A very interesting interview with P.D. James (age 90)!
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Now something serious is afoot in the old palace. Poison pen letters are circulating, rare illustrations are being lost, important proofs are being tampered with, and minor mischief abounds. Two of the press’ authors have died in less than twelve months. And when a recently fired senior editor’s murder is quickly followed by that of the new director who fired her, Adam Dalgliesh is called in with his Special Squad.
It soon becomes clear that there are plenty of motives and a multitude of suspects to consider in the case. Peverell Press is a scene full of rumors, betrayals, and intrigue. So there is much to keep the investigators busy – and to keep readers entertained.
P.D. James has written that, for her, “… one of the fascinations of detective fiction is the exploration of character under the revealing trauma of a murder enquiry.” In Original Sin, James very deftly explores a diversity of complex characters – the directors and those among the staff at Innocent House who are central to the plot, as well as several sharply delineated secondary characters – as they undergo the sagacious questioning of Dalgliesh and his team.
Original Sin is a wonderful, very entertaining and intelligent crime fiction drama about redress. Revenge, as we meet it in this book, is not at all sweet, nor does it relate much to “justice”. Written, as is always the case with books from the hand of P.D. James, in an impeccable and precise prose that is pure pleasure to read, this is a remarkable mystery. And, of course, Original Sin has a smart plot and is full of attention gripping detail as well. P.D. James is at her compelling best in this Adam Dalgliesh thriller. A must-read, if ever there was one!
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P.D. James always writes excellently, and this book is simply exceedingly well written. The prose is elegant, advanced, flowing and as always eminently readable.
Devices and Desires 
Slowly and meticulously P.D. James draws the reader into the story, and systematically she introduces the many characters that are relevant in this intriguing mystery. And our master detective, commander Adam Dalgliesh, remains for a long time a bystander on holiday at his late aunt’s cottage, while the local police are handling the case of “the Whistler” a mass murderer of young women in the community of Larksoken on the cost of Norfolk. When “the Whistler” claims his fifth victim, and Commander Dalgliesh is the one that finds the body of Hilary Robarts, he is drawn fully into the investigation.
The story in Devices and Desires is a dark one. Past events of a horrendous nature play a prominent part, and as the story progresses it becomes apparent that “the Whistler” is not the only murderer.
The mystery is elegantly solved, in a way that makes the seeming disparate pieces of James’ puzzle all fall into their places. Devices and Desires is a great mystery novel, but one of P.D. James darker ones – a book with much suffering and distress.
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Two bodies are 
Now Adam Dalgliesh and his detectives must find out why they were both killed like this. Was there a connection between the two men – unlikely as it may seem? Dalgliesh and his team, set up to investigate crimes of particular sensitivity, are faced with a case of extraordinary complexity as they discover the Berowne family’s veneer of prosperous gentility conceals ugly and dangerous secrets. It also seems the deaths may be tied to those of two young women who have recently been employed in the Berowne household.
A Taste for Death is gripping from start to finish. Dalgliesh is caught up in an investigation which has turned personal – he knew Berowne. There are many twists and turns in this complex investigation, as the detectives try to unravel the clues and evidence to point them to a ruthless and sadistic killer. And there are, of course, lots of clues that will lead you astray as well, but ultimately it comes down to one ruthless murderer.
This is a wonderful, complex mystery with a very good plot. It is also, in my opinion, the best book P. D. James had so far written. It has excellent characters, is very rich on the descriptive side and builds the story with great care, and the narrative is simply excellent. It is also very interesting in the way it develops the character of Adam Dalgliesh, and makes him an ever more credible protagonist. The ending of A Taste for Death is both poignant and surprising. If you haven’t read this one yet, so grab it and get going!
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This mystery was 
Commander Adam Dalgliesh and his associate Detective Investigator the Honorable John Massingham are called in to investigate the Lorrimer murder. Dr. Edwin Lorrimer was respected but not well-liked, and even hated by quite a few. He was not a pleasant man – he was bad-tempered, petty, smallish, bitter and vindictive – and he had insulted many people over the years. The suspects of this murder are all limited to the lab, but even so there are several possible suspects; almost too many motives and no physical evidence to go by.
Dalgliesh is left to use his deductive skills to find who among the suspects the killer is. Then the killer decides to claim a second victim Stella Mawson.
This is another very crafty mystery novel by P.D. James. The setting is memorable, the plot is complex, the characters are very alive and believable, and all elements of the tales are wowen together in a suspenseful fashion. Death of an Expert Witness is a very elegant mystery book, quite engaging and a pleasure to read.
Praise:
‘P. D. James is one of the national treasures of British fiction… Each new book gives pleasure not just for macabre crimes or ingenious solutions but its density of experience.’ –Malcolm Bradbury, Mail on Sunday
‘Unlike so many crime writers, James still has the power to move, fascinate and astonish.’ –Independent
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The Black Tower has been cited as one of 
Commander Adam Dalgliesh, having just recovered from a grave illness, receives an invitation to visit his old friend and mentor Father Baddely. Something is amiss and the ageing chaplain would like Dalgliesh’s advice. Dalgliesh decides that a visit to the countryside might give him time to relax and give thought to perhaps giving up his career at Scotland Yard. But when Dalgliesh arrives, he finds his old friend has died a few days earlier. And there is no rest, as there are a series of deaths at Troynton Grange, and with each death Dalgliesh is drawn inexorably back into his old life, solving murders.
In The Black Tower, Dalgliesh is more an observer of what is happening than usual. And when the solution comes to him, it is more his intuition than logical deductions that leads him to it.
The Black Tower is a strong novel, and very exciting, but also slightly different from most of the other Dalgliesh novels. The characters are not as well developed as we have become accustomed to, and the book is darker and gloomier than usual.
Splendid, macabre” – London Sunday Telegraph
“The Black Tower is a masterpiece.” – London Sunday Times
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