What the detective story is about is not murder but the restoration of order.
Meaning of the quote
The quote means that detective stories are not really about the crime itself, such as murder, but rather about finding the truth and bringing back a sense of order to the situation. The main focus is on solving the mystery and restoring the normal, peaceful state of things, rather than just the act of violence that started the story.
About P. D. James
P.D. James was an acclaimed English novelist best known for her mystery novels featuring the detective Adam Dalgliesh. She rose to fame with her compelling crime fiction and was honored as a life peer by the British government.
More quotes from P. D. James
I believe that political correctness can be a form of linguistic fascism, and it sends shivers down the spine of my generation who went to war against fascism.
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What the detective story is about is not murder but the restoration of order.
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We English are good at forgiving our enemies; it releases us from the obligation of liking our friends.
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What a child doesn’t receive he can seldom later give.
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Human kindness is like a defective tap, the first gush may be impressive but the stream soon dries up.
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It was one of those perfect English autumnal days which occur more frequently in memory than in life.
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There comes a time when every scientist, even God, has to write off an experiment.
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In 1930s mysteries, all sorts of motives were credible which aren’t credible today, especially motives of preventing guilty sexual secrets from coming out. Nowadays, people sell their guilty sexual secrets.
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