A Taste for Death

In the small vestry of St Matthew's, Paddington, two bodies lie in a welter of blood, their throats cut with gaping precision. One is a local tramp, the other an ex-Minister of State. Adam Dalgliesh finds himself faced with the most confused and convoluted case of his career. Why was Sir Paul Berowne sleeping in this dingy vestry shortly before his death?

* The narrator, MICHAEL JAYSTON, is a highly regarded actor, having appeared in numerous films, among them ZULU DAWN and CROMWELL. He has also taken major roles in such television productions as JANE EYRE and QUILLER. His stage credits include EQUUS and THE WAY OF THE WORLD.

p d james at her very best (4/6 people found this helpful)

I have always loved p d James books and would rate them very highly. This book has taken her to a new stratoshere in the genre of crime writing. It has a beautiful prosse, well rounded characters and a top class whodunnit. I loved the plotline. How could a top MP and a tramp both end up with their throats cut in a london church? we are drawn into the whys and wherefores from page one and there are fabulous sub plots which touch at the heartstrings, Detective Kate Miskin and her humble upbringing is an example. She has risen from a council high rise flat to become a top detective and still she has her doubts as to where she really fits in to the team inveatigating the double murder. the ending is both poignant and surprising. What more can you ask from a high class whodunnit?

Overlong, humourless, unreadable (1/3 people found this helpful)

Tedious beyond believe, every paragraph proclaiming, 'THIS IS A REAL NOVEL, NOT A MERE DETECTIVE YARN.' An intriguing enough mystery has been entirely ruined by 'fine' writing and an over-abundance of 'psychological insights'. The novel collapses under its own weight. It falls between two stools -- tiresome both as crime and straight novel. No one in the end could possibly care whodunit. Incredible that it got the Gold Dagger -- it must have been a terrible year for detective novels.

Another masterpiece from the queen of crime. (9/10 people found this helpful)

P.D.James shines here with this novel which contains everything needed in a murder mystery.
Gripping from start to finish, this novel sees Dalgliesh caught up in an investigation which has turned personal - he knew the victim. There are many twists and turns here as they try to unravel the clues and evidence to point them to a ruthless and sadistic killer. There are many sub-plots in the novel which try to lead you astray, but ultimately it comes down to one ruthless murderer. Kate Miskin features heavily in this story and a great part of the novel involves her personal life which we have not seen until now.
A truly thrilling cerebral mystery, which delivers the goods intelligently and VERY Englishly! One of my personal favourites which I read again and again.

A brilliant plot, as usual ! (6/8 people found this helpful)

P.D. JAMES enveils a little more of her inspector psychology and life, while driving us thru this investigation. Little by little everything is put into place and becomes clearer(Dagliesh and the plot !). Questions, doubts... this investigation is a really difficult one for Dagliesh, on a professional and personnal level.
As usual, the plot is really well written and the end surprises us, still being absolutely evident !
But it is the psycological aspect of this book which makes the difference.

P.D. James

Reader Reviews:

From the back cover..... (0/0 people found this helpful)

p d james at her very best (4/6 people found this helpful)

Overlong, humourless, unreadable (1/3 people found this helpful)

Another masterpiece from the queen of crime. (9/10 people found this helpful)

A brilliant plot, as usual ! (6/8 people found this helpful)

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