P.D. James: The Murder Room

Martin Shaw plays mystery writer P.D. James' poet and detective hero, Scotland Yard Commander Adam Dalgliesh, for the second time (following P.D. James: Death in Holy Orders) in this tale of bizarre murders inspired by macabre historical homicides. At the same time, widower Dalgliesh is confronted by a great personal challenge: how to overcome his emotional isolation and accept the love being offered by a wonderful woman (Janie Dee). When psychiatrist Neville Dupayne (Michael Maloney) and a young model (Ty Glaser) are gruesomely murdered within minutes of each other—one in the titular Murder Room of a museum owned by Dupayne's squabbling family and the other in the nearby car garage—Dalgliesh finds it noteworthy that both deaths resemble murders detailed in the museum's display cases. But British intelligence is complicating matters, running interference because they have their own reasons for wanting the case handled discreetly. Kerry Fox, Samantha Bond, Nicholas Le Provost, and Sid Mitchell are all terrific as sundry suspects, and Tilly Blackwood and William Beck are a lot of fun as Dalgliesh's sometimes awkward Detective Inspector team. Highly recommended. [Note: DVD extras include a delightful interview with P.D. James. Bottom line: a small but rewarding extras package for a solid mystery.] (T. Keogh)