After enjoying The Face of a Stranger so much I was anxious to try Anne Perry’s other Victorian series about Charlotte and Thomas Pitt. I was no disappointed.
While the Ellison girls were out paying calls and drinking tea like proper Victorian ladies, a maid in their household was strangled to death. The quiet and young Inspector Pitt investigates the scene and finds no one above suspicion. As his intense questioning causes many a composed facade to crumble, Pitt finds himself curiously drawn to pretty Charlotte Ellison. Yet, a romance between a society girl and so unsuitable a suitor was impossible in the midst of a murder....
Once again one of the wonderful things in Perry’s books is characterization and how she brings to life the Victorian world. The Ellison’s are a well off family, even if not noble and it’s members behave as true people of their time. I really liked Charlotte. She seemed so real, a woman of her time but constantly struggling with the injustices of the double standard of behaviour between man and woman and the moral standards of the time.
I also liked Inspector Pitt although we seem to know him a lot less. He keeps coming to the Ellison’s for more answers on the murder and at time possibly to see Charlotte. His appearance and questions force them to questions some of their acts and behaviour and makes Charlotte more and more aware of him. They come from 2 different worlds and I thought it was also interesting how we had some glimpses of those differences. It made me look forward to the next books to see how they deal with it.
The mystery was also interesting and unusual. There are several clues during the story but I never made sense of them till the murderer is discovered.
In a way I didn’t enjoy it as much as Face of a Stranger, possibly because there’s less introspection and I particularly liked that aspect of the book. But it was a wonderful Victorian mystery and I highly recommend it.
Oh, and this is the wrong cover, I couldn't find the one I have online.
Grade: B+
I think that it shows that The Face of a Stranger was written some 10 years later, when Perry had really grown as a writer.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you're right! I'm looking forward to read the second book of Monk series but I haven't found it yet. If it takes too long I'll just buy it. Books 3 and 4 are already on the way :-)
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