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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!
nenya8688's review against another edition
3.0
This one read a bit slower than Anne Perry usually does for me. I missed Charlotte's input in the mystery. Found I just didn't like most of the characters other than Pitt.
librarianelizabeth's review
4.0
Why haven't I read Anne Perry's Charlotte and Thomas Pitt books before? Victorian era mysteries, right in (one of my) sweet spots. I'm told that it's better to read the series in sequence to see how the relationships develop, but I think I had enough fun reading this that I don't mind reading out of order.
The way it started, with a prostitute gorily murdered in Buckingham Palace, gave me a rather persistent thought of "London... SVU?" which I had trouble shaking over the first couple of chapters. But that's more a commentary on myself than it is on the quality of the book.
The thing that impressed me most was the way the investigation and the interrogation got bound and constrained by social niceties of status and of how different classes were allowed to interact. Perry switched perspectives in different chapters, enough so that I could really see the discrepancy between characters' interior lives and the constrained way they behaved towards each other, navigating the social sphere in a series of calculations of how much to say to whom, when. I don't think I've seen that captured quite so well in other Victorian era historicals I've read. I think I have, for the first time, in years of reading Victorian era historical mysteries, an understanding of just the sheer painful stiltedness and constraints of having to conduct a murder investigation in a society bent on keeping up rigid social structures. I enjoyed a few moments where investigators were trying to shield women, or servants from what was going on, only to be dumbfounded by what people already knew.
Definitely going to read as many more books in this series as I can.
The way it started, with a prostitute gorily murdered in Buckingham Palace, gave me a rather persistent thought of "London... SVU?" which I had trouble shaking over the first couple of chapters. But that's more a commentary on myself than it is on the quality of the book.
The thing that impressed me most was the way the investigation and the interrogation got bound and constrained by social niceties of status and of how different classes were allowed to interact. Perry switched perspectives in different chapters, enough so that I could really see the discrepancy between characters' interior lives and the constrained way they behaved towards each other, navigating the social sphere in a series of calculations of how much to say to whom, when. I don't think I've seen that captured quite so well in other Victorian era historicals I've read. I think I have, for the first time, in years of reading Victorian era historical mysteries, an understanding of just the sheer painful stiltedness and constraints of having to conduct a murder investigation in a society bent on keeping up rigid social structures. I enjoyed a few moments where investigators were trying to shield women, or servants from what was going on, only to be dumbfounded by what people already knew.
Definitely going to read as many more books in this series as I can.
tachyondecay's review
3.0
I greatly enjoy Anne Perry's Thomas and Charlotte Pitt mysteries. Historical mysteries are tricky, requiring one to not only be well versed in the period in which the story is set, but the judicial system and detection methods available at the time. While I can't attest to how accurate Perry is in her facts, she maintains a willing suspense of disbelief.
In Buckingham Palace Gardens, someone commits a murder at the eponymous royal palace. The Queen isn't in residence, but the Prince of Wales is. Four men are implicated; they are staying at the palace to discuss the construction of a massive railway from Cape Town to Cairo. Thomas Pitt takes the case (much to his regret, I'm sure).
From a shortlist of suspects, Perry manages to weave both suspense and doubt throughout the story. Although much of the mystery is predictable, she includes a final twist that isn't immediately apparent even if you deduce the culprit. I figured it out slightly before the reveal, but it was still nice to see Pitt stand up to the Prince of Wales (who is his "better" in that era) in the name of justice.
I loved the involvement of Gracie in the investigation! Watching her interact with the palace staff was hilarious. Of course, she proves indispensable to the investigation; Pitt would never have solved the mystery without her assistance. Yet she remains modest and probably awed at her contribution to what was, in the end, a matter of the state and a matter of treason. Gracie grows as a character during this novel. The events affect her perspective regarding her upcoming marriage to Sergeant Tellman, as well as how she perceives her unusual (for the serving class) ability to read, which endears her to one of the suspects.
Parts of the story could be confusing. The character of Cahoon Dunkeld, a blustery bully, was larger-than-life; I didn't like it at all. Likewise, the Prince of Wales seems rather two-dimensional. In the case of the latter character, I suspect Perry did this intentionally to demonstrate the gulf between the lower-middle class, like Pitt, and royalty. Had there not been a murder, Pitt would never have been in the palace. Considering the circumstances, I suppose I can suspend my disbelief in that matter.
I don't remember the last Pitt mystery I read, so I can't compare Buckingham Palace Gardens to Perry's other work. I consider it a good read--nothing amazing, but certainly a good mystery novel.
In Buckingham Palace Gardens, someone commits a murder at the eponymous royal palace. The Queen isn't in residence, but the Prince of Wales is. Four men are implicated; they are staying at the palace to discuss the construction of a massive railway from Cape Town to Cairo. Thomas Pitt takes the case (much to his regret, I'm sure).
From a shortlist of suspects, Perry manages to weave both suspense and doubt throughout the story. Although much of the mystery is predictable, she includes a final twist that isn't immediately apparent even if you deduce the culprit. I figured it out slightly before the reveal, but it was still nice to see Pitt stand up to the Prince of Wales (who is his "better" in that era) in the name of justice.
I loved the involvement of Gracie in the investigation! Watching her interact with the palace staff was hilarious. Of course, she proves indispensable to the investigation; Pitt would never have solved the mystery without her assistance. Yet she remains modest and probably awed at her contribution to what was, in the end, a matter of the state and a matter of treason. Gracie grows as a character during this novel. The events affect her perspective regarding her upcoming marriage to Sergeant Tellman, as well as how she perceives her unusual (for the serving class) ability to read, which endears her to one of the suspects.
Parts of the story could be confusing. The character of Cahoon Dunkeld, a blustery bully, was larger-than-life; I didn't like it at all. Likewise, the Prince of Wales seems rather two-dimensional. In the case of the latter character, I suspect Perry did this intentionally to demonstrate the gulf between the lower-middle class, like Pitt, and royalty. Had there not been a murder, Pitt would never have been in the palace. Considering the circumstances, I suppose I can suspend my disbelief in that matter.
I don't remember the last Pitt mystery I read, so I can't compare Buckingham Palace Gardens to Perry's other work. I consider it a good read--nothing amazing, but certainly a good mystery novel.
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