Southampton Row [Import] [Paperback]

Anne Perry (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 571 pages
• Publisher: Chivers Large print (Chivers, Windsor, Paragon & C; New Ed edition (September 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0754091910
• ISBN-13: 978-0754091912
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)

More About the Author

Anne Perry is the bestselling author of two acclaimed series set in Victorian England: the William Monk novels, including Dark Assassin and The Shifting Tide, and the Charlotte and Thomas Pitt novels, including The Cater Street Hangman, Calandar Square, Buckingham Palace Gardens and Long Spoon Lane. She is also the author of the World War I novels No Graves As Yet, Shoulder the Sky, Angels in the Gloom, At Some Disputed Barricade, and We Shall Not Sleep, as well as six holiday novels, most recently A Christmas Grace. Anne Perry lives in Scotland.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great reading!!, March 8, 2002

By 

tregatt (Portland, Oregon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Southampton Row (Charlotte & Thomas Pitt Novels) (Hardcover)

This latest Thomas Pitt mystery is definitely a page turner. From the glittering drawing rooms where politics is discussed and policies decided, to the country side of Dartmoor, Anne Perry weaves a tale that is compelling and absorbing. And while I was disappointed that Charlotte Pitt and Gracie (the Pitts enterprising maid) did not figure prominently in this installment, I liked that Emily Radley (Charlotte's younger sister) had a bigger role in this novel -- she has been somewhat sidelined in the last few books, and I missed her character dreadfully.

In the previous Pitt mystery novel, "The Whitechapel Conspiracy" Pitt defeated the Inner Circle's plan to replace the English monarchy with a republic. This feat earned him the enmity of Charles Voisey, who was to be England's first president. Now, Voisey is running for the south Lambeth seat in Parliament on the Tory ticket. Meanwhile Pitt, who instead of being able to return to his previous position at Bow Street, has been seconded to Special Branch -- a department within the police force that deals primarily with the terrorist threats of the Irish Separatists. Now, Pitt's brief is to keep an eye on Voisey, and to see if Voisey is doing anything underhanded to ensure that he wins the election. But from what little Pitt can see, Voisey seems to be doing nothing nefarious in order to sway the voters -- save being a rather charismatic speaker. And then Pitt's superior commands him to investigate the murder of the clairvoyant, Maude Lamont. Pitt discovers that Voisey's Liberal opponent for the Lambeth seat is Aubrey Serracold and that Serracold's flamboyant and outspoken wife, Rose, was one of Lamont's clients. There is the fear that either Rose had something to do with Lamont's murder, or that Voisey will use this bit of information to discredit Serracold. Pitt is determined to bring the murderer of Maude Lamont to justice, no matter who he or she is. But the question he fears is if his superiors at Special Branch will allow justice to be done, or if they too, like the Inner Circle, have their own agenda, and if they will do whatever necessary to break the Inner Circle, no matter the cost.

Against the backdrop of the political questions of the day -- Home Rule for the Irish, the fear that a disintegrating Empire could mean the fall of the British economy and the massive loss of jobs, and the demand for eight hour days -- the clash between the Tories and the Liberals; as well as the swirling human emotions of fear, ambition, grief and pain, Anne Perry has worked her magic again to produce a novel that is compelling as it is intriguing. (I really love the manner in which she makes all her characters real -- flawed yet tragically human. It's a no mean feat, and I've practically never really come acorss anyone else who can do this.) I didn't expect that the next Pitt mystery novel could top or equal "The Whitchapel Conspiracy." I was wrong: "Southampton Row" is a moer than brilliant follow up to "The Whitechapel Conspiracy."

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Pitt's Pit", March 25, 2002

By 

Lolene Blake (Salt Lake City) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Southampton Row (Charlotte & Thomas Pitt Novels) (Hardcover)

"Southampton Row", English author Anne Perry's latest novel in the Inspector Pitt series places the intrepid Inspector in a setting that leaves the reader intrigued and troubled. It is Pitt's success in "The Whitechapel Conspiracy" that now threatens him and his family. Charles Voisey, the Inspector's Whitechapel nemesis reappears to haunt Pitt again. Thanks to the machinations of the Inner Circle, Pitt loses his position at the Bow Street Station and is sent to work at the Special Branch Office, a division within the Police Force set up to investigate terrorist activities. The terrorist in Pitt's life turns out to be Voisey, who as part of his continuing effort to republicanize English politics campaigns for Parliament. Pitt is assigned to shadow Voisey and determine his weaknesses. The campaign and Voisey's connection to the murder of a spiritual medium in Southampton Row threaten Pitt profesionally and personally. The new setting involves more than just the detection of a murderer in Southampton Row, it involves the mind games played in the web of deception woven by the Inner Circle and all those forced to deal with it.
In "Southampton Row", Inspector Pitt is compelled to think and act like those he despises most, the members of the super-secret Inner Circle. In the process, Pitt develops more than his usual sincere search for truth and justice, he demonstrates a newfound ability to think like Voisey. This leaves the reader wondering if the good Inspector is now walking the same path as Voisey. Has he, through his work, become contaminated with the characteristics of those he despises most. What price truth? Honor? The safety of loved ones? Will Thomas compromise his principals to protect Charlotte and their children? The novel forces the reader to grapple with these same questions of conscience.
"Southampton Row" is Perry's most compelling novel to date. It is a must-read for fans of Thomas and Charlotte Pitt. Best of all, this reader sees several potential story lines for future books in this series.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A superb read, March 18, 2002

By 

Paul Sayles (Japan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Southampton Row (Charlotte & Thomas Pitt Novels) (Hardcover)

Southampton Row continues the story of Pitt's fight against the Inner Circle. Now we see that the shadows of this group are becoming flesh and blood and the power that the body weilds is much clearer and directed towards Pitt in particular.

The story involves Pitt becoming involved in an election process that will return Gladstone to power although it is early made clear that this will be a short lived government and that what is really going on is positioning for the next election. Perry's grasp of the British election process of the 1890s is excellent and the attention to detail extremely important.

By products of the election are the death of a spirit medium, a bishop doubting God and changing personal relationships. We also see the developement of Pitt's former superior, Cornwallis into something more than a former Naval officer. Tellman has moved up in the police world and is now an inspector. Pitt is bounced again from Bow Street and resumes working for the Special Branch and it's shadowland of combating treachery against the state. It is a little strange that in order to combat the Inner Circle and its shadowy operation, Pitt has found himself working for the very organization that would like to put the Inner Circle down. Pitt is shown to be out of his element in this area but when survival counts, he learns quickly.

Charlotte and the family are smaller elements in this story. It is to be hoped that the author remembers her audience base and gives Charlotte a greater role in up-coming books. However, being a mother in the 1890s, raising two children and running a home somewhat cut into crime solving time. It remains to be seen how Ms. Perry makes this situation work.

This is a fine read for those interested in pure mystery and late Victorian social issues. However, if a reader is looking for how Charlotte gets invovled, it will not be up to their expectations. In all, I found this to be a fascinating story and one that I will revisit.