Death in Holy Orders (Published in 2001) - Authored by P D James - 11th book of Adam Dalgliesh

P. D. James’ eleventh Adam Dalgliesh novel is set on the wind swept shores of East Anglia, in an Anglican theological college by the name of St. Anselm’s. The church is meant for priests and “ordinands” training in the religious career. James has once again seamlessly put together a novel which is not only a mystery but also James’ efforts in compelling the reader to contemplate about faith, love, loyalty and personal responsibilities.
The novel begins with the death of an ordinand by the name of Ronald Treeves at St. Anselm’s. The father of this student is however not convinced that his son’s death was accidental, and he arranges for Scotland Yard’s Commander Dalgliesh to investigate the murder. However, upon Dalgliesh’s arrival at St. Anselm’s, yet another death takes place, that of Archdeacon Crampton. Matthew Crampton was an ambitious cleric who was extremely hostile in his behavior towards others. Hence, there is no dearth of suspects.
Dalgliesh is retained and asked to investigate Archdeacon’s death as well. Especially since it is widely known that the archdeacon was interested in closing down the college. Dalgliesh calls for assistance and requests DI Miskin and DI Tarrant to join him at Anglia. In typical Dalgliesh style suspects are interviewed and forensic evidence is meticulously collected and organized.




He gradually unearths secrets which are interconnected to the lives of many in St. Anselm’s. Including the fact that one of the students at the college is an unknowing son of a lay lecturer in the college, and upon closure of the college he stands to inherit the place through his mother.
Careful investigation and interrogations reveal the identity of the suspect. Side by side, James has created a love angle for her protagonist who develops a romantic relationship with Dr. Emma Lavenham, a visiting faculty from Cambridge.
Death in Holy Orders is an engaging read which urges the reader to ponder on psychological and moral aspects of the book. Written in James’ Victorian style with beautiful prose, the book yet again displays P. D. James’ mastery over the genre. Where most writers stumble along book after book, once their creativity has run its course, P. D. James is still going strong at the ripe old age of 80. Like every book, she always decides to change her settings, but maintains descriptive narratives of the psychology and personality of her characters.
Moreover, contrary to popular belief, James does not restrict her descriptions to the thinking and mentality of the middle class but moves with ease through all social classes and ages. The book is an interesting and entertaining albeit relaxed read from the Queen of Crime Fiction, P. D. James.

Flesh and Blood (published in 2001) - Authored by Jonathan Kellerman

Flesh and Blood is a first person account by Dr. Alex Delaware about Lauren Teague whom he treated as a child, before her father intervened and stopped the treatment. Lauren was a typical fifteen year old; trouble being her middle name, her tantrums, misdemeanors and attitude are what got her to therapy (she tried her damndest to worm her way out of it) - although two sessions hardly amount to that!
Ten years later, Alex receives a call from Jane Abbot - Lauren’s mother. Alex is a little wary and cautious as he remembers how much Lauren hated his interference in her life (he however finds out that the kid actually admired him a lot, and wanted to be a therapist like him when she grew up - surprising that he made such an impact in just two visits!). He is also aware that the young woman is stripping for a living, he saw her at a bachelor’s party six years after she left therapy. Lauren even visited Alex at his office, and told him she is happy with how things are, and that she’s doing well for herself - another four years have passed since they met last.
A riot of thoughts runs through his mind as he wonders why Jane is calling about her daughter. The frantic mother tells the doctor that Lauren is missing; she seems to have just vanished into thin air - the police seem distanced and uncooperative, and she seeks his help to locate her daughter. Milo Sturgis, Delaware’s friend and LAPD detective helps Alex find Lauren - sadly her body is in a dumpster, hogtied and shot. Who could’ve wanted the girl dead - a list that is possibly hundreds of names long-crops up. Lauren’s high-end services as an escort and prostitute could have earned her some jealous peers or even obsessive clients. Her own father Lyle Teague is a negative and dark presence in her life, she never wanted anything to do with him - but could he have detested her enough to have murdered her?



Andy, Lauren’s homosexual roommate is also questioned, but he seems to know next to nothing about her life. Then there’s Gene Dalby (her friend and professor at college). Finally what does Dr. Benjamin Drugger, director of the women’s motivational facility have to do with Lauren - were they lovers? On further investigation, it appears that one Shawna Yager, another student of the same college where Lauren was, had also disappeared a year ago - could this be related?
Even though Sturgis has told Delaware that Lauren had a record for prostitution, Alex is not willing to accept that her life as a sex worker had anything to do with her death. Although prostitution sounds like a dirty and dark business (and it is, beyond doubt) - Lauren was not really part of the cesspool, yet there must be more to her life, she was a great student, with good grades, studying to be a psychologist. Neck-deep in brothel madams and porn - Alex is set to redeem the dead woman’s honor.
The story is slow paced yet riveting, the cast of characters is interesting, including a Hugh Heffner type porn tycoon! The uninteresting bit is about Alex and Robin’s blow-hot-blow-cold relationship which seems to interest no one, not even them - so much so that Robin chooses to take a holiday without Alex. Kellerman’s fifteenth Delaware novel, and he manages to get it bang on every time - the narrative flows easy, blending in with the much loved Detective Delaware’s tenacity and talent.

Book - American Gods (an award winning book by Neil Gaiman) - Published in 2001

‘So God created man in His own image’…that gods and humans dwell together - is the theme of Gaiman’s 2001 Hugo and Nebula  Award winning novel American Gods. But as the ages progress, faith diminished, and although they’re around, our unbelief clouds our vision, and they remain as yet, unseen. The tale begins with Shadow Moon being freed from prison, where he spent three years with Low Key Lyesmith, his fellow prisoner. His plans of spending a cushy life with Laura, since his pal Robbie Burton had promised him a job at his gym; but Fate had other plans, and a summon to the warden’s office throws him into an abyss - his wife and best friend are killed in an accident.
He takes up an offer to be bodyguard for one Mr. Wednesday (an incarnation of the Norse god Odin)- a man who mysteriously knows more about Shadow than he had ever told anyone. Mr. Wednesday is raising an army – finding humans who have god-like qualities, Americans who may be manifestations of Norse gods - to wage war against the modern demons that have taken over the world, such as the Internet and technological advances in the fields of media and transport. Shadow meets many such gods – Mr. Nancy (Anansi) and Mad Sweeney, the latter gifts him a gold coin that brings back Laura as a revenant.




As they try to unite the forces of the Old Gods from Chicago, Illinois and Madison, Wisconsin, they are met with reluctance and lack of enthusiasm; just about ten of them agree to fight for the cause. Shadow meets the guardian goddesses - Zorya and the dark god - Czernobog, who refuses to help Odin. The ‘New Gods’ take advantage of this disparity and abduct Shadow, who is rescued by Laura.
Odin hides Shadow in a funeral parlor with Egyptian gods and later at Lakeside - a town that remains whilst others around it perish and turn into ghost towns, however, the children of the town seem to disappear, too many, too often. However, since they travel so much, he cannot really find out more, this added to the fact that he is still being chased by the minions of the New Gods, who blame him for the death of one of their own (actually killed by Laura).
Sadly, Mr. Wednesday is killed and Shadow follows him into the afterlife, himself dying. Whilst in strange purgatory, Shadow learns he is Wednesday’s son. Meanwhile Low Key Lyesmith, his cellmate, is actually a player in this whole gods vs gods mess - and now is responsible for Odin’s death, ensuring that he is at the helm of all the other deities.
An apocalyptic battle begins, and Shadow reaches just in time to drive sense into the Old and New gods; he appeals to their good senses, which having prevailed, prevent a climactic end of the world war from happening. Odin’s spirit departs, as do those of the other gods, who deem America unfit for gods (!).Low Key is impaled by Laura, whose battle with purgatory ends with Shadow taking back the golden coin Sweeney gave him.
When Shadow returns to Lakeside, he is able to solve the mystery of the missing children – who were in fact abducted by Hinzlemann, an ancient Germanic god. Hinzlemann sanctified and sheltered the community, making it thrive notwithstanding the adversities that curse the other communities around - all this in exchange for the unconscionable surrender of their children. Shadow puts an end to the evil Hinzlemann, aware that his act endangers the very existence of the town.
Shadow travels to Iceland, meeting the actual Odin, giving him Wednesday’s glass eye for a keepsake. He once more flips a coin to choose his fate, but walks away before seeing it fall to the ground. In keeping with the tradition of fantasy, mythology and monomyth, Gaiman once more creates a gripping tale - which leaves you feeling a little subdued and somewhat blue in the end, for not just America, the gods of every other country have diminished in stature, thanks to the Colossus-like rise of Technology.