Phyllis Dorothy James (1920- ), English author and civil servant.
13 of her 16 mystery novels feature Chief-Inspector (later Commander) Adam Dalgliesh, an intelligent, efficient, and remote policeman. In later years her books, which have been widely seen in TV adaptations, have become novels of character and place as much as detective stories. Thoughtfully observed and meticulously researched, they continue the English tradition of the crime novel as literature. She has also written a science-fiction novel, a memoir, and a work of non-fiction.
You can read a brief biography of P. D. James.
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