Original Sin (Published in 1994) - Authored by PD James - Murder around a publishing house

The 9th book in the Adam Dalgliesh series, Original Sin is one of P. D. James’ lengthier reads. Published in 1994, the book is set in a London Publishing Company called Peverell Press. The story, in complete P. D. James style is set in a closely knit community, with a given set of people. It’s always amazing to see how people react in her novels, especially with constantly erupting tensions and violence. However, unlike her other books, P. D. James has evolved to spanning an entire generation through this book.
Even though the story is about the death of Gerard Etienne, the son of Jean-Philippe Etienne who is a partner at the Peverell Press, the book goes back to Nazi Germany and Jewish massacre. Gerard Etienne is shown to take over the company after the death of Henry Peverell, the Managing Director of Peverell Press. Gerard is however merciless and brutal with regards to his plans for revamping the Company. He fires many long term staff and plans to sell the Venetian style building which houses Peverell Press.
An employee commits suicide after he was to be dismissed by Gerard. Subsequently, when Gerard Etienne is found strangled to death by a garish toy snake wrapped around his neck, there seems to be not much empathy or sadness for his death amongst the staff. Enter Commander Dalgliesh and DI Kate Miskin and DI Daniel Aaron. While Commander Dalgliesh investigates the murder in his usual style it is DI Daniel Aaron who uncovers records from the 1940’s which lead to the discovery of information about Gerard’s father, who is a serving partner at Peverell Press.




Here’s where the plot starts getting lengthy. James moves back and forth a bit between the present day murder and suspects, and the crimes committed in Vichy, France by Jean-Philippe Etienne in the 1940s. As the truth starts unfolding, two more people are killed, an author and one more member of the Peverell staff. The end is quite an unexpected twist, because James keeps you focused on present day aspects of the case.
As a loyal reader, one would plough through the book so as to get to the end, however, if such a style of writing was adopted by a new writer, the reader might lose interest and fast. But, reading the entire book does have its merits, especially since P. D. James rewards us with an unexpected culprit and an intricately plotted story. The characterization of all the suspects and employees is as always exceptionally well done, and the character of DI Daniel Aaron especially has been well developed. Since Dalgliesh has been described a lot, James focuses on expanding the range of emotions and character given to DI Aaron.
He is a thematic character who is probably the only one who appreciates the ambiguity he faces when confronted by moral issues. Overall, characterization and descriptions are done brilliantly in James’ usual style. Her prose and style of writing makes the reader want to read page after page even if it gets a bit lengthy in parts. A must read for mystery fans. It is only towards the end that you realize, the title – Original Sin is apt for the story told in these pages.

Wild Horses - Authored by Dick Francis - Released in 1994

Dick Francis’s 33rd novel is a story about Thomas Lyon, a former steeplechase jockey, turned film director. Lyon is shooting a film, starring an American movie star, based on a best seller about the mysterious death of a young horse trainer’s wife Sonya Wells - whether she was murdered or actually committed suicide by hanging - remains unknown. The book is based on the actual occurrence, in which the woman was found deceased - it is a twenty six year old cold police case.

Now, her sister, niece and nephew are obstructing the shooting of the film, whilst the author of the book it is based on is concerned about ensuring that the film maker is not tampering with the original plot. Meanwhile, in the midst of the filming, Lyon’s friend Valentine Clark, a racing columnist by trade, passes away, with Thomas at his bedside; as luck would have it, Clark, in his state of delirium, mistakes Lyon for a priest, and makes a death bed confession. He also bequeaths to Thomas his wealth of articles and racing books - apparently priceless, as a lot of people want to get their hands on them - and the fact that Lyon is in possession of these is miffing many people around - they stop at nothing and can stoop to any extent to get the books, on one instance, assaulting Dorothea, Clark’s elderly sister.

Why is Lyon interested in making this particular film? It is because Jackson Wells, Rupert Visborough (her brother-in-law) and Valentine Clark were acquaintances. After Sonya’s death, the two men -Jackson and Rupert were dismissed from the Jockey Club, putting an end to their budding careers. When Thomas Lyon approaches the producer of the film O’Hara, the latter and Lyon both agree that it could be a shot at solving the woman’s mysterious death, they could actually come up with theories and clues that would clear Jackson and Rupert’s names.

But someone wants the filming to stop immediately, he/she seems to understand the intention behind unraveling the death; in a bid to warn Lyon’s, the actor’s double is attacked, another murder is committed - this time the victim is Clark’s nephew, and Thomas is blatantly given death threats, and even stabbed in the market place. So what did Clarks confess which has sent Thomas Lyon’s in a state? It seems that the old man, mistaking Lyon for a priest, sought absolution for his guilt for having killed someone some years ago.

A different read from most other books of Francis, this one plays on the human aspect of relationships, of how the past can cloud the present. For instance, Sonya wasn’t the loving wife everyone believed her to be, neither was Clark’s nephew, Dorothea’s son the martyr for having looked after his mother all those years. He does however redeem himself in the readers’ minds for having died saving his mother when goons break into her home. On the other hand, Jackson, whose life has been a whole mess for a long, long time, actually found true love and lived happily ever after. Even the fact that Valentine Clarks may have been a killer, makes one feel sorry for him - to have lived an entire lifetime with such guilt-ridden thoughts, painful!

A good read for anyone who enjoys a tear jerker and admires heroes who ‘keep ticking despite getting a constant licking’!

Bad Love (published in 1994) - Authored by Jonathan Kellerman

Kellerman has a knack for throwing the reader off scent with riveting sub plots - Bad Love, the eighth in the Delaware series, is no exception. The two Wallace sisters, Tiffany and Chondra, traumatized by the brutal murder of their mother, Ruthanne, by none other than their father, Donald Wallace - are Delaware’s patients. Four months after his incarceration in Folsom prison, the Court rules that Donald can see his daughters, twice a month at the prison, which is a plane ride away for the girls, currently in the care of their maternal grandmother - Evelyn Rodriguez.
Stephen Huff, an LA court judge is against granting Wallace paternal rights, considering history, and asks Alex to draw up a profile with the help of the children, to stall the procedure, stating that the visitation would further harm their already fragile psyches. Whilst Delaware is contemplating just how to break the ice with the girls, he ignores the package that arrived for him that morning. When he retrieves the brown package later, he finds an audio cassette inside, he plays it to find out what the message in it is; Alex is sickened and shocked - a blood curdling scream of a male, panting like an animal, howling in torturous pain. So loud an disturbing are these maniacal sounds, that Alex moves to lower the volume, and just as he is about to - silence ensues from the tape.
A new, almost cherubic, ethereal voice, a child’s - starts a low, stomach-turning, ghostly chant: ‘Bad love, bad love…Don’t give me that bad love…’ It is repeated four or five times, creepier and more onerous than earlier, Alex could almost see in his mind’s eye, the child who was chanting - ghostly, grey and emaciated.
As he delved into his ‘Black Museum’ aka the bottom drawer where he kept his files, all the while his mind is overwhelmed and replaying sounds of the chant. He decides against retrieving the Ruthanne files, and instead tries to find the meaning of the phrase ‘bad love’ - ransacking the corners of his mind – past and present- lifting  and opening recesses - still no clue. Could it be a client from the past, giving in to his/ her schizoid fantasies, or was it Wallace come to haunt him from behind prison walls?




Delaware decides to reach out to Milo Sturgis, the LAPD detective and friend. However, Sturgis is especially busy since all the efforts the Department made to ensure he retires early - are stalled by the rock willed officer. Meanwhile, as Delaware comes home, he is greeted by a bulldog, which he waters and takes to a vet. On his way back, he chats up with Milo, who tells him that sometime earlier a social worker called Rebecca Basille was murdered, and the killer had screamed the phrase out loud enough for a clinic director to have heard it but he wasn’t able to save her, as the psycho hacked her to bits.
In the evening, when Milo pays him a visit, he also christens the dog – Rover. They try and find clues about the origin of the tape - but are helpless. Meanwhile, as the days progress, Alex is sent chilling reminders – a creepy laugh on the phone, vandalism and trespassing. He seems to be the target of a sick psycho, out to get him. But who is it?
An intricate plot weaves its way into Delaware’s past when he worked at the LA’s Western Pediatric Medical Centre as a child psychologist. He comes across a file/paper with ‘Good love/Bad love’ (a term for mothering gone bad) written on it; the year was 1979, Alex was left in charge as interim chief as his bosses are on sabbatical. The above phrase was the title of a conference proposal sent by Katherine De Bosch, daughter, on behalf of  Andres B. De Bosch, PhD, to the WPMC. Delaware had rejected the proposal, the subject matter was uninteresting, and Bosch was ill known for originality.
The reader is now introduced to the plot - and lest this review should contain spoilers, suffice it to say - the read is exciting and intriguing! Kellerman at his best! And he even threw in Rover for good measure - takes the pressure off the reader!