James is especially noted for the character delineation in her novels. Her detective character, Commander Adam Dalgliesh, who appears in other James novels, has been described by one critic as "a catalyst who allows people to show themselves." Here he is more intimately involved since the victim came to him before the murder to show him a poison pen letter. In fact, throughout the investigation, Dalgliesh occasionally betrays his personal connection to the victim. He remains the cool, dispassionate detective, however, who questions suspects calmly and objectively, with a maximum of consideration. He is also the clever investigator, who manages to see connections that escape others. He is respected by his associates, feared by suspects, and acknowledged by all as an expert in his field.

A Taste for Death presents Dalgliesh with a new associate, the young Kate Miskin. Having no family except for an aged grandmother who...