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The Private Patient (Adam Dalgliesh, #14)
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Archive: PD James Challenge > Mid-Feb 21 - The Private Patient - SPOILER Thread

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Susan | 13435 comments Mod
Welcome to our Buddy Read of The Private Patient The Private Patient (Adam Dalgliesh #14) by P.D. James the fourteenth, and last, in the Adam Dalgliesh series, published in 2008. Having come to the end of the series, it is interesting to consider that the series started back in 1962.

When the notorious investigative journalist, Rhoda Gradwyn, books into Mr. Chandler-Powell's private clinic in Dorset for the removal of a disfiguring, long-standing facial scar, she has every prospect of a successful operation by a distinguished surgeon, a week's peaceful convalescence in one of Dorset's most beautiful manor houses and the beginning of a new life. She will never leave Cheverell Manor alive. When Adam Dalgliesh and his team are called in to investigate the murder - and a second death occurs - even more complicated problems than the question of innocence or guilt arise.

Interested to hear your thoughts not only on this novel, but of the series overall.

Please feel free to post spoilers in this thread.


Judy (wwwgoodreadscomprofilejudyg) | 11300 comments Mod
I've finished this one now - drama steps up at the end again, but I was relieved to see that for once we don't have Adam in deadly danger!

Some of the plot twists towards the end seemed a bit unlikely - I was wondering if Candace really needs quite so many motives. Also there seem to be an awful lot of amazing back stories among the staff at one small private hospital, something which reminded me of one or two Christie books, ironically as James didn't like being compared to Christie.

I have a feeling James knew this would be her last Dalgliesh mystery, as she gives both Adam and Kate happy endings - I was pleased to see Kate end up with Piers and stop pining over Adam, something that only happened in the last few books! Not really any hint of romance for Benton, but maybe he could ask the literary agent out?


Judy (wwwgoodreadscomprofilejudyg) | 11300 comments Mod
PS I was a bit disappointed that Candace is identified as prime suspect so early on - no sudden twist later!


Pamela (bibliohound) | 496 comments Judy wrote: "PS I was a bit disappointed that Candace is identified as prime suspect so early on - no sudden twist later!"

I agree Judy, this was one of the reasons I felt this book was half-hearted and unconvincing.


Jill (dogbotsmum) | 2687 comments I didn't think this book was doing too badly from the start, and disregarding the many fixtures and fittings in all the locations visited, and the back story of Kate, I found the plot interesting. But then it started to go down the same route of others, where a confession is given, and then it all got rather silly, with what seemed to me to be an after thought to throw in some frantic drama.


Roman Clodia Looking back on the series, I liked the first handful but the second phase is marred for me by bloated page counts, PDJ's right-wing and reactionary political preaching put into the mouths of all her supposedly admirable characters, and repetitive plots.

Despite Dalgleish being regarded obsequiously as a top cop, he hardly ever seems to actually catch the murderer: too often the culprit give an unfeasibly long confession using archaic media (one of the last ones set post 2005 features a confession on cassette tape - how is that even possible?!)

Endings seem to be either a hostage situation or Dalgleish doing an action-man rescue. And, too often, some kind of WW2 backstory is woven in somewhere. I have to confess that towards the end, I enjoyed writing a grumpy review more that actually reading the books!


Judy (wwwgoodreadscomprofilejudyg) | 11300 comments Mod
I was a bit surprised at the mentions of a plot element in a Cyril Hare book I haven't read yet.

I think James wanted to pay tribute to Hare because she started her career as his replacement at Faber, which is a very nice touch in her last Dalgliesh book, but I'm hoping the plot point mentioned isn't a major spoiler!


Susan | 13435 comments Mod
I think Benton had a girlfriend? The actress he was going to cook for at the beginning of the book. At least he wasn't pining over Miskin, that would have been too much.


Judy (wwwgoodreadscomprofilejudyg) | 11300 comments Mod
Oh yes, I had forgotten Benton was going out with an actress - thanks, Susan.


Sandy | 4267 comments Mod
But Benton's girlfriend had a six month limit, so he attended the wedding alone. I wonder if the he can have a second six months later?


Sandy | 4267 comments Mod
I quite like that James wrote an epilogue with the future of the manor laid out. I was worried about the chef.

I was expecting Dalglish to retire, or at least move to less involved position. He and Emma have a very strange relationship, never speaking of their professional lives. I couldn't do it; I had to vent about office politics at the least.


Sandy | 4267 comments Mod
Did anyone else feel that once the chapel was introduced, with its plain stone altar, that there would be a body there eventually? I was convinced when Marcus visited the chapel early in the book but then forgot about it completely, so had a "pleasant" surprise at the end.


Sandy | 4267 comments Mod
I didn't really understand Dalglish's concern with the confession? Did he think Marcus was involved?

Nor do I understand the problem with the will. It seems not to be a forgery, but was not signed on 7/7 by the witnesses. Was it an earlier will? The only person with an interest at this point is Robin's heir and he has no way of knowing he could contest.


Carolien (carolien_s) | 597 comments Sandy wrote: "I didn't really understand Dalglish's concern with the confession? Did he think Marcus was involved?

Nor do I understand the problem with the will. It seems not to be a forgery, but was not signed..."


I think based on the comment from the lawyer that he wrote many wills in those last months, it is an earlier version that he had written and that was witnessed at a date after his death.

I liked this one and agree that she seemed to want to complete it by giving Adam and Kate happy endings.


Sandy | 4267 comments Mod
Carolien wrote: "Sandy wrote: "I didn't really understand Dalglish's concern with the confession? Did he think Marcus was involved?

Nor do I understand the problem with the will. It seems not to be a forgery, but ..."


Thanks Carolien. Demonstrates that one should burn the earlier will when writing a new one.


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