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The Black Tower by P.D. James - Group read for January 2022
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I just started this tonight - it is my first P.D. James - and I am liking it more than I thought. I generally like the Golden Age mysteries more than the mordern ones but so far so good in Chapter 2.
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This is a re-read for me, but since I own an audio copy I'm listening in the evenings before bed. There aren't many Dalgleish books that I haven't enjoyed, but I remember this one quite vividly because of the setting.
Barbara, I've only been to England twice but I did happen to go to Corfe Castle when I stayed in Bournemouth, so it was neat to see it mentioned. I love when I can connect with the setting of any work that I am reading. I am hoping to get another chapter in tonight.
So far I'm finding it awfully slow, as has happened before with James. I don't share her fascination with detailed descriptions of places, especially before hearing much of anything about the story.That said, Dalgleish's musings on being freed from a prognosis of death into life included a perceptive summary of my & many others' ambivalent feelings lately:
"It was embarrassing now to recall with what little regret he had let slip his pleasures and preoccupations, the imminence of loss revealing them for what they were, at best only a solace, at worst a trivial squandering of time and energy. Now he had to lay hold of them again and believe that they were important, at least to himself." (p. 10)
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C. J. - l've always liked Dalgleish's thoughts and musings. He's such a contemplative soul - a policeman who writes poetry is unusual - at last in crime fiction. Yes, you're right, that paragraph does have an extra resonance right now!
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I am going to start this tomorrow. I always enjoy an Adam Dalgleish novel. He is a wonderful character.
I’ve been re-reading it in fits and starts. Still good. There has been criticism that some of the topic matter in this book is unpleasant, but to me it has a remarkably authentic feeling, an honest picture of people struggling with unfair circumstances that have been thrust upon them. Their misfortune is part of life, and therefore a legitimate subject for a mystery novel.
It is interesting to me that although I’m not a fan of 19th century, Dickens-style detailed writing, I always enjoy James’ descriptions of people and places. They always seem so real to me, definitely people I might meet.
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Equally though, I'm a huge fan of 19th century novels! What I don't like is the kind of contemporary mysteries which seem "padded out" with extraneous material, just to increase the length. They read more like sagas :(
Absolutely, Jean! I can think of a couple of hugely popular authors on whom I’ve given up lately because their books just get longer and longer. It just seems self-indulgent. If they weren’t such big names I wonder if their editors might not rein them in.
Barbara K wrote: "Absolutely, Jean! I can think of a couple of hugely popular authors on whom I’ve given up lately because their books just get longer and longer. It just seems self-indulgent. If they weren’t such b..."Oh don't set me off on this! Don't get me wrong I've read some wonderful longer novels but I've also ploughed through books that you wouldn't want to drop on your big toe only to realise halfway through that the author is using 800 pages to tell a 200 page story.
Regarding The Black Tower, I read it years ago (so I hope I'm OK still commenting here) and I remember being a bit disappointed with it. Not because it was bad or anything but I think because I'd read so many reviews declaring it PD James' best work that it was never going to live up to the hype.
I also remember very distinctly the part of the novel where (view spoiler) I remember thinking how the heck did he make THAT leap and, judging by the casual tone, did PD James expect us readers to have already reached the same conclusion?!
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Of course Katie - it doesn't matter how long ago you read it. I'm amazed you can remember books so well though - I can't :(
Bionic Jean wrote: "Katie wrote: "I read it years ago (so I hope I'm OK still commenting here)..."Of course Katie - it doesn't matter how long ago you read it. I'm amazed you can remember books so well though - I can't :("
For some books that might be a blessing Jean!
Just finished and I enjoyed it very much. It was certainly slow paced but I think we were supposed to be in sync with Dalgleish who was still recovering from his hospital stay. My review
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
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Jean, that’s the Morse about the woman on the towpath or canal, right? Very clever as I recall.
Phrynne wrote: "Just finished and I enjoyed it very much. It was certainly slow paced but I think we were supposed to be in sync with Dalgleish who was still recovering from his hospital stay. My review
https://..."
Yes, that is an interesting point! I've started this and am midway through chapter 2 , finding it introspective and wondering whether to continue. But I've just read your review and so will continue.....slowly!
I have loved every book I've read by P.D. James though most were read 15-20 years ago or so. I did find this time around that I wasn't as enamoured of this particular title. As Katie found, the point where Dalgliesh solves the puzzle did seem to have appeared out of thin air. I did lose the thread of the story at times, though, due to it being rather slow in pace and the characters weren't as thoroughly drawn as I've come to expect from the author. As Phrynne has said, it may have been written to mimic Dallgliesh's frame of mind as he slowly comes back to himself during his convalescence. Maybe the a-ha moment is a reflection of when he finally arrives back to who he was?
Bionic Jean wrote: "Yes, it's The Wench is Dead :)"I've always assumed Colin Dexter lifted that plot frame from Josephine Tey's wonderful The Daughter of Time.
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Do you mean the idea of investigating an historical mystery C.J.? I can't see any other similarities.
I've read both novels, (as many of here will have) and am trying to recall others which have used that situation. There probably are some, so Josephine Tey may well have not been the first. It seems unlikely she invented it! And Colin Dexter was extremely well read (he read Classics at Christ's College, Cambridge, and did an M.A. there too.)
We're getting a bit off the subject of our read of The Black Tower though ... Our first read after the relaunch was by Josephine Tey, so do feel free to nominate this one or another when the time comes, if you like :)
Someone somewhere must have tracked the trope of detectives laid up by illness who revive their spirits &/or refocus their careers by solving a mystery outside their remit -- as Tey & Dexter's sleuths did, & Dalgliesh does here.I'm a bit more than halfway through The Black Tower & just hit a foreshadowing promise that the action's about to start. IMO James could productively have cut at least 50 pages. Every time I pick it up I fall asleep.
Actually, given the current commodification of nearly everything, maybe some publishing minion is slashing away with a red pen at this moment for a "reissue."
It took me several days to read this, as it dragged, esp. in the beginning (let´s say first half lol), then it took up pace, and though the end is exciting, the solution doesn´t come to mind in the rest of the book. My second James, but probably my last.
I finished this book a few days ago, and yesterday I watched the new (2021) Dalgliesh episodes on tv. I had read a lot of P. D. James years ago, and found that I enjoyed this quite a bit. I know it is part of the story that he is sad due to the recent loss of his wife, but I don’t seem to remember a happier character in any of the books. I might have to read some more! As others commented, this book did slow down in places, but I’m glad I pushed through.
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Hi Jean, I will watch some of the Dalglish with Marsden. The one I watched had Bertie Carvel playing Dalglish. This is an actor who was recently in Dr. Foster. I also like to watch the movie after I read the book. In this case the movie showed the physical darkness inside the Grange, which related to a lot of the happenings in the Grange! It also had some beautiful scenes of the cliffs, the ocean, and the rocks below.
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This was decent book, although it did take a very long time for the action to start. The end wasn't very predictable, so that was nice. I also enjoyed the whole setup, the personalities of the different occupants of the house, the atmosphere, The whole - detective gets a vague letter asking for help from a person who is murdered before the detective can meet him - used in so many detective novels, but somehow still very fun. :)
Also, Myra and Jean, thanks for the info about the movies and the TV show.
How does the TV episode compare with the book? I'm curious to see it, since my 2 biggest problems with the book were (1) too much description & too little action, & (2) no likeable characters except Dalgliesh & the offstage Father Baddely. Both of these could easily be solved on film. That said, I'm in awe of PD James's skill at writing from male points of view.
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It's a long time since I watched this minsieries, so can't compare them - sorry.
It will then remain open in the archive.
Bionic Jean wrote: "Marie - I spend a lot of every year in Dorset, and also enjoy it when there's a good sense of place in a novel. So when I recognise a place, it's even better :) It can give a solid foundation in re..."Yes! This is exactly how I remember it. I thought I had posted after I had finished the book, but I guess I did not. I enjoyed the read and I will check out more PD James.
C.J. wrote: "How does the TV episode compare with the book? I'm curious to see it, since my 2 biggest problems with the book were (1) too much description & too little action, & (2) no likeable characters excep..."I've just finished reading the book and agree with your sentiments! I watched the Roy Marsden 80's series years ago but can't remember much about it. I am going to watch the new version tonight (made last year) and will be interested to see how it compares.
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Thanks both :)
I liked the new series, have seen all the episodes now. I thought Bertie Carvel was a good choice to play Dalgleish, intelligent, quiet, very smartly dressed. The 70s period details were good. The storylines were played about with a little, introducing us to Kate Miskin in The Black Tower in which she doesn't appear until later in the books. But overall they were good. My husband who isn't as familiar with the books enjoyed them a lot!
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English Mysteries Club
Books mentioned in this topic
The Black Tower (other topics)The Wench is Dead (other topics)
The Wench is Dead (other topics)
The Black Tower (other topics)
Authors mentioned in this topic
Roy Marsden (other topics)Josephine Tey (other topics)
Colin Dexter (other topics)
Roy Marsden (other topics)
P.D. James (other topics)
Reading begins on January 1st and continues until the end of the month.
Happy English Mystery reading everyone!