P. D. James is “the reigning mistress of murder.” –Time
Handsome Cambridge dropout Mark Callender died hanging by the neck with a faint trace of lipstick on his mouth. When the official verdict is suicide, his wealthy father hires fledgling private investigator Cordelia Gray to find out what led him to self-destruction. What she discovers instead is a twisting trail of secrets and sins, and the strong scent of murder.
An Unsuitable Job for a Woman introduces P. D. James’s courageous but vulnerable young detective, Cordelia Gray, in a “top-rated puzzle of peril that holds you all the way” (The New York Times).
From the Compact Disc edition.
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"Cordelia Gray solves the death of Mark Callender after her partner dies and lives the business to her. Cordelia discovers that the person Mark thought was his mother couldn't be since they were not the same blood type. His Father likes his assistant, Chris Lunn more than his own son but then we disocver there is more behind the plot than you can imagine."
— Naomi (4 out of 5 stars)
" I started it for the title but had a hard time finishing. I wasn't invested in any of the characters unfortunately. "
— Shannon, 1/30/2014" Still not the awesome book that I keep hearing PD James writes, but it was pretty good. Didn't keep me on the edge, and I guessed the result way before the end, but a decent read. Also, some sloppiness in detail that never would have happened in real life murder investigations. Can't say more without giving away too much, but I was surprised in the oversight. "
— Christy, 1/21/2014" A fast comfort read. I liked Cordelia, but the time period felt wrong and parts of the middle were pretty sloggy. I appreciated the way the mystery ended (a matter-of-fact collaboration between women) and various other pieces but as a whole it was only okay. "
— Laura, 1/9/2014" Love PD James, but I'm very sad to say the parts where she gets into the characters' skin, which people rave about, bores me. "
— Laura, 12/9/2013" I actually really enjoyed this. I don't think it was because of the mystery per say, or even the time period, but simply because I liked Cordelia. I liked how cold and removed she was, I liked how complex she was, and I just really enjoyed how moody the plot was. It was an excellent way to end an evening, and I'm disappointed she only wrote one other. "
— Radhika, 12/8/2013" First P.D. James book. She takes a while to build the story, but then it is very well done. "
— Carole, 12/5/2013" One of the best of the half dozen P.D. James mysteries I've read. "A courageous yet vulnerable young detective, Cordelia Gray, is hired to disprove the suspicious "suicide" of a handsome Cambridge graduate. "
— Peg, 11/18/2013" P.D. James is a wonderful writer. This is the first book in the Cordelia Gray series. The plot is clever, but the denouement is unbelievable and almost amoral. Even the final resolution was a bit creepy. But Cordelia is interesting and I'd read more in this series. "
— Donna, 11/5/2013" A bit darker and more graphic/twisted than Agatha Christie or Dorothy Sayers' books, but still feels closer to those old classics than the modern detective story. Not "cozy," but not "hard-boiled" either. I'll probably keep reading Cordelia's adventures. "
— Lee, 9/29/2013" I enjoyed reading a PD James mystery forty years after it was written. The depiction of early 70's student life by someone then twice that age was itself an interesting time capsule. The Dalgliesh touch at the end would satisfy his fans. Yes, an enjoyable read. "
— Anita, 9/13/2013" This is one of two P.D. James books to feature Cordelia Gray. This is a good mystery with a surprise ending. I've read it more than once and always enjoy it. "
— Kristina, 8/10/2013" This book had a ridiculously long ending, but otherwise the story was OK. "
— Leslie, 7/13/2013" This was the first Cordelia Gray book I read - loved it! "
— Kerry, 6/11/2013" Just an average story. I wanted to read more PD James but now her work is on my backburner "
— Pamwendy, 3/29/2013" Almost anything by PD James is worth reading. "
— Mary, 2/5/2013" Enjoyable, if weirdly conservative in its underpinnings (beware radicals!). I always get a little thrill from interconnected novels (in a series or otherwise). 13 ways of looking at Adam Dalgliesh. "
— Andrea, 1/30/2013" PD James is one of my favorite authors and I liked this book very much even if it`s not my first choice. "
— Ing-marie, 1/10/2013" I found the plot and characters interesting. A bit sorry to finish it. "
— J., 5/11/2012" A good British whodunit, thanks to Carolyn for recommending it! "
— Rebecca, 5/2/2012" Not quite as convincing as Dalgliesh as a detective. "
— G, 4/12/2012" I'm not a super mystery fan but PD James is good. "
— Jana, 3/13/2012" While I was not surprise of the murderer, neither did I able to guess correctly. The plot was enjoyably unpredictable. This was Cordelia first appearance. You can't not to like this strong-willed lady detective. "
— Chen, 2/13/2012" I'm a sucker for a decent detective story and this surely did not disappoint. I found the writing eloquent and captivating. I loved the character of Cordelia Gray. Clever and strong as any female detective must be when so many people are telling you such a job is unsuitable. "
— Samantha, 12/6/2011" Anything by P.D. James is amazing! "
— Anna, 7/15/2011" Almost anything by PD James is worth reading. "
— Mary, 3/27/2011" Almost anything by PD James is worth reading. "
— Mary, 3/27/2011" Although I prefer the original Dagleish stories, I still thought this spin off was worth reading. Perhaps, unlike some close to home, it takes me longer to know who's done it, almost to the end of the book. "
— Ice, 3/8/2011" Although I prefer the original Dagleish stories, I still thought this spin off was worth reading. Perhaps, unlike some close to home, it takes me longer to know who's done it, almost to the end of the book. "
— Ice, 3/8/2011" This just didn't come together well for me. I'll give the next one in the series a shot. "
— Katie, 2/28/2011" This just didn't come together well for me. I'll give the next one in the series a shot. "
— Katie, 2/28/2011" This book had a ridiculously long ending, but otherwise the story was OK. "
— Leslie, 2/6/2011" This book had a ridiculously long ending, but otherwise the story was OK. "
— Leslie, 2/6/2011" It was OK in parts, but the writing was ever-so and frightfully...<br/><br/>It probably wasn't so noticeable back in the 1970s, but now, used as we are to faster-paced books, it seems a very slow and clunky read, enlivened with occasional flashes of violence and fear. "
— Paul, 1/20/2011" It was OK in parts, but the writing was ever-so and frightfully...<br/><br/>It probably wasn't so noticeable back in the 1970s, but now, used as we are to faster-paced books, it seems a very slow and clunky read, enlivened with occasional flashes of violence and fear. "
— Paul, 1/20/2011" James' Inspector Dalgliesh shares the stage with a lady PI. It's a real winner. "
— Ann, 1/13/2011" James' Inspector Dalgliesh shares the stage with a lady PI. It's a real winner. "
— Ann, 1/13/2011" P. D. James had me guessing for awhile this one. "
— Lesa, 12/9/2010" P. D. James had me guessing for awhile this one. "
— Lesa, 12/9/2010" A good enough novel, but I found it lacked a certain "heart", most main players were unlikable and language was dry. Cordelia, the main character, is a cute character though. "
— Natalya, 10/23/2010" A good enough novel, but I found it lacked a certain "heart", most main players were unlikable and language was dry. Cordelia, the main character, is a cute character though. "
— Natalya, 10/23/2010" A cute mystery. I liked the character Cordelia Gray. She only wrote one more with this character, which I'm sad to say isn't in the Brisbane Library system. The ending was a bit forced, but otherwise it was enjoyable. "
— Chris, 10/19/2010" A cute mystery. I liked the character Cordelia Gray. She only wrote one more with this character, which I'm sad to say isn't in the Brisbane Library system. The ending was a bit forced, but otherwise it was enjoyable. "
— Chris, 10/19/2010" Not as deliciously British as I had hoped. "
— Catherine, 10/7/2010" Not as deliciously British as I had hoped. "
— Catherine, 10/7/2010" I want to try another book by this author. The book was well written and I enjoyed the narrator of the audio book. I wish the morals of the characters aligned better with my own. "
— MaryKay, 10/6/2010" I want to try another book by this author. The book was well written and I enjoyed the narrator of the audio book. I wish the morals of the characters aligned better with my own. "
— MaryKay, 10/6/2010P. D. James (1920–2014), English crime writer, was the author of numerous detective novels, many of which were New York Times bestsellers. She spent thirty years in various departments of the British civil service, including the Police and Criminal Law Departments of the Home Office. She has served as a magistrate and as a governor of the BBC. In 2000 she celebrated her eightieth birthday and published her autobiography, Time to Be in Earnest. The recipient of many prizes and honors, she was named Baroness James of Holland Park in 1991.
Penelope Dellaporta is a published narrator. Some of her published credits include Agatha Christie’s The Secret Adversary and Edith Wharton’s The House Of Mirth.