Published in 1989, Devices and Desires, is P. D. James eighth installment in the Adam Dalgliesh series. James has like always done a wonderful job at presenting Dalgliesh’s cool analytical mind with her poetic prose style of writing. Through her books, she also gives the reader a chance to become the protagonist, by telling them things that Dalgliesh is unaware off. This book does not have much by way of a plot, and is rather slow paced, except for the very end where things suddenly pick up and take sharp unexpected turns in the story. But, that is all the more a reason to applaud James’ writing style, as she manages to enthrall the reader with her prose throughout the book.
The story of Devices and Desires opens with Commander Adam Dalgliesh having finished publication of his second volume of poetry. He takes a break and heads to Larksoken, a remote area in Norfolk, the location for a nuclear power plant. His recently deceased aunt Jane Dalgliesh has left behind a converted windmill out there. So he heads to the remote part of the countryside to tie up loose ends. While roaming about Larksoken, Dalgliesh literally stumbles upon a murder victim. The victim is the acting administrative officer of the Nuclear Power Plant, Hillary Roberts. However, there is no dearth of suspects, as most of her coworkers and neighbours strongly disliked her.
With the Norfolk Whistler, a serial killer who killed women in and around Larksoken, on the loose and Hillary being the least favourite person amongst her colleagues, Commander Dalgliesh is thrown into a strange web of secrecy and hatred. The only possible way out is if he solves the mystery of who killed Hillary.
But, since the local Police headed by Terry Rickards are conducting the search for the serial killer nicknamed – The Whistler, Dalgliesh tries to look into the lives of the other characters living in Larksoken, most of whom disliked Hillary as she antagonized and harassed them no end. However, Rickards turns out to be an old colleague of Dalgliesh and Rickards takes him into confidence, by sharing with him all they have found out about the serial killer. It is Rickards and not Dalgliesh who occupies a sizable portion of the book sleuthing and gathering clues on who the serial killer is.
Then the Whistler strikes again, this time a bit too close, one of the secretaries at the power plant is murdered and when Dalgliesh goes to investigate it, he finds that another death has also taken place. However, is this also the work of the whistler or someone else? Dalgliesh is led to believe that they may have a copycat in their midst.
It is noteworthy that the book does not have a lot of Dalgliesh’s crime solving skills in it. It is more about how different people get along with each other against the backdrop of a controversial nuclear power plant and a serial killer on the loose. And from there on it is about, how these people react and strike out at one another when one of their own is murdered. The book stands out because of James’ writing skills to elaborately depict how people are entwined in each other’s lives and how they try to live amidst chaotic circumstances.
%2B-%2BAuthored%2Bby%2BPD%2BJames%2B-%2BA%2Bmass%2Bmurderer.jpg "Devices and Desires (Published in 1989) - Authored by PD James - A mass murderer")
The story of Devices and Desires opens with Commander Adam Dalgliesh having finished publication of his second volume of poetry. He takes a break and heads to Larksoken, a remote area in Norfolk, the location for a nuclear power plant. His recently deceased aunt Jane Dalgliesh has left behind a converted windmill out there. So he heads to the remote part of the countryside to tie up loose ends. While roaming about Larksoken, Dalgliesh literally stumbles upon a murder victim. The victim is the acting administrative officer of the Nuclear Power Plant, Hillary Roberts. However, there is no dearth of suspects, as most of her coworkers and neighbours strongly disliked her.
With the Norfolk Whistler, a serial killer who killed women in and around Larksoken, on the loose and Hillary being the least favourite person amongst her colleagues, Commander Dalgliesh is thrown into a strange web of secrecy and hatred. The only possible way out is if he solves the mystery of who killed Hillary.
But, since the local Police headed by Terry Rickards are conducting the search for the serial killer nicknamed – The Whistler, Dalgliesh tries to look into the lives of the other characters living in Larksoken, most of whom disliked Hillary as she antagonized and harassed them no end. However, Rickards turns out to be an old colleague of Dalgliesh and Rickards takes him into confidence, by sharing with him all they have found out about the serial killer. It is Rickards and not Dalgliesh who occupies a sizable portion of the book sleuthing and gathering clues on who the serial killer is.
Then the Whistler strikes again, this time a bit too close, one of the secretaries at the power plant is murdered and when Dalgliesh goes to investigate it, he finds that another death has also taken place. However, is this also the work of the whistler or someone else? Dalgliesh is led to believe that they may have a copycat in their midst.
It is noteworthy that the book does not have a lot of Dalgliesh’s crime solving skills in it. It is more about how different people get along with each other against the backdrop of a controversial nuclear power plant and a serial killer on the loose. And from there on it is about, how these people react and strike out at one another when one of their own is murdered. The book stands out because of James’ writing skills to elaborately depict how people are entwined in each other’s lives and how they try to live amidst chaotic circumstances.
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