Customer Reviews

A Mind to Murder

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I'm always on the lookout for books for my 92-year-old mother -- still a sharp woman, but less able to handle complexity than she once was -- and very much a lady, who objects to an excess of blood and/or vulgarity. The early P.D. James mysteries are perfect! They're very well-crafted, nicely written, but lacking the sprawl and complexity of her later works. This one, set in a psychiatric clinic, is a classic in the sense that a murder was done by one of a limited number of characters, whose movements and motives are key. There are a satisfying number of clues, including some red herrings, dispensed at regular intervals. The characters are nicely sketched. The routines -- and the politics -- of the psychiatric clinic make for an especially strong setting. The whole thing unfolds in just over 200 pages and reaches a satisfying, sufficiently logical conclusion. Originally written in the early 1960s, "A Mind for Murder" has a decidedly old-fasioned feel, but is fun to read nonetheless. And for those who love the later P.D. James books, taking another look at her early work makes it doubly fun. My mother liked the book; so do I.

I found this early mystery by P.D. James to be quite an enjoyable read. In her later books she tends to go a little overboard giving her characters interior monologues, but she doesn't do that much here. We learn a little about Superintendent Dalgliesh's late wife and his feelings for her, but there's no angsty-ness to it. Dalgliesh does worry that he won't be able to crack the case, but with the number of correct hunches he plays James does well to keep him humble.

The mystery, like the characters, is pretty straightforward too. James fairly well leads you down the path of whom to suspect, but throws in a couple inconsistencies to keep you guessing. Ultimately those inconsistencies are explained and the ending is given the obligatory twist. The story could have done with a few less characters: Keeping track of who's who and to whom they're doing what got muddy a couple times. Still, James does a good job of isolating the few key characters and if you keep steadily marching forward it's not too hard to keep up.

There is a charming naivete about this story. A modern author would have to have some of the LSD (medicinal purposes only) get mixed in with Dalgliesh's tea, and the electroshock therapy room and creaking dumbwaiter would have to be put to equally sinister purposes as well. While there is a lot of sexual activity going on at the clinic, nothing prurient takes place within the pages of the book; there's one morning-after scene and James does bring herself to write the word "thigh" a couple times, but that's about as smutty as it gets.

At this point in her writing career, James hasn't quite found her voice yet. Nevertheless, she's able to craft an above-average mystery with well-developed male and female characters. Having read some of her more-complicated novels before reading this, I wasn't put off by the simplicity of it. I don't know if the reverse would hold true: If you read this before books like "A Taste for Death" or "Skull Beneath the Skin," you might find her later work overwhelming. Regardless, this stands on its own as a good mystery by a great mystery writer.

A great introduction for readers to the world of P.D. James, this is a serious, literate mystery, though it's still considerably lightweight fare. Not at the same level as her later books, but not as mind-boggling, either. The story features Adam Dalgliesh, who is investigating the stabbing murder of one of the staff at a London psychiatric clinic. Fairly well-developed characters, intelligent use of medical and clinical knowledge (James had a lot of life experience, making her one of today's most realistic writers), a clever whodunit plot with intriguing detection, and a jarring twist ending. That James sparkle is already starting to show at this point.

As always, P.D. James has crafted a superb mystery with "A Mind to Murder". The plot is laid out in her trademark style, vascillating between the introspection of the detective Dalgliesh and the testimony of an array of characters. The story revolves around the murder of Miss Bolam, the administrative officer of the Steen Psychiatric Clinic.

Early on, motives and means are laid out for several characters, and Dalgliesh knows that it had to be an inside job. Miss Bolam was little liked by several employees and seemingly caused rancor everywhere she went. Yet Dalgliesh feels an overwhelming sense of failure as he tracks down various pieces of evidence. The storyline is fairly simple, with enough inconsistencies to throw the reader, and possibly Dalgliesh, off the real murderer's trail.

A worthy addition to the Dalgliesh series, "A Mind to Murder" offers Dalgliesh fans rare insight into his feelings about his deceased wife and son, and the insecurities he feels with moving forward with his life. The characters are well-written as always, and the story is fast-paced. Even though "A Mind to Murder" is an early work, it is not dated in the least, especially for those who love a good mystery.

This is my second James novel. I read The Murder Room which was written by James a few years ago and I thought that it was dreadful. It is a 500 page bore or snore. The present work was written over 40 years ago by a James in her prime. It is short and compact; and, it has a nicely balanced structure with good characters. It is written with straightforward and simple prose and it is a compelling read that is hard to put down. In short, it is what one can describe as a masterpiece.

The book opens with the literary hook: a murder in a clinic basement of the Steen Psychiatric Clinic during a busy Friday afternoon in London. On discovery of the murder, the doors of the clinic are sealed, Dalgliesh is called in, and we are off on the hunt for the killer, or killers.

The novel has an interesting set of characters, but not too many characters. It appears that there are just a half dozen suspects with a motivation to be involved with the killing. The mystery unfolds slowly, and the reader is given a few clues just ahead of the Dalgliesh.

Readers will not be disappointed, and the book demonstrates the fame and ability of James as a crime writer. Most will want to keep the book and set it aside to read again in the future. Also, the book demonstrates again that more is not always better than less. In the elaborate 550 page slow moving story told in The Murder Room, the author has a 95 page introduction and no crime until around page 130. We wait as Dalgliesh does not enter the investigation until almost page 200. Thankfully, all of that type of writing is missing here. In a Mind to Murder, the story is well underway and the reader is fully engaged by page 10. James tells a well balanced and a compelling tale in half the space.

Since the book came out in 1963, it has had approximately seven printings by three different publishers including Faber and Faber, and Penguin. It is easy to understand why.

In Cover Her Face, the first book in this distinguished series, Adam Dalgliesh plays second fiddle to an intricate plot. In A Mind to Murder, the book revolves around the questioning mind of A.D. and he begins to come to life as an interesting character. The plot isn't nearly as intricate as in Cover Her Face, but the twists and turns are more entertainingly told.

Even physicians have to follow the administrative rules. When the administrator of the Steen Psychiatric Clinic starts counting the patient numbers, watching the expense accounts and insisting on proper paperwork, even the physicians find themselves annoyed and wanting her gone. But no one wanted her dead. Or did they? The circumstances of the murder seem to point inside the clinic. The method of death is a particularly strange one, seemingly appropriate for a psychiatric clinic.

The story has a certain anachronistic charm as it reflects practices and circumstances that have changed since 1963. The references to LSD as an analytic tool are particularly humorous in light of the drug's later uses (or misuses).

In some ways I wish I had started PD James with this book instead of 'Cover her Face', since this is a far superior novel. Frankly perhaps some of my enjoyment could of come from the fact that I was now familiar with her technique of unfolding the mystery; The introduction of the characters before the body is discovered, Adam Dalgliesh beginning his investigation, and then back to our suspects as they ponder who among them is the killer. It's classic mystery story telling that for me brings to mind the great Agatha Christie. I also must say that for something that was written in the early sixties, she tackles some subjects that in their day were probably viewed as scandalous, a clinic devoted to the practice of psychiatry for starters.

P.D. James' second Dalgliesh novel, A Mind to Murder. was originally written in 1963. The preoccupations of the time are visible in the book-- changing social mores, counseling for failing marriages, disillusioned young artists, and experimental psychological treament. The Steen clinic makes an excellent backdrop to both explore these issues and to set the scene for murder.

When the correct and absolute Enid Bolam is found stabbed in the basement of the Steen outpatient clinic, Dalgliesh needs to find who killed her-- was it someone looking to the future or to the past?

_A Mind To Murder_ is not as smooth or as perfect as some of James' later work, but is still an excellent mystery and well worth the time to read.

I've heard a great deal of hype about PD James, but I was disappointed in this one. The details are a little muddled, there is a strange and unexplained transition in the inspector's investigation towards the end of the book, and the writing itself is not engaging. Agatha Christie at her weakest is better than this. Still, it's somewhat of a page-turner and I will be reading another PD James book soon just to give her another chance. James has the right idea with this plot but just doesn't carry it off somehow.

Although a typical, for its category book, "A Mind to Murder", succeeds in giving the reader the feel of a real mystery. The character of the intelligent detective, who has to deal with the peculiar personalities of the clinic patients and staff, makes it a great book for starters. A great practice for the English language, as it is currently part of the Cambridge Proficiency Exam.