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Death of an Expert Witness (Adam Dalgliesh Mystery Series #6) (Paperback)

by P. D. James (Author) "THE CALL HAD COME at 6:12 precisely..." (more)
Key Phrases: clunch pit murder, security cupboard, forensic biologist, Inspector Blakelock, Angela Foley, Miss Willard (more...)

4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (18 customer reviews)

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Editorial Reviews

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People P. D. James is "the greatest living mystery writer." -- Review

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TimeThe reigning mistress of murder.

PeopleP. D. James is "the greatest living mystery writer."

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Product Details

Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Touchstone; 1st Scribner Paperback Fiction edition (October 30, 2001)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0743219627
ISBN-13: 978-0743219624
Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.2 x 0.7 inches
Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)

Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (18 customer reviews)

Amazon.com Sales Rank: #73,667 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)
Popular in this category: (What's this?)
#20 in Books > Mystery & Thrillers > Authors, A-Z > ( J ) > James, P.D.

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This is item 6 in The Adam Dalgliesh (Books) Series.

Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!

Inside This Book (learn more)

First Sentence:
THE CALL HAD COME at 6:12 precisely. Read the first page

Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
clunch pit murder, security cupboard, forensic biologist, village concert, mortuary van, lab staff, scientific officer

Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Inspector Blakelock, Angela Foley, Miss Willard, Guy's Marsh, Miss Foley, Brenda Pridmore, Biology Department, Stella Mawson, Edwin Lorrimer, Miss Mawson, Domenica Schofield, Clifford Bradley, Inspector Massingham, Miss Easterbrook, Chief Inspector Martin, Document Examiner, Claire Easterbrook, Hoggatt's Laboratory, Old Rectory, Police Liaison Officer, Sprogg's Cottage, Superintendent Mercer, Biology Lab, Commander Dalgliesh, Father Gregory

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Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!

Citations (learn more)

This book cites 26 books:

Cover Her Face (Adam Dalgliesh Mysteries, No. 1) by P.D. James on 4 pages
Cover Her Face (Adam Dalgliesh Mystery Series #1) by P. D. James on 4 pages
Death in Holy Orders (Adam Dalgliesh Mystery Series #11) by P. D. James in Front Matter (1), Front Matter (2), and Back Matter
Death in Holy Orders (Adam Dalgliesh Mystery Series #11) by P. D. James in Front Matter (1), Front Matter (2), and Back Matter
Shroud for a Nightingale (Adam Dalgliesh Mystery Series #4) by P. D. James in Front Matter, Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)

See all 26 books this book cites

35 books cite this book:

Mystery!: A Celebration : Stalking Public Television's Greatest Sleuths by Ron Miller on 5 pages
Theory and Practice of Classic Detective Fiction (Contributions to the Study of Popular Culture) by Jerome H. Delamater on page 138, page 143, and page 147
Murder by the Book?: Crime Fiction and Feminism (Narrative Forms and Social Formations) by Sally Rowe Munt on page 22, page 202, and Back Matter
Innocent Blood (Adam Dalgliesh Mystery Series #7) by P. D. James in Front Matter, Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
A Survey of Modern English by S. Gramley on page 65, and page 83

See all 35 books citing this book

Books on Related Topics (learn more)

A Taste for Death by P.D. James

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Death in Holy Orders by P. D. James

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Devices and Desires by P. D. James

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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

	79% buy the item featured on this page: Death of an Expert Witness (Adam Dalgliesh Mystery Series #6) 4.4 out of 5 stars (18) $11.70
	7% buy A Taste for Death (Adam Dalgliesh Mysteries, No. 7) 4.6 out of 5 stars (19) $10.94
	6% buy The Private Patient (Adam Dalgliesh Mysteries) 4.1 out of 5 stars (72) $17.13
	4% buy Shroud for a Nightingale (Adam Dalgliesh Mystery Series #4) 4.1 out of 5 stars (23) $11.70

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Customer Reviews

18 Reviews

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
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4.4 out of 5 stars (18 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A book to sit up with all night, November 3, 2002

By	Gary F. Taylor "GFT" (Biloxi, MS USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)

P.D. James' work occasionally collapses under its own weight as the author strains to combine psychological novel with crafty murder mystery--but DEATH OF AN EXPERT WITNESS shows the writer at her best, creating a memorable setting in rural England, a host of very believable characters, and a complex plot, with all aspects of the work coming together in seamless fashion.

Dr. Lorrimer is a forensic scientist employed at a police laboratory, well respected by the scientific community and a bastion of authority in the witness box. Unfortunately, he is also a singularly unpleasant man: bitter at being passed over for promotion, petty in his dealings with underlings, vindictive in his personal relationships. So it is hardly surprising when he is murdered--but the circumstances are something of a shock: he is clubbed to death in the middle of his own laboratory, a situation that seems to indicate one or more of his co-workers is involved. And Chief Inspector Dalgliesh has an abundance of suspects from which to select.

James' detective Dalgliesh is a rather dour creation, and in some James novels he can become a tiresome companion--but here James balances his darkness against the demands of the overall novel to considerable effect. The result is a stylish, atmospheric work with an intelligent plot and a satisfying conclusion--a book to keep mystery fans sitting up all night. Recommended.

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16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Who can resist Adam Dalgleish?, May 2, 2005

By	Laurie Fletcher "Laurie Fletcher" (Casper, Wyoming, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is an old P.D. James that I had somehow missed when I read her continuously in the mid-1990s. Although I love the James character Cordelia Gray, who appears in all of the "Unsuitable Job for a Woman"-type mysteries, my favorite James character is Inspector Dalgliesh. Since BBC/PBS did a series of "Mystery" episodes years ago based on the Dalgliesh character, I have him firmly fixed in my mind as the troubled Inspector (aren't they all?) who is also a brilliant poet and lover of all things fine in life. This book is a Dalgliesh book, not his best (that would be "A Taste for Death" or perhaps "Shroud for a Nightingale"), but even the worst Dalgliesh (I can't think of one) would be better than the best of most other people. This one takes place at a forensic laboratory where criminal and other evidence is processed and gives us a bit of a glimpse into how the Brits do Crime Scene Investigation (CSI). These are country people, not slick American city types, and that's OK. The countryside hides lots of interesting characters who have all sorts of motivations. Keep in mind that this was first published in 1986 and the world has changed rather tremendously since then!

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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good detective story., November 27, 1997

By	dfink@dmagic.com (Cleveland, OH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Death of an Expert Witness (Adam Dalgliesh Mystery Series #6) (Paperback)

The first 60-65 pages were difficult to get through, because the main character is absent from them. When he does enter, Inspector Dalgleish is not developed nearly as much as he is in other books. We learn very little about him in this book. On the other hand, the search for the murderer is straighforward and interesting. There was the sense that enough clues were provided to the reader to identify the guilty party.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars Good...
I liked this one a lot - still went back and forth between points of view, but the story was really good and I enjoyed reading each characters' perspective. Read more

Published 13 hours ago by A.S. Blosser

5.0 out of 5 stars Page turner
This book is a true page turner. Lovers of English mystery novels will not be able to put the book down. Read more

Published 1 month ago by Katja Beck

4.0 out of 5 stars Not CSI
As in all of P.D. James' books, the characters are at least as important as the mystery. This one may not hold up as well as some of her other books due to advances in forensic... Read more

Published 1 month ago by LeAnne Hardy

5.0 out of 5 stars Death of an Expert Witness
What can I say. I have read everything by P. D. James. Excellent author.
The Adam Dalgliesh mysteries are my favorite.

Published 6 months ago by Jan Graham

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Introduction into P.D. James
This was the first P.D. James book I read and am now hooked. Her writing style is wonderful and the way she builds her characters are amazing. Read more

Published 15 months ago by Prettygirl

5.0 out of 5 stars Near Perfect
This is my third James novel. The present work was written over 30 years ago by a James in her prime. Read more

Published on April 28, 2007 by J. E. Robinson

5.0 out of 5 stars A Touchstone British Murder Mystery
Perfect. In this sixth of her Adam Dalgliesh mysteries, the author has achieved a flawless blend of the requisite elements. Read more

Published on January 10, 2007 by J. Brian Watkins

4.0 out of 5 stars Haiku Review - 4 1/2 stars
scientist murdered
many suspects, one killer
thrilling to the end

Published on June 30, 2006 by Robert J. Baca

3.0 out of 5 stars Lacked A Punch
I find P.D. James' stories adapt better to television than they do novels. She is a fine writer and I admire the heck out of her ability to render a story's setting as important... Read more

Published on March 23, 2006 by Penny Dreadful

4.0 out of 5 stars death of an expert witness
I would recommand the death of an expert because it has all the suspence that a murder mystery fan would enjoy.

The plot is that a Dr. Read more

Published on February 22, 2005

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