Customer Reviews

The Twisted Root (William Monk Novels)

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I have been a fan of Anne Perry's detectives [and formerly one wife -- now two wives] for many years. The plot of this novel is intriguing and complex as is customary in Perry's works, and, in addition, we get to see the jockeying for position in their newly-combined home between the amnesiac investigator William Monk and the opinionated nurse Hester Latterly Monk. These scenes are fascinating and show that Perry not only knows her Victorians but is also knowledgeable about the human heart, regardless of time. All in all, this was an excellent read. From the moment a young woman mysteriously disappears from a croquet game at one of Britian's grand country estates in the company of one of the family's male servants, there is seldom a dull moment.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book. May the author provide us with many more.

I'm a long-time fan of Anne Perry and I especially like the Monk series, but I think it's time Ms. Perry puts away her computer and takes a bit of a vacation. Her writing has become tedious and formulaic. I knew who did it halfway through the book and the ending was predictable, mainly because any regular reader has seen it all before. She was once an excellent writer but I kept feeling that she's become lazy and doesn't care much about her art. The same adjectives appear on just about every page - She uses the words "tragedy," "courage," and "intelligence," so often they lose all meaning. Every heroine "fights against injustice" or some other over-used description. Every character is described in the same repetitive manner and the vocabulary not only doesn't vary among her novels, it doesn't vary among her characters. I barely recognized this version of Oliver Rathbone. The Rathbone of previous works would never give up on a client, must less resign himself to their guilt. The evidence that Robb used to make an arrest was laughable at best. And Perry's repeated descriptions of a chronically foot-sore Monk were annoying. I've always loved Anne Perry's work. I just wonder where one of my favorite authors has gone.

After the surpising twist to the end of A Breach of Promise, I thought Anne Perry had used up all her shock value. I was very mistaken! Bravo Ms. Perry you are an excellent writer and never cease to amaze me with your plots! I can't wait to be surprised by Half Moon Street! Excellent!

This book was gripping until the end - though without the usual tension between Hester and Monk to add that extra bite we've been used to in this series of books.

I have been reading Anne Perry's books since college. I especially like her series with William Monk, Hester Latterly and Oliver Rathbone. I must say, however, that The Twisted Root needed to be more tightly edited. The ending of the book seemed very loosely pulled together; it probably needed at least two to three more pages of explication to round out the last of the twists and turns presented at the very end of the book. Ms. Perry developed characters who seemed strangely isolated from the context of their work or lives. More questions than answers were raised for me. Didn't Sgt. Robb have any superiors to answer to on his first murder case, which just happened to involve a wealthy family? Why didn't we see Dr. Beck again after his assistance to Hester? Weren't any of the other nurses at the hospital worthy of Hester's attentions? I also thought some of her descriptions were redundant - of John Robb, Hester's concerns about old, abandonned soldiers. Strangely, even for a Victorian couple, the warmth between the now-married-to-each-other Monk and Hester seemed more that of good friends than a couple in love. I do look forward to the next Monk/Latterly story, but with caution.

I have read every book that Anne Perry has written and I enjoy every one, but I particularly like The William Monk series. I find this series is darker than the Pitt ones and every book has fine examples of Victorian British courtroom drama. I marvel at the way that Ms. Perry can portray the Victorian mindset - the prejudices and the close-mindedness. Improbable as it seems to us in our modern day world, being quick to censure and to judge others against some impossible ideal was very prevalent in late 1800 England. There are a lot of plot twists and turns in this book, and it has its usual surprise ending. In some ways the ending seems less probable than other books in the series, but it doesn't impair the fun of the read.

This was my first Anne Perry book and it definitely will not be my last! Perry's writing hooks you instantly and she transports you back in time to an era that is the perfect setting for this book. Her descriptions bring vivid images into your mind and you feel as if you know the characters. Perry has such a great grasp of this time period ~ you'd swear she lived in Victorian London in another life. Since I loved "The Alienist" by Caleb Carr and "Scarlet Women" by JD Christilian, I was wondering how this book would compare since the time period/theme is somewhat similar ~ well, I wasn't disappointed ~ it is a great book. If you liked the other books I just mentioned, you'll enjoy this as well.

Anne Perry's newest book, The Twisted Root, is a worthy successor to her previous Monk & Hester books. Settled into domestic bliss, Monk is a private investigator and Hester a hospital volunteer. Together with Oliver Rathbone, who still loves Hester, they discover who murdered a coachman. Lady Callandra Daviot returns as does Rathbone's father, two wonderful characters. A new young policeman is introduced, and I hope to find him in future books. My only small concern is Miriam Gardiner, charged with murder, does not appear as much in the book as I would have liked. Should any of these books ever be made into movies, I would cast Alan Rickman as Monk, Emma Thompson as Hester, & Jeremy Northam as Rathbone. Any comments?

Anne Perry never fails to fascinate with her Victorian mysteries - and this Monk tale is certainly no exception to that rule. Wielding a twist that makes you shiver, this plot never feels contrived or hokey -- outcomes simply reveal themselves to be completely believable, sensible and brilliant. Read this book, and two things will happen: first, you won't want to put it down until you finish; and second, you'll spend most of your future time and money devouring more of Perry's delicious mysteries.

This was my first Anne Perry novel, and I thought it was brilliant! Her characters are real and imaginative, and their relationships fresh and interesting. I read it in two days, because I couldn't put it down. Although I had an inkling as to "whodunnit" before the end, the how and why were what was really fascinating. I highly recommend this book, and can't wait to start the William Monk series from the beginning. My only regret is that Perry seems to be such a prolific writer, that it will take me some time to get to them all.