Devices and Desires Audiobook By P. D. James cover art

Devices and Desires

An Adam Dalgliesh Mystery, Book 8

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Devices and Desires

By: P. D. James
Narrated by: Penelope Dellaporta
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Featuring the famous Commander Adam Dalgliesh, Devices and Desires is a thrilling and insightfully crafted novel of fallible people caught in a net of secrets, ambitions, and schemes on a lonely stretch of Norfolk coastline.

Commander Dalgliesh of Scotland Yard has just published a new book of poems and has taken a brief respite from publicity on the remote Larksoken headland on the Norfolk coast in a converted windmill left to him by his aunt. But he cannot so easily escape murder.

A psychotic strangler of young women is at large in Norfolk, and getting nearer to Larksoken with every killing. And when Dalgliesh discovers the murdered body of the Acting Administrative Officer on the beach, he finds himself caught up in the passions and dangerous secrets of the headland community and in one of the most baffling murder cases of his career.

©2005 P. D. James (P)2012 Random House Audio Crime Fiction Family Life Genre Fiction Mystery Serial Killers Suspense Thriller & Suspense Traditional Detectives Exciting

Critic reviews

"Taut.... Absorbing.... Better than her best." (The New York Times Book Review)

"I have often thought of mysteries as the sorbets of literature, something light and tangy to clear the palate between more serious courses. The books of P.D. James, however are more substantial fare, fulfilling as well as delicious, and Devices and Desires is no exception." (The Washington Post Book World)

"A masterful writer.... Devices and Desires seems to be that highly prized work - a terrific tale suspense and detection that also delivers the satisfaction of a mainstream novel." (The Wall Street Journal)

Featured Article: The Best Cozy Mysteries to Keep You Warm This Holiday Season


We’ve rounded up a list of some of the best cozy mystery audiobooks to help brighten up your winter listening. Here you'll find contemporary and historical cozies, classic whodunits and ingenious heist stories. While varying in tone, plot, and setting, these picks all share an irresistible holiday atmosphere. You'll find snowstorms galore, bakeries full of tasty holiday treats, glittering get-togethers, and picturesque English villages decked out in their holiday finest.

Featured Article The Best Cozy Mysteries to Keep You Warm This Holiday Season
Complex Mystery • Excellent Character Development • Interesting English Countryside • Great Plot Twist • Riveting Story
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Although I liked A Taste of Death better than this title, this was a fine tale. Adam Dalgliesh goes to settle his Aunt Jane’s estate and stays in her windmill home. Of course, he encounters murder. The philosophical passages are absorbing. Dalgliesh is as perceptive as the listener would expect. There is one episode that I would have preferred left out. See if you can determine which one. Listen with mostly pleasure!

Windmill of My Mind

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I love P. D. James and this is one of her very best. Thank you Ms. James.

Well done.

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PD James is a master of the complex mystery with many twists and turns and red herrings in evidence. All her books are wonderful.

A complex riveting story

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This book had multiple stories that eventually wove together, separate investigations, and some endings that only the reader knows about, but not the detectives it was a bit wordier than the other Dalgleish novels, which is saying alot since they are all pretty wordy The narration is good, although a bit dramatic. This was not one of my favorites, but worth a listen because a less than perfect P D James is still a reslly good book

Different than most

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Great plot with great characters. Problem is there isn't a scene without deep philosophic thought or memories.there are also too many long conversations. I like a book that makes me think ,but not one that tells me what to think. I got used to Miss Dellaporta but she's definitely past her prime.P D James is still heads above others writers even with my complaints.

Great Plot Ruined by too much introspection

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The narrator is excellent.

I watched the TV series "Dalgleish" and enjoyed it. I didn't realize how much it was abridged. Having never read P.D. James before now, I found the actual story much too long and all the in-depth character studies a bit tedious. I was also disappointed that Dalgliesh wasn't more central to the story. I acknowledge that P.D. James is an excellent writer, I just don't know if I will listen to another book.

Well read but too long.

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I enjoy the English reader, she does a good job with this book. Nice change of pace. The story is the thinking kind of mystery with enough colorful characters and interesting English countryside to hold your interest through a relatively long book.

Great Interesting Read, Good Performance

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As usual, Ms James' Adam Dalgleish does not disappoint. With Adam being more of an observer, this story seems to develop characters that you see and feel their presence. Great plot twist and epilogue.

Character development rich, unexpected plot twist

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This is one I’ve read several times and love. This is the first Audible version of it I’ve listened to and much prefer reading it. The narrator prefers to make the full cast of women sound as if they are all over 90 and sound very shrill. Someone new to this book would have a very difficult time trying to understand what age group each character falls into. I will be avoiding her narrations from here forward. The book is actually a very good outing for the author, however.

As Always, Great Dalgliesh

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A great book, PD James build up of characters and plots. Leave the reader wondering till the end

Devices and desires

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