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debjazzergal's review against another edition
3.0
I have read several titles by this author. This one is the one I enjoyed the least. I'd say pick up a different title.
shellystilger's review against another edition
3.0
Just slightly, annoyingly unsatisfactory. Found myself sometimes frustrated with characterization, and sometimes with a dragging feeling in the narrative. But I liked it well enough to try another in the series. The ending twist was interesting.
feliciar33ds's review against another edition
1.0
At first I thought this was pretty good - very atomospheric. But then, it just got really boring. I got about 3/4 of the way through it and gave up and skipped to the end. And I had actually figured out who the killer was - and I'm never successful at that!
wheels72's review against another edition
1.0
terribly slow moving. finished over half and could take no more. There are too many good books to read, why bother struggling through ones you dont like.
judyward's review against another edition
3.0
Anne Perry has a lock on recreating English society in Victorian England. This is her 25th book featuring Inspector Thomas Pitt and the stories just keep rolling along. In this episode, the Prince of Wales has invited four wealthy men and their wives to Buckingham Palace to talk about the feasibility of building a railroad from the north of Africa (Egypt) to South Africa. Unfortunately a prostitute is found murdered in the linen closet in the royal wing and everyone is a suspect--including the Prince of Wales. To add spice, this had better get cleared up and cleared up fast because Queen Victoria is due back at the Palace in a matter of days and it just wouldn't do to have tales of dead prostitutes being stuffed into closets reach her ears. Cleverly crafted. Spoiler alert: don't fear for the monarchy.
lraven13's review against another edition
3.0
A quick and engrossing read. There were surely some men who believed as some of the men in this book that Africa should have been left to it's own devices, and a shame they were not listened to.
Not as compelling as many of her other works.
Not as compelling as many of her other works.
gawronma's review against another edition
3.0
This was a very nice edition to the Thomas Pitt series.
plantbirdwoman's review against another edition
4.0
I have long enjoyed the Victorian era series featuring Thomas and Charlotte Pitt. They are an appealing couple and Perry's mastery of the period is impeccable. She has a feel for the nuances of social conventions of the period that is without peer in my reading experience. I can't say that I've ever read one of her books, either in this or the Monk series, that did not entertain me, and this is actually one of her better efforts, I think.
Over the years, Perry has taken us throughout the mean streets of 19th century London. We've seen the lowest of the low as well as the poshest life styles that the period had to offer. This time she takes us where she never has before - inside Buckingham Palace itself.
A fearful murder has taken place there and Special Services chief Narraway is called in to clean up the mess - discretely. His top man is Thomas Pitt and so he is the obvious one to do the investigation inside the Palace.
Her Majesty Queen Victoria is not in residence at the moment but will return in a few days and the murder must be solved - and hushed up - before her return. The reputation of the Prince of Wales must be protected. Not an easy matter considering his licentious behavior which may have led to the murder of the "woman of the streets."
What's different about this entry is that Charlotte is not featured and so we get more of Thomas and his methods of investigation. Another difference is that his maid, Gracie, is drafted to serve at the Palace and learn what she can from the servants. Gracie is well-named - she is an ingratiating character.
In the end, as always seems to be the case in these mysteries, Thomas must pit (pun intended!) himself against the great and the powerful in order to reach his conclusions and serve the cause of justice. And just as we've come to expect of him, he does it.
This was a very satisfying read.
Over the years, Perry has taken us throughout the mean streets of 19th century London. We've seen the lowest of the low as well as the poshest life styles that the period had to offer. This time she takes us where she never has before - inside Buckingham Palace itself.
A fearful murder has taken place there and Special Services chief Narraway is called in to clean up the mess - discretely. His top man is Thomas Pitt and so he is the obvious one to do the investigation inside the Palace.
Her Majesty Queen Victoria is not in residence at the moment but will return in a few days and the murder must be solved - and hushed up - before her return. The reputation of the Prince of Wales must be protected. Not an easy matter considering his licentious behavior which may have led to the murder of the "woman of the streets."
What's different about this entry is that Charlotte is not featured and so we get more of Thomas and his methods of investigation. Another difference is that his maid, Gracie, is drafted to serve at the Palace and learn what she can from the servants. Gracie is well-named - she is an ingratiating character.
In the end, as always seems to be the case in these mysteries, Thomas must pit (pun intended!) himself against the great and the powerful in order to reach his conclusions and serve the cause of justice. And just as we've come to expect of him, he does it.
This was a very satisfying read.
krisrid's review against another edition
1.0
I am a huge Anne Perry fan, so it pains me to give one of her books only one star, but this particular outing was stuffed full of irrelevant detail that had nothing to do with the murder, and made it hard slogging to get through the book.
The premise was excellent - a murdered prostitute turning up in a linen closet at Buckingham Palace after the Prince of Wales and several of his houseguests partook of "services" from the murdered women and a couple of her compatriots.
Naturally Inspector Pitt is summoned, this clearly being a special branch situation.
If Perry had stuck to relating it to the investigation of the murder I wouldn't have minded the large sections about the politics of the Prince and the men (who were guests at the Palace with their wives) trying to build a railway in Africa. However, she also put in lengthy sections about the dysfunctional marriages of all the men, all of whom were suspects in the murder.
By halfway through, this book felt more like an episode of the Dr. Phil show, than an Anne Perry murder mystery. I was disappointed in this outing by Inspector Pitt. Hoping Perry gets back to focusing on the murder next time and leaves out the self-help stuff!
The premise was excellent - a murdered prostitute turning up in a linen closet at Buckingham Palace after the Prince of Wales and several of his houseguests partook of "services" from the murdered women and a couple of her compatriots.
Naturally Inspector Pitt is summoned, this clearly being a special branch situation.
If Perry had stuck to relating it to the investigation of the murder I wouldn't have minded the large sections about the politics of the Prince and the men (who were guests at the Palace with their wives) trying to build a railway in Africa. However, she also put in lengthy sections about the dysfunctional marriages of all the men, all of whom were suspects in the murder.
By halfway through, this book felt more like an episode of the Dr. Phil show, than an Anne Perry murder mystery. I was disappointed in this outing by Inspector Pitt. Hoping Perry gets back to focusing on the murder next time and leaves out the self-help stuff!