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murder AND class rivalry: oh my!
“A friend gave me this on my last trip, and I just finished it on the bus from NYC to Washington DC. A century or so ago, four men with their wives are gathered at Buckingham Palace to discuss a massive infrastructure investment with the Prince. One morning, a prostitute is found murdered in a closet. Thomas Pitt, working class detective now risen to Special Services (or something of that sort), is called in.
An amazon user wrote this on 2009-10-18.
Ups: The mystery is interesting, and every time I thought it was solved, I was wrong. Overlaying the mystery is a massive amount of class insecurity and reflection from the servants to the working class individuals like Pitt.
Downs: Elsa, one of the wives, spends a lot of time ruminating about love in a not very interesting way. I daresay Perry could have left some of that in Elsa's unobserved mind.
I enjoyed it, but I doubt I'll rush out to read more Anne Perry. I admit that I enjoy the simplicity of Agatha Christie's mysteries, very focused on the mystery itself and less on the people. Perhaps that makes them lesser "literature," but it allows them to fill one purpose very well, which is what I seek from them.
Note on content: No sexually explicit scenes, but there was a party in the palace the night before the prostitute was murdered, and - despite Pitt's disapproval - he must ask some carefully phrased questions. A bit of gore at the crime scenes. Grotesque classism on display.” -
buckingham palace gardens
“As usual it was a very good Anne Perry suspense novel of the Victorian era. There is a new twist that adds spice to the mixture!
An amazon user wrote this on 2009-09-15.
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Great read!
“Anne Perry is an excellent writer who skillfully weaves a mystery with a social issue of the era. ”
An amazon user wrote this on 2009-09-07. -
Buckingham Palace Gardens
“As an advocate for anything that Anne Perry has written, I have absolutely no criticism for any of her books, including this one. I really like the Charlotte and Thomas Pitt AND William Monk and Hester characters. (Hester and I share the love of nursing). Buy any of her books, without hesitation. (not too sold on the WWI stories, tho). All others are Excellent, as always.”
An amazon user wrote this on 2009-08-13. -
Gracie Takes the Stage
“Long time fan of Anne Perry and her ability to export the reader into 19th and early 20th century.
An amazon user wrote this on 2009-06-18.
BUCKINGHAM PALACE GARDENS moves Thomas Pitt into Buckingham Palace itself. Pitt soon feels imprisoned in its splendor, traditions, and secrets. Murder inside the hallowed walls must be clothed in secret to protect the Prince of Wales, so Pitt gets little help in uncovering the brutal crime of a woman-of-the-night killed in a linen closet.
He needs undercover help and Gracie takes a position as a maid to learn what the servants know.
The puzzle is one of the most complex and its unraveling commands all of both Pitt's and Gracie detection powers. The novel has one flaw in that Ms. Perry spend an excessive amount of verbiage exploring the minds of minor characters.
Nash Black, author of Indie finalists WRITING AS A SMALL BUSINESS and HAINTS.”
