I am not really a big fan of crime fiction and after reading An Unsuitable Job for a Woman, I know why. This is writing by numbers; formulaic, predictable and as unsatisfying as a cryptic crossword puzzle.

The story was full of perhaps and probably, which I found to be tiresome. I counted nine instances on one page! I hate speculation. I just want to be told exactly what happened in a straightforward narrative. I don’t want to have to guess what the story us about. I want the author to make me love the characters and to engage my interest in their circumstances.

The author was competent and clever and wrapped up all the loose ends, but I didn’t like the style, the story or the characters. Apart from that it was great! Do you really want to know what it was about? You do? OK then, here it is: Was it suicide or was it murder?

My Recommendation:

Cons:

Formulaic, I don’t like the genre. I found it unsatisfying.

Pros:

Clever plot, if you like that sort of thing. ( )

(#9 in the 2009 Book Challenge)

Cordelia Grey is a young woman who finds herself the sole proprietor of a London detective agency after her business partner kills himself. Her first solo case is the investigation of the circumstances surrounding the suicide of a young Cambridge student, at the request of his father. I was a bit enthralled by how deliciously nineteen seventies everything was ... just about every single plot point in the book came back around to SEX, and most of the characters needed to point out how uninhibited they are with regard to sex, because people who don't have any hang-ups about sex frequently go around pointing that out constantly to anyone who will listen.

Grade: B+
Recommended: It's good but dated as far as mysteries go, but I think the real enjoyment comes from a love of the genre in general, and contemplating how this fits into the tradition. It's a little meta that way. ( )

I think Cordelia’s repugnance for things a little slimy, is more faked than anything in her character. She hates Callender Sr. for his callousness toward her when he reveals his motives for killing his son, but readily agrees to conceal his murder by his mistress. At the end, when a slightly seedy client is waiting outside her office and she politely invites him inside, it’s a pretty clear indication of her future. She won’t mind getting her hands dirty from now on, after all, they can’t get much worse. Thank you Ms. James. ( )

P.D. James' first book, I believe. And very good. Here our sleuth is a woman--Cordelia Gray. But we also catch a glimpse of Adam Dalgliesh, the Scotland Yard tec who will eventually take over James' novels and make her into one of the most popular crime writers ever. ( )

Not only does James create intriguing scenarios, detailed characters and clever twists, but she writes so well! This mystery is no different, in fact it is astonishing by its psychological development and careful attention to the character's emotions and motives. The theme of justice and reputation does seem a little passé and naive by today's standards, but in a sense they are very refreshing. ( )