This is the first book in James' Adam Dalgleish series. It is extremely well-written and was a pleasure to read. The book begins slowly, with a description of a dinner party. In the space of a few pages, all the major characters are introduced in a highly complex manner. James describes relationships and personal characteristics in a somewhat repetitive, twisting manner -- very similar to the way you might pick up information as a guest at such a dinner party. I found this section refreshing. Nonetheless, I had to take notes to keep the cast straight in my mind.

The mystery is tight. The resolution is complex and was a surprise to me. Yet this is what I think of as a "fair" mystery; all the necessary clues and information are laid out for the reader ahead of time and there are no surprise or hidden clues that are suddenly disclosed only in the last chapter. Although the beginning was slow, after about 60 pages the pacing was quite good.