Most Popular Books by P. D. James

From P.D. James, the undisputed “Queen of Crime,”, comes a dark, twisted take on how the best revenge is served ice cold. “[The mystery] genre’s most talented practitioner ever.” —The New York Times Willing to wait decades to dispatch the bully who tormented his youth, our narrator has a plan—and the unwavering patience and brutal fortitude to enact its every chilling step. With merciless, meticulous efficiency, James takes us into the mind of a seemingly ordinary man, beneath whose unassuming guise lurks a true Machiavellian genius—for murder. An ebook short story.

In 1997, P. D. James, the much loved and internationally acclaimed author of mysteries, turned seventy-seven. Taking to heart Dr. Johnson''s advice that at seventy-seven it is time to be in earnest, she decided to undertake a personal memoir. This enchanting and highly original volume is the result. Structured as the diary of a single year, it roams back and forth through time, illuminating James''s extraordinary, sometimes painful, and sometimes joyful life, and reflecting on her writing career and the craft of crime novels. Written with exceptional grace, Time To Be in Earnest is a delight.

Commander Adam Dalgliesh and his team are confronted with a puzzle of impenetrable complexity. A murder has taken place in the offices of the Peverell Press, a venerable London publishing house located in a dramatic mock-Venetian palace on the Thames. The victim is Gerard Etienne, the brilliant but ruthless new managing director, who had vowed to restore the firm''s fortunes. Etienne was clearly a man with enemies-a discarded mistress, a rejected and humiliated author, and rebellious colleagues, one of who apparently killed herself a short time earlier. Yet Etienne''s death, which occurred under bizarre circumstances, is for Dalgliesh only the beginning of the mystery, as he desperately pursues the search for a killer prepared to strike and strike again.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • Murders present meet murders past in this harrowing, thought-provoking thriller • Part of the bestselling mystery series that inspired Dalgliesh on Acorn TV "Suspenseful, atmospheric.... No shortage of surprise twists.” —The New York Times Book Review Commander Adam Dalgliesh is already acquainted with the Dupayne—a museum dedicated to the interwar years, with a room celebrating the most notorious murders of that time—when he is called to investigate the killing of one of the family trustees. He soon discovers that the victim was seeking to close the museum against the wishes of the fellow trustees and the Dupayne''s devoted staff. Everyone, it seems, has something to gain from the crime. When it becomes clear that the murderer has been inspired by the real-life crimes from the murder room—and is preparing to kill again—Dalgliesh knows that to solve this case he has to get into the mind of a ruthless killer.

The untimely death of a young priest in training draws Commander Adam Dalgliesh back to East Anglia to investigate at the request of the young man''s father, as Dalgliesh finds himself drawn into a complex and violent mystery.

A subtle and powerful work of contemporary fiction. Combe Island off the Cornish coast has a bloodstained history of piracy and cruelty but now, privately owned, it offers respite to over-stressed men and women in positions of high authority who require privacy and guaranteed security. But the peace of Combe is violated when one of the distinguished visitors is bizarrely murdered. Commander Adam Dalgliesh is called in to solve the mystery quickly and discreetly, but at a difficult time for him and his depleted team. Dalgliesh is uncertain about his future with Emma Lavenham, the woman he loves; Detective Inspector Kate Miskin has her own emotional problems; and the ambitious Sergeant Francis Benton-Smith is worried about working under Kate. Hardly has the team begun to unravel the complicated motives of the suspects than there is a second brutal killing, and the whole investigation is jeopardized when Dalgliesh is faced with a danger more insidious and as potentially fatal as murder. This eagerly awaited successor to the international bestsellerThe Murder Roomdisplays all the qualities that lovers of P. D. James’s novels the world over have come to expect: sensitive characterization, an exciting and superbly structured plot and vivid evocation of place. From the Hardcover edition.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • In this "treat for mystery lovers” (USA Today), the quiet Little Vestry of St. Matthew''s Church becomes the blood-soaked scene of a double murder, and Scotland Yard Commander Adam Dalgliesh faces an intriguing conundrum. • Part of the bestselling mystery series that inspired Dalgliesh on Acorn TV “A first-rate detective novel, but it goes beyond that fine achievement to another realm…. An intricate, compassionate novel.” —The Boston Globe How did an upper-crust Minister come to lie, slit throat to slit throat, next to a neighborhood derelict of the lowest order? Challenged with the investigation of a crime that appears to have endless motives, Dalgliesh explores the sinister web spun around a half-burnt diary and a violet-eyed widow who is pregnant and full of malice—all the while hoping to fill the gap of logic that joined these two disparate men in bright red death....

In a perfect marriage of author and subject, P. D. James—one of the most widely admired writers of detective fiction—gives us a personal, lively, illuminating exploration of the human appetite for mystery and mayhem, and of those writers who have satisfied it. “An avid book-length essay on the roots, ethics and methods of the detective story . . . Her opinions are often surprising and determinedly contrary . . . Refreshingly outspoken.”—The New York Times Examining mystery from top to bottom, beginning with such classics as Charles Dickens''s Bleak House and Wilkie Collins''s The Woman in White, and then looking at such contemporary masters as Colin Dexter and Henning Mankell, P. D. James goes right to the heart of the genre. Along the way she traces the lives and writing styles of Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, Dashiell Hammett, and many more. Here is P.D. James discussing detective fiction as social history, explaining its stylistic components, revealing her own writing process, and commenting on the recent resurgence of detective fiction in modern culture. It is a must have for the mystery connoisseur and casual fan alike.

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • Featuring the famous Commander Adam Dalgliesh, Devices and Desires is a thrilling and insightfully crafted novel of fallible people caught in a net of secrets, ambitions, and schemes on a lonely stretch of Norfolk coastline. • Part of the bestselling mystery series that inspired Dalgliesh on Acorn TV “Taut.... Absorbing.... Better than her best.” —The New York Times Book Review “A masterful writer.... Devices and Desires seems to be that highly prized work–a terrific tale of suspense and detection that also delivers the satisfaction of a mainstream novel.” —The Wall Street Journal Commander Dalgliesh of Scotland Yard has just published a new book of poems and has taken a brief respite from publicity on the remote Larksoken headland on the Norfolk coast in a converted windmill left to him by his aunt. But he cannot so easily escape murder. A psychotic strangler of young women is at large in Norfolk, and getting nearer to Larksoken with every killing. And when Dalgliesh discovers the murdered body of the Acting Administrative Officer on the beach, he finds himself caught up in the passions and dangerous secrets of the headland community and in one of the most baffling murder cases of his career.

THE MULTIMILLION-COPY BESTSELLING ADAM DALGLIESH SERIES FROM THE ''QUEEN OF ENGLISH CRIME'' ( Guardian) ''A legend.'' VAL MCDERMID ''P. D. James took the classic crime novel and turned up the dial.'' MICK HERRON ''The most ingeniously undetectable murder method since Dorothy L. Sayers.'' SCOTSMAN PERFECT FOR FANS OF VAL MCDERMID, RUTH RENDELL AND ELLY GRIFFITHS __________________________________________________________________________________ An unfinished manuscript. A murder stranger than fiction. Battered by the conclusion of a particularly brutal murder case in London, Superintendent Adam Dalgliesh has escaped for a hard-earned break, which he plans to spend taking long walks with his aunt and doing a little bird-watching in the Suffolk countryside. But all hope of peace is shattered by murder, when the mutilated body of local crime writer Maurice Seaton is discovered floating in a dinghy near Dalgliesh''s rural idyll. Faced with such a macabre crime, Dalgliesh feels compelled to join the investigation - but as he delves into the dead man''s secrets, the case seems poised to take another murderous turn . . . __________________________________________________________________________________ ''Cleverly plotted . . . full of telling detail.'' Edmund Crispin, Sunday Times ''Wonderful evocative writing - a thriller of the highest calibre. Just loved this book and would recommend to anyone who enjoys superbly crafted detective fiction.'' 5* reader review ''A very engrossing whodunit with a real sense of location and character. It left me wanting to visit Suffolk and hear a wind coming off the sea, so fierce that you cannot stand upright against it . . . Thoroughly enjoyable.'' 5* reader review **Now a major Channel 5 series** __________________________________________________________________________________ READERS LOVE THE ADAM DALGLEISH SERIES: ''Adam Dalgleish is one of the best characters in modern detective fiction.'' 5* reader review ''If you are not already an Adam Dalgliesh fan, I urge you to become one . . . James can describe a scene or delineate a character with precision and depth, like no other writer I have read . . . I usually stay up all night to read a P. D. James novel once I start one.'' 5* reader review ''I would never give less than 5 stars to any P. D. James book. She is one of a kind, always constant, always wonderful writing, always great characters, and always a good mystery that you cannot put down.'' 5* reader review ''P.D. James writes mysteries for ordinary people. Her characters are relatable and her hero is dynamic. But don''t expect cell phones or computers. Her stories are strictly old school, which is what I love about them.'' 5* reader review ''Crime writing at its very best!'' 5* reader review PRAISE FOR P. D. JAMES: ''P. D. James is the crème de la crème of crime writers. Her books are shrewd puzzles, full of wit and depth.'' IAN RANKIN ''Nobody can put the reader in the eye of the storm quite like P. D. James.'' SUNDAY EXPRESS ''One of the literary greats. Her sense of place was exquisite, characterisation and plotting unrivalled.'' MARI HANNAH ''James manages a depth and intelligence that few in her trade can match.'' THE TIMES ''There are very few thriller writers who can compete with P. D. James at her best.'' SPECTATOR ''The queen of English crime.'' GUARDIAN

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • In this gripping crime thriller a renowned plastic surgeon''s private clinic becomes the chilling backdrop for murder. • Part of the bestselling mystery series that inspired Dalgliesh on Acorn TV "[James is] a master. . . . Nothing is as it first appears." —The Boston Globe Cheverell Manor is a beautiful old house in Dorset, which its owner, the famous plastic surgeon George Chandler-Powell, uses as a private clinic. When the investigative journalist, Rhoda Gradwyn, arrives to have a disfiguring facial scar removed, she has every expectation of a successful operation and a peaceful week recuperating. But the clinic houses an implacable enemy and within hours of the operation Rhoda is murdered. Commander Dalgliesh and his team are called in to investigate a case complicated by old crimes and the dark secrets of the past. But Before Rhoda''s murder is solved, a second horrific death adds to the complexities of one of Dalgliesh''s most perplexing and fascinating cases.

In a marvellous, thrilling re-creation of the world of Pride and Prejudice, P.D. James fuses the work of Jane Austen with her own great talent for writing crime fiction. The year is 1803, and Darcy and Elizabeth have been married for six years. There are now two handsome, healthy sons in the Pemberley nursery, Elizabeth''s beloved sister Jane and her husband, Bingley, live within seventeen miles, the ordered and secure life of Pemberley seems unassailable, and Elizabeth''s happiness in her marriage is complete. But their peace is threatened and old sins and misunderstandings are rekindled on the eve of the annual autumn ball. The Darcys and their guests are preparing to retire for the night when a chaise appears, rocking down the path from Pemberley''s wild woodland, and as it pulls up, Lydia Wickham, an uninvited guest, tumbles out, screaming that her husband has been murdered. Death Comes to Pemberley is a powerful work of fiction, rich in its compelling story, in its evocation of place, and its gripping psychological and emotional insight. James brings us back masterfully and with delight to much-loved characters, illuminating the happy but threatened marriage of the Darcys with the excitement and suspense of a brilliantly crafted mystery.

A modern science fiction classic from an acclaimed bestselling author: The year is 2021. No child has been born for twenty-five years. The human race faces extinction. "A book of such accelerating tension that the pages seem to turn faster as one moves along." —Chicago Tribune Civilization itself is crumbling as suicide and despair become commonplace. Oxford historian Theodore Faron, apathetic toward a future without a future, spends most of his time reminiscing. Then he is approached by Julian, a bright, attractive woman who wants him to help get her an audience with his cousin, the powerful Warden of England. She and her band of unlikely revolutionaries may just awaken his desire to live . . . and they may also hold the key to survival for the human race. Told with P. D. James’s trademark suspense, insightful characterization, and riveting storytelling, The Children of Men is a story of a world with no children and no future. The inspiration for director Alfonso Cuarón''s modern masterpiece of a film.

A WASHINGTON POST NOTABLE BOOK • Six stories from the beloved "Queen of Crime"—swift, cunning murder mysteries from throughout her extraordinary career. "A sophisticated collection. . . . Stylishly told and worthy of being read aloud by the fire.” —The New York Times Book Review “An unexpected delight. . . . This small collection is indeed a gift. . . . James’ skills at complicating the genre are never more apparent than here.” —USA Today When it comes to crime, it’s not always a question of “who dunnit?” Sometimes there’s more mystery in the why or the how. And what about the clever few who carry out what appears to be the perfect crime? Or whose most essential selves are changed by the crimes they commit? And what about those who know the identity of the murderer but keep the information to themselves? These are some of the questions that these six stories begin to unlock as they draw us into the inner workings—the thoughts and emotional machinations, the recollections and rationalizations, the dreams and desires—behind both murderous cause and effect. And no one gets inside the head of a perpetrator—or makes it a peerlessly thrilling and entertaining read—like the incomparable P. D. James.

From P.D. James, one of the masters of British crime fiction comes the second novel to feature the famous female detective Cordelia Gray of the Pryde Detective Agency. Set on the sinister Courcy Island, An Unsuitable Job for a Woman is a thrilling murder mystery. Clarissa Lisle hopes to make a spectacular comeback in a production of The Duchess of Malfi, to be played in Ambrose Gorringe''s sinister castle at Courcy Island. Cordelia is there to ensure her safety following the appearance of a number of poison-pen letters. But it soon becomes clear that all are in danger. Trapped within the walls of the Gothic castle, the treacherous past of the island re-emerges, and everyone seems to have a motive for sending Clarissa ''down, down to hell''. Marking the return of the private detective Cordelia Gray, The Skull beneath the Skin is the sequel to An Unsuitable Job for a Woman. P.D. James is Britain''s pre-eminent crime writer and the author of many bestselling titles including Death Comes To Pemberley, Children of Men and Death in Holy Orders.

THE MULTIMILLION-COPY BESTSELLING ADAM DALGLIESH SERIES FROM THE ''QUEEN OF ENGLISH CRIME'' ( Guardian) WINNER OF THE CWA SILVER DAGGER ''A legend.'' VAL MCDERMID ''P. D. James took the classic crime novel and turned up the dial.'' MICK HERRON ''Written with the precision of cut diamonds.'' IRISH TIMES PERFECT FOR FANS OF VAL MCDERMID, RUTH RENDELL AND ELLY GRIFFITHS __________________________________________________________________________________ Dalgliesh recognised with weary resignation the first lie and wondered how many more there would be before the investigation was complete. On a crisp January morning, a group of third year nursing students gather in Nightingale House for a clinical lesson. One student will play the patient, while the others practice their nursing skills. But none of them is prepared for the demonstration''s gruesome end. Later, when a student dies by apparent suicide, Superintendent Adam Dalgliesh is sure her death must be connected to what happened during that fateful demonstration. But in order to prove this and uncover the truth, he must sweep away a cloud of secrets, lies and blackmail at the nursing school - before there are any more deaths. __________________________________________________________________________________ ''P. D. James at the top or her form, the twisting plot laid out with clarity and an acid wit.'' 5* reader review ''Outstanding . . . a classic closed community of suspects, plenty of scrupulously laid false trails, credible detectives and a totally unexpected ending.'' Telegraph ''Probably the best Dalgliesh.'' 5* reader review **Now a major Channel 5 series** __________________________________________________________________________________ READERS LOVE THE ADAM DALGLEISH SERIES: ''Adam Dalgleish is one of the best characters in modern detective fiction.'' 5* reader review ''If you are not already an Adam Dalgliesh fan, I urge you to become one . . . James can describe a scene or delineate a character with precision and depth, like no other writer I have read . . . I usually stay up all night to read a P. D. James novel once I start one.'' 5* reader review ''I would never give less than 5 stars to any P. D. James book. She is one of a kind, always constant, always wonderful writing, always great characters, and always a good mystery that you cannot put down.'' 5* reader review ''P.D. James writes mysteries for ordinary people. Her characters are relatable and her hero is dynamic. But don''t expect cell phones or computers. Her stories are strictly old school, which is what I love about them.'' 5* reader review ''Crime writing at its very best!'' 5* reader review PRAISE FOR P. D. JAMES: ''P. D. James is the crème de la crème of crime writers. Her books are shrewd puzzles, full of wit and depth.'' IAN RANKIN ''Nobody can put the reader in the eye of the storm quite like P. D. James.'' SUNDAY EXPRESS ''One of the literary greats. Her sense of place was exquisite, characterisation and plotting unrivalled.'' MARI HANNAH ''James manages a depth and intelligence that few in her trade can match.'' THE TIMES ''There are very few thriller writers who can compete with P. D. James at her best.'' SPECTATOR ''The queen of English crime.'' GUARDIAN

Handsome Cambridge dropout Mark Callender died hanging by the neck with a faint trace of lipstick on his upper lip. When the official verdict is suicide, his wealthy father hires fledgling private investigator Cordelia Gray to find out what led him to self-destruction. What she discovers instead is a twisting trail of secrets and sins — and the strong scent of murder.