Talking About Detective Fiction

James, who turns 90 in August, wrote this Edgar Award-winning book on the history, development, and craft of detective fiction as a charitable contribution to the University of Oxford's Bodleian Library. Exploring the genre in great detail, she begins with Wilkie Collins's seminal 1868 novel, The Moonstone, also discussing the Golden Age of British detective fiction that gave us the works of Agatha Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers, among others. James additionally addresses her own contributions to the genre; namely, her Adam Dalgliesh series. Throughout, her prose is as clear and precise as her readers and listeners have come to expect. Actress/writer Diana Bishop does an extraordinary job of narrating this material; her British accent is crisp and lucid, and her pacing is perfect for optimal understanding by American audiences. Highly recommended for James's fans as well as anyone interested in fiction writing and literary history. The Knopf hc was described as being "entertaining [and] approachable…an appealing read for a wide audience," LJ 1/10.—Ed.]—Barbara Valle, El Paso P.L., TX