Series
Publication
Vintage Books / Random House (2006), 480 p.
Original publication date
2005
Collections
Genres
Subjects
Awards
Theakstons Old Peculier Prize (Longlist — 2007)
Description
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.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member eleanor_eader
A sensitive case for Commander Adam Dalgliesh and his two-person team, DI Kate Miskin and Sergeant Francis Benton; they are called to a remote Cornish island used as a secure and private retreat for notable and hounded people in the public eye, when a famous novelist is found hanged from the
P. D. James is a gifted crime writer, who handles the pacing of a mystery well, and doesn’t let character fall down while building her narrative; in fact, she pays more attention to her characters, peripheral as well as recurring or leading, than most crime writers I’ve read. A great example is the victim, whose detestable personality is layered with a convincingly-established sympathy for the writing to which he was absolutely dedicated. The Lighthouse, the thirteenth book featuring Adam Dalgliesh, left me in no doubt as to the Commander’s personality, or that of his two colleagues, nor were any of the suspects anything but properly fleshed-out individuals. I love picking up a novel where the mystery is the point, and finding that the attention to detail is as sound in every other aspect. James also creates fabulous atmosphere.
This isn’t the most gripping crime fiction novel I’ve ever read, but this author always delivers something above the norm. For me it’s the standard of writing that keeps me coming back; what she contributes to the genre is crime literature, rather than crime fiction.
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lighthouse. P. D. James is a gifted crime writer, who handles the pacing of a mystery well, and doesn’t let character fall down while building her narrative; in fact, she pays more attention to her characters, peripheral as well as recurring or leading, than most crime writers I’ve read. A great example is the victim, whose detestable personality is layered with a convincingly-established sympathy for the writing to which he was absolutely dedicated. The Lighthouse, the thirteenth book featuring Adam Dalgliesh, left me in no doubt as to the Commander’s personality, or that of his two colleagues, nor were any of the suspects anything but properly fleshed-out individuals. I love picking up a novel where the mystery is the point, and finding that the attention to detail is as sound in every other aspect. James also creates fabulous atmosphere.
This isn’t the most gripping crime fiction novel I’ve ever read, but this author always delivers something above the norm. For me it’s the standard of writing that keeps me coming back; what she contributes to the genre is crime literature, rather than crime fiction.
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LibraryThing member thorold
Clever as you would expect in the construction of the plot, and equally clever to manage to write a detective story set in the first decade of the 21st century that includes a butler, a housekeeper, a cook, a maid and a boatman in its cast of characters without it seeming totally implausible. And a
The actual detection process this time is a bit Maigret-like: Dalgleish does nothing in particular for the first three hundred pages except listen to the suspects, then wakes up in his sickbed with a flash of psychological insight, knowing who did it. A pity: I was rather hoping one of the sidekicks would be allowed to solve the mystery whilst the boss was out of action...
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Defrocked Clergyman and an Old Family Solicitor, to boot. The setting on This-Is-Not-Lundy makes a change from fictitious East-Anglian headlands, but not a very big change.The actual detection process this time is a bit Maigret-like: Dalgleish does nothing in particular for the first three hundred pages except listen to the suspects, then wakes up in his sickbed with a flash of psychological insight, knowing who did it. A pity: I was rather hoping one of the sidekicks would be allowed to solve the mystery whilst the boss was out of action...
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LibraryThing member Neale
I must have missed something because I wasn't sure I followed the solution to this mystery. Its been awhile since I have read a PD James book and I didn't really enjoy this one.
LibraryThing member page.fault
I keep picking up PD James, thinking that the books can't be as unsatisfying as I remember. PD James is lauded for her intricate plotting and her impressive ability to channel her personal experiences in the Home Office to create a realistic portrait of a police investigation. But, as always, I
At the end of a PDJ novel, including this one, I find that I hate all the characters. Each character dying off is almost a relief. I am left with the feeling, as Agatha Christie would put it, that they are all "nasty people". I always feel soiled after reading a PDJ novel. The people involved are so awful, so corrupt, so cold, so conscienceless, including PDJ's darling detective, Adam Dalgliesh. Dalgliesh is slightly reminiscent of Javert from Les Mis, but without Javert's redeeming qualities; he is truly an awful human being, so much so that she sticks on the artificial appellation of poet to his character, like one of those facades added to add architecture to those boxlike government buildings. Dalgliesh is conscienceless, he is cruel to the victims to get information, and he is unfeeling to his detectives, playing them off against each other to further his cause. It is fine for a character to be flawed, but clearly, PDJ takes no issue with this; she applauds him. I hate the fact that he is involved with a woman who has no connection with his life and is upper-class. PDJ has her paper-cut-out racial/class-issue characters, but they don't feel like real people to me--just talking stereotypes.
I guess, honestly, what irks me most about PDJ isn't her books; it's her comments about other members of her genre. Like Raymond Chandler before her, PDJ takes pot shots at Agatha Christie, calling her simplistic and fantastic. Yet, in every novel I have EVER read by PD James, (and I've made it through at least 10) she always resorts to a MURDERER's CONFESSION. In at least 3 cases that I recall off-hand, for some unknown reason, the murderer literally taped a confession on audiocassettes and sent it to Dalgiesh posthumously. Seriously???!!! That in itself is unforgivable; yet even worse is the fact that PDJ criticizes Christie as simplistic and contrived. AC's crimes at least can be solved without forcing a murderer's posthumous confession. Whereas in an AC, I find I really like all of the characters; caricatures though they may be, they are human enough to breathe and live and be uncertain in nature. The suspense in Agatha Christie's books comes from us not wanting to sacrifice the characters we have grown to love, while still unwillingly seeing that they are capable of murder. AC may be xenophobic and racist and classist and sexist, but her characters still breathe.
The Lighthouse continues in the same vein as the previous stories. Dalgliesh and his lady love are cold and uninvolved. Kate, the lower-class cutout, is still sympathetic and pining for her boss. The mystery itself is interesting, but the conclusion felt forced and utilizes (wait for it) a murderer's confession. Not my type of story, but I concede that if I were not so heavily biased about the Agatha Christie issue and did not find the characters so unsympathetic, I could appreciate the lyrical language and intellectual mystery.
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simply rediscover that I underestimated just how much I dislike these books. At the end of a PDJ novel, including this one, I find that I hate all the characters. Each character dying off is almost a relief. I am left with the feeling, as Agatha Christie would put it, that they are all "nasty people". I always feel soiled after reading a PDJ novel. The people involved are so awful, so corrupt, so cold, so conscienceless, including PDJ's darling detective, Adam Dalgliesh. Dalgliesh is slightly reminiscent of Javert from Les Mis, but without Javert's redeeming qualities; he is truly an awful human being, so much so that she sticks on the artificial appellation of poet to his character, like one of those facades added to add architecture to those boxlike government buildings. Dalgliesh is conscienceless, he is cruel to the victims to get information, and he is unfeeling to his detectives, playing them off against each other to further his cause. It is fine for a character to be flawed, but clearly, PDJ takes no issue with this; she applauds him. I hate the fact that he is involved with a woman who has no connection with his life and is upper-class. PDJ has her paper-cut-out racial/class-issue characters, but they don't feel like real people to me--just talking stereotypes.
I guess, honestly, what irks me most about PDJ isn't her books; it's her comments about other members of her genre. Like Raymond Chandler before her, PDJ takes pot shots at Agatha Christie, calling her simplistic and fantastic. Yet, in every novel I have EVER read by PD James, (and I've made it through at least 10) she always resorts to a MURDERER's CONFESSION. In at least 3 cases that I recall off-hand, for some unknown reason, the murderer literally taped a confession on audiocassettes and sent it to Dalgiesh posthumously. Seriously???!!! That in itself is unforgivable; yet even worse is the fact that PDJ criticizes Christie as simplistic and contrived. AC's crimes at least can be solved without forcing a murderer's posthumous confession. Whereas in an AC, I find I really like all of the characters; caricatures though they may be, they are human enough to breathe and live and be uncertain in nature. The suspense in Agatha Christie's books comes from us not wanting to sacrifice the characters we have grown to love, while still unwillingly seeing that they are capable of murder. AC may be xenophobic and racist and classist and sexist, but her characters still breathe.
The Lighthouse continues in the same vein as the previous stories. Dalgliesh and his lady love are cold and uninvolved. Kate, the lower-class cutout, is still sympathetic and pining for her boss. The mystery itself is interesting, but the conclusion felt forced and utilizes (wait for it) a murderer's confession. Not my type of story, but I concede that if I were not so heavily biased about the Agatha Christie issue and did not find the characters so unsympathetic, I could appreciate the lyrical language and intellectual mystery.
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LibraryThing member bibliophile1887
I’ll admit the first book I read by P.D. James was The Murder Room. Even then, I didn’t read it, I listened to the unabridged audiobook. I tried to read it, but it kept putting me to sleep. When I listened to it, I was right there, involved and interested. So, when Lighthouse came out, I
There’s nothing critical I can say about James’ book. The characters are all strongly developed, even those that are murdered. We feel true righteous anger at the first murder, because the character was painted so perfectly as a manipulative jerk. We feel true sorrow at the second murder because the victim was perfectly painted as a sympathetic creature. The book moves along slowly, allowing the reader to sink into the roles of the characters, to learn their secrets. The only place the book picks up in speed is when they are chasing the murderer up towards the lighthouse itself.
The basic plot structure is one that has been used for ages. A group of people are cut-off from the rest of the world, and one is found murdered. The detective (in this case Dalgliesh) is faced with a limited number of suspects from the beginning. The reason for the isolation is geography. Everyone is on an island retreat. Later, the reason for the isolation is medical. SARS has broken out and everyone is placed under quarantine. In fact, there are several very tense moments when the reader seriously wonders whether certain characters will survive to the end of the book, because of the illness.
If you like modern English murder mysteries, this book is definitely for you. Enjoy it with a good cup of hot tea and a crumpet.
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checked it out and tried to read it. Alas, I had to give up and turn back to the audiobook. I don’t know why, but I just can’t read James’ books. Nothing against her writing, I think it’s superb. Perhaps because it’s so descriptive, and that I read too fast, it’s easy for me to miss things, and therefore loose interest. Regardless, I did “read” Lighthouse, and it was the unabridged audiobook, so I “read” it in it’s entirety.There’s nothing critical I can say about James’ book. The characters are all strongly developed, even those that are murdered. We feel true righteous anger at the first murder, because the character was painted so perfectly as a manipulative jerk. We feel true sorrow at the second murder because the victim was perfectly painted as a sympathetic creature. The book moves along slowly, allowing the reader to sink into the roles of the characters, to learn their secrets. The only place the book picks up in speed is when they are chasing the murderer up towards the lighthouse itself.
The basic plot structure is one that has been used for ages. A group of people are cut-off from the rest of the world, and one is found murdered. The detective (in this case Dalgliesh) is faced with a limited number of suspects from the beginning. The reason for the isolation is geography. Everyone is on an island retreat. Later, the reason for the isolation is medical. SARS has broken out and everyone is placed under quarantine. In fact, there are several very tense moments when the reader seriously wonders whether certain characters will survive to the end of the book, because of the illness.
If you like modern English murder mysteries, this book is definitely for you. Enjoy it with a good cup of hot tea and a crumpet.
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LibraryThing member LizzySiddal
Another fabulous Dalgliesh mystery. A very traditional whodunnit. The murder victim is a nasty piece of work. Multiple suspects, multiple motives, closed environment. I really enjoy the build-up and the solving of the puzzle. James is in complete control here and, also, having a bit of fun. The
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nasty piece of work is a successful author! Show Less
LibraryThing member tripleblessings
Some have said this one is not as good as her classics like "Devices and Desires". However I enjoyed it very much. I like the prologue and epilogue that tell more of the personal stories of the main characters, including Dalgleish's love for Emma Lavenham, and Kate Miskin's mixed emotions. The
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mystery itself takes quite a while to get going, follows the steps of investigating a suspicious death until it is finally proven to be murder. Around page 380 it gets more exciting with a second murder, and then a SARS crisis. The crime mystery is solved rather abruptly, but the capture of the villain is very exciting, and the ending is quite satisfying. A good read, and still far better than most mysteries. Recommended. Show Less
LibraryThing member mrtall
Another solid offering from P D James. A better-than-average group of suspects, an odd and appropriately eerie setting, and a return to a very traditional, almost 'locked room' plot.
Yes, there's some recycling going on here -- what do you know; it's a crime on an isolated island/isthmus/penisula
Yes, there's some recycling going on here -- what do you know; it's a crime on an isolated island/isthmus/penisula
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-- but James is still razor sharp in her observations on human nature, and her language is as elegant as ever. Treasure her while she's still writing! Show Less
LibraryThing member CommonReeda
I've been reading this whilst staying on Lundy Island which must surely have been the inspiration for Combe. (There was even a copy of it on the bookshelf in the cottage where we stayed) The use made of the island is different and she has also given her west coast east coast characteristics, but
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the atmosphere of a quiet retreat from modern life is just the same, as is the ability to hide yourself away from everybody else. Her description of a rock climb would also ring true with the climbers you find there. So i found it a bit more atmospheric than the average country house murder, though I agree that is the genre to which it belongs. Show Less
LibraryThing member the.ken.petersen
The classic whodunit situation; a group of people trapped on an island - and one of them is a murderer! In these days of instant communication and more forms of transport than I would care to shake a stick at, it takes an outbreak of SARS to create the required conditions.
The story is simple, well
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and, as an aside, it is good to see that P D James does not subscribe to this 'realism' which means that her detective must become old and decrepit. I do not read this sort of book for realism, I want my detectives at the peak of their power; and I don't care if it is ten, twenty, thirty or more years that they have so been!
The story is simple, well
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told and, like all the best examples of the genre, leaves me feeling that I really should have worked it out much earlier: the clues were there.I thoroughly enjoyed this book and, as an aside, it is good to see that P D James does not subscribe to this 'realism' which means that her detective must become old and decrepit. I do not read this sort of book for realism, I want my detectives at the peak of their power; and I don't care if it is ten, twenty, thirty or more years that they have so been!
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LibraryThing member majorbabs
If you don't examine it too close, an excellent mystery. Even if you do, definitely worth the read.
LibraryThing member horacewimsey
Murder. Motive? Is it financial gain, professional ruin, or family vengeance? I honestly can't remember at this point. It usually seems to be the case with Baroness James' work, though, that if there's some obscure family relationship lurking beneath the surface, then there's your solution.
LibraryThing member kaulsu
This is the second Adam Dalgliesh mystery I have read. This one took its merry time turning everyone into a suspect! But that rather made the subsequent events a bit more surprising. Enjoyable.....not going to win any major awards, but fun.
LibraryThing member Bookmarque
While this is good, it is not her best. I found my mind wandering while nothing much at all was happening. It began as usual; showing the various personal lives of Kate, Adam and the newcomer, Francis. Kate has begun an affair with her former teammate Piers Tarrant. Adam is nervous about Emma and
Then there’s the interlude getting to know the people who will later become suspects. My favorite part of her books is where she fills us in on all the little details of their lives and the place in which they will die. It’s easy to recognize who will die first, but not second.
Of course, the first victim is one that no one likes and who has a high profile. This is why Dalgliesh is always called. This time there are no surprises; the man who dies has plenty of people who dislike him, if not outright enemies. He’s a brilliant author who has a huge ego and while he’s coming down off of the heights of his once great talent, he takes pleasure in tormenting everyone around him. The ultimate answer is hard to guess and as usual, I missed the clues.
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the fact that she didn’t answer his written marriage proposal. Pretty standard stuff.Then there’s the interlude getting to know the people who will later become suspects. My favorite part of her books is where she fills us in on all the little details of their lives and the place in which they will die. It’s easy to recognize who will die first, but not second.
Of course, the first victim is one that no one likes and who has a high profile. This is why Dalgliesh is always called. This time there are no surprises; the man who dies has plenty of people who dislike him, if not outright enemies. He’s a brilliant author who has a huge ego and while he’s coming down off of the heights of his once great talent, he takes pleasure in tormenting everyone around him. The ultimate answer is hard to guess and as usual, I missed the clues.
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LibraryThing member charlie68
The first third of this book is back story, backgrounds of the detectives, the suspects and even the murder victim, after it settles into the usual template of the mystery, interviewing of suspect, new clues, another murder, and the last two hundred pages or so are pretty good.
LibraryThing member Gillian-D
A wonderful book. The atmosphere created by the author's amazing attention to detail absolutely puts you on the island. Another James book that I keep re-reading long after I know very well "who done it."
LibraryThing member NellieMc
I decided to read all of the Adam Daigliesh mysteries in one fell swoop and am glad I did. First, they are classic British mysteries all well-deserving of the respect P.D. James has earned for them and all are a good read. However, what is interesting is to watch the author develop her style from
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the early ones to the later ones. And, in fact, A Shroud for a Nightingale and The Black Tower (the fourth and fifth in the series) is where she crosses the divide. The later books have much more character development -- both for the players and the detectives -- make Dalgleish more rounded and are generally much more than a good mystery yarn -- they're fine novels that happen to be mysteries. The first three books (Cover Her Face, A Mind to Murder, Unnatural Causes) are just that much more simplistic. But read any or all -- she's a great writer and they are definitely worth the time. Show Less
LibraryThing member JoAnnSmithAinsworth
Slow paced, but well written.
LibraryThing member shd
good old fashioned whodunit
LibraryThing member nbmars
Scotland Yard Commander Adam Dalgliesh is summoned to the secluded island of Combe after a guest on the elite island is found hanging from the lighthouse. He brings along his coworkers Kate Miskin and Francis Benton-Smith, the latter having taken the place of Piers Tarrant. The island is privately
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owned, and the residents are few. Unfortunately, almost all hated the deceased, making the investigation more difficult. Meanwhile, complicating matters, an outbreak of SARS hits the island, even temporarily felling the Commander himself. This isn't my favorite of James' books, but still brings an intelligence and style to a genre that is generally sorely lacking in both. (JAF) Show Less
LibraryThing member MDTLibrarian
The 14th murder mystery featuring Commander Adam Dalgliesh, this novel is set on an isolated island off the coast of Cornwall. The island, once owned by an aristocratic family, is now a place where the high and mighty can go to temporarily escape the stresses of life. When one of the residents is
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found hanging at the lighthouse, Dalgliesh and his team are summoned to investigate the suspicious death. Like all of the novels in this series, the book is very well written, the characters carefully drawn, and the mystery is solved. While not the finest entry, an excellent addition to what is arguably the best British detective series ever written. Show Less
LibraryThing member MrsLee
This is my favorite P.D. James novel yet. I enjoyed the island setting, the characters were interesting, Kate came into her own and wasn't whiny, Benton-Smith was nice to read about, and the mystery was one which I could not solve. I had bits and pieces, but I couldn't bring them together, so that
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made me happy. Oh, and Dalgliesh finally gets on with his life. Show Less
LibraryThing member wdwilson3
What a classic set-up for a British murder mystery. A lonely, nearly inaccessible island with a small number of inhabitants, many of whom hate the victim, for good reason. The murder brings Adam Dalgliesh and his team to the island to find the culprit.
Ever since I read Christie's "Ten Little
"The Lighthouse" is a perfect read for a stormy winter night, one of James' best recent efforts.
Ever since I read Christie's "Ten Little
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Indians" many years ago I've loved this sort of mystery, and P.D. James does the genre proud. As always in a good mystery, the culprit is not the person the reader suspects. James' strength, I've always felt, was the precision and elegance of her language. Her characterizations, except for recurring characters, are often one-dimensional, but her dialogue is excellent."The Lighthouse" is a perfect read for a stormy winter night, one of James' best recent efforts.
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LibraryThing member bsquaredinoz
The first half drags ridiculously, but the last half is decent. I think I'm going to give up these though.
LibraryThing member leslie.98
Perhaps it is even 3½ stars.
While I did enjoy this mystery, I felt that there was something about the structure of the novel that bothered me -- it was mostly a police procedural, albeit in an unusual set of circumstances, with the exception of the fairly long second section. Not only did this
While I did enjoy this mystery, I felt that there was something about the structure of the novel that bothered me -- it was mostly a police procedural, albeit in an unusual set of circumstances, with the exception of the fairly long second section. Not only did this
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section differ in style, but for some reason, it also went back in time to before the first section. Why?? Couldn't this information have been conveyed to the reader while maintaining the style of the rest of the book? It seemed to me to be an uneasy mixture of modern novel & traditional police procedural which was unnecessary. Show Less
Media reviews
"The Lighthouse" is too rooted in genre conventions to count originality as its strong suit. But it has deviousness to burn, and it also offers other enticements. It's the kind of book that boasts a wryly humorous Scrabble scene, not to mention a Scrabble-lover's vocabulary: Ms. James makes ready
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use of words like abseil, belay, symphysis and meiosis. It's a book that serves up figurative red herring as well as melon balls in orange sauce. Not a menu goes unmentioned.
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Language
Original language
English
ISBN
9780141025100
Physical description
480 p.; 4.37 inches
Other editions
The Lighthouse by P. D. James (CD audiobook)
Pages
480