Customer Reviews

Death in Holy Orders (Adam Dalgliesh Mystery Series #11)

5 star:		(59)
4 star:		(42)
3 star:		(21)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Nobody gets inside a character's head, lets you see through their eyes, experience their feelings, like P.D. James. You're right there, feeling the same horror a main character feels on discovering a body, understanding completely that feeling of needing to DO something, of bewilderment at seeing something that used to be a person you knew and now is lifeless meat.

So many wonderful details! This too, is one of James' strengths. I really felt right there in an elite seminary on a disintegrating coastline pounded by weather. In fact, the book was so absorbing that I read it straight through, with barely a stop for sleep!

A friend of mine, unfamiliar with James' other works, asked me a question you may also be asking yourself: "Can I start here, or do I need to read the others first?" My answer is, go right ahead and start here. It stands well on its own; recurring characters are introduced gracefully and with just enough backstory to bring a new reader up to speed while not boring a reader already familiar. James is part of the newer generation of British women mystery authors, along with writers like Ngaio Marsh -- more modern-feeling than Christie or Sayers, but if you like Sayers in particular, I think you'll like James.

And if you're already been thru the previous ten AD mysteries? You'll love this one. It's definitely one of the best yet. I'm really really happy I bought it right when it came out, hardcover price notwithstanding.

P. D. James is, without doubt, the greatest living mystery writer today. Bar none. "Death In Holy Orders", her latest Adam Dalglish offering, merely cements this fact - as if it needed it.

The body of a young ordinand is discovered, smothered by a collapse of sand, on the beach near St. Anselem's, a theological college on the lonely shores of East Anglia. Ironically, St. Anselem's was also a particularly important place in Dalglish's boyhood and, when he is called to investigate this shocking murder, his journey there represents in microcosm the disparity between the new England and the old, the former way of living butting heads with the new, a theme carried delicately throughout the book in many ways, including the characters and how they live and think.

Subsequently, two more murders are committed - the last a most gruesome, shocking dispatching taking place in the chapel of all places - and Dalglish calls in Kate Miskin and company to assist him in finding the perpetrator.

A new twist added here is the subtle romantic situation occurring in the background between Dalglish and one of the people staying at the college during the murders. The ending is more satisfying than "A Certain Justice" and I liked the fact that Ms. James alludes to Dalglish's feelings about the end of the matter written about in "Justice". He feels he failed, somehow, and these feelings make finding this latest killer an even more urgent matter - not only to stop him killing again, but to reassure Dalglish that justice does, indeed, come around more often than not.

A wonderful novel from a terrific writer.

Whoever loves artful writing and whodunit entwined will love P. D. James' latest Adam Dalgleish mystery. Wonderfully set on the East Anglian coast midst ever-changing and threatening nature where an holy order of priests and would-be priests/ordinands reside, this mystery unwinds around the suspicious accidental death of a rich man's son. And once the on leave Dalgleish joins the inquiry, murders just keep coming.

There is romantic, even incestuous, human fraility in this four part novel. There are jealousy, animosity, cross purposes, greed, deceit, anger, depression and revenge at work. Each character is skillfully drawn, especially those that are linked with Dalgleish's past and present, and the setting exacts added suspense to a seemingly pastoral setting.

The decline of the Arbuthnot estate's endowed theological seminary is central to the plot. One can guess that each character is linked to that demise in some fashion. And just as in a good Agatha Christie novel, the characters are tied to one another openly and in disguise, and await the skillful unraveling of the poetic and sensitive intellect of Dalgleish and his cohorts Kate, Piers, and Robbins.

Such a pleasure to relax into a well-written tome! James makes Dalgleish a friend of the reader, a character come to life, someone we know and willingly follow into a mystery that needs solving.

With this her 17th book, P.D. James once again executes an admirable balancing act by combining, in her definition of a classic detective story, "a credible mystery with believable characters and a setting which both complements and integrates the action." The setting is East Anglia, one used by James in a number of her novels. It is here on the gloomy, windswept Suffolk coast, within yards of the North Sea, that we find St. Anselm's, a small theological college with only four resident priests and a student body that never exceeds twenty. St. Anselm's is described as High Church, probably Prayer Book Catholic, strong on theology, elitist, opposed to practically everything that's happened in Anglicanism in the past 50 years . . . and the food and wine are good. It is the action's locus, of which the reader is well aware long before Detective Inspector Kate Miskin observes, "So, it's going to be one of those self-contained cases with all the suspects under one roof . . ."

In "Death in Holy Orders," James gives us an apparent suicide (Ronald Treeves, ordinand), a certified natural death (Margaret Munroe, employee), and a brutal murder (Archdeacon Crampton, guest and trustee). Commander Adam Dalgliesh, who is brought to St. Anselm's at the request of Ronald Treeves's influential father, is convinced that the three deaths are connected. The Treeves and Munroe deaths occur before his arrival, but the murder of the unpopular Archdeacon takes place during Dalgliesh's stay at the college. Upon viewing the body, he becomes angered and vows to lift the burden of his past failure ("A Certain Justice") by making an arrest in the present murder. Soon after, yet another death (murder or accident?) broadens the challenge. Dalgliesh's presence throughout much of the book will be well-received by his admirers, and James further indulges his fans with what appears to be the promise of a new romance. And she carts out a cast of typically Jamesian characters: diverse, some pleasingly off-center, and all believable. The assemblage of deaths imbues the story with an aura of mystery from start to finish, which is intensified by the superb setting. All things considered, "Death in Holy Orders" is P.D. James at the top of her classic detective story game.

This being the first Adam Dalgliesh novel in almost four years, I was excited and, once the novel was read, quite pleased. The setting for this book, a somewhat dark and sinister theological college on the bleak East Anglian coast, provides great opportunities for dark and foreboding atmosphere, which the author does not miss. The characters were well-drawn and fit the novel's purposes perfectly, and the prose was intelligent, detailed, and outstanding. The premise of "Death In Holy Orders" is that one of the pupils at the college died under quite horrid and distressing circumstances, and the boy's father is not satisfied with the results of the inquest. Enter protagonist Adam Dalgliesh, a Commander of New Scotland Yard. He is sent to the college to quietly investigate, and his experience there soon becomes all too unsettling. There is more death (how much more, and if it is murder or not, I will not disclose), but the book is never for a moment dull. Each chapter serves a purpose. There are minor subplots (red herrings, perhaps), but each of them *does* pertain to the story, and none of them divert the book from its very good pacing. The college itself is equipped with a main house, cottages, twin towers, and an old church. The author is quite adept at positively evoking the darker elements of such a setting, while keeping its religious virtues somewhat intact. This has the inclusion of a modern-day police procedural, but the style and format of a golden-age mystery. There is, of course, some commentary on the social and institutional stability of the world as it is today, themes common to P.D. James novels. One star is deducted from this review for the general outcome of the 'whodunit' aspect of the book. While, in the case of a P.D. James novel, that part of the story isn't always the most important, here it left me with little conviction. That is all I will say about that matter. It is never my intention to give away too much in a review. Read this book if you're looking for a modern day golden age-style mystery, with real and believable characters, suspenseful scenes, foreboding atmosphere, and elegant prose. You won't be disappointed.

I was thrilled with this book as P D James is back to her vintage best! It was good to see Adam Dalgliesh taking centre stage once again. I feel that his dominant presence is essential to this series. The plot is set on an isolated part of the East Anglican coast in the gothic surrounds of a theological college. James's tale twists and turns with her usual deft flair for the macabre reflected in the graphic description of the demise of the Archbishop. I was also pleased that Dalgliesh's character is given greater depth in a revealing flashback to his childhood holiday at the college. His past eventually merges into the present as a long and much respected friend finally makes him confront the demons in his personal isolated lifestyle. Multiple deaths confront Dalgliesh and his team, Inspector Kate Miskin and Piers Tarrant. It is not until the final chapters that the truth is finally revealed linking the past with the present. At this time James's heroic Adam makes a descision which could lead to future stability and happiness with a new found love - or will it? It is a frustrated Kate Miskin who subtly shows jealousy towards Emma as if she is a 'rival' It will be interesting to see if this theme carries over into the next book in the series. I can't believe that this will be the last! At times the literary edge to James's writing is quite poetic. A compelling read from start to finish.

It has been some considerable time since P. D. James has written an Adam Dalgleish mystery. The last, I believe, was "A Certain Justice." For some reason I had trouble with that novel. I bought "Death in Holy Orders" when it came out, but let it languish on my shelf for a while before diving in.

When I finally started reading the new novel I realized that I had entirely forgotten what an accomplished writer James really is. Her ability to create vivid and believable plots, settings and characters really is remarkable. Capable of extreme power when she needs to call upon it, James is not a lighthearted writer. But neither is her style oppressive or exhausting.

Commander Adam Dalgleish, her detective, is a character painted with considerable sensitivity. He is an unusual character for a policeman, sober and philosophical. His avocation is writing poetry, at which he has enjoyed considerable success. The death of his wife at an early age, and the nature of his job gives him with a poignancy which perfectly balances the tragic nature of the crimes he investigates.

When a theological student at St. Anselm's College is found buried under a sandfall, his father is not satisfied with the finding of accidental death by the Suffolk police. Adam Dalgleish is asked to look into the crime. He had spent several summers at St. Anselm's and so was familiar with the setting. Although unable to form any conclusion about the boy's death, Dalgleish is struck by many coincidental events and is not totally satisfied. Margaret Munroe, a nurse and attendant at the school, dies of apparently natural causes, but the death prevents Dalgleish from following up some important evidence.

St Anselm's is facing closure as the result of the Episcopalian Church's need to consolidate its theological training. The holdings of the school are quite valuable, and an unusual will makes the disposition of these artifacts is a bone of great contention between Archdeacon Crampton, who represents the diocese and Father Sebastion, who heads St. Anselm's. There are few in the school who have reason to like the Archdeacon. He sent one of the clergymen to prison for sexual misconduct on trumped up charges. A local policeman in retreat at the school suffered disciplinary action when he investigated Crampton's complicity in the death of his first wife. Several students were vehemently antagonistic to the Archdeacon's behavior.

When Archdeacon Crampton is found horribly murdered before the altar of St Anselm's church it comes as no surprise. Dalgleish takes over the case with his regular squad, and quickly determines that the crime must have been committed by one of the school's residents. Sensing a subtle mind at work, the commander is faced with a complex investigation full of contradictory clues and intuitions.

For all the time that P. D. James lovingly puts into the details of setting and characterization, "Death in Holy Orders" is hardly slow paced. I found myself quickly drawn in and it was a great struggle to put down the book the few times I was able. Dalgleish's introspection keeps the plot from becoming shallow, providing a satisfactory experience at many levels. The will be a serious contender for mystery story of the year.

Death in Holy Orders is a gem, and will delight long-time P.D. James fans as well as those for whom this is an introduction to her work. Well-known for her deep development of characters, this mystery is equally strong in giving you the locale (a small theological college perched on the sand cliffs near the North Sea in East Anglia), history (a twining of religion and family), social mores (actions have consequences), and a nicely detailed plot (four deaths, Church of England politics, and new connections for Adam Dalgliesh). Rarely is a book rich in all of these elements. Be warned. It's hard to put this book down! I finished reading at 1:22 a.m. despite needing to get up early this morning.

Mystery purists will complain that the book reveals the villain too early. Actually, there's a benefit, because it allows the book to take on the dramatic qualitites of a fine novel, as well as a mystery.

I delayed reading this book because the title didn't really grab me. I don't know much about the Church of England, and felt that I would soon be lost. Actually, although I probably didn't grasp all of the details, the religious context did not cause me to lose the thread either. Although set at a theological college, the story deals more broadly with issues throughout society.

The book opens with a fascinating literary device. A college staff member, Margaret Munroe, has found the body of a young student (ordinand) at the college buried under a pile of sand from a collapsed cliff. To ease her distress, she has been asked to write an account of the experience. Her exposition develops her character as well as the background of the book's story. This section serves like one of a pair of bookends to be matched at the end by a letter from the villain explaining the events described in the book. From these two examples, you can see the care with which Baroness James has developed her characters and story. You will feel that you know and understand quite a lot about over a dozen characters, and most of them you will find interesting and attractive to know more about. In most cases, some of the story will develop through their thoughts so that you can get inside of their reality.

The book has much more action than the typical P.D. James mystery, and thus makes it more modern in that sense. On the other hand, she pays close attention to the classic elements of mysery by making it clear that the events are tied to someone in residence. You will be reminded of And Then There Were None in many ways, although I found this novel much better done than that Dame Agatha Christie classic.

Adam Dalgliesh had visited the college, St. Anselm's, when he was young, and has a reunion with the former head of the college, Father Martin. That connection brings Adam Dalgliesh inside the story more than usual, which is all to the good. He is involved in an unlikely way. The dead ordinand, Ronald Treeves, was the adopted son of Sir Alred Treeves, a wealthy munitions industrialist. Sir Alred wants to know more about the circumstances, and asks Scotland Yard to send Dalgliesh, the Yard's most famous commander, to check it out. Dalgliesh has planned to take some personal time to visit the area and agrees. Through a series of unusual circumstances, the later investigations become his officially as well.

The plot is delightful in that Baroness James continually gives the reader hints before the investigation turns them up. Yet, the plot remains obscure enough that although we know about more crimes and complications than Scotland Yard does, we still don't know who did what until she chooses to raise the curtain for us. It's a nifty bit of slight of hand, while making the reader feel welcome.

Dalgliesh's connection to poetry is nicely placed into the story in a way that will delight long-term fans of this element of his character.

After you finish reading this story, you should think about how actions you have taken or could take in the future could have unintended, negative consequences. How can you avoid those potential consequences? How can you help others prepare for them? Those issues are at the core of the moral of this story, and are good food for thought for us all.

Take a bow, Baroness James. You deserve it!

I just finished the book. I really liked it. The storyline had a lot of different plots buried within plots. They were intriguing, and I could follow them! My only complaint, which is minor, would be that I sometimes had to flip back to refresh my memory on who a particular character was. I would suggest that you jot down everyone's names as you encounter them, with a brief description of their character. For example,there are about five priests alone,whose names all begin with "Father."

I give this book "five stars" because it totally satisfied me. It is such a good English mystery!

In the last twenty years or so, P. D. James's famed mystery novels have been less enjoyable than they were in previous decades: her characters seemed at times so misanthropic and snobbish as to be almost intolerable (as in A TASTE FOR DEATH), and her murderers often get away at the end scot-free (as in A CERTAIN JUSTICE and THE SKULL BENEATH THE SKIN), as if to endorse a somewhat dark--even Jacobean--vision of human existence.

I'm happy to say that her latest effort, DEATH IN HOLY ORDERS, is a return to the top of her form. The setting, an isolated Anglican college on the East Anglian coast, seems very reminiscent of one of James's very best Dagliesh mysteries, THE BLACK TOWER, but otherwise the story is very much original, although it does dip (though not too indulgently) into some of the interests James has shown in almost all her novels, such as Victorian architecture, family hatreds, and art history. The community is an interesting one, the central murder is properly horrifying and dramatic, and best of all she allows her central detectives (Kate, Piers, and especially Dagliesh) more space to grow than they have in years. This Dagliesh mystery can stand with James's very best, including THE BLACK TOWER and A MIND TO MURDER.