The Lighthouse

An Adam Dalgliesh Mystery

By: P. D. James

Narrated by: Charles Keating

Combe Island off the Cornish coast has a bloodstained history of piracy and cruelty but now, privately owned, it offers respite to over-stressed men and women in positions of high authority who require privacy and guaranteed security. But the peace of Combe is violated when one of the distinguished visitors is bizarrely murdered. Commander Adam Dalgliesh is called in to solve the mystery quickly and discreetly, but at a difficult time for him and his depleted team. Dalgliesh is uncertain about his future with Emma Lavenham, the woman he loves; Detective Inspector Kate Miskin has her own emotional problems; and the ambitious Sergeant Francis Benton-Smith is worried about working under Kate. Hardly has the team begun to unravel the complicated motives of the suspects than there is a second brutal killing, and the whole investigation is jeopardized when Dalgliesh is faced with a danger more insidious and as potentially fatal as murder.

©2005 P.D. James (P)2005 Random House, Inc. Random House Audio, a division of Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

“With her trademark blend of subtle characterization, vivid sense of place and deceptively simple plot, James pulls off another triumph. A beautifully written page-turner from the queen of the genre.” —Toronto Sun

“An elegant and perceptive writer – rich drifts of prose pile up on the page, descriptive passages are Dickensian in length, ornament and power. . . James’s many fans will relish The Lighthouse, for all its poise and narrative familiarity.” —The Globe and Mail

“James’s gifts animate and transform the armature into something exceptional. Her disciplined conventions, her observation of social and class niceties, renew the traditional Franco-British drama of domestic crime. She is a very superior writer of detection.” —Times Literary Supplement

A++

PD James keeps getting better and better. Her Adam Dalgliesh mysteries are highly atmospheric and the characters are very dimensional. She is a master at psychological thrillers.

This story is set on a remote island off the English coast--Coombe Island. What follows is a classic, closed setting British detective thriller.

A Must Listen if you are a fan of the genre.

mediocre

Not P.D. James best but provided a satisfactory ending to a long running story line.

Fine, unobtrusive, narration.

The famed P.D. James, long, intriguing story, with depth of characters to make you care, and jolting events and outcomes.

Classic P.D. James

With it's closed setting on the fictional island of Coombe and psychological insights into Dalgleish, Miskin and the suspects this is classic P.D. James territory. I enjoyed this even more than the previous 'Murder Room'. The narration is solid and clear.

AD Gets his man even when he is ill!

This was very entertaining I couldn’t stop listening. On some of the parts I had to re-listen to make sure I got all of the facts.
The ending was a surprise had no idea until the end. Great read!

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New Collaborators

This Dalgliesh moves the Commander’s life and team in new directions. It might be Kate’s finest hour but her new partner on the team performs must admirably. Listen with alacrity 👍

Enjoyed

PD James, good read, as always. Sorry there is only one left to go. I am listening after having read years ago.

Outstanding!

P.D. James is the finest of all current mystery writers! And this continuation of the Adam Dagliesh mysteries does not disappoint. The story is brilliantly written, the action is fast-paced and riveting, the words on the page so eloquent and beautiful you will want to listen again and again. A mystery novel that reads like literature. Simply wonderful.

A bit long, but

P.D. James has one of the most beautiful prose styles of any mystery writer I have read. Her descriptions of people, landscapes and situations always amaze me. Her psychological profiles offer to explain the deep, dark purposes of cold-hearted murderers. I really had a difficult time determining who actually did the nasty deed. But as beautiful as her writing is, the book seemed to drag on just a bit too long.

P. D. James is always a favourite

So beautifully written and read! Absolutely love it every time I listen. Great characters, Adam and his team and the islanders, both.