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Devices and Desires

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Devices and Desires

By: P. D. James
Narrated by: Daniel Weyman
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About this listen

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
'Perhaps her greatest novel.' Guardian

PERFECT FOR FANS OF VAL MCDERMID, RUTH RENDELL AND ELLY GRIFFITHS

Dalgliesh thought he was inured to horror - but this was the first time he'd stumbled upon a murdered body.

When Commander Adam Dalgliesh visits Larksoken, a remote headland community on the Norfolk coast in the shadow of a nuclear power station, he expects to be engaged only in the sad business of tying up his late aunt's estate. A serial killer known as 'the Whistler' has been terrorising the area - but it isn't his case. He isn't going to get involved.

Then, not far from his aunt's home, he stumbles on a body. Unable now to keep his distance, he must navigate not only the looming weight of the power station's influential leaders but his aunt's friends and neighbours - all of whom could be suspects - if he wants to help the local police understand this latest crime.

But could there really be more than one murderer here?

'Magnificent . . . a compelling human drama.' Evening Standard

'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

©2014 Faber & Faber (P)2014 Faber & Faber
Crime Detective Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction Murder Mystery Police Procedural Suspense Thriller & Suspense Traditional Detectives

Critic Reviews

"Her storytelling is as consummate and fiendish as ever." ( Independent on Sunday)
"The characters are vibrant, the writing distinguished, the descriptions of mood and landscape perfect, the ironic ending nicely cynical. And over it all, a haunting Norfolk mist of dread, loneliness and ancient history." ( Sunday Express)
All stars
Most relevant
James has introduced just too many potential killers - too many balls to be kept in the air. As usual, she engages in gratiitous hyperbole, overuse of adjectives, doubtful imagery and even more doubtful vocab and has an annoying tendancy towards tautology. In the end she resorts to farce to deal with the surplus characrers - introducing a sub-plot too ridculous to be believed, a revalatory process that becomes laboured, and yet another disappointing but predictable love interest for our super-sleuth. Too long. Too complex. Too ambitious. It is saved only by another polished performance by narrator, Daniel Weyman.

Unrealised potential.

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.