P.D. James
Shroud for a Nightingale (1971)
Author: P.D. James
Genre: Mystery (Police Detective/Cozy)
Plot Summary:
Chief Superintendent Adam Dalgliesh, is called upon to investigate the suspicious deaths of two students studying at the Nightingale House Nurse Training School on the border of Sussex and Hampshire. Many in the school prefer to believe that the deaths were anything but murder, but as Dalgiesh delves into the secrets and scandals of the students, teachers, and doctors, it becomes obvious that these women were killed in order to keep a hidden truth from being exposed. Dalgliesh discovers blackmail, jealousy, and forbidden relationships. SPOILER: A attack on Dalgliesh himself raises the stakes even higher and a long-suppressed revelation about a suspect's secret Nazi pastis unveiled.
Geographical Setting: Southeastern England
Time Period: Early 1970s
Series: Adam Dalgliesh series (Book #4)
Appeal Characteristics:
The central character, somewhat of a mystery himself, is a large part of the appeal of this mystery. The unraveling of Adam Dalgliesh's psyche over time is one of the reasons the reader is drawn into the series. Another appeal element of this book is the complexity of the storyline. The twists and revelations at every turn make this an engrossing read despite the detailed description that slows the pace. This detailed description of setting creates strong sense of place that also plays a part in the appeal of the book. The Nightingale House and its past contribute to the bleak and forboding atmosphere. Unlike many mysteries series that follow one detective through many cases, this story is told in third person, from multiple points of view. This allows the reader a peak into the interior life of many of the secondary characters and makes this story more of a psychological drama than many traditional mysteries. All of the suspects are well-developed characters with interesting and complicated motives. P.D. James' style may be part of the appeal as well for readers who enjoy her refined and polished prose.
Read-alikes: Fans of P.D. James' Adam Dalgliesh will probably appreciate Dorothy L. Sayers' Lord Peter Wimsey mysteries. The central character, both perspective and highly intelligent sleuths, are similar characters. The first book featuring Wimsey, Whose Body is a good place to start. Lord Peter Wimsey's first murder case revolves around a body found in a bathtub naked expect for his pince-nez. The murder coincidences with the vanishing of Sir Reuben Levy, a wealthy man, whose disappearance Wimsey is sure is related. Sayers' elegant literary style will appeal to those who enjoy P.D. James' writing. Elizabeth George is another good choice for fans of P.D. James. Her central character, Inspector Lynley is another traditional English detective, introspective and reserved, like Dalgliesh, and over the course of the series more and more of his character is revealed. Another appeal factor that George and James have in common is the detail with which they describe the setting. The strong sense of place is simimlar is books by James and by George. The first Inspector Lynley mystery, A Suitable Vengeance would make a good recommendation. For readers who don't mind not starting with the first book might enjoy Playing for Ashes. iRuth Rendell's From Doon With Death would be a good choice for those readers who enjoy the psychological intrigue of P.D. James' work. In this first Inspector Wexford novel, a seemingly ordinary homemaker is murdered and the investigation reveals secret after secret about Mrs. Parsons and her neighbors. Rendell's elegant prose style and complex storyline will appeal to fans of James. Another good choice would be Rendell's The Water's Lovely. Ngaio Marsh's A Man Lay Dead is another tradition Scotland Yard detective story that will appeal to fans of P.D. James. The setting is a small gathering on the English countryside where a corpse turns up in the middle of a parlor game and Inspector Roderick Alleyn must solve the case. The intricated layered storyline will appeal to fans of James as well as her literate style. Martha Grimes could also be suggested to a P.D. James fan. The Old Wine Shades starts in a pub where Inspector Jury finds himself engrossed by story of the disappearance of a mother, son, and dog nine months prior. He doesn't entirely believe the storyteller, until a body is found. Her measured pace and focus on characterization is similar to a P.D. James mystery. Her central character, Richard Jury shares many traits with Adam Dalgliesh.
Red Flags: Murder, mild sexual situations
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