The Skull Beneath the Skin

To the best of my knowledge, P.D. James only wrote two books about her young female detective Cordelia Gray. That's unfortunate, because I enjoyed both of them very much, especially this one. It has all of the "classic" elements of the British murder mystery: the castle, an island, an oddly assorted company, a butler, an interesting wealthy man, assorted relatives, and a grisly murder. Cordelia must sort out everything in the end, and even though the ultiumate outcome is somewhat in doubt, there's rarely a dull moment throughout this book. You follow Ms. Gray's progress avidly, and try to keep up with what's going on around her to gather your own clues about the murder. I'll admit that I was shocked at the resolution of the mystery, and that's one of the reasons I enjoyed the book so much. If you haven't read Ms. James, start with "An Unsuitable Job For A Woman", the first Cordelia Gray mystery, and then progress to this work. You won't be disappointed!

This was my second P. D. James novel (the first was A CertainJustice).. P. D. James is a remarkable writer who uses her greattalents to great effect in this novel which is on the one hand gripping, intricate and colorful and on the other hand sensible, thoughtful and feminine.Cordelia Grey (I have not read "An unsuitable job for a woman") is of great interest as a woman detective created by a woman author. She is a mature young woman, confident and sensible, who shares with many of Muriel Spark, or of Penelope Fitzgerald's female characters, a refreshing ability to be a woman without apology or undue reference to men (other than obliquely to Dagleish, hinted at as a potential lover, and her late patner who had killed himself). Cordelia is thrown into a turbulent situation filled with men and women who see themselves through the eyes of men (women who are not mothers - or thwarted mothers, or step-mothers - who have unhealthy sex lives).It is not my intention to say that this is a feminist tract. It is not. It is a ripping good novel which is also highly intelligent. But it achieves a power and a level of insight through its author's sophisticated understanding of gender roles and relations that puts it in a very high class among novels of manners...Given an odd situation there was a very great deal of realism and it is unjust to forbear from extending to a crime novelist - or indeed any novelist - the grace to set up an odd situation.

I've recently read a good deal of Baroness James' work, and found much to admire if not a lot to like. While clearly and intelligently written, her works all too often come perilously close to sinking under their own High Moral Weight, and, I am afraid, are very nearly humorless. Adam Dalgliesh's gloom can get rather oppressive, and I was often moved to suggest that he get some Prozac.The Skull Beneath The Skin, however, is the exception to the rule. Dalgliesh is nowhere in sight. James brings her other creation to the forefront, a woman named Cordelia Gray, last seen in James' An Unsuitable Job For A Woman. Cordelia runs her own detective agency, and at the start of the novel is hired to protect a neurotic actress from a series of poison-pen letters during an upcoming amateur theatrical production to take place on a secluded island.James seems to be taking on the classic murder mystery, complete with despicable victim, exotic locale, small number of suspects each equipped with a motive, and finally, a rather bizarre murder weapon. The story moves swiftly and entertainingly, the characters live on the page, and if the denouement is rather unsatisfying, well, I think that is very much the point that James is making. Those classic whodunits are not about life, they are more about creating a puzzle for the reader to solve. James, however, wants to make us think about the realities of her situations, and to see her characters as living people, not just as cardboard types. In this book she James takes the genre out for a ride, and manages to have some good mean fun with it.

I have read almost every book P D James has written, and have always enjoyed reading about Adam Dagliesh and his methods to solving cases. So when I picked up this book, I thought it was another Dagliesh mystery. But it was actually narrated by Cordelia Gray who was introduced in An Unsuitable Job For A Woman. Cordelia is a somewhat inexperienced private detective who is wryly intelligent and humorously self-deprecating, a good contrast to Dagliesh who seems pompous and too tragic on occasion. Cordelia sort of flounders her way through some of the plot, but she is always entertaining. The other characters in this book are mostly interesting, though the murder victim is a bit too vapid to be believed. The setting of this book is the "mysterious castle" and James is excellent at creating suspense in this setting. James also keeps the reader trying to figure out who the murderer is up to the end of the book. A great read!

I first read "The Skull Beneath the Skin" eleven years ago and, after more than a few re-readings, have had to purchase a second copy. (Yes, it's that good!)In the sequel to "An Unsuitable Job for a Woman" (which probably should be read first), Cordelia Gray is still struggling to maintain her detective agency. In some ways, she has attained a greater measure of independence (she now has her own flat and even has a couple of employees), but in some ways she is more self-doubting than ever (is finding lost pets really a worthy endeavor for a detective agency?)."The Skull Beneath the Skin" probably isn't the best of P.D. James's works from a novelistic standpoint (her subsequent works, such as "A Taste for Death" and "A Certain Justice" explore deeper themes), but it remains my favorite of her books because the juxtaposition of country-house (well, Victorian castle) murder and Gothic horror is simply great entertainment. The characters are profoundly sympathetic and well-delineated, and the conclusion is both affecting and disturbing.