The ninth Inspector Dalgliesh mystery immerses him in the world of London publishing. The managing director of the city’s oldest publishing house, Peverell Press, is murdered and it is clear the killer does not intend to stop at one victim. The story is intriguing and gripping but the crime is definitely a little close to home for a bookseller; I had always assumed the book trade was safe.

Adam takes a bite from the Forbidden Fruit. Eve whispers in his ears to do so...Well, in this case, our beloved DI Dalgliesh doesn't listen to any human distractions, making a step into the void and channeling his supernatural instinct towards the murderer. Who is in fact a sort of primeval Adam. Who is haunted by a surreal Eve that transcends Time and Space to guide his footsteps in the realm of the Humankind. A race that made transgressions and faults beyond repair in the soul of our first Man. A race that must pay for them. In blood and suffering. In despair and fear. In the ultimate price: Life. P.D.James captures this immortal saga in a portrait filled with human traits: love, lust, anger, sorrow, hope, secrecy, gluttony and rage. A portrait etched in sharp words and witty conversations, in suspenseful images and chilly moments, in simple and recognisable characters. This is a murder story turned into a legacy about the Human species...

Very happy to once again read a detective novel by the late P.D.James. The story is set in London in a publishing house. Nineteen-year-old Mandy Price gets a job working for Peverell Press, a very old publishing company that sits near the Thames. Unfortunately, she encounters a corpse on her very first day at work. The story continues with a fascinating insight into the world of publishing and some incredible descriptions of London. A city I love visiting. I really enjoyed this book and although quite hefty at 426 pages, I found it an easy read.