Cheverell Manor is a lovely old house in deepest Dorset, now a private clinic belonging to the famous plastic surgeon George Chandler-Powell. When investigative journalist Rhoda Gradwyn arrived there one late autumn afternoon, scheduled to have a disfiguring and long-standing facial scar removed, she had every expectation of a successful operation and a pleasant week recuperating. Two days later she was dead, the victim of murder. To Commander Adam Dalgliesh, who with his team is called in to investigate the case, the mystery at first seems absolute. Few things about it make sense. Yet as the detectives begin probing the lives and backgrounds of those connected with the dead woman--the surgeon, members of the manor staff, close acquaintances--suspects multiply all too rapidly. New confusions arise, including strange historical overtones of madness and a lynching 350 years in the past. Then there is a second murder, and Dalgliesh finds himself confronted by issues even more challenging than innocence or guilt. P. D. James has gained an enviable reputation for creating detective stories of uncommon depth and intricacy, combined with the sort of humanity and perceptiveness found only in the finest novelists. The Private Patient ranks among her very best.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
Review of book The Private Patient:
This is standard fare for P. D. James. I've been a fan of hers for 20 years. By comparison, this one moves a little slower and has a bit more character and setting detail. Most of her work never gets to the "page-turner" stage. Still, a nice relaxed read that I didn't want to stop until I had finished. Well written and well edited, something not so common these days.
Not her best:
Not P. D. James at her best. The ending was predictable from early on but the story has some interesting twists that make it enjoyable.
Never a disappointment!:
P.D. James is never a disappointment. I was thrilled to see that she had created yet another case for us to share with Adam. Ms. James's writing is such a pleasure to enjoy. So many newer writers simply cannot put a sentence together; they make you feel like you're reading something by a struggling high school student. Not so with P.D. James -- ever! She is one of the best, and I enjoyed every bit of "The Private Patient." I do wish she had explained why Rhoda "had no further use" for her scar. I don't feel... more info
Absolute Psychological Mystery:
It's hard for me to believe that P.D. James can continue to write her sophisticated mysteries with the same depth and nuance as she has for years. She is in her 80's and her descriptions of the landscape, the murder locations and the characters retain a solid introspection and clarity. I have read many of her novels and Private Patient did not disappoint me.
Her main character grabbed my interest from the very beginning. Rhoda Gradwyn, an investigative journalist, decides to finally undergo plastic... more info
