I didn't realize this is the first of Dalgliesh's mysteries, and it was fun to be introduced to the character. Formal, empathetic, thorough, Dalgliesh is wonderful detective whom I appreciate for his rigour and kindness. The plot, however, does read like a first timer: whereas I liked to coziness of a traditional mystery contained in time and space, there were artifices, bizarre complexities and ultimately painful prolonged suspens that read like a beginner novel. Thankfully, James's trademark sense of humour carries the book through; nothing like a crisp, witty observation to lighten the mood.
This is definitely not her best but overall I enjoyed myself greatly. ( )

I rate PD James and yet I didn't enjoy this novel as much as others of hers that I've read: but it was her first effort and as such is pretty good. The set up is a bit Cluedo-ish: the Elizabethan manor house,with its mistress and her sickly husband, her adult children, a vicar, the murdered maid. But it's better than that suggests. Chief Inspector Dalgleish has a fine interviewing technique, but we don't get to know him at all outside the interview room. It's the other characters who get to move around to London, the village and beyond. But Dalgleish gets the murderer nailed in the end, and the full story is revealed in all its complexity in the last chapter of all. A good bedtime read. ( )

This murder mystery, P.D. James’s debut novel, was published in 1962, during the height of Agatha Christie’s fame and it has a somewhat similar feel in that it is set in an English country estate. I only started reading Christie last year, so I cannot avoid making a comparison, and this novel did not measure up. Its convoluted and far-fetched complexities were implausible to me. I did not hate it despite those infirmities, so I made allowance for the fact that this was James’s first novel. There were glimpses of a good writer. I may try another, but this one disappointed me. ( )

This was great comfort reading while I was sick, but I understand why it's James' least favorite novel. The ending is pretty unsatisfying. ( )

It was a little slow. I am not a huge fan of this style of mystery. More of a cozy hybrid mystery. Very slow pacing. Not sure if I will read the next one. ( )