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Product Description
Review
—The New York Times
"P.D. James steps into territory occupied by Truman Capote, Shelby Foote, Carson McCullers, even Henry James."
—The New Republic
"A superior thriller — tingling with suspense, difficult to put down."
—Newsday
"A transfixing psychological thriller filled with searing suspense, a multi-twist plot and a remorseless eye for our sometimes monstrous needs and drives — It packs a powerful wallop."
—Mademoiselle
Book Description
In celebration of P. D. James's 90th birthday, Vintage Canada is thrilled to reissue the grand dame of detective fiction's much-loved and critically acclaimed backlist in trade paperback.
Eighteen-year-old Philippa Palfrey, adopted as a child, believes herself to be the motherless, illegitimate daughter of an aristocratic father. When she exercises her right to find out the truth, she is shocked to discover her birth mother is very much alive -- and about to be released from prison. Philippa soon enters a new and terrifying world, and comes to realize that she is not the only one interested in her parents' whereabouts.
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Most helpful customer reviews
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars
Promising but dull,
By
This review is from: Innocent Blood (Paperback)
I am sorry to be so blunt.My early assumption was that the story had an intriguing ring: London, end of the 70s. A young lady, Philippa, knowing that she had been adopted, sets out to look for her biological parents. Her adoptive parents, with whom she never quite had a close relationship, are unhappy about this choice but nothing can stop Philippa. What she eventually finds out is shocking but, seemingly unperturbed, she sets out to try and establish a contact to learn more about her early childhood. Meanwhile, somebody else is looking into the past and, unbeknownst to anybody, is waiting for the right time to strike out, to quench the thirst of vendetta over the murder of his young daughter years ago. Although the linguistic is definitely high class, the narrative is just too tediously overly-descriptive, resulting in total failure to engage me fully as a good thriller should do. I often found myself skimming through some parts, trying to get to the core of the chapter. Additionally, none of the main characters, Philippa in primis, were particularly likeable one way or the other, no matter how sad or tragic their backgrounds. This too, contributed to a certain degree of dislike for the whole tale. I know and respect Mrs. P.D. James' reputation as a writer, but this book just was not for me.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
3.8 out of 5 stars (34 customer reviews) 42 of 42 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the best (crime) novels ever written...,
By Mark "markrobcol" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Innocent Blood (Paperback)
James is a great writer of detective/crime fiction. Her Adam Dalgleish series of novels are excellent, very readable and enjoyable. She surpasses herself with "Innocent Blood", this 'stand alone' (i.e. not part of a detective/crime series) novel of crime and revenge. James tells the story of a young adoptee who, upon her 18th birthday, applies for the right to see her birth certificate and learn the identity of her birth parents. She discovers that her mother is in jail, convicted of murder, but is soon eligible for release. Someone else is aware of the impending release -- the father of the murder victim -- is waiting to exact revenge. The character of the adoptee, her fantasies about her birth parents and her difficulties with her adoptive parents, is very well written. One aches at her adolescent self-assuredness which we suspect will lead her to painful revelations. The father of the murder victim seeking revenge is developed slowly and carefully so that one begins to wonder who is the criminal mind at work in the novel. His pursuit of his daughter's killer becomes the life-changing and animating event of his life. The birth mother/murderer/revenge target is less well drawn -- and justly so. The action of the novel is driven by the fantasies, resentments and expectations that her daughter and father of her victim have about this enigmatic woman. It's apparent that who she really is is ultimately and tragically immaterial to those who so desperately seek her. A great read and very well crafted and written novel. A must for crime fiction readers -- but a recommended read for anyone looking for a well-wrought compelling piece of contemporary British fiction. 22 of 22 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perhaps her finest work,
By "cobblehill" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Innocent Blood (Paperback)
INNOCENT BLOOD is one of the most gripping books I have ever read. PD James takes a common childhood fantasy ('what if I were adopted?') and crafts a tale of a complex young woman on a thrilling, frightening, and ultimately empowering journey of self-discovery. Philippa Palfrey <was> adopted, but under circumstances far more grim than the Victorian melodramatics of her imagination. She locates her birth mother in prison and convinces her to live with her upon her release. Waiting for that very day is the father of a child Philippa's mother was convicted of killing. That man, named Scase, is truly creepy; James doesn't try to hide that yet still manages to evoke sympathy for him. The author builds the suspense to a shattering moment when mother, daughter, and Scase are brought together in a bizarre triptych; one is mad enough to kill, one is trying to kill, and one wants to die. Philippa is one of the most psychologically-complex characters ever to spring from James's vast imagination. Some readers will be shocked by the turn taken in Philippa's relationship with her adoptive father in the final chapters, but not a moment in this book rings false. I cannot praise INNOCENT BLOOD highly enough. Here, PD James is at the height of her awesome ability to set a scene -- you will see the drops of water on the laminated table in the adoption records office and smell the oranges in the grocery below Philippa's apartment. Thank you, PD James, for this thrilling read.
25 of 26 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
My favorite P. D. James, but I'd give it 4.5 stars,
By Neal J. Pollock - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Innocent Blood (Paperback)
I'm amazed at the range of reactions to this book, but I liked it best of the 16 books of hers I've read. And there's no Dalgleish! This is a pretty heavy duty mystery with fantastic characterization and the equivalent of an airshow's twists and turns. Some may very well be put off by the ending, but if they all end the same, where's the mystery? But, like some of Block's Scudder novels, this mystery edges into the regime of real literature through the author's characterizations -- looking into the depths of humans. Enjoy.
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