From Publishers Weekly
In her latest Commander Adam Dalgliesh detective novel, James subtly deepens the complexities of his personality, making him an ever more credible protagonist. When two bodies are discovered with their throats slashed in a London church, Dalgleish is called upon to solve the case. One victim is Sir Paul Berowne, former Minister of the Crown; the other is a tramp accustomed to sleeping in the church vestibule. It seems that these deaths may be tied to those of two young women who have recently been employed in the Berowne household. Dalgleish feels an unusual empathy in this case; he had known Berowne and sensed several parallels in their lives. This sense of compassion is one of the things that distinguishes James's novels. In delving into what she calls "the fascination of character," she makes each actor in the drama memorable. The characters here read Trollope and Philip Larkin; they are knowledgeable about architecture and art. Yet James's civilized digressions do not detract from the suspense of the plot. She does not employ horrific details for shock effect, but her step-by-step description of procedural details, particularly those of forensic medicine, totally immerse readers in the investigation. Literate readers who have not yet made Adam Dalgliesh's acquaintance should rush to the bookstores for this one. 100,000 first printing; BOMC main selection; author tour. (November 1Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.


Review
"Splendidly suspenseful."
--The Washington Post Book World

"A SUPERB DETECTIVE NOVEL . . . AND A GIFT TO ALL READERS."
--USA Today

"Glitters with the high-gloss anxiety of a first-rate detective novel, but it goes beyond that fine achievement to another realm . . . An intricate, compassionate novel."
--The Boston Globe

"MARVELOUS."
--Newsweek


Review
"Splendidly suspenseful."
--The Washington Post Book World

"A SUPERB DETECTIVE NOVEL . . . AND A GIFT TO ALL READERS."
--USA Today

"Glitters with the high-gloss anxiety of a first-rate detective novel, but it goes beyond that fine achievement to another realm . . . An intricate, compassionate novel."
--The Boston Globe

"MARVELOUS."
--Newsweek


Book Description
When the quiet Little Vestry of St. Matthew's Church becomes the blood-soaked scene of a double murder, Scotland Yard Commander Adam Dalgliesh faces an intriguing conundrum: 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. . . .



From the Inside Flap
When the quiet Little Vestry of St. Matthew's Church becomes the blood-soaked scene of a double murder, Scotland Yard Commander Adam Dalgliesh faces an intriguing conundrum: 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. . . .


From the Back Cover
"Splendidly suspenseful."
--The Washington Post Book World"A SUPERB DETECTIVE NOVEL . . . AND A GIFT TO ALL READERS."
--USA Today"Glitters with the high-gloss anxiety of a first-rate detective novel, but it goes beyond that fine achievement to another realm . . . An intricate, compassionate novel."
--The Boston Globe"MARVELOUS."
--Newsweek



About the Author
P. D. James is the author of fifteen books, nine of which have been filmed and broadcast on television. She spent thirty years in various sections of the British Civil Service, including the Police and Criminal Law Departments of the Home Office. She has served as a magistrate and as a governor of the BBC. P. D. James is the recipient of many prizes and honors, and in 1991 was created Baroness James of Holland Park.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

When the quiet Little Vestry of St. Matthew's Church becomes the blood-soaked scene of a double murder, Scotland Yard Commander Adam Dalgliesh faces an intriguing conundrum: 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. . . .

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly