P. D. James (1920–2014)

Just when I thought there were to be no more P.D. James books to read since she passed a couple of years ago, along comes this little gem chock full of four Christmas-themed mysteries. Discovering that this book was recently published was like finding a lost Christmas present that got missed in the Christmas rush. I love Phillys Dorothy James and I love her books! Her mysteries are so complex, and her books are peopled with totally wonderful characters (the good guys and the bad guys), and show more her sly wit and her ability to set her time and place so well make them the best in the genre. These little gems are so "Her" - all little masterpieces in their own right. They are short, but complex, and her gift as a writer is her ability to lead us all down the garden path, and we think everything is just normal and innocent, and then she lets us have it, and we feel kind of duped, shocked and mostly totally entertained. She is a master of suspense, and I love knowing that there are other unpublished stories out there from the Queen of Crime. Bring it on. show less

I've become a big PD James fan since I arrived in the UK; her novels seem a good excuse to become better acquainted with my new home and to read engaging fluff. Even better, I've discovered her books are always well-written, engaging, and even a little thought provoking, many starring her well-known character Commander Dalgliesh, a police chief / poet.

But A Certain Justice eclipsed the four others I've read. The first chapter predicted the book's ending, of course in a way I never expected, show more and everything in between fit tightly together, a philosophical discussion on the fairness of our justice system, along with an array of fun characters, a twisting plot, and numerous surprises. I cheered when I finished it. show less

This was just terrible. How terrible? Let me count the ways (POTENTIAL SPOILERS):

1. Why write a follow-up to Pride and Prejudice if you seemingly make little effort to capture the essential essence of the primary characters?

2. Why write a follow-up to Pride and Prejudice that turns Elizabeth into a simpering, boring, obedient little wifey-poo and Darcy into a complete uptight prig (granted, he always kind of was but he was also charming and there is none of that here)?

3. Why write a show more follow-up to Pride and Prejudice that is a murder mystery and make it SO INCREDIBLY DUMB AND BORING that the reader can barely bring herself to care?

4. Why write a follow-up to Pride and Prejudice that is a murder mystery and include plot holes so big you could drive a chaise-and-four through them? Why didn't anyone bother asking Lydia what Wickham and Denny were arguing about?!?!?!

5. Why write anything if you are basically just going to phone it in and tell your story completely through terribly awkward exposition and long speeches?

6. .... I can't go on. I don't know why I bothered to finish this except that maybe because it was on audio. Had it been a "real" book, I am fairly confident I would have just skipped to the last few pages to see whodunnit. Oh, except that would have told me nothing because we learn whodunnit well before the end of the book, after which time, Ms. James just goes on and on about nothing at all and won't let her crappy story die. I wanted to stab myself in the ears by the end of it.

So, yeah, not recommended. show less

Shroud for a Nightingale is set in a nursing school attached to a hospital outside of London somewhere. The school itself is housed in an old Victorian mansion on the grounds of the hospital which is acknowledged from the beginning to be a very poor building for the school. But for us as readers, it adds wonderful atmosphere. And when it comes to books, I'm all about the atmosphere.

During a teaching demonstration of how to insert a feeding tube, a student nurse is somehow fed poison instead show more of the milk she is supposed to be given and dies on the table. She is not a student that anyone will miss. When another student dies two weeks later, Inspector Dalgleish of Scotland Yard is called in.

The course of this investigation uncovers many, many secrets that the inhabitants of Nightingale House did not want coming to light but which of them was someone willing to kill for? This story has suspects, red herrings and motives galore. How Dalgleish sorts them out to find the killer is a top-notch detective story.

One of the themes of the book is how much people like power and what they will do to get and hold on to it. It's a fascinating study in how even small amounts of power over others can go to a person's head.

Compared to Agatha Christie, a P.D. James novel is a much denser, heavier read. Her books remind me of the turkey at a Thanksgiving dinner while Christie would be the pumpkin pie with whipped cream. I can pick up Christie and enjoy her books anytime at all. I have to decide to read a P.D. James. But her books, and this one in particular, are worth the time and effort. show less