A Mind to Murder Audiobook By P. D. James cover art

A Mind to Murder

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A Mind to Murder

By: P. D. James
Narrated by: Penelope Dellaporta
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About this listen

Award-winning author P. D. James' second mystery in her best-selling series featuring Scotland Yard investigator Adam Dalgliesh is now available on CD!

When the administrative head of the Steen Psychiatric Clinic is found dead with a chisel in her heart, Superintendent Adam Dalgliesh of Scotland Yard is called in to investigate. Dalgliesh must analyze the deep-seated anxieties and thwarted desires of patients and staff alike to determine which of their unresolved conflicts resulted in murder.

Widely acknowledged as "the greatest contemporary writer of classic crime" (The London Sunday Times), P. D. James received the Mystery Writers of America Grandmaster Award for long-term achievement in 1999.

“…a superbly satisfying mystery." (Chicago Daily News)

Listen to all of our Adam Dalgliesh Mystery titles.©2008 P.D. James (P)2008 Books on Tape
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What listeners say about A Mind to Murder

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Smart and witty

PD James crafts her mysteries so thoroughly. The detail of evidence, characters and psychology are so engaging. Each character is so well written and the reading in this audio edition is so well done. I'd write more but I have to get the next one right away.

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3 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

very good

very good it kept me turning pages non stop, I couldn't figure out who the killer was until the very end.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Okay, but still worth a listen

This is not one of James' best designed or set mysteries, and none of the characters are particularly compelling or sympathetic. The solution was too clever by half, and Dalgliesh was only half-touched as a character, though he's still a gem of a detective. The best thing about this audio book is actually Penelope Della Porta, whose narration was masterful, gripping when events required, yet calming and soft through the background of the story. I'm a big PD James fan, so I enjoyed it, even though it's not her best work.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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A Mind to Murder

Good narrator and excellent story. Would recommend to anyone who enjoys a good mystery.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Disappointedly Underwhelmed

I truly wanted to like PD James. This is my second attempt to become engaged with the writing style and characters. I didn't enjoy either of her two books. Am I missing something?

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2 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Another great book from P.D. James

I've listened to about five of the P.D. James books and this one may be the best so far for character development. Penelope Dellaporta does a masterful job reading/performing the book. The plot is a mind-bender for sure. Even Dalgliesh gets confused in this one.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Narrator not a Good Fit

This is not a critique of the narrator but a personal reaction. I found the narrator’s voice a distraction from the story. I felt it would have been a better match with a Miss Marple or a similar character’s novel.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

LOVE THE BRITS!

This was a rich mystery full of the complications of human behavior. Character development is phenomenally complete, and the narration of Dellaporta amplifies the richness of the tale. I will look for more P.D. James the next time I search audible.com.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Not one of James' best

What did you love best about A Mind to Murder?

I am a big P.D. James fan and would listen to Penelope Dellaporta read the phone book.

If you’ve listened to books by P. D. James before, how does this one compare?

This is not one of James' best--the characters are less developed than in most of her other books, and a good chunk of the book early on is spent describing the suspect interviews--not a usual tactic for her.

Any additional comments?

I wouldn't want to miss out on any of these P. D, James' read by Penelope Dellaporta, but this is one I'm less likely to revisit than others.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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Love PD James

This was not my favorite of her stories so far, but it was still entertaining. I love that the mysteries are never predictable. Great series!

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