Publisher's Synopsis
THE NINTH NOVEL IN THE MULTIMILLION-COPY BESTSELLING ADAM DALGLIESH SERIES FROM THE 'QUEEN OF ENGLISH CRIME' (Guardian)
'Outstanding . . . A book to escape into, delighting in the sense that you are in safe hands, no matter how unsafe the subject.' Observer
'Classic P. D. James: rich, delicious and satisfying.' Evening Standard
'Crime novel perfection!' 5* reader review
PERFECT FOR FANS OF VAL MCDERMID, RUTH RENDELL AND ELLY GRIFFITHS
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Where murder is concerned, fiction cannot compete with real life.
The Peverell Press is losing money. The two-hundred-year-old independent publisher is still housed in its dramatic mock-Venetian palace on the Thames, but its ruthless new director, Gerard Etienne, wants to move to cheaper offices as part of his plan to save the company. Before he can push through any ambitious changes, though, he is found murdered, his body bizarrely desecrated.
Commander Adam Dalgliesh soon finds that the director had a host of dangerous enemies: a discarded mistress, a neglected and humiliated author, rebellious colleagues, disgruntled staff. But did any of them hate Gerard enough to kill him?
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'Puts the work of most of her rivals to shame.' Sunday Times
'Each of the complex, finely drawn characters has an excellent motive for murder, and as death extends its tentacles through the marble building, no one connected with the Peverell press seems remotely safe or innocent.' The Times
'Probably the best of the Dalgliesh series so far. Unputdownable.' 5* reader review
**Now a major Channel 5 series**
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READERS LOVE THE ADAM DALGLEISH SERIES:
'If you are not already an Adam Dalgliesh fan, I urge you to become one . . . James can describe a scene or delineate a character with precision and depth, like no other writer I have read.' 5* reader review
'This series is now as thrilling and gripping as Agatha Christie's great mysteries . . . A wonderful treat I must savour.' 5* reader review
'P. D. James is guaranteed to be worth reading.' 5* reader review
'I would never give less than 5 stars to any P. D. James book. She is one of a kind, always constant, always wonderful writing, always great characters, and always a good mystery that you cannot put down.' 5* reader review
'P. D. James writes mysteries for ordinary people. Her characters are relatable and her hero is dynamic. But don't expect cell phones or computers. Her stories are strictly old school, which is what I love about them.' 5* reader review
'Crime writing at its very best!' 5* reader review
PRAISE FOR P. D. JAMES:
'A legend.' VAL MCDERMID
'Masterful.' MICK HERRON
'The greatest contemporary writer of classic crime.' SUNDAY TIMES
'Nobody can put the reader in the eye of the storm quite like P. D. James.' SUNDAY EXPRESS
'One of the literary greats. Her sense of place was exquisite, characterisation and plotting unrivalled.' MARI HANNAH
'There are very few thriller writers who can compete with P. D. James at her best.' SPECTATOR
'Simply a wonderful writer.' NEW YORK TIMES
'The queen of English crime.' GUARDIAN
