Look, I’ve tried to like PD James. I’ve tried really hard. I’ve read at least four or five of her other books, including a range of older and more recent, Adam Dalgliesh and Cordelia whatshername. And I just don’t get it. As detective stories I find the solutions arbitrary; as novels, I find them boring and badly-developed. BUT. I recently watched the BBC miniseries adaptation of this book, and really liked it, and since the first episode aired the day after the author died, I thought it was only respectful to give her one last chance.