RIP P.D. James

[Carol/Bonadie]

I just learned that P.D. James passed away yesterday at the age of 94. Her Adam Dalgliesh series was one of my first exposures (other than Agatha Christie) to British crime fiction, which I continue to favor.

What a long and prolific career she had.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P._D._James

[Ann]

Thanks for sharing, Carol. PD James was quite prolific and didn't have an easy time of it it seems, working in Civil Service until retirement at age 59, then writing what looks like twelve more novels on top of the seven published before then. Plus essays and short stories not yet cataloged.
Do you have a suggestion of a favorite book to start with if someone hasn't yet read her any of her work?

[Carol/Bonadie]

You know me, Ann, I always like to start at the beginning.

The first in the Adam Dalgliesh series is Cover Her Face, which I remember quite enjoying. This was also filmed as part of a series on PBS.

She also wrote two with a female investigator, Cordelia Gray. The first aptly titled book in this short series is An Unsuitable Job for a Woman

What I didn't realize until just now was that the movie Children of Men, starring Clive Owen and directed by Alphonse Cuaron, was based on her novel The Children of Men. More of an apocalyptic theme, not a mystery.

[Wiley]

I was so sad to hear this news. I loved James, still need to read several to catch up. My favorite books --- the Dalgliesh mysteries DEVICES AND DESIRES and A TASTE FOR DEATH, and the stand-alone INNOCENT BLOOD.

[Sandi]

Very sad news indeed. James was one of my all time favorites.

I thought her stand-alone Innocent Blood was excellent and while I enjoyed all the entries in the Dalgliesh series my favorites were A Certain Justice, Shroud for a Nightingale, A Taste for Death, Devices and Desires, and Original Sin.

I saw the movie The Children of Men first and liked it quite alot and then listened to the audio version which was quite different but just as good.

[Melodie]

I saw that she had passed away on Thanksgiving. The only book of hers that I ever read was THE CHILDREN OF MEN. Loved the book, not so much the movie, even though it had Clive Owen in it.

[Ann]

Thanks all for sharing your favorites! I'll have to decide which and see if I can try one on audio.