About this title: The death of the doctor's wife in a ferocious fire shocks genteel Highgate Village. But when it proves to be arson, Inspector Thomas Pitt finds himself in charge of a complicated case of murder.
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Description: Good. 0449219593 Good condition paperback book, some creases to spine, some edge/corner rubs, may have corner crease, small edge tear or spine slant, a good book for reading. Shop & Save With US. read more
Binding: Mass-market paperback
Publisher: Fawcett Books
Date Published: 1992
ISBN-13:9780449219591ISBN:0449219593
Description: Very good. No dust jacket as issued. Book is in great shape. Mass market (rack) paperback. Glued binding. 352 p. Audience: General/trade. read more
"All the things I didn't like in the last book are continued in this book and the plot just wasn't as engrossing. The WHOdunit was boringly stereotypical, the WHYdunit was just not believable, the great climatic scene was dumb and the emotion of the book was mostly forced. On the other hand, Thomas and Charlotte are still quite likable, their servant Gracie gets involved which is nice for her and Charlotte's introduction to this segment of society through her crotchety old grandmother was different. What is getting a bit old is the way almost everyone who is involved in the church is portrayed. I know that all churches, the church of England in the 1800's included, have their share of shallow self serving people, but surely there was more than one solitary lonely truly good church person back in these days. I know not all writers look favorably on religion, but I expect more from Anne Perry."
"As usual from Anne Perry, this was an engaging mystery. I wanted to know how it ended, and had perhaps better success than usual in working out the end before it became readily apparent. Thomas and Charlotte are always charming, and Gracie (the maid) was rather winning here as well.
I did feel that this book suffered from the characters' being eager to expound on their philosophical, religious and political feelings. One or two people -- passionate, as many of these were -- who run off at the mouth are understandable. But when suspect after suspect and neighbor after neighbor digresses into long, frank tirades and phillippics, it seems like too much exposition. This may be because of the incorporation of historical figures and controversies into this volume, or part of the more thematically focused nature of this book (compared to others by the author.) At any rate, I found it distracting, and it was capped by both Charlotte and Vespasia being rather obnoxiously didactic in the closing scene.
About the audiobook: Davina Porter is my favorite Recorded Books narrator, and she is a perfect match for these books. She has flawlessly clear enunciation, a variety of voices at her command, and consistently gives the dialogue precisely the emotional tone it requires."
"Part Victorian Jerry Springer show, part clue-less mystery, but unfortunately, rarely believable, if I hadn't enjoyed this book's sequel, (and didn't have two more with me in English language book exile) I might be giving up on Anne Perry right about now. When I read a Victorian novel, I want the people in the book to act Victorian, dammit. Instead, if it wasn't members of conservative and respected Victorian families airing their dirty laundry out in front of complete strangers, it was very recently widowed and ostensibly bereaved men flirting with the detective's wife. Coupled with a murder that was solved because the author told us it was, well, to say it didn't quite meet my expectations is a bit of an understatement. I like when Perry focuses on her Bow Street detective. I feel she has a good handle on him. When we spend most of the book with his wife and her gaggle of silly women (Is your husband working on a case we can meddle in? I'm soooo bored.), though, I feel I've left the time period and a sense of the gravity of the occasion behind."
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