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A review by judythereader
A Christmas Homecoming by Anne Perry
3.0
I really enjoyed this book. Someone had recently commented that Anne Perry's "Christmas" books have little to do with Christmas, other than being set at that time, but I disagree with this one. Truthfully, Christmas Day was not really celebrated, although that's also where it ended. However, the story delves into what is evil and, therefore, what is good. I think that's actually a real Christmas theme.
However, I also enjoyed the book for it's own self. It was a good story with good characters. A troupe of actors in 1898 is working on a stage production of Dracula, before one became successful in London. Much of the story is about developing the play from the raw script. That's where the exploration of evil comes in. How it seduces. It was a wonderful exploration of the themes of that book.
Because it's Anne Perry, there's feminism as a young woman finds the opportunity to follow her heart's desire and live a life that is outside the norm. Not to mention Caroline, Charlotte Pitt's mother solving the crime from tips she's learned from her son-in-law.
I found this book to be suspenseful and emotionally rich, with a gothic edge. However, the mystery itself was weak, because not one bit of the information that went into the solving of the crime was available to the audience until after Caroline solved it. Then she discussed it with her husband and they went to the master of the house and they all confronted the villain. That's what kept this from being a 4 star book. I like clues. But I loved everything else about this book.
However, I also enjoyed the book for it's own self. It was a good story with good characters. A troupe of actors in 1898 is working on a stage production of Dracula, before one became successful in London. Much of the story is about developing the play from the raw script. That's where the exploration of evil comes in. How it seduces. It was a wonderful exploration of the themes of that book.
Because it's Anne Perry, there's feminism as a young woman finds the opportunity to follow her heart's desire and live a life that is outside the norm. Not to mention Caroline, Charlotte Pitt's mother solving the crime from tips she's learned from her son-in-law.
I found this book to be suspenseful and emotionally rich, with a gothic edge. However, the mystery itself was weak, because not one bit of the information that went into the solving of the crime was available to the audience until after Caroline solved it. Then she discussed it with her husband and they went to the master of the house and they all confronted the villain. That's what kept this from being a 4 star book. I like clues. But I loved everything else about this book.