Customer Reviews

Brunswick Gardens

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Perry's latest Thomas and Charlotte Pitt Victorian novel is yet another splendid "affair." As an historian, I would still say that novelist Perry is one of the finest Victorian era, zenith-of-the-British-Empire historians. More than anyone else, she has brought to the forefront the texture, darkness, light of the Victorian era, with its nasty social problems, its deep sense of caste, its range of crippling discrimination, its arrogance and cruelty - and the courage and stamina and wisdom of its common folks. This novel is no exception. Perry always takes a contemporary social problem of today, traces back to its origin or presence in the Victorian period, fashions a mystery around it, captures a reader's sense of outrage at that "ancient" abuse - and hopefully, reminds one of the continuity of that abuse to today. The focus this time is on a philosophy and a disdain and the ends some would go to insist on one's own truth.

Whenever she comes! to town, my question to her is usually, "What is your next book about?" She always, remarkably responds, "I am working on two now, and I think you will find the plots interesting." Her mind is as creative and active as anyone I have met. Amazing.

In the late 1890s, what did it mean to be a woman in England? What did it mean to have a religious faith against Charles Darwin's new theory of evolution? Anne Perry at her finest draws the reader to experience what only one could have imagined. 10 years after Sarah's death in Cater Street, dashing Dominic Corde has taken the cloth of the curate, sharing the home with Reverend Paramenter and his family and Unity Bellwood, 'a new woman', who has a passionate belief in educating women, having the vote, and Charles Darwin. Religion and those who follow it are fodder for her mockery of such arachaic notions. So, who causes her violent death at the bottom of the Paramenter's staircase? Thomas and Charlotte must traverse through some of marriage's most difficult tests and examine their beliefs, when it appears as if Dominic might be the murderer. Jealousy, freedom to choose who one might wish to marry, passions that cause people to act and react, play an intricate ! part in this latest Perry, making the reader question are some choices worth dying or are desires and wants as useless as crying over split milk?

This latest Pitt novel focuses more on the characters' relationships, especially Thomas and Charlotte's than on detecting but rather than annoying me, I liked the exploration of the relationships. If you've been following a series with the same characters it's nice to see them fleshed out. The book's non-regular characters are also well-developed and interesting. It's not quite the usual Anne Perry fare, but it's a better book for it.

I am a great fan of Anne Perry but had difficulty finishing this book. Perry's mysteries dealing with Thomas and Charlotte Pitt have recently been sliding in originalty and suspense. This book centers around the murder of Unity Bellwood, a classic's scholar who is found dead after apparently being pushed down the staircase in her employer's home. Charlotte and her usually familiar partners in detection are notably absent. Instead the book concentrates on the boring lamentations of the suspects in the house. I found the dialogue boring and there was no other action to speak of until the last fourth of the book. I am so disgusted with her recent caliber of writing that this one might be my last.

Sadly, Anne Perry seems to be losing enthusiasm - this latest in the Charlotte and Thomas Pitt series started off badly and degenerated into a boring and tedious read. The usual cast of characters that were vividly portrayed in the previous Pitt books either made cameo appearances (Aunt Vespasia and Charlotte's mother, Caroline) or were conveniently absent (Charlotte's sister, Emily and her husband, Jack). Perry seems to have gotten hung up on the issue of militant feminism in this latest book, and this has severely impacted the "detecting" aspects that were present in her earlier books in this series. But all is not lost - Pitt's boss, Cornwallis, appears to have fallen in love - with the wife of a Bishop no less! Is this an echo of what happened to Pitt's previous boss - he fell in love with, and married, a widow? I hope that Anne Perry does better with her next Pitt book. Me - I would prefer Lindsey Davis's Falco series any day.

In 1891, Thomas Pitt has been named Commander of London's Bow Street Police Station. His current investigation involves the suspicious death of Unity Bellwood, a pregnant woman, who died from a fall down a set of stairs. Though most people, including the renowned Vicar Ramsay Parmenter, insist this was an unfortunate accident, Thomas thinks a murder has occurred.

Thomas decides that there is enough cause to continue the investigation even though pressure for a fast solution is immense. He begins to uncover secrets about Ramsay, the man's alienated son, and the curator that makes both of them look like possible suspects. His spouse Charlotte, attending social functions, provides Thomas with additional data. However, before he can reach a substantiated conclusion, a second murder occurs. This forces Thomas to expedite the investigation before anyone else is killed.

The eighteenth Thomas Pitt, late Victorian mystery is a fascinating novel that will be thoroughly enjoyed by fans of the series as well most historical fiction readers. Thomas remains an interesting character and the insight provided about his spouse and their relationship immensely adds to the reading pleasure. Though Anne Perry's story line is not quite at the level of some its predecessors, BRUNSWICK GARDENS remains a great book.

Harriet Klausner

This book is not at all Anne Perry's best book. It moved very slowly and dwelled in the psychlogical profiles of the characters too much. I was not able to finish it. Definately a waste of time.

I gave this book two stars because I'm a loyal fan of Anne Perry and have come to care about the characters, but, frankly, this book just isn't worth the money. Instead of Charlotte, Emily and Aunt Vespasia sleuthing and spying all you get are endless dialogues about feminism and religion.

I hope I'm wrong to fear the worst for this series but next time I'll definitely wait for the paperback edition.....

. . .and what a fascinating trip! Dominic Corde--such aninsensitive cad in the Cater Street Hangman--turns up here in the lastplace you'd expect to find a man of his calibre--and he's a likely suspect in the first murder case in this outing. Unlike some of the other readers, I didn't really mind that Emily was on vacation and Great-Aunt Vespasia was only in one scene. Life's like that, folks. Hey, you give me a choice between going to Rome and meddling in a politically nasty murder investigation and I'll say, arrivederci, baby:) Dominic is definitely the center-stage, pivotal character in this book. Everyone in this book except maybe Gracie, Tellman, and the Pitt children has been deeply affected in some way by what he was, is, or is perceived to be. I've reread this book three or four times just to savor the wonderful interplay between Dominic and Thomas, as well as Charlotte's coming to terms with her past feelings for Dominic--a perspective that also proves pivotal as the book draws to a close. Borrow it if you don't want to buy it. . .