Preview
  • Cover Her Face

  • By: P. D. James
  • Narrated by: Daniel Weyman
  • Length: 7 hrs and 12 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (19 ratings)

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Cover Her Face

By: P. D. James
Narrated by: Daniel Weyman
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Publisher's summary

From P.D. James, one of the masters of British crime fiction, comes the debut novel that introduced Scotland Yard detective Adam Dalgliesh. Set against the English countryside, Cover Her Face is a classic murder mystery filled with James's trademark plot twists, intrigue, and suspense.


Though the Martingale manor house has hosted the annual St Cedd's Church fête for generations, this year feels different. On top of organizing stalls and presiding over luncheon, the bishop and the tea tent, Mrs Eleanor Maxie now also has to contend with the news of her son's sudden engagement to the new parlour maid, the sly and sensuous single mother, Sally Jupp.


Sally has quite a reputation as a ruthless social climber, and no one at Martingale seems too happy about the engagement. But the Maxie family barely has time to contend with her wily ways-on the following morning the whole village is shocked by the discovery of Sally Jupp's body.


Investigating the violent death at the manor house, Detective Chief Inspector Adam Dalgliesh becomes embroiled in the complicated passions beneath the calm surface of English village life.


In Cover Her Face, award-winning P.D. James (author of Death Comes to Pemberley and Children of Men) methodically plots a complex story of family secrets and suspicion. The book was later adapted into a TV miniseries starring Roy Marsden as the inspector protagonist.


Meet the dark and brooding Dalgliesh-a gentleman, a poet, and a gifted detective-and read the novel that launched P.D. James's career as the world's pre-eminent crime writer.

©2015 P. D. James (P)2015 Faber & Faber
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Critic reviews

"A classic story of English rural murder." ( The Times)
"The greatest contemporary writer of classic crime." ( Sunday Times)
"There are very few thriller writers who can compete with P.D. James at her best." ( Spectator)

What listeners say about Cover Her Face

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

Well written and narrated

The victim is a rather unlikable character and evokes no pity. As do most of the characters except the actual murderer. But the writing and narration were excellent. PD james is an absolute legend

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

An early PD James story

A good story, well written , as only PD James wrote.
A succession of well defined & interesting characters in the Maxie family & their associates. The story was made more interesting in that the heroine Sally Jupp was unlikeable & the reader was not drawn to be sympathetic towards her.
As always there were red herrings & blind alleys to lead the reader astray in their deductions & hold the attention until the final denouement .

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