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git_r_read's review against another edition
3.0
This was an okay listen. Mostly I finished it because it's narrated by one of my favorite narrators, Davina Porter. I am not as fond of the Thomas and Charlotte Pitt series as I am of Anne Perry's other.
bethanyread's review
5.0
Another great mystery. The reason for the death was not great, but such a good job detecting by Thomas and Charlotte & Emily.
blueshadow's review against another edition
2.0
These books are getting darker. Not impressed. About 1/3 of the way through the book, I was confident of the murderer, very disturbed by many of the themes in the book, and bored with reading about Thomas and Charlotte slog through an investigation while learning nothing. I skipped to the end. I was right as to the identity of the murderer and didn't regret a bit skipping most of the book, because the disturbing themes were clearly revisited many times in great and gruesome detail. Not impressed.
terrik_409's review
dark
mysterious
tense
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? No
4.0
cakereads's review
2.0
Pitt felt a sudden pity and anger - pity for the men, because they were imprisoned in themselves, but anger for Albie, because he had been made into what he was not by nature but by man, and for money.
So I said in my review of the previous book that the books are starting to become too formulaic, and in this book right after that, Perry switches up her game. This time, there is no straightforward investigation, and I must admit I was pleasantly surprised.
Sure, we find the solution out in the last chapter as usual, but there are new twists to the mystery. The story delves into child prostitution and homosexuality (criminalised in that time period) and socially aware upper class fighting for change. This book is certainly enjoyable enough even if I feel certain plot points are repeated over and over again;
Spoiler
seriously, didn't anyone suspect the boys were being tricked into giving false evidence? And yes, we get it, Jerome is detestable.TLDR: Something different from the other books in this series so far, but the plot isn't as enjoyable as the rest.
aniniaknit's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
La historia promete mucho, la aparición de personajes conocidos y queridos le da un toque feel good, pero el final es demasiado abrupto y poco comprensible.
chaifanatic18's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
sarahspace's review
1.0
Oh my, this was a painful read. I am not sure how such interesting characters and plots can be so boring. Anne Perry has a talent of making everything she touches boring. I think this will be my last in this series.
we_are_all_mad_here26's review against another edition
3.0
Something about Anne Perry's writing - or at least, the writing that I've read, which includes book 1-6 of this series plus about a billion of the William Monk series - appeals to me very much. I complain about it a lot in my head, mostly due to certain details or situations or descriptions that get repetitive (and somewhat annoying) when you're reading the entirety of a series, back to back to back. But she sets a scene so well that I would feel perfectly at home in any Victorian drawing room, should I stumble across one somewhere in the metaverse. When Charlotte Pitt is freezing after a long hansom ride and asks Gracie to build up the fire and bring some tea, I feel vicariously cozy. All this to say, I am still enjoying this series.
Of course there is a but. I find there generally is. In this case, the but is - Thomas Pitt is a terrible, horrible, very, very bad detective. Take this example. He has just interviewed the murdered boy's tutor, trying to gather as much information about the victim as he can. Immediately after, the boy's bereaved father asks him (regarding the tutor), "Good God! You don't really suspect him of--of--"
Spoiler alert: Pitt did not suspect the tutor of anything at all, at least, not at that time. And he says so. "Is there any reason why I should?" he asks.
"Of course not!" says the father, and now I am really paraphrasing. "Of course he had but the greatest references and etc etc but hmmm, I guess maybe I should give it some thought."
Minutes, literally minutes later, Pitt gets home and tells Charlotte, "It appears as if it was the tutor. It's all very sad and grubby..."
It is maddening. The man could wear a suit made of clues and still not find the guilty party. I hate him. I will continue reading about him with pleasure.
Of course there is a but. I find there generally is. In this case, the but is - Thomas Pitt is a terrible, horrible, very, very bad detective. Take this example. He has just interviewed the murdered boy's tutor, trying to gather as much information about the victim as he can. Immediately after, the boy's bereaved father asks him (regarding the tutor), "Good God! You don't really suspect him of--of--"
Spoiler alert: Pitt did not suspect the tutor of anything at all, at least, not at that time. And he says so. "Is there any reason why I should?" he asks.
"Of course not!" says the father, and now I am really paraphrasing. "Of course he had but the greatest references and etc etc but hmmm, I guess maybe I should give it some thought."
Minutes, literally minutes later, Pitt gets home and tells Charlotte, "It appears as if it was the tutor. It's all very sad and grubby..."
It is maddening. The man could wear a suit made of clues and still not find the guilty party. I hate him. I will continue reading about him with pleasure.