It begins, dramatically enough, with a trial for murder. The distinguished criminal lawyer Venetia Aldridge is defending Garry Ashe on charges of having brutally killed his aunt. For Aldridge the trial is mainly a test of her courtroom skills, one more opportunity to succeed — and she does. But now murder is in the air. The next victim will be Aldridge herself, stabbed to death at her desk in her … her Chambers in the Middle Temple, a bloodstained wig on her head. Enter Commander Adam Dalgliesh and his team, whose struggle to investigate and understand the shocking events cannot halt the spiral into more horrors, more murders…
A Certain Justice is P.D. James at her strongest. In her first foray into the strange closed world of the Law Courts and the London legal community, she has created a fascinating tale of interwoven passion and terror. As each character leaps into unforgettable life, as each scene draws us forward into new complexities of plot, she proves yet again that no other writer can match her skill in combining the excitement of the classic detective story with the richness of a fine novel. In its subtle portrayal of morality and human behavior, A Certain Justice will stand alongside Devices and Desires and A Taste for Death as one of P.D. James’s most important, accomplished and entertaining works.
more
“A Certain Justice” is number 10 in the Adam Dalgliesh Mystery Series, but by chance it was the first of the series I read. I’m hooked. I’m going to read all of the P.D.James/Dalgliesh stories. So far, I’ve read the first five in the series. The good news is there are lots more. The bad news is P.D.James can’t write any more–and that’s a …
A great introduction to PD James. You get to meet the victim and see her interact with the future suspects in the present tense rather than disjointed reminiscences. A delightful change, well written in a literate style.
This is my second Dagliesh novel, and, like the first, I enjoyed it very much. P.D. James is a very descriptive writer, so her characters and settings are engaging in a way that many authors can’t duplicate. The story itself has enough twists and turns to keep you guessing, but somehow manages to remain believable. Good book from a dependably …
I like PD James’ work. As an author she never writes down to you but as the plot moves on she draws in with faultless character development.
All of her books are excellent! They never disappoint!
Very intriguing story line, kept the interest throughout the book.
Not my favorite PD James book, but enjoyable.
I always love this author. She never disappointed.
My favorite detective/mystery series. Superb plotting and writing style.
Can anyone not enjoy P.D. James. All her book make the reader use their mind, introduce unforgettable characters and have a satisfying conclusion.
P.D. James is the master of the police procedural and this is no exception…excellent!
There is no better writer of mysteries in the English language.
I have always been a P.D. James fan. I read every book our library had. Then I found this one from a different source and was happy to find one I had not read. Now I see why our library did not select it. I had discussed P.D. with other readers and they were not high on her. Not I see why they have their opinion. This one drug on forever. Uck! I …
pd james fans will like it. it is nice to read something written by someone who has such great command of the English language. Her plots are always filled with surprises and cojmplexity.
Excellent plotting, but character development not as strong. A little too brutal in the beginning.
Great writing
Well written , convoluted plot keeps you guessing. Excellent array of well drawn characters. 5 stars
Always enjoy this series….
Another wonderful P. D. James adventure. Her characters, her settings, the mystery are what you would expect of this author. She doesn’t fail.
Well written.