Whilst on holiday on the English coast in Norfolk (to sort out the effects of his deceased Aunt Jane), Scotland Yard detective Commander Adam Dalgliesh (Roy Marsden) becomes embroiled in the hunt for a serial killer called The Whistler amidst a backdrop of mystery and intrigue surrounding the running of Larksoken, a local nuclear power station.
In fact, the serial killings don’t have anything to do with the main plot. They are gratuitous setups for the main murder. There are so many red herrings, you’d think the herring fleet had just arrived in Norfolk!
In the end, nobody really solves the crime. The killers – there are two of them – confess, each in their own grisly way.
The pace is slow, and there are too many subplots, but the acting – especially from Susannah York, Gemma Jones, James Faulkner and Tom Georgeson – is excellent, and the atmosphere is intense.
Devices and Desires was the sixth televised adaptation from Anglia Television of a PD James story featuring Dalgliesh.
Commander Adam Dalgliesh
Roy Marsden Meg Dennison
Susannah York Alice Mair
Gemma Jones Dr Alex Mair
James Faulkner Chief Inspector Terry Rickards
Tony Haygarth Miles Lessingham
Tom Chadbon Theresa Blaney
Lisa Ellis Ryan Blaney
Tom Georgeson Amy Camm
Nicola Cowper Neil Pascoe
Robert Hines Jonathan Reeves
Jamie Newall Caroline Amphlett
Helena Michell Det Sgt Stuart ‘Jumbo’ Oliphant
Al Ashton Dr Toby Gledhill
Harry Burton Detective Constable Price
Benedict Martin Neville Potter
Paul Hargreaves George Jago
John Judd Timmy Camm
Richard Hastings Anthony Blaney
Nathan Deakin Maeve Blaney
Amanda Smith Marie Blaney
Georgina Smith Hilary Robarts
Suzan Crowley Doris Jago
Mitzi Rogers Patrick Mitchell
Simon Cook Reverend Copley
Ralph Michael Grace Mitchell
Cherith Mellor Mrs Copley
Aimée Delamain
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