James's great talent is in her portrayal of characters. According to one critic: "The people in her books are anything but paper figures; all but the most peripheral are three-dimensional, their backgrounds finely drawn, and their actions the inevitable result of the interaction between their personalities and the circumstances that confront them." The same critic notes that James has continued to improve her characterization with each succeeding novel.

Although the criticism was written before this novel, it was indeed a good prediction, for the characters in A Taste for Death are even more complex and believable than those in previous novels. Adam Dalgliesh evolves with each novel, developing the maturity that comes with age and experience.

The mystery aficionado seeks a plausible plot that is not obvious until the very end and yet provides adequate clues to clarify events when the mystery is revealed. James moves...