From the Bookshelf of Reading the Detectives…

The Lighthouse (Adam Dalgliesh, #13)

P.D. James

Start date: January 16, 2021

Finish date: February 8, 2021

Discussion: Buddy reads

Why we're reading this: After our Dalgliesh challenge last year, we are finishing off the series as buddy reads.
[close] After our Dalgliesh challenge last year, we are finishing off the series as buddy reads.

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Buddy reads

* Vale of Tears (Bradecote and Catchpoll #5) by Sarah Hawkswood (Sept/Oct 25)
By Susan · 5 posts · 11 views

last updated Sep 20, 2025 02:26PM

* Vale of Tears (Bradecote and Catchpoll #5) - SPOILER Thread - (Sept/Oct 25)
By Susan · 5 posts · 7 views

last updated Sep 21, 2025 08:01AM

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What Members Thought

Dec 31, 2020 Susan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This is the thirteenth Adam Dalgliesh book and I can hardly believe I am nearly at the end of this series.

This mystery takes place on Coombe Island; a retreat for the wealthy and famous. This sees Dalgliesh, along with Kate Miskin and Sgt. Francis Benton-Smith being asked to investigate the murder of author, Nathan Oliver. As usual with P.D.James, we have a cast of suspects, a closed community and number of motives.

Complicating the situation is a case of SARS on the island, which is almost eeri ...more

9 likes · Like · see review

Nov 03, 2014 Leslie rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: british, mysteries

Perhaps it is even 3½ stars.

While I did enjoy this mystery, I felt that there was something about the structure of the novel that bothered me -- it was mostly a police procedural, albeit in an unusual set of circumstances, with the exception of the fairly long second section. Not only did this section differ in style, but for some reason, it also went back in time to before the first section. Why?? Couldn't this information have been conveyed to the reader while maintaining the style of the res ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Jan 17, 2021 Carolien rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2021, english-mystery

3.5 stars

1 like · Like · see review

Jan 19, 2021 Jill rated it really liked it

Shelves: p-d-james, jill-s-seventh-years-aty-challenge

This is another of this author's books, where if you disregard the the waffle about the useless lay-out of buildings and their furnishing, you are left with a quite good plot, with mostly interesting characters. The setting is an island off Cornwall, where a select, high-powered professional clientele can take a break away from everything in ordinary life. They do not have to have any contact with the staff, unless they choose to do so, and no contact with the outside world, ending their stay re ...more

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