A Taste for Death

Here is one of the best mysteries I have had the pleasure to read. Though I still have a few remaining works of Ms. James on my list, this book has a resonance that few authors manage to achieve. The characters and the themes blend to create a work that is greater than the sum of its parts. At its heart, this is the story of a man who after achieving everything for which he has sought finds himself curiously unsatisfied with both life and the rewards of his efforts. Accordingly, solving the mystery not only means finding out who did the deed, but why our victim was distraught and unsatisfied despite tremendous achievements. Readers of this author will immediately recognize that her protagonist struggles with related issues and the pages of this book are devoted to the creation of several like-minded characters who each add their perspective to what is in reality an attempt to solve the mystery of life itself; where can one find true happiness and satisfaction? I believe that the special quality of this book is found in its characters; I should think that the mix is so broad that any reader can find at least one with whom to identify. It does no harm to the mystery to remark that though the victims could not be further apart in terms of social standing and achievement, the author teaches that we are all ultimately equals in death. The author also manages to keep multiple story threads open and believable--this is far more difficult a task than it sounds. Until I encountered P.D. James, I found mysteries to be much like old episodes of Star Trek--if the character who transports to the surface is not one of the regular cast you instantly know that the character has but moments to live. Likewise, too many mystery novelists betray the story early in the book or else they create characters that are incapable of stirring the emotions of the reader--flaws thankfully avoided by P.D. James. The best fiction encourages one to think about one's own life; it encourages and suggests how we may better ourselves and the world in which we live. This book leaves its reader a better person for having encountered the story; if not, it is not the reader who is without excuse. Highly Recommended.

James has the greatest depth in her characters of any of the detective fiction writers that I have read. In A Taste for Death a tramp and a government minister are found in a church with their throats cut. Dalgleish knew the minister slightly and felt a strong connection with him at their meetings. As the case unfolds Dalgleish finds himself drawn in far more personally than he expected, which hampers his investigation to some extent.Apart from the mystery, this novel explores the remnants of the british class system as it crumbles, the old guard represented by Lady Ursula hanging on for grim death and Kate Miskin determined to sweep away all vestiges of her upbringing and create a new life. Neither character ultimately achieves their aim as nothing can remain unchanged, but as James aptly illustrates you also cannot just dismiss your past as though it did not take place.James develops each character brilliantly as the story unfolds from the lonely spinster Miss Wharton who discovers the bodies, to Kate Miskin a newy assigned assistant to Dalgleish who's complicated personal life becomes tragically caught up in the case.The book has been rated by other reviewers as both her best and one of her less noteworthy works. I found it superb and rate it up there with her best. Several reviewers also complain about the amount of detail the author goes into, in my opinion the detail is what brings the books to life, makes them believable and raises them above the mundane coffee table crime novel.James achieves so much more than a mere who dunnit in her work, as she explores her complex characters insecurities, hang ups and emotions. In addition she always explores some new facet of English society and leaves you with something to ponder long after the book is back on the shelf. I feel James's work compares favourably with any contemporary "serious novelist" I have read recently and recommend her whole heartedly.

-6 Stars! Superb, intricately plotted and riveting story....If you havent read P.D. James....it might be better to start with "Death of an Expert Witness". However, for a taste of P.D. James- this is an excellent choice! Newcomers would still enjoy it, but may miss a little of the depth of character of the key players: Adam Dagliesh, a Scotland yard Detective with his own tragic past, who is also a published poet; and Sgt Kate Miskin, newly assigned to replace Dalgliesh's previous longtime assistant, wanting to make an impression, but plagued with problems in her personal life. As a dedicated P.D. James fan, I would say this is even a step above her usual fascinating, exquisitely crafted stories! Beautifully written and carefully plotted as usual. This book is notable for the wonderful glimpses into the life of Dalgliesh's Sgt.: Kate Miskin. These personal moments dont distract, but further the story, and converge with the mystery plot to create a moving and exciting climax. James always creates characters who are complex and beautifully described, but in this book she outdoes herself. She has created a rainbow of personalities ranging from the most endearing to the most odious characters. In brief, a well-crafted, imaginative, wonderfully absorbing mystery. Only caveat would be a fairly bloody crime scene encountered by the detectives. Hopefully this wont put you off, as James never throws in gratuitous gore or violence. This was my absolute favorite P.D. James novel. If youve heard the authors name, and want to see if you like her without starting "at the beginning": This is a great choice. In short: If you love mysteries, and dont own this book- RUN, dont walk to the "add to shopping cart" link!3/5/02 edited 3/19/02

Among the masters of crime writing stands P.D. James, 80 years old, read by millions, and still selling (better than ever). She got her peerage in 1991 and sits in the House of Lords as the Baroness of Holland Park, on the Tory side opposite her rival Ruth Rendell, who is, incidentally, probably the better writer. Proclaimed as the Queen of mystery, P.D. was constrained by straightened circumstances to enter the British civil service. There she worked her way up eventually ending in the Police and Criminal Law Departments of the Home Office. Along the way she has also served as a Magistrate and as a governor of the BBC. All of which experiences she brings to bear on her wonderful, entertaining, and innovative fiction. Need I remind anyone that Baroness Holland Park in 1971 invented Cordelia Gray, the world's first female private eye and showed that women can have the same intelligence, powers of observation, and deductive sense as men? A Taste for Death, her best book, takes us into the world and minds of all characters, expresses their complex beliefs, psychological attitudes, and interesting thoroughly British behaviors so that we understand why these people are taking every fatal step. Some have found PD's writing slightly flat and wordy and have thought that this book, which runs 211,000 words, could have benefited from the kindly ministrations of a good editor. But who would dare edit her? It would be like pinching one's grandmother. Personally, I like reading how London homes look on the inside and I enjoy all those hallmark details of tea preparation and descriptions of elegant and not so elegant gardens. It's like reading Barbara Pym with the additional benefit of a horrible set of murders thrown in. Yes, friends, this is crime fiction at its very best. It goes beyond that fine achievement into another realm, the redemptive realm of art.

This ranks as one of P.D. James' finer achievements. One of her longest novels both in scope and number of pages, A TASTE FOR DEATH once more proves James' talent for devising an intricate detective story and filling it with well-crafted characters and some of the most beautiful prose ever written. The story revolves around Commander Adam Dalgliesh's investigations into the murders of two men who have been found, their throats slit, in the vestry of a church. The plot is complex and, in addition to the intrigue of the mystery, explores questions of politics, society, and morality. This is a wonderful novel with an explosive climax, certain to be a treat for both Dalgliesh fans and lovers of contemporary literature.