Death of an expert witness: a mystery by P.D. James

A multitude of suspects, Sep 16 2006***


P.D.James' "Death of an expert witness" is an interesting mystery. The victim is Dr. Lorrimer, a well-qualified and authoritative forensic scientist. On a personal basis he is unpleasant. He is smarting from being passed over for promotion, "petty in his dealings with underlings, vindictive in his personal relationships". Adam Dagleish is brought up from London to solve the case but finds himself confronted by a multitude of suspects. Virtually everyone has a motive to get rid of Lorrimer and there are many suspect alibis.

The novel is replete with red herrings leading us to suspect first one character and then another of being the killer.

P.D. James has a first-rate reputation as a mystery writer. But Inspector Dagleish is not really my cup of tea.