The Black Tower

This perfectly polished period piece does full justice to P D James' erudition and her beautifully honed cast of almost Dickensian characters. The dramatic scenery of Dorset provides the ideal setting for this complex and absorbing mystery. Roy Marsden portrays the detective poet, Adam Dalgliesh with his usual panache and is ably supported by fellow cast members. Those who have not read PD James' brilliant novels will not be able to guess the identity of the murderer until the last episode, despite the meticulous and perfectly timed trail of clues, interspersed with a plethora of red herrings, necessary to ensure the enjoyment of both crime buffs and novices to the genre.