From the Bookshelf of Reading the Detectives…

Devices and Desires (Adam Dalgliesh, #8)

P.D. James

Start date: August 1, 2020

Finish date: August 31, 2020

Discussion: Group Challenges

Why we're reading this: Next in our Adam Dalgliesh challenge.
[close] Next in our Adam Dalgliesh challenge.

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Group Challenges

* Sept 25: The Mystery of the Blue Train (1928) by Agatha Christie
By Susan · 16 posts · 18 views

last updated Sep 12, 2025 08:12PM

* Sept 25: The Mystery of the Blue Train (1928) - SPOILER Thread
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last updated Sep 16, 2025 12:58PM

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What Members Thought

Aug 07, 2020 Susan rated it liked it · review of another edition

Published in 1989, this is the eighth in the Adam Dalgliesh series. This novel sees Dalgliesh heading to Norfolk, having just published his second volume of poetry, he feels the need for some privacy and, as chance would have it, his Aunt Jane has recently died and left him a converted windmill.

The beginning of this novel is truly creepy. There is a murderer, ‘The Whistler,’ on the loose and this opens with the murder of his fourth victim, Valerie Mitchell, fifteen. Undoubtedly, James was able ...more

15 likes · Like · see review

Oct 24, 2015 AngryGreyCat rated it it was amazing

Last night I read this, Devices and Desires, which is book #8 in the series. I loved it! The plot was intricate and well done. All the characters, motives and alibis woven together in a way that kept you thinking about not just who the murder is, but also how all the other pieces were going to fit together in the end. I particularly liked the Mrs. Dennison’s story, it just resonated with me.

In this book, the author has developed a stong sense of place and this impacts the whole experience of rea ...more

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Aug 01, 2020 Jill rated it liked it

Shelves: p-d-james, jill-s-sixth-year-challenge

This book wasn't padded out with windows like the last one, but I felt she threw everything she could into it. It began very well with a dramatic scene with a girl trying to get home whilst a serial killer has been in the area. The panic of the girl was really well done. It then moves to Dalgliesh who is taking some holiday to visit the property of his late aunt, which happens to i the same area. Being familiar with the investigating officer, he obviously gets drawn in to the case. We are then i ...more

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Aug 06, 2020 Sandy rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-classic, mystery-detective-grp, zjames-challenge-2020, rread-2020

I downgraded this book because it took forever to read without drawing me in: too much description combined with several subplots with lots of detail. However, the mystery was very good.

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