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A review by missbryden
A Certain Justice by P.D. James
3.0
Overall, kind of an interesting story about knowing or believing people's guilt and not having evidence for it, or in the case of the lawyer having to defend those who aren't innocent.
Reading notes:
Book 1 told from the start who is to die, end of book 1 (25% done) we’ve heard from all who presumably have reason to want her gone (and their backstories), she’s presumably on the way out. At first I thought Laud should be the one out, still privileged and annoying but so is Venetia and everyone, and Olivia and Ashe’s scene is quite gross. Author seems trying to keep up with young and current but author voice and audio narrator voice seem heavily tinged with age, yet what I can remember of first book was similar just as a contemporary book, as they continue to be, the references were then to the 60s. Still the details of settings, art, clothes everywhere (but clothes more about the women), and not just say in Dalgliesh's perspective. A Mrs. Carpenter wrote a letter which was a 70 minute chapter in the audio, including these kind of descriptions. Also you can see why it might have taken the priest to whom it was written some time to read it - Kate Miskin before she got to read it wondered why it was taking so long (when he disappeared for 10 or 15 minutes), but she was also anxious about why they had to spend so much time in the church, and why couldn't they just take it right off as evidence).
More from Dalgliesh in this one, we actually hear more of his thoughts and voice.
New Inspector to replace Daniel Aaron from the previous book [b:Original Sin|3815|Original Sin (Adam Dalgliesh, #9)|P.D. James|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388704762l/3815._SY75_.jpg|895966] and has been with them only three months, although it should be about three years since Daniel left, at least according to how the previous book ended (the only one in which he appeared).
Piers Tarrant (new guy) is like a little Dalgliesh, at least in his interests. They're still mentioning Massingham in comparison even though he hasn't been in it for a few books.
More from Kate Miskin, some repetitive from previous books (but with three years between books it's understandable that readers might not remember), but her background ends up connecting to another character's story. Also her rumination on her background and experience is brought to the forefront by comparisons to Dalgliesh's and Tarrant's backgrounds. Dalgliesh seems concerned about her emotional experiences and suggests she might like to take some time for university education (which to his mind might be enjoyable) which makes her worry that he thinks she needs high class formal education to make her better and more equal in the police, that her urban unhappy working her way up through the police doesn't qualify her enough (add to this discussions with Piers on why he studied theology, and visits to a church are adding to the anxiety).
Nobody in these stories is really happy, and it seems if they are happy and settled feeling they don't get heard from much, like Sergeant Robbins, in this and the previous book. Kate responding to him after interviewing witnesses or suspects, "All right, Sergeant, we all know you're the humane face of policing, but don't lay it on too thick." and later in thought he "might have been recruited for the sole purpose of reassuring the timid or cynical that the Met was staffed by every mother's favourite son. He was a stalwart of his local Methodist church, a non-drinker and a non-smoker, and a part-time lay preacher. He was also one of the most sceptical officers Kate had ever worked with; his presumed optimism about the redeemability of human nature was combined with an apparent ability to expect the worst and to accept it with non-judgmental but uncompromising calm. Very few questions asked by Robbins were resented; very few lying answers went undetected." Roughly the same details were shared in Original Sin in Daniel Aaron's consideration of him. Seems like he's too untroubled and close to perfect to get more featured.
Reading notes:
Book 1 told from the start who is to die, end of book 1 (25% done) we’ve heard from all who presumably have reason to want her gone (and their backstories), she’s presumably on the way out. At first I thought Laud should be the one out, still privileged and annoying but so is Venetia and everyone, and Olivia and Ashe’s scene is quite gross. Author seems trying to keep up with young and current but author voice and audio narrator voice seem heavily tinged with age, yet what I can remember of first book was similar just as a contemporary book, as they continue to be, the references were then to the 60s. Still the details of settings, art, clothes everywhere (but clothes more about the women), and not just say in Dalgliesh's perspective. A Mrs. Carpenter wrote a letter which was a 70 minute chapter in the audio, including these kind of descriptions. Also you can see why it might have taken the priest to whom it was written some time to read it - Kate Miskin before she got to read it wondered why it was taking so long (when he disappeared for 10 or 15 minutes), but she was also anxious about why they had to spend so much time in the church, and why couldn't they just take it right off as evidence).
More from Dalgliesh in this one, we actually hear more of his thoughts and voice.
New Inspector to replace Daniel Aaron from the previous book [b:Original Sin|3815|Original Sin (Adam Dalgliesh, #9)|P.D. James|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388704762l/3815._SY75_.jpg|895966] and has been with them only three months, although it should be about three years since Daniel left, at least according to how the previous book ended (the only one in which he appeared).
Piers Tarrant (new guy) is like a little Dalgliesh, at least in his interests. They're still mentioning Massingham in comparison even though he hasn't been in it for a few books.
More from Kate Miskin, some repetitive from previous books (but with three years between books it's understandable that readers might not remember), but her background ends up connecting to another character's story. Also her rumination on her background and experience is brought to the forefront by comparisons to Dalgliesh's and Tarrant's backgrounds. Dalgliesh seems concerned about her emotional experiences and suggests she might like to take some time for university education (which to his mind might be enjoyable) which makes her worry that he thinks she needs high class formal education to make her better and more equal in the police, that her urban unhappy working her way up through the police doesn't qualify her enough (add to this discussions with Piers on why he studied theology, and visits to a church are adding to the anxiety).
Nobody in these stories is really happy, and it seems if they are happy and settled feeling they don't get heard from much, like Sergeant Robbins, in this and the previous book. Kate responding to him after interviewing witnesses or suspects, "All right, Sergeant, we all know you're the humane face of policing, but don't lay it on too thick." and later in thought he "might have been recruited for the sole purpose of reassuring the timid or cynical that the Met was staffed by every mother's favourite son. He was a stalwart of his local Methodist church, a non-drinker and a non-smoker, and a part-time lay preacher. He was also one of the most sceptical officers Kate had ever worked with; his presumed optimism about the redeemability of human nature was combined with an apparent ability to expect the worst and to accept it with non-judgmental but uncompromising calm. Very few questions asked by Robbins were resented; very few lying answers went undetected." Roughly the same details were shared in Original Sin in Daniel Aaron's consideration of him. Seems like he's too untroubled and close to perfect to get more featured.