Inspector Dalgliesh Novels by P. D. James (not adaptations)

[Extollager]

I am about to finish the Aubrey and Maturin novels by Patrick O'Brian and thought it might be interesting to have a thread on the Dalgleish mysteries by P. D. James.

Adam Dalgliesh - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I'm thinking about reading the series in order, but anyone who wants to discuss one of the novels from any point in the series of 14 novels should feel free to do so. Discussion of adaptations for TV, radio, etc. belongs elsewhere, please.

I'd read four of the novels, in 1993, 1995, and 2005. Right now I'm reading a non-series novel by James, Innocent Blood, and have been impressed by it enough, notably her London, that the idea of taking up the series came to mind. The books were published 1962-2008, so I'm a bit interested in how James handles chronology of Dalgleish's life, etc.

 

[Extollager]

I think the inspector's name is consistently spelled Dalgleish in the paperback of the first one, which I have just read (Cover Her Face). It seems to be spelled one way on the cover of the paperback of the second novel, A Mind to Murder, which I'm reading now. The eye ee spelling seems to be the correct one.

 

[Randy M.]

I recall Cover Her Face as being quite a good first novel, taking the Golden Age mystery and updating it to reflect changes in British society post-WWII, especially the issue of aristocratic families minus the wealth that land ownership had previously given. I keep meaning to move on to A Mind to Murder, but then get caught up in something else.

 

[Extollager]

Well, I've got as far as finishing No. 5 now (The Black Tower) already. Before going on to No. 6, I think I might read James's first Cordelia Gray novel, An Unsuitable Job for a Woman.

 

[Extollager]

Could a moderator please correct my misspelling in the thread title? It's "Dalgliesh" not "Dalgleish." Searching for this thread using the correct spelling does not turn it up.

Anyway I did read the first Cordelia Gray novel, which was more adventurous, I could say, than the Dalgliesh ones tend to be; now I'm halfway through Dalgliesh #6 Death of an Expert Witness.