The Murder Room

An Adam Dalgliesh Mystery

By: P. D. James

Narrated by: Charles Keating

Length: 14 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's summary

The Dupayne, a small private museum in London devoted to the interwar years 1919 - 1939, is in turmoil. As its trustees argue over whether it should be closed, one of them is brutally and mysteriously murdered. Yet even as Commander Dalgliesh and his team proceed with their investigation, a second corpse is discovered. Someone in the Dupayne is prepared to kill and kill again. Still more sinister, the murders appear to echo the notorious crimes of the past featured in one of the museum’s galleries: the Murder Room. The case is fraught with danger and complications from the outset, but for Dalgliesh the complications are unexpectedly profound. His new relationship with Emma Lavenham—introduced in the last Dalgliesh novel, Death in Holy Orders—is at a critical stage. Now, as he moves closer and closer to a solution to the puzzle, he finds himself driven further and further from commitment to the woman he loves.

©2003 P.D. James (P)2003 Random House, Inc., Random House Audio, A Division Of Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

"[A] superbly realized setting. … The plot unfolds at its Jamesian leisure; the rich, almost posh quality of its slow unveiling allows for sharp sketches of character and place…. [James] ought never to be confused with such practitioners of the murder-in-the-vicarage genre as Agatha Christie. She is subtler, more sophisticated, much more adept at creating character, and her social conservatism gives her a much darker view of human nature.”—Martin Levin, The Globe and Mail“[T]he premise is delicious.”—Telegraph (UK)

“James’s eye for architecture and nature is rare in most genres of the novel now, and this skill for physical description—along with her psychological acuity.”—The Guardian (UK)"]

“If crime fiction were classical music, P. D. James’s books would be filed under Grand Opera. In a sense, James is the last of the great Golden Age crime writers. She has an instinctive grasp of narrative: despite the leisurely prose, the shocks are beautifully handled. The plot purrs along like a well-designed and well-maintained engine. James writes with rare authority about the civil service, the police and the justice system. She also does an exceptionally good corpse—she never cheapens the physical appearance of death, but describes it with both respect and clinical attention to detail.”—The Independent (UK)

Listened Continually

Adam Dalgliesh is a wondrous creation of P. D. James. He is tough but vulnerable. He has admirable self awareness. This title made me listen almost nonstop. The interactions of Adam’s team are intriguing. There is a fine character Tully whose name I may have misspelled. The tension and suspense are unequalled. Don’t miss this one.

More, more.......

I have been an Audible listener for several years and have never left a review. I enjoyed Death in Holy Orders and couldn't wait for more. The Murder Room continues in the same fine tradition in telling a classic English detective story. Commander Adam Dalgliesh's personal struggles are revealed, while he remains the consummate profession. If you want to smell the flowers, the dust, and the blood...If you want to feel the anger, fear, and joy of James's characters, I highly recommend this book.

A Classic

Some years ago there were a series of Adam Dalgliesh mysteries on TV. I watched and enjoyed those shows but don't remember reading any of the books before now. I'm happy that I decided to revisit the series in book form.

The start of the book may seem "slow". The first part of the book introduces the reader to the characters involved in the murder. The writing is excellent. It gives the reader information about potential "suspects" and paints a vivid image of the setting and the characters who might be the murderer.

The narration by Charles Keating is excellent. I prefer narrators who use their talent to enhance the story rather than "show off" their acting skills. Keating does this perfectly.


As soon as I finished this book I ordered another one and am about half way through that book. I feel sure that I will listen to these books more than once and discover new things each time I listen. The author wrote 14 Adam Dalgliesh mysteries before her death in 2014. I intend to read as many as are available.

One of the best writers I've come across

I love to listen to great writers. Having an excellent reader like Charles Keating just adds to the experience. However, I will listen to nearly any book I download multiple times when the writing is so good that I want to go back and listen to character development, plot twists, amazing descriptions of scenes or drama, etc. My favorite writer has long been Charles Dickens -- and I've found P.D. James to be on that level. Her command of the language enables her to express what she is describing in such vivid and evocative ways. It's not just a book, it's an experience worth revisiting.

Murder Room

Classic P.D. James. The book is not for the hurried. The characters are full blood and flesh and fully developed, not mere charicatures. The story line was believable and the language was even tempered. I enjoyed the pace but some may call it slow. I would recommend it if as a rule you enjoy 20th century English classics such as S.W.Maugham or Christie.

Beautifully plotted with splendid atmosphere

P.D. James is incomparable at setting the stage and atmosphere for both plot and scene. In this book, as with her other mysteries, she spends a great deal of the time introducing characters outside of the plot. Her gift is that her character studies are woven so completely that the reader rarely notices that the plot hasn't progressed. My only complaint is Dalgliesh's romantic turn in this novel. Although in character and covered relatively briefly, it seemed somehow as if the mystery was merely an aside to the romance.

PD James, love her

Great reading. Great book. I can highly recommend to anyone who loves a great mystery. If you are not familiar with Baroness James' work, you should be.

Amazing!

I paint while listening and I love being swept away into another world with Adam Dalgliesh. The narration voice is spot on. Thank you and enjoy!

Classic P.D. James

Cerebral! Not idle listening.

Classic James, don?t listen in the car. I missed a clue (or two) and will now, happily have to allocate some time to re listen and see where it popped up. Her characters, scenes, storyline are richly detailed and layered; her command of the language is amazing a true artist.

Charles Keating the narrator?s performance is natural and believable. Some of the audio books I have heard the performer gets in the way of the story, not the case here.

You owe it to yourself to set aside the almost fifteen hours to listen. Concentration required.

Mrs. Marple lives

For those of you that remember the old Agatha Christie mysteries this one will bring back memories of those bygone eras. However, the Adam Dagliesh mysteries are as up to date as can be. While this novel is very British by nature it is definitely a 21 century work, with current sexual mores playing an important role. The reader adds an essential element to the story with perfectly depicted British accents that are molded to the strata of society that the character belongs to. Try this one I'm sure that you'll like it.