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In this intriguing mystery, P.D. James creates an imaginary small museum located in Hampstead and dedicated to the years between the wars, the twenties and thirties. There is a judiciously selected collection of art and literature as well as artifacts from some of the most famous murders of the time. These are displayed in the Murder Room. The museum is owned by the three children of the founder. Working there are a terminally-ill unpaid curator, a housekeeper, and a receptionist/book-keeper. There is also a young man who works part-time in the yard and two volunteers, elderly women who come from time to time to help. The lease on the property is up and in order to renew it, all three owners have to agree. But one does not and refuses to sign the new lease. Shortly after that he is murdered. Adam Dalgleish and his special squad are called in because the older son has some tenuous connections with MI5. James spends the first 100 pages of the book carefully and completely introducing the reader to every character of importance. We know their back stories, their current situations, and there is never any doubt about who these characters are. There is no need to keep a list beside your chair, as I do from time to time, or go searching back through the book to see who a person is. The characters are authentic, flawed human beings, and we understand and empathize with them all. As is always true with James's books, the plot is carefully and meticulously crafted. There are no holes in it. From beginning to end every piece of the puzzle fits and makes sense. And, like a Golden Age writer, she plays completely fair with the reader. The critical clue is there, unnoticed by anyone until many days had passed and unnoticed by this reader as well. The solution makes absolute sense and is satisfying. The setting is also very well done. The reader is transported to England and gets to enjoy the small imaginary museum located in the very real London suburb of Hampstead. The murders depicted in the Murder Room really happened. Characters travel about London and we get to enjoy the streets of the city with them. The story placed me in its world and I never for a moment doubted I was in England watching these events unfold. I am one of those who enjoys James's method of telling a story, leisurely, filled with fascinating details, time to allow the reader to forget the horror that is going to occur. Once the murder has happened the detection is compelling as well. There are no dead moments, no times when the detectives seem to be talking just to fill up space. Every action is purposeful and takes us closer to a solution although it may not seem so at the time. If you like your stories fast and furious, full of action and without much contemplation, then I suspect this book is not for you. But if you have the time to open the story, petal by petal, and relish what you find as it is revealed, I think you will enjoy it very much.
Reviewed by Sally A. Fellows, December 2003
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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