Scan barcode
okenwillow's review against another edition
5.0
Avec ce troisième volume Anne Perry nous replonge à nouveau dans une époque où les inégalités sociales sont à leur paroxysme, et nous dresse le portrait d’une société victorienne scindée en deux univers qui cohabitent mais s’ignorent. Lorsque la veuve d’un général respecté avoue son meurtre, rien ne va plus dans la famille du mort. Les membres ont chacun une idée de la situation et certains préfèreraient voir la coupable enfermée chez les fous plutôt que de se voir exposés sur la place publique lors d’un procès. Sollicitée par l’une des sœurs de la victime, Hester Latterly fait appel à Oliver Rathbone et William Monk afin d’établir l’innocence de la veuve. Celle-ci se montera fort peu coopérative et éveillera les soupçons de Monk et de Rathbone, incitant ces derniers à enquêter pour découvrir le véritable mobile du meurtre et ses tristes circonstances. Si le lecteur devine plus ou moins le vrai mobile, rien n’est pourtant certain et Anne Perry réussit malgré tout encore l’exploit de nous mener en bateau à peu près jusqu’à la dernière page, et n’hésite pas pour cela à développer une scène de procès d’une folle intensité, d’une efficacité confondante. Encore une fois l’enquête se poursuit en parallèle du procès, une course contre la montre qui rythme une intrigue déjà poussée et dense et nous bombarde de nouvelles révélations. Nous nous retrouvons pour ainsi dire au sein du procès, anticipant les réactions des protagonistes face aux nouvelles révélations. Redoutable, glauque et haletant, peuplé de personnages fouillés et réalistes, ce troisième volume est un vrai régal.
felinity's review
5.0
4.5 stars but rounding up
"How can we tolerate a law which affords no possible justice? And the unjustice is unspeakable." That's the premise of this book. Amongst the historical details that give so much richness to [a:Anne Perry|6331|Anne Perry|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1216671529p2/6331.jpg]'s writings, and Monk's tantalizingly close flashes of memory, a murder is investigated by Monk, Hester and Oliver Rathbone. The suspect never denied the act, setting them up for an unimaginably hopeless case, but Victorian social issues prove to be the real culprit. Perry demonstrates how the fear of change affects everyone, and how much women have to lose if they slip from the narrow path society permits.
Aside from everyone having an aquiline nose, it's hard to find anything wrong with this - except the compulsion to keep reading!
"How can we tolerate a law which affords no possible justice? And the unjustice is unspeakable." That's the premise of this book. Amongst the historical details that give so much richness to [a:Anne Perry|6331|Anne Perry|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1216671529p2/6331.jpg]'s writings, and Monk's tantalizingly close flashes of memory, a murder is investigated by Monk, Hester and Oliver Rathbone. The suspect never denied the act, setting them up for an unimaginably hopeless case, but Victorian social issues prove to be the real culprit. Perry demonstrates how the fear of change affects everyone, and how much women have to lose if they slip from the narrow path society permits.
Aside from everyone having an aquiline nose, it's hard to find anything wrong with this - except the compulsion to keep reading!
karynhansen's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
we_are_all_mad_here26's review against another edition
3.0
Entirely too many aquiline noses and too-wide mouths. For example: "Her cheekbones were broad, her nose short and aquiline, her mouth beautiful but far too wide..." Or this one: "She had a short, aquiline nose, very blue eyes and a mouth far too wide..."
Weirdly, all this very specific description of each character's face did nothing to give me a mental image of any of them.
Also, I'm starting to see a pattern in this series, in which the first half is somewhat tiresome, only to have the story take off like blazes in the second half.
I will likely read the next in the series, but I'll be okay waiting for it to come available at my library.
Weirdly, all this very specific description of each character's face did nothing to give me a mental image of any of them.
Also, I'm starting to see a pattern in this series, in which the first half is somewhat tiresome, only to have the story take off like blazes in the second half.
I will likely read the next in the series, but I'll be okay waiting for it to come available at my library.
maggymags's review against another edition
4.0
I am enjoying this series. My only complaint is that everyone has an aquiline nose - really annoying. A nice little stubby nose would do some characters just fine.
squishies's review against another edition
4.0
Man... this book felt liked it dragged on even more than the last, but did it really deliver. Gah, so intense!
I had a suspicion of what it was and was willing Monk et al to consider it. Took them forever it seemed, but understandable given the time period.
Or did I miss something?
I had a suspicion of what it was and was willing Monk et al to consider it. Took them forever it seemed, but understandable given the time period.
Spoiler
I found it weird that Mrs. Furnival was arrested for telling Valentine not to tell anyone so her husband wouldn't lose his army contract, but Mrs. Carlyon supplied kids to the general for years and she gets off scot free. Isn't that worse?! The only reason why I think that the court left it as is, is because the kids were from the streets / of "low quality" so they didn't "matter". Infuriating.Or did I miss something?
schlotte's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
melissasbookshelf's review against another edition
3.0
I liked this next book in the Monk series. This case is particularly sordid, but seemed a little obvious. The ending has a few surprises that I didn't see coming and enough misdirection that one of the villains I didn't suspect at all. It's a harsh commentary on Victorian England, especially concerning the rights of women and children. I recommend this though the case does involved some especially heinous crimes. As always, the narrator was fabulous.
mamanrees's review against another edition
3.0
I'm really conflicted on how to rate this book. The story was compelling, and I thought Perry did a good job of using the story to illustrate how very limited the rights of women and children were in Victorian England. That said, I can't say I loved it, nor would I be able to recommend it without heavy caveats. It probably has a lot to do with my own stage of life, but I found it incredibly painful and disturbing to read the final few chapters.