Word: sinning
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 1990-1999
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...Original Sin...
...Original Sin is wicked. It's enticing. It is, in fact, a beautifully calculated read, proving once again P.D. James' mastery of her craft. After the release of The Children of Men in 1993, the author's first non-mystery novel, some fans worried she might have abandoned the cloak-and-dagger genre for good. Original Sin proves them resoundingly wrong. Not only does it mark the return of James' ever-popular detective, Adam Dalgleish, it is one of the most mystery-like of her mysteries...
...Original Sin doesn't let the reader get as close and personal with Dalgleish as in previous novels, focusing instead on his detective inspectors, Kate Miskin and Daniel Aaron. Her detectives often become emotionally involved in the cases they investigate. In Original Sin, it is Daniel Aaron, more than Dalgleish, who is drawn in. Although Aaron is not as satisfyingly developed as his superior has been in previous novels, the plot is strong enough to carry him along, and the reader will experience only the slightest regret that Dalgleish is not more in evidence...
...spite of the delicate treatment of the dark side of life, Original Sin is less murky in tone than earlier novels, and as a result, the heavy ending seems a little out of place. What is essentially a mystery acquires a thriller denouement, and Daniel Aaron's awkward character must carry the weight of it. Equally ungainly are a few of the bows to contemporary issues, which James usually handles so well. But this will only become faintly evident after the first shock of the novel's punch fades away. The value of James' efforts on the Pure Novel Scale...
...Original Sin, P.D. (Phyllis Dorothy) James' fourteenth novel, marks a return to mystery after the author's latest foray into straight fiction with The Children of Men. Commander Adam Dalgliesh, of New Scotland Yard, directs the investigation of a series of publishing house murders, untangling a twisted skein of death, suicide and deceit. Or is it really Detective Inspectors Daniel Aaron and Kate Miskin who do the footwork on this case? Why is Dalgliesh always away at meetings? James reacts strongly to any such queries...