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jaxgirl007's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
pewterwolf's review against another edition
3.0
For those curious, these short stories were discovered after P.D. James death and each of the four have a Christmas/winter feel. Two short stories are P.D's detective, Adam Dalgliesh, and the other two (one being the title) are standalones. All of them dark, but the standalones really stand out - "The Mistletoe Murder" and "The Very Commonplace Murder". The Dalgliesh short - "The Boxdale Inheritage" and "Twelve Clues of Christmas" - while nice to read, didn't feel as strong (Twelves Clues did feel the weakest out of the four, but this feels like to most tongue in cheek over Christmas murder mystery stories. Dalgliesh even says it himself).
I am very intrigued to read more of the P.D James that are lurking on my Kindle TBR somwhere (I think I have[b:A Mind To Murder|56699165|A Mind To Murder (Adam Dalgliesh, #2)|P.D. James|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1610922828l/56699165._SY75_.jpg|887937] & [b:Unnatural Causes|56360980|Unnatural Causes (Adam Dalgliesh, #3)|P.D. James|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1608569594l/56360980._SY75_.jpg|58690]. I know someone kindly gifted me an eBook of [b:Death In Holy Orders|53456811|Death In Holy Orders (Adam Dalgliesh, #11)|P.D. James|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1590091682l/53456811._SY75_.jpg|728749] during COVID lockdown as am going to pick that up soon). But I might try her other collection of short stories that were published after her death, [b:Sleep No More: Six Murderous Tales|35079533|Sleep No More Six Murderous Tales|P.D. James|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1507324807l/35079533._SY75_.jpg|56458241], before I tackle those... but we shall see...
***Write-Up Partially Taken from The Pewter Wolf Reads***
I am very intrigued to read more of the P.D James that are lurking on my Kindle TBR somwhere (I think I have[b:A Mind To Murder|56699165|A Mind To Murder (Adam Dalgliesh, #2)|P.D. James|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1610922828l/56699165._SY75_.jpg|887937] & [b:Unnatural Causes|56360980|Unnatural Causes (Adam Dalgliesh, #3)|P.D. James|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1608569594l/56360980._SY75_.jpg|58690]. I know someone kindly gifted me an eBook of [b:Death In Holy Orders|53456811|Death In Holy Orders (Adam Dalgliesh, #11)|P.D. James|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1590091682l/53456811._SY75_.jpg|728749] during COVID lockdown as am going to pick that up soon). But I might try her other collection of short stories that were published after her death, [b:Sleep No More: Six Murderous Tales|35079533|Sleep No More Six Murderous Tales|P.D. James|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1507324807l/35079533._SY75_.jpg|56458241], before I tackle those... but we shall see...
***Write-Up Partially Taken from The Pewter Wolf Reads***
reemareadsalot's review against another edition
5.0
Not unlike Christie, PD James is even better in a short story. Every one a gem.
perjacxis's review against another edition
4.0
This was my first P. D. James and it definitely won't be my last.
Only two of the stories were actually Christmassy but I enjoyed all of them and liked James' twists quite a lot. I can't wait to read more of her work.
Only two of the stories were actually Christmassy but I enjoyed all of them and liked James' twists quite a lot. I can't wait to read more of her work.
greybeard49's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoy P D James because she is an excellent writer. These short stories illustrate her skills very well. She develops really good plot lines at exactly the right speed and she excels with her characterisation. There are many crime writers out here who are super at their craft. She is up there with the very best.
amotisse's review against another edition
4.0
What a great little collection of short who-done-it’s!
Clever and concise sleuthing, detecting and solving.
Clever and concise sleuthing, detecting and solving.
annecarts's review against another edition
3.0
These short stories had a wonderfully descriptive sense of place. I found some better than others with story #2 being incredibly creepy.
It's somewhat ridiculous I know that I haven't read any PD James before so will definitely look for a full length novel of hers.
It's somewhat ridiculous I know that I haven't read any PD James before so will definitely look for a full length novel of hers.
jacki_f's review against another edition
4.0
Recently the Guardian did a feature on the "Top 10 Christmas Crime Stories" and one of them was this book (or more specifically, the short story that gives this small collection its name). [a:Peter Swanson|3314351|Peter Swanson|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] described it as "not only the best Christmas crime short story I’ve read, but one of my favourite short crime stories ever."
The titular story is extremely Agatha Christie in feel, a body found in the library of a country house in the early years of WW2. It's extremely pleasing and I'm glad I read it. The other three stories are less compelling but I still liked them all. Often I find short stories annoying in the sense that you expend the effort getting to know new characters only to have them snatched away from you abruptly and you have to do it all over again. However these all felt like satisfying and complete entities, like mini novels. I really liked this little collection.
The titular story is extremely Agatha Christie in feel, a body found in the library of a country house in the early years of WW2. It's extremely pleasing and I'm glad I read it. The other three stories are less compelling but I still liked them all. Often I find short stories annoying in the sense that you expend the effort getting to know new characters only to have them snatched away from you abruptly and you have to do it all over again. However these all felt like satisfying and complete entities, like mini novels. I really liked this little collection.
annemariep68's review against another edition
4.0
Audiobook: Three great short stories about murder over Christmas. Very well narrated and definitely entertaining!