The Lighthouse

An Adam Dalgliesh Mystery

By: P. D. James

Narrated by: Charles Keating

Length: 12 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

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

PD James is at the top of her game

Fans of PD James will not be disappointed by The Lighthouse. Her characters continue to develop in maturity as they age. As always, she is masterful at weaving a fabric of clues and significant information into her narrative in such a way that the final revealing of the murderer's identity never seems obvious or inevitable. Personally, I rarely if ever can figure out "who done it" until the point in the book where Ms. James chooses finally to reveal it. The narrator Charles Keating manages to make the voices of the various characters sound both convincing and different enough so that you know who you're hearing speak from their 'voice' alone. The plot is unique and inventive, yet plausible.

its a gripper but voice too posh

Would you consider the audio edition of The Lighthouse to be better than the print version?

no, i enjoyed the book very much, and also the audible- but keating oten doesnt get it right, i like the irony and innuendo he expresssd but when reading i am given more credit for understanding undertones the posh voice very british but old-fashioned, plums in the mouth but p.d writes a bit that way so keating ok choice
it is clear and good speed.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Lighthouse?

the atmosphere of in the cottages, lighthouse, sounds of sea and weather very visual, successful

Which character – as performed by Charles Keating – was your favorite?

not dalgleish, his seconds good.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

it has a cosy and oldfashioned feel, not extreme

Superb book & so well read

Really lovely book & so well read. She was such an amazing writer! Kept me on the edge of my chair!

P. D. James. At her best. So good that you would in court swear you were there

Interesting and informative adding to one's store of knowledge of area and era, while at the same time giving nothing away until a reasonable, always surprising, yet satisfactory end end.

Narration is excellent Absolutely the best

More, please....many more

Great writing, great story, great narration!

I read this in print when it was first published and enjoyed it. The audio book is another dimension better. This is one of the best British detective series - I hope there will be more books to come.

The facts of the case are totally baffling, but Dalgliesh has a realization while suffering from a fever that helps him solve the case. Some have thought this was a little too easy given the difficulty of the case, but in light of Dalgliesh's superior intellect and insight I thought it was plausible.

Many well developed characters and relationships contribute to the fascinating plot. You really need to pay attention when listening to this one - good for walking or a long drive without much traffic.

Classic P.D. James

The Corwall coast is the classic and beautiful setting for P. D. James' new novel. Her protaganist, Adam Dagliesh is more human and fallible in this story than in some of his previous appearances. The investigation is shared two younger detectives who give depth to the novel. An enjoyable listen, well read.

One of her best

...in which Dalgliesh becomes more human...and Kate turns from a cop who is a woman, into a woman who is a cop. I was so impressed. The best ending I have ever read. It will be remembered.

Excellent

enjoyed every minute of this story ..I recommend it to anyone that want to get drawn into a book

charles keating great narrator

Mr Keating does great job and doesnt irritate you. his voice is great. th is best of my Dagleisch narrators

Another solid effort

There are few authors that describe a scene like James. You can almost taste the salt spray and smell the ocean breeze. I enjoyed the plot and especially the characters. While I don't find it to be "edge of the seat" it drew me in and held me to the end. Also, I love Charles Keating as the reader, especially over the other gentlemen who is on other James titles. Defintely a solid 4+.