in creating isolated communities thus creating a perfect setting for a whodunit. In the Lighthouse it is an isolated island, in the Private Patient it is a gated Private Hospital here it is an isolated home for disabled.

I have noticed before in James novels that both suspects and the victims are despicable. I wonder if James specialises in characters we could not sympathise or love. Usually in whodunits there is somebody you would like and maybe they end up the killer but that's a different story. Here there is nobody to like. I have mixed feelings about this book while the mystery is great, I felt like an outsider and couldn't enjoy it. The Black Tower is published in 1975 is the fifth book featuring Adam Dalgliesh. This is not my favourite James book. I liked Private Patient and Cover her Face better. I am planning to read James' Unsuitable Job for a Woman featuring Cordelia Gray next.

Death Comes to Pemberley by P D James

Elizabeth and Darcy are married and happily settled in Pemberley with two sons in the nursery. It's time for the annual Lady Anne's Ball. Georgiana, Darcy's sister, has two eligible suitors for her hand. All's well with Darcys. Only Darcy has to call Wickham his brother, after all, he is married to Elizabeth's sister. The Wickhams are not received at the Pemberley. On the eve of Lady Anne's Ball, distraught Lydia Wickham comes uninvited into Pemberley screaming Wickham's murder.

I was looking forward to reading Death Comes to Pemberley. I love both Jane Austen and P D James. But I couldn't get drawn into the book. There were too many repetitions. I understand that this book is for Pride and Prejudice fans, so why the need to bring in things from Austen's book again and again.

The mystery itself is quite straight forward. There is no detection involved. Where is Elizabeth's humour and intelligence? Nobody asks the question, who killed Denny and why? Yes, it's Denny who is murdered not Wickham and that is not the mystery. The mystery is who killed Denny, if not Wickham? I was expecting until the end that something would spring up and there would be a nice twist. Nothing! I was disappointed.

I am happy that I borrowed this book from library and did not buy it as I originally intended.

Theme Thursday

Theme Thursday is a fun weekly Meme hosted at Reading Between the Pages.

This weeks theme is Food - First snippet from the book.

This is from page 2 of Death Comes to Pemberely by P D James

On Mr Bennet's death, Mr.Collins would install them in one of the larger cottages on the estate where they would receive spiritual comfort from his administrations and bodily sustenance from the leftovers from Mrs Collins's kitchen by the occasional gift of game or a side of bacon.

.

Friday Memes

Friday Book Beginnings is a weekly Meme hosted at A Few More Pages.

This is from The Black Tower by P D James

It was to be the consultant physician's last visit and Dalgliesh suspected that neither of then regretted it, arrogance and patronage on one side and weakness, gratitude and dependence on the other being no foundation for a satisfactory adult relationship however transitory.


Friday 56 hosted @ Freda's Voice is a weekly Meme where we share an interesting snippet from page 56 of any book. This is also from The Black Tower by P D James

She looked at Dalgliesh steadily with kind and interested eyes.

Cover Her Face by PD James

Cover Her Face is PDJ's first novel. Did not realise that until when I started writting the blog. I would say very good start for a first novel. This is the third PD's novel I have read. Sally Jupp, a young maid working with Maxie's, an artistocratic family in the economic downslide is strangled to death. It is a typical Whodunit. Everybody hates the victim, everbody has a motive and opportunity. So, who killed her? One thing I noticed is that the novel is full of despicable characters. Probably James did not want us to sympathize with anybody. The Selfish Doctor, dreaming Nurse, spiteful sister and sarcastic boyfriend. James does not even allow us to have sympathy for the victim. While Adam Dalegish, the detective, does say that a young woman is murdered and it was important for him to find the murderer than sympathize with the living. It did seem that the woman deserved to die.

The Lighthouse by P D James

What perfect place for a "whodunit" than a death in a resort island with limited suspects and not much chance for outsiders to commit the crime? PDJ has choosen a great location to limit the suspects. Again a victim whom noboby loves and suspects with motive and oppportunity. Nathan Oliver, a famous novelist who is considered the modern Henry James, is found hanging from the top of the lighthouse in Combe Island. Adam Dalgliesh is asked to investigate the death (note not the murder). While it is quite impossible to be suicide everybody wants it to be a suicide. As Miss. Holcombe, one of the oldest residents of the island points out "Whatever the evidence to the contrary, suicide is the only possile solution." But as evidence points to the contrary, homicide is a greater possibility. Who killed Nathan Oliver? Is it rhe novelist daughter, Miranda and her lover Tremlett, because the dad did not give them the blessing and clearly thrown them out. Or Miss. Holcombe and her faithful servant Rughtwood who detest Oliver because he wants them to occupy their cottage. Jago Tamlyn who generally dislikes Nathan Oliver and may have a secret motive. Or Dr. Yelland and Dr. Speidel who seemed to have come to Combe Island just for a rendevous with Oliver. Ofcourse their is the odd job man Dan Padgett, whom Oliver always finds fault with, Boyde, Maycroft, Dr amd Mrs Stavely, Mrs Plunkett, Mrs Burbridge and Mille. So who is the killer and what is the motive. It was not easy to guess and all along it was possible to eliminate many but spotting the killer was no easy job. And Dalgliesh gets the answer in a flash is also unbelievable.