The Private Patient [Paperback]

 

 

Create your own review

London born actress Rosalyn Landor is the perfect choice to read a P. D. James mystery. The daughter of an actor/broadcaster Landor grew up with reading aloud, story telling, and that love for the spoken word is reflected in her voice performances. Her readings are well modulated, precise as she carries listeners along to what is in this case a surprising denouement.

What lover of mysteries has not read or at least heard of P.D. James? The author of 19 books she spent some 30 years in the British Civil Service and recently celebrated her 88th birthday. One of her many gifts to readers is the creation of Commander Adam Dalgliesh, a consummate investigator who is often given to Holmesian discussions as he presents his thoughts to various characters and suspects.

With The Private Patient we visit an impressive old house, Cheverell Manor in Dorset. Once a family home it was sold of necessity to an eminent plastic surgeon, George H. Chandler-Powell, who now operates it as a clinic for the privileged. Rhoda Gradwyn comes to him for the removal of a disfiguring facial scar. She's an investigative journalist (her work is similar to that of a reporter for a supermarket tabloid in the USA). She's with us only briefly as she's soon dead of strangulation, a murder committed by an unknown person wearing latex gloves.

While the crime most definitely has affected Rhoda, it also affects the good doctor as who would want to come to a clinic where a murder has just occurred? Commander Dalgliesh is summoned to investigate. He has a great deal to look into considering the clinic staff, the departed's boyfriend, and others who were a part of her life for good or ill.

Once again James treats us to her vivid descriptions of setting and extensive vocabulary - the perfect word for every thought and situation. A pleasure to read - do so slowly and savor this author's unique style.

- Gail Cooke

Adam Dalgliesh fans will feel wonderfully rewarded by a deep and long look at his work in diligently investigating this case while attempting to balance his life to leave room for his love of Emma Lavenham. You'll end the book wondering about how that balance might change in future books. These thoughts in many ways make for a better mystery than solving the murder.

The Private Patient is more about love, its effects, and the harm it costs to not receive and give it . . . than about crime, detection, or justice. As with The Lighthouse, Baroness James has created deeply etched new characters while turning her on-going characters into ever-more real seeming personalities.

While many novelists are only too quick to paint a victim as harmless or harmful and bump them off, Baroness James gives us a complex portrait of a woman, investigative journalist Rhoda Gradwyn, whose youth scarred both her face and her psyche. As a result, she uses her slashed face as a mask to hide behind . . . and to keep people away on her own terms. She becomes good at ferreting out the secrets of others and displaying those hidden scars for a large pay day.

With the death of her abusive father and her mother's plan to remarry, Gradwyn realizes she doesn't need the scar any more and seeks one of the most expensive and highly regarded plastic surgeons, George Chandler-Powell, to repair her face. But she decides that there might be stories involved, and her meddling brings forth counter forces that lead to her death.

Strangled in her patient suite, steps from the nurse's bedroom, it begins to appear that an insider is involved. But no one remembers meeting Gradwyn before. What's the motive?

AD is dispatched to work on the case shortly after a call comes from number ten. Why is this case so important?

The murderer wore gloves so forensic clues aren't going to solve this case. Carefully examining opportunity and motive should narrow down the list of suspects. But more events occur faster than AD can untangle the clues he uncovers. As a result, the book is more of a crime story accompanied by a police procedural where the detective trails the killer too slowly rather than a classic mystery in which the brilliant detective solves everything by pulling a rabbit out of the hat.

The story is a gripping one involving lots of memorable characters, sympathetic and unsympathetic motives, and damaged personalities ill equipped to deal with human stress and conflict. To me, the best crime and mystery books are as well developed and interesting as a well-written novel . . . independent of the mystery. By that standard, this is an excellent book.

I found it annoying to have the police investigation be so ineffectual. It made the book seem a bit pointless in a way. I graded the book down one star to express by disappointment in this regard.

You, however, may not mind . . . in which case this will be a clear winner for you.

An excellent thriller. The author keeps us until the last word thinking that what we think being the thruth will come out. But she had something else in mind. Extremely well written, I felt the writing assurance of an expert writer, which I am convinced is the result of long hours of editing. Her perfectionism guaranties rewarding reading.

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review

› See all 8 customer reviews on Amazon.ca

 

5.0 out of 5 stars suspenseful and spooky
I first ordered this in audio format for a friend. I'd seen the book in hard cover at a nearby bookseller's. I ogled over it for a long time - the cover intrigued me so much. Read more

Published 13 months ago by Melanie King

4.0 out of 5 stars Quintessential British Mystery
Reason for Reading: I'm a fan of P.D. James.

Summary: Rhoda Gradwyn goes to an exclusive manor, which houses a plastic surgery and recuperation facility, out in the... Read more

Published on Dec 8 2009 by Nicola Manning

4.0 out of 5 stars A Kitchen Sink of a Crime Novel.
I know I am going to be seen as seriously offside when I make critical remarks about Britain's master crime writer on her latest book, "The Private Patient", but I have to make... Read more

Published on July 12 2009 by Ian Gordon Malcomson

5.0 out of 5 stars The Private Patient
Phyllis still rules as Queen of the British mystery genre. Adam Dalgleish will long be remembered as one of the great characters in the history of the "mystery" novel. Read more

Published on Feb 10 2009 by Ronald E. Dines

4.0 out of 5 stars Under the knife
Most people who die because of plastic surgery have a bad reaction to the anesthetic or something like that.

Few plastic surgery patients are strangled. Read more

Published on Jan 10 2009 by E. A Solinas

Search Customer Reviews
Only search this product's reviews

› See all 8 customer reviews on Amazon.ca

Search Listmania!