Shroud for a Nightingale - Part Two

The death toll increases, giving Dalgliesh more to do, his Sergeant is kept busy elsewhere.

Its hard not to compare this with The excellent Roy Marsden version, I know I shouldn't, but can help it. This does actually compare very favourably, they actually stick to the book pretty well, a few very small changes, but no horrible reworking.

As good as the first episode, the quality is excellent, it looks great, it's well paced, and the acting is very hard to fault. The ending was superbly done.

Channel five you have a winner here, this was excellent, 9/10.

Dalgliesh is an outstanding series. I have watched 2 stories in the series and both are excellent. Its not your run-of-the-mill British Murder Mystery stuff, so much so that even the much vaunted Midsomer Murders looks like a silly joke on the viewers. The much unheralded Bertie Carvel is brilliant in the portrayal as Adam Dalgliesh. The rest of the cast do justice to their roles as well. Jeremy Irvine's role as detective sergeant Charles Masterson is contrasting to the ones we normally get to see in such series. And I enjoyed his masterful performance in the opener. PD James belongs to the "Golden Era" of detective fiction and her quality in the story telling is clearly evident.

These comments refer to both parts one and two of 'Shroud for a Nightingale'.

This story opening in Nightingale House in 1975 where a group of trainee nurses are being taught. In the class they are giving a demonstration of how to feed a patient through a tube, with a nurse playing the part of the patient... as soon as the liquid in the tube reaches her stomach she reacts violently and dies. It appears that somebody has replaced the milk meant to be used with disinfectant. Inspector Adam Dalgliesh and DS Charles Masterson turn up to investigate. As the case progresses various suspects and motives emerge.

I watched the old version of this story, starring Roy Marsden in the leading role, but thankfully, apart from the opening scene, I could remember very little about it so never felt a need to compare the two while watching. The story is divided into two sixty minute episodes, including adverts, and both can now be watched in a single two hour slot which I'd recommend. I enjoyed the story; the mystery was intriguing and kept me guessing till near the end. It has a great '70s feel. Early on it isn't too obvious why the story is set at the time rather than being updated but as the motive emerges it is clear that time matters. Bertie Carvel impresses as Dalgliesh, a character who feels more 1870s than 1970s... slightly old fashioned rather than out of place. The supporting cast is solid too. On the strength of this I will certainly be watching future Dalgliesh stories.

After some of the awful dramas being churned out by the UK in recent times this was a standout, especially as it was on Channel 5.

I remember the original with Roy Marsden back in the 1980s and although we watched it all it was overly long and drawn out over 5 episodes.

This two part is much tighter and all the better for it.

Bertie Carvel was excellent as DCI Adam Dalgleish.

One minus is the casting of DS Charles Masterson as an arrogant creep who should have been sent back to base following his first insolent comments. A shame that the few unnecessary profanities were from his mouth.

In the 1980s the name was slightly different, DS John Massingham, and John Vine's portrayal was far more understated and sympathetic with Dalgleish's investigation.

The balance of nurses was believable except maybe for the overly familiar and irritating Julia Pardoe.

So, this drama proves that we can make product of some quality where the story is the main thing and not the casting for political correctness.