The Black Tower is a mystery novel that successfully explores despair. Adam Dalgliesh finds himself recovering from a debilitating atypical mononucleosis that had been inaccurately diagnosed as being fatal. While thought he was about to die, Dalgliesh takes a look at his life as detective . . . and decides there has to be something more.
Determined to resign from the force, his intention is interrupted by a request to visit for help from an old family friend, Father Baddeley.
Wondering what sort of evil Father Baddeley cannot handle on his own, Dalgliesh is shocked to find that his friend had died of natural causes shortly after Dalgliesh sent a note accepting the invitation. Baddeley's will leaves his money to Toynton Grange, a facility specializing in the progressively disabled, which really needs the money . . . and his books to Adam. Dalgliesh is surprised to find that the father's desk has been forced and that the latest part of his journal has disappeared. Adam decides to look around for some hint as to what the problem might have been that caused Father Baddeley to consult him.
Dalgliesh's instincts are aroused when he discovers that a patient, Victor Holroyd, had also died . . . but under strange circumstances just before Father Baddeley did.
Dalgliesh decides to use the excuse of packing up his books to hang around and see what he can learn. His black mood is continued by his interactions with the austere staff at Toynton Grange and the disabled people. Although Adam puts a brave face on his contacts with these disabled people, even they know that he's terribly disgusted by their deformities.
Having spent more time there, Dalgliesh learns a depressing story about the Victorian folly, the Black Tower, that exists near the grange.
As all of this bleakness serves to further depress Dalgliesh, he finds himself unable to understand what Father Baddeley was concerned about.
Meanwhile, other unexpected deaths occur. Dalgliesh seems even more at a loss than ever . . . until a clear spot opens up in his depression . . . and he's able to start thinking like a police investigator again. That leads to an exciting, memorable finish to the novel . . . one of P.D. James' best.
My main complaint about this novel is that Baroness James stretches the bleakness a little too far and a little too long for my taste. She got the mood across so well . . . that I found myself getting depressed reading the book.
The mystery itself isn't terribly mysterious, but it's adequate to carry the rest of the story. The mystery is well told, though, because the reader is given lots of insights into what's really going on to serve as a contrast to Dalgliesh's haze. Otherwise, this would have been a most boring and unrewarding novel.
