The Skull Beneath the Skin cover art

The Skull Beneath the Skin

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The Skull Beneath the Skin

By: P. D. James
Narrated by: Katie Scarfe
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About this listen

From P.D. James, one of the masters of British crime fiction comes the second novel to feature the famous female detective Cordelia Gray of the Pryde Detective Agency. Set on the sinister Courcy Island, An Unsuitable Job for a Woman is a thrilling murder mystery. Clarissa Lisle hopes to make a spectacular comeback in a production of The Duchess of Malfi, to be played in Ambrose Gorringe's sinister castle at Courcy Island. Cordelia is there to ensure her safety following the appearance of a number of poison-pen letters. But it soon becomes clear that all are in danger. Trapped within the walls of the Gothic castle, the treacherous past of the island re-emerges, and everyone seems to have a motive for sending Clarissa 'down, down to hell'. Marking the return of the private detective Cordelia Gray, The Skull beneath the Skin is the sequel to An Unsuitable Job for a Woman. P.D. James is Britain's pre-eminent crime writer and the author of many bestselling titles including Death Comes To Pemberley, Children of Men and Death in Holy Orders.

©1982 P.D. James (P)2014 Faber Audio Detective Fiction Mystery Police Procedural Suspense Thriller & Suspense Traditional Detectives Women Sleuths Women's Fiction Island

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Critic reviews

"A fine novel... from its very first pages you feel you are in marvellously sure hands." ( The Times)
"A masterly version of the clue-and-alibi game ... five star." ( Guardian)
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This is a great book if you like long descriptive passages. It took a long time setting the scene but the pace caught up later. The description annoyed me at first as I was was keen to get on with the plot but then I was in hospital and the long visual descriptions were much more enjoyable.
I found the narrator good, with a few mispronunciations, but there were a few repetitive phrases due to flaws in the recording. Overall I enjoyed it.

Very descriptive

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Not so keen on Katie Scarfe reading. I have been used to Daniel Weyman with Dalglish who is superb. Her Inspector Grogan was unpleasant and unlikeable and her voice was too high for the male parts.
But the story was good and the scenery was well described. She did well as the young female Cordelia.

Took a while to get into it but once in, was good

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Just wasn’t as engaging a storyline as her other Cordelia grey book.

Performed well but it was a bit meh

Found it so difficult to concentrate on

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Published the year I was born (1982) but seems so much older than that. Full of snobbery and classism but that’s part of what makes some of her characters utterly horrid. Her macabre writing is a joy to read and I find her worlds fascinating

Sinister, intricate and entertaining

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Loved every minute of this book. brilliant story and beautifully read. I would recommend this book to anyone.

Enthralling Book

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The story was interesting in the most part until it was reaching its conclusion . The last couple of chapters were very disappointing and I wouldn't recommend the book. The narration was excellent which is its saving grace

Falls flat

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I like this author and the Cordelia Gray character. She's spunky and will take on any challenge. Sometimes she puts herself in unnecessary danger, like taking evidence of the motive to the killer and discussing it with them. She should have gone straight to the police, but then the story wouldn't have been so exciting, huh? The narrator is quite good. Her gruff male voices are a bit funny. It's a good read/listen.

Good story

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Set in the 70s/80s it feels more like the 1920s in both the writing and narration.

Doesnt Fit

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Agatha Christie like 1930s story transposed to the 1970s.
Not compelling enough to search for more of the same.
The the narrator was very good.

enjoyable but not enough to search for similar

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I had to skip listen to the last quarter of this book due to the monotonous reading which I couldn't finally stand. Shame as I remember really enjoying reading it some years ago.

This narrator is not for me!

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