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

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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

Nov 09, 2014 Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-murder-crime-21st-century

3 & a half stars.

I Googled PD James when I was nearly finished this novel & found she was 84 when it was published. 84! I promise that this isn't going to be the start of rugby analogies in my reviews (I hate rugby) but this is like Colin Meads getting on the field for the current All Blacks & playing a creditable game. No longer at his legendary best, but not being laughed off the field.

But I feel that age & past glories can't be allowed for in reviews & this was one slow moving book. I liked ...more

11 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

May 08, 2013 Francine rated it really liked it

Shelves: mystery

I liked the story and the island setting. I read all the previous books in the series and this one defined the humanity of the principal characters. Glad that Kate is finally coming on her own. I never really took to her in the previous books but she is seemed more likeable in this one. Interesting cast, story very well written, all in all a good read.

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Oct 24, 2014 Sandy rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-detective-grp, mystery, rread-2021, rread-2014

This is my first in the Dalgliesh series which I read out of order for a group read. I plan to read the earlier ones eventually - my TBR list is long and I have many series in progress. The main characters are interesting and I want to learn their earlier interactions. A quiet mystery on an isolated island with a limited cast of suspects.

Additional comments after second read and after reading the first twelve in the series:
The main characters are less interesting now that I know their history, a ...more

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