A Certain Justice: An Adam Dalgliesh Mystery

P.D. James is an author of immense skill. Her mysteries plumb the depths of the human soul and illustrate perfectly the fine line that separates the civilized world from the uncivilized. A Certain Justice weaves together several complex and compelling storylines. There is a gradual buildup which begins with the commission of a crime and culminates in the unraveling of all the disparate threads that brought said crime to fruition. The characters are complex and believable and though the mystery unfolds slowly, it is never boring. Each character has a compelling story and James does a masterful job of showing how the choices that one makes in life can either lead to a continuation of the abuses of the past or a triumph over them, with Ashe and Kate serving as perfect foils. Characters are James's strength. Dalgliesh remains rather elusive but the lives and experiences of those who serve under him and those whom he seeks to bring to justice are richly and vividly drawn. James's characters are entirely human and believable and seem as if they could walk off of the page and out into the real world. In short, she is one of the finest mystery writers out there and her novels are always richly rewarding literary works.

~ -~* * * * * P.D James does it again! A beautiful intricately woven plot and fascinating characters make "A Certain Justice" one of her best!You don't have to be a P.D. James fan; all mystery lovers will enjoy this book!~ -~Unusually for the "who-dun-it" genre, we actually get to meet and understand the life of the victim- Venetia, a criminal lawyer. We see the complexity of her life, and by the time she is murdered, we already know of many possible motives. Investigator Superintendent Adam Dalgliesh (a poet with a tragic past) is wonderful as always.~ -~ This book clearly shows James' strength: - creating complex and believable characters that fill the book. We see the best and worst of each of the people in Venetia's world. As always James manages to surprise us all with the solution. I've never been able to outguess Dalgliesh- her plots are too imaginative and subtly hidden in the glimpses we have of the suspects. . This book is absolutely absorbing. * * * * *~ Buy this book, and save it for a long wait at the airport, or a day when you are snowed in. You won't want anything to interrupt you when you read it!

Venetia Aldridge, a bitchy, brilliant criminal attorney with a talent for getting guilty clients off the hook, is brutally murdered in her Chambers. Once again, Commander Adam Dalgliesh steps in to unravel a mystery that, as is the case in almost all James' finest novels, lies buried in the past.Though A CERTAIN JUSTICE is not P.D. James' most intricately plotted or fast-paced novel (that distinction belongs to the brilliant SHROUD FOR A NIGHTINGALE), it's a great throwback to her early days, during which some of her most compelling books were written. The central character, Venetia, nearly upstages Dalgliesh here, and with good reason: she is probably the most enthralling, fascinating character James has ever created. She is eminently respectable and thoroughly unpleasant, and because of this she has naturally surrounded herself with a gallery of suspects, all of whom have reason to do her in. The way in which James reveals the true murderer, however, is nothing short of brilliant. In fact, the entire plot is a marvel of construction, with every clue scrupulously laid out for the reader. As always, however, the relatively simple details of the crime belie the emotional and psychological turmoil boiling beneath the surface.What distinguishes A CERTAIN JUSTICE from her more recent books is the quality of the writing. James' technique is as stylish and literate as ever, but so much more readable; she wastes few words on unnecessary details about architecture (as one reviewer aptly pointed out below). The novel is much shorter than A TASTE FOR DEATH, DEVICES AND DESIRES, or ORIGINAL SIN, fine mysteries that were undermined by excessive rambling. At under four hundred pages, A CERTAIN JUSTICE is leaner and cleaner, and also has a thrust and energy lacking in its predecessors. This is truly P.D. James at the peak of her form--an exquisite, beautifully crafted novel that also shows a tremendous amount of grace and restraint.

I never do fail to find a P.D. James novel rewarding, but "A Cerain Justice" has fulfilled even my highest expectations of her art, its quality reminding me of my favorite of her novels, "Innocent Blood." In the lawyer Venetia Aldridge, P.D. James has created one of her more sympathetic figures, despite or precisely because of the fact she is difficult and unloved. James, as usual, throws red herrings left and right, in the process painting a nuanced and compassionate portrait of the ordinary anxieties and petty tragedies of life across a cross-section of contemporary English society. With relative economy of means, she fashions complex, fascinating, and convincing characters (though an English person would best judge their verissimilitude); even the "heroes" show weaknesses and unworthy moments (but, being James' heroes, they are introspective enough to recognize their shortcomings). For some reason, I found the plot rather less contrived than those of some of the other novels (the narrative here feels tighter -- or is it just that I finished the book in two sittings) -- that's not necessarily a criticism in any case -- you be the judge. James' maxim that murder changes everything and that merely catching the murdering can never restore the original balance of things is indeed bleak but far more truthful (and ultimately more satisfying) than the more optimistic viewpoints heard from other novelists. Enjoy this one!

is the only way to describe A CERTAIN JUSTICE, P.D. James' newest Adam Dalgliesh novel. In comparison with her previous work, I would say the most outstanding facet of this book is the remarkable quality of the writing. While James has always been an accomplished wordsmith, this book seems to be written with even greater literary style, and it flows much more smoothly than ORIGINAL SIN, which at times could become excessively verbose.The characters are, as usual, drawn realistically and interestingly. It is unfortunate that the story's most fascinating character is also the murder victim. Bold, ruthless, and basically dislikeable, Venetia Aldridge is a skilled criminal attorney who has no shortage of enemies. Angry colleagues, a rebellious daughter, and one dangerous psychopath comprise the impressively varied list of people who come under suspicion when Venetia is found stabbed to death at her desk, horrifically decorated with a bloodstained wig.The plot is ! not as complex or as elaborate as, say, an Agatha Christie or even one of James' previous novels. Nonetheless, the story is solidly constructed and serves up quite a few ingenious twists before the final revelation of the murderer's identity. Highly recommended.