Customer Reviews

Angels in the Gloom (World War One Series)

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I was a little surprised at the reviewer who thought that the quality of this series was not up to the Pitt and Wolf series. My opinion is that it's quite the opposite. I have enjoyed Perry's earlier works but considered them a little lightweight. This WWI series is anything but. I think the author wrestles admirably with some timeless issues - war, is it ever justified, at what cost? does God exist? if he/she does, what difference does it make? etc. I love the characters and have gotten great benefit out of the general philosophical debates. True, the 'mysteries' in this series are not terribly compelling (who is the Peacemaker? Who killed the scientist?), but that is such a tangential part of the series that I would not fault her for that. I am very much looking forward to the next installment. I think this represents the author's best effort yet.

Anne Perry continues even at this late date to mystify for all the right reasons. Not content to rest on the laurels of her two historical mystery series --- one featuring William Monk, the other concerning Charlotte and Thomas Pitt --- she introduced a third that has become known as the World War I novels. ANGELS IN THE GLOOM, the third of this fine series after NO GRAVES AS YET and SHOULDER THE SKY, continues the saga of the Reavley family, or specifically the Reavley siblings ---Joseph, Matthew, Judith and Hannah --- all of whom are involved in primary or secondary roles in the British military effort during the early days of World War I.

While these tales are primarily mysteries, Perry delves into war and romance as well. Indeed, Perry's powers of description are fully revealed in ANGELS IN THE GLOOM, as her descriptions of war on land and sea are so realistic and riveting that they almost overshadow the plotlines they support. The primary mystery in this series continues to revolve around a powerful, shadowy figure known as The Peacemaker, who is determined that the hostilities will end quickly, even if it means the ultimate subjugation of Great Britain to Germany. His machinations have already caused the death of the Reavleys' parents, giving them dual reasons --- revenge and patriotism --- for bringing his actions to an end.

In the meantime Joseph, on leave to home after sustaining grievous wounds on the front lines while pursuing his duties as a chaplain, finds himself embroiled in a murder mystery when Theo Blaine is found brutally murdered in his own backyard. Blaine had been instrumental in the creation and development of a new, top-secret weapon that is certain to turn the tide of the war in Britain's favor, and his death prior to the completion of the project is potentially a lethal blow not only to the weapon but also to the war effort. There is no lack of suspects for the murder --- everyone from a clandestine German spy to Blaine's own wife is under suspicion --- and Joseph soon finds that his role of priestly confessor makes him privy to a number of village secrets that he would rather not know. Joseph is also torn as to whether his duty lies in ministering to the needs of the village citizens reeling from their personal wartime losses, or whether he should resume his post on the front.

Meanwhile, Matthew pursues his own espionage, working uneasily with an attractive double agent to whom he is feeling an unwelcome but undeniable attraction, even as he knows that her ties to the enemy doom any involvement he might otherwise entertain. Hannah, Matthew and Joseph's sister, maintains a somewhat passive role, caring for Joseph as he recovers from his wounds while at the same time tending the home fires as her husband Archie is involved in Britain's naval effort.

If anyone in the family receives short shrift in ANGELS IN THE GLOOM, it is Judith, still performing the dangerous but important work of driving an ambulance in the thick of combat on the European front. Rather, the focus is on David, who finds that the fate of a family friend depends entirely on him, and Matthew, who in the heat of battle discovers at long last the identity of The Peacemaker and has the opportunity to avenge the wrong and heartbreak done to his family.

The World War I series is arguably Perry's most ambitious work, painted upon a broad canvas that encompasses wartime England, the European front, and the war-ravaged Atlantic where England's maritime supremacy is challenged and rises to meet its penultimate test. While The Peacemaker plot, which has been the thread connecting the first three novels of this series, is ultimately resolved in ANGELS IN THE GLOOM, Perry could certainly take the series in a number of other directions. If her fans have any say in the matter, her World War I series undoubtedly will live on.

--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

We get to know Hannah and Archie better, and have an excellent
murder mystery, along with a great sea battle. I couldn't put
the book down, and am distressed that I'll have to wait (a year?)
for the next one.

I thought I had written a review about this book, but found out I hadn't. I've been reading so much about WWI both nonfictional and fictional, that I am getting behind. I am really enjoying these particular novels of Anne Perry. I've read some of her other mysteries, and though they are often good and interesting, she has not been one of my favorite authors for books that I read for enjoyment.

Perry is weaving a series about a family whose lives are altered not only by the war, but also the death of the parents of the family. The parents were murdered, and the now grown-up children of the family are not only dealing with their own families and their service to their country in the war, but they are trying to determine who killed their parents, who were apparently on to someone in British government who was trying to bring peace to the world in such a way as to force democratic countries like England and the U.S. to give up the freedoms we take so much for granted.

This particular book is about three or four books into the series and should not be read until the first ones are read. The reader will be confused if they don't know the background to the whole story. One of the main characters is a brother who chose to go into the ministry and then served overseas during the war. I cannot begin to imagine the horrors that chaplains had to deal with then, how to comfort those young men who were dying far away from home and from their families, trying to give courage to those who needed it when the war seemed so senseless and knowing the generals behind the lines were making stupid decisions.

The chaplain ends up wounded and goes home on leave. He's fed up with the war and wants to stay home with his sister and her children, and his parishioners but knows that the young men serving in France and Belgium need him. In the midst of all this, someone who is serving the war effort by creating some type of naval weapon like radar, that would serve to end the war is murdered, and again, the suspected murderer is someone called "The Peacemaker" who wants peace over freedom, and it seems he is involved with people who are high up in Germany's government. It's a bit confusing with these books, because there are so many different threads of stories going through them, it's hard to separate them all. Sometimes, it seems Perry is not keeping track of all the different story lines, but the plots are still well-done and interesting. For those of us who have studied European history, we know how closely related all the royal families were...the Germans were cousins of the British royalty, and all of them were related to the Tsars in Russia.

WWI was a horrific war, one that was or seemed to be worse than usual because of the use of trench warfare and chemical weapons, and the disregard of generals for the lives of all the young men sent out to perish. We need to be reminded of what these gallant people did, both the men who served in the war, and the British who stayed at home and supported them. I'm so glad my son will not have to be involved in something like this, but I am grateful for the freedom that we have, which was paid for so dearly at this time.

Karen SAdler

In March 1916 in the icy mud that separated the trenches, several British soldiers raided the nearby German forces; two failed to return with one dead, but the other Tucky Nann apparently is alive. Protestant chaplain Captain Joseph Reavley finds the badly injured Tucky and moves him to bring him safely to his side. However, before he can make it, a shell exploded nearby sending Joseph into severe pain and immediately thereafter unconsciousness.

He awakens with a horrendous headache and other pain as Surgeon Cavan explains he has a broken arm, a badly injured leg and lost plenty of blood. He is sent to his Cambridgeshire hometown for surgery and recuperation. However, rest is not what Joseph will find as he soon becomes embroiled in trying to stop the diabolically clever plot of the Peacemaker to forge an Anglo-German Empire that would dominate the world for centuries.

ANGELS IN THE GLOOM is a fabulous historical thriller that is at its best on the not so quiet Western Front as readers taste the horrific conditions that the soldiers faced during the trench warfare. When the tale returns to idyllic Cambridgeshire and the London nightlife, it remains quite intriguing with the comparison between those at home enjoying nightclubs and those at the front or like dedicated Joseph recovering from war injuries. As the story line twists into a murder mystery with a conspiratorial twist, the plot remains exciting and action-packed but loses some of its grittiness. Still Anne Perry provides a fine World War I tale with her latest Reavley caper.

Harriet Klausner

Angels in the Gloom continues the saga of the Reavley family and the deaths of their parents, the mystery of a treaty that could have changed the course of history, and graphic scenes of WWI front lines. This book centers on Joseph Reavley, a chaplain, who is wounded and is sent home to recover. We see the homelife in WWI England, and the horror of attacks in London. Mrs. Perry is an expert in the history of the Victorian Era and the era of WWI. Everything is succinct and not a word frivolously wasted.
This new series is as satisfying as her other works.
Makes me think of Wilfred Owens' poetry about England at war -
touches the heart and puts you in the trenches with the poor soldiers and the staff.
One hopes Mrs. Perry doesn't forget Monk and Pitt series - while developing this excellent series.

Anne Perry is amazingly able to create a timescape - she does that in all her series - this one is no exception. While I like the plot what I love is the feeling of stepping back into the 2nd decade of the last century. I have studied WWII but WWI is a tragedy I wasn't as familiar with. The whole episode was truly heartbreaking, it took and changed so many lives. It also changed the entire fabric of British society and this is well illustrated. Reading novels of quality can give a sense of perspective that factual history book do not. This series does that very well.

Angels in the Gloom is an excellent book from the standpoint of history. This gripping tale of the Reavley family of England in 1916 at the height of WWI, graphically describes the horrors of war and their effect on the folks at home as well as the soldiers at the front (the French lost a generation of young men in the killing fields of Flanders, along with millions of soldiers and many civilians of the other nations involved).

In this third book in Perry's WWI series, we see the effects of war on the village of St. Giles and its citizens. It is truly a wonder how the human spirit manages to recover from the horrors brought on by the pain and suffering of war. However, peace at any cost can be just as bad, if not worse. This is the essence of the battle of minds in this story (and in all stories of war).

Joseph Reavley is seriously injured and is sent home to St. Giles to recover. His sister, Hannah MacAllister, married to a British naval officer (Archie), is there to nurse him. The Reavleys are still reeling from the murder of their parents, John and Alys, by The Peacemaker, and they continue to seek him. Shanley Corcoran, long-time family friend and best friend of John, and his group of scientists are trying to develop a torpedo guidance system that will allow the British navy to destroy the U-boats that ravage the ships plying the waters between America and Great Britain. The Americans, though not in the war at this time, are attempting to send much-needed munitions and supplies to Britain to help in their effort against Germany and its allies. However, ships are being sabotaged at sea with smoke bombs placed in their cargo holds and set to go off during transit. The captains of the ships than have to flood the holds to destroy what they believe to be real bombs, destroying the munitions in the process. Matthew Reavley is in the intelligence business and is attempting to get information from Irish double agent Detta Hannassey in order to stop the sabotage.

While I enjoyed most of this book, I had trouble with a couple things. I wondered why the author bothered with journalist Richard Mason, who disappeared from the story after his meeting with Trotsky. His attentions toward Judith Reavley (the ambulance-driving sister) were intriguing, but also, disappointingly, went nowhere (perhaps Perry plans to pick up on it in the next installment). I also found the handling of the Peacemaker a bit irksome and his ultimate end a bit confusing, while the outcome of events involving the Scientific Establishment was entirely predictable.

Carolyn Rowe Hill

"ANGELS IN THE GLOOM" is book #3 in Anne Perry's ambitious 5 part WWI series. Aside from the first novel, "No Graves As Yet," with its slow-paced narrative, the other 4 books - all containing thrilling murder mysteries, well researched historical fiction, chilling espionage, and an extraordinary cast of characters, are not to be missed! This is truly a special series, and if you want to skip "No Graves As Yet," you can always start with book #2, "Shoulder The Sky," which does a terrific job of recapping the plot.

Set just before and during the Great War, "the war to end all wars," the quintet has one major storyline, which propels the action and keeps one riveted, but it is not resolved until the denouement in the fifth novel, "We Shall Not Sleep." This ongoing plot concerns the "Peacemaker," a mysterious figure who represents those who seek to make a treaty between Kaiser Wilhelm II and King George V, which would unite warring Germany and Britain into a common front. The Peacemaker "is a man who would sell a nation of forty million people into oblivion, betray into bondage their history, their culture, their language, and everything they had created over a thousand years." There are other complex mysteries throughout the series, however, to keep the pages turning, while the Peacemaker storyline is developed further. The author's description of war on the Western Front is so vividly described that the reader feels as if he/she is present in the trenches. The development of all the characters, especially the Reavley family, is brilliant and, after accompanying these people on so many adventures, I have come to care for them deeply. The ongoing espionage, and the perpetrators involved, provide an added attraction which builds tension and drama.

"ANGELS IN THE GLOOM" finds Captain Joseph Reavley, chaplain and former Cambridge professor, ministering to the wounded and dying in the thick of trench warfare on the Western Front, the Ypres Salient in Belgium - a job he has been doing since the war started in 1914. It is now 1916, and Matthew Reavley, Joseph's younger brother, a member of England's Secret Intelligence Service, (SIS), is fighting the war covertly from London, desperately trying to find the identities of the "Peacemaker," and his treacherous minions, before they can implement their lethal schemes. Twenty-six year-old Judith Reavley, Joseph's and Matthew's youngest sister, is a volunteer ambulance driver and amateur nurse when needed. She serves on the frontline battlefields and has been at this bloody task since 1914, risking her life on more than a few occasions. Only Hannah, living with her children in the family home in Cambridgeshire, seems safe, although her husband, Archie MacAllister, is a Commander in the Royal Navy and always in harm's way.

While trying to save another soldier's life, Joseph is severely wounded, in fact, he is so badly injured that he must return home to St. Giles to recover. He joins Hannah and her two children at the large Reavley home where she nurses him back to health. St. Giles, once a bucolic and peaceful place, is filled with grieving families, mourning the losses of brothers, sons and husbands. Shanley Corcoran, an old school friend, comes to visit Joseph. Corcoran heads a team of scientists working at the local research facility. They are in the process of inventing a new torpedo, a missile that would track U-boats with more accuracy - "which could change course, if needed, search out a U-boat through the water and explode when it strikes." If successful, this invention could end the war quickly, and save England, especially if the United States doesn't join the war. But when the lead scientist on the project is killed, the chances of success dim. Now the town is rife with fears of spies and treachery.

A prototype of the device is eventually built and set to be tested on the destroyer "Cormorant," commanded by Hannah's husband. Matthew Reavley has been selected to go along on the voyage to try and draw out and capture a German spy. In a thrilling episode, during the Battle of Jutland, Mathew finally confronts the man he believes to be the Peacemaker... and almost loses his life in the process.

Subplots abound, including one which surrounds a beautiful Irish spy who becomes involved with Matthew. Both are aware of each others' work and accept the inevitability of their doomed romance. I quickly became absorbed in each of the series mysteries, except for book #1. The author manages to grab the reader and pull him/her along into another time and place. "Angels In The Gloom" is a terrific read. Highly recommended!!
Jana Perskie

No Graves As Yet: A Novel (World War I)
Shoulder the Sky: A Novel (World War I)At Some Disputed Barricade: A Novel (World War I)
We Shall Not Sleep: A Novel (World War I)

Anne Perry has hit her stride in the third volume of her First World War series with "Angels in the Gloom". She has concocted an intricate narrative that covers enormous ground,managing to enlist a vast array of characters in the process. No need to recap the story here, as others commenting here have done it well. What is important is the fine quality of research she has done on this period, and the way she is able to incorporate this into her plot. When she writes well, it can be stunning, and she keeps the reader turning the pages. What holds her back from being a really five star writer is a certain propensity for repeating herself. Too many times she uses the same descriptive adjectives to depict a recurring situation. For instance, in "Shoulder the Sky" several characters return to London after absences at the front lines in France. They all notice that there are now far more cars than horses in Piccadilly. A nice observation, but we don't need to read it several times in a row. She needs a better editor, one that would pick up on these details. I make a point of this, because it makes me think she writes in haste. She is far too good a writer to allow this type of oversight. I like her atmospheric touches, and her sensitivity to nature. Her battle scenes are not easy to read, but she is often at her best in these passages. In sum, this is an engrossing story, worth the effort, even with the excesses.