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Charlotte & Thomas Pitt #4
Resurrection Row
What an odd sight! The dead body of a peer of the realm sitting upright in an empty hansom cab. He had been decently buried once before, Inspector Pitt knew. There was something terrible amiss. Despite doctor's claims of death by natural causes, Pitt insisted on serious digging to unearth the truth--even if it killed him.
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1981
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1669 people want to read
About the author
Anne Perry
360 books3,375 followersAnne Perry, born Juliet Hulme in England, lived in Scotland most of her life after serving five years in prison for murder (in New Zealand). A beloved mystery authoress, she is best known for her Thomas Pitt and William Monk series.
Her first novel, "The Cater Street Hangman", was published in 1979. Her works extend to several categories of genre fiction, including historical mysteries. Many of them feature recurring characters, most importantly Thomas Pitt and amnesiac private investigator William Monk, who first appeared in 1990, "The Face Of A Stranger".
Her story "Heroes," from the 1999 anthology Murder And Obsession, won the 2001 Edgar Award For Best Short Story. She was included as an entry in Ben Peek's Twenty-Six Lies / One Truth, a novel exploring the nature of truth in literature.
Series contributed to:
. Crime Through Time
. Perfectly Criminal
. Malice Domestic
. The World's Finest Mystery And Crime Stories
. Transgressions
. The Year's Finest Crime And Mystery Stories
Her first novel, "The Cater Street Hangman", was published in 1979. Her works extend to several categories of genre fiction, including historical mysteries. Many of them feature recurring characters, most importantly Thomas Pitt and amnesiac private investigator William Monk, who first appeared in 1990, "The Face Of A Stranger".
Her story "Heroes," from the 1999 anthology Murder And Obsession, won the 2001 Edgar Award For Best Short Story. She was included as an entry in Ben Peek's Twenty-Six Lies / One Truth, a novel exploring the nature of truth in literature.
Series contributed to:
. Crime Through Time
. Perfectly Criminal
. Malice Domestic
. The World's Finest Mystery And Crime Stories
. Transgressions
. The Year's Finest Crime And Mystery Stories
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 361 reviews
October 2, 2022
Musical Corpses?
When it appears that her dead sister’s husband is somehow involved in a crime, Charlotte Pitt, once again, joins her husband as he travels throughout the seedy sides of London, to help him solve the mystery of the resurrected corpses.
Though she has recently given birth to a new baby, Charlotte doesn’t let it stop her from coming to the aid of a former family member.
The atmosphere is deep and the historical background is definitely a nice way to read the mystery.
Five fantastic stars. ✨✨✨✨✨
When it appears that her dead sister’s husband is somehow involved in a crime, Charlotte Pitt, once again, joins her husband as he travels throughout the seedy sides of London, to help him solve the mystery of the resurrected corpses.
Though she has recently given birth to a new baby, Charlotte doesn’t let it stop her from coming to the aid of a former family member.
The atmosphere is deep and the historical background is definitely a nice way to read the mystery.
Five fantastic stars. ✨✨✨✨✨
July 19, 2020
Number four in the series and this one was fun to imagine - I would love to see it as a TV program.
People keep discovering dead bodies. Not just any dead bodies though. These have been exhumed, are at least a couple of weeks dead, covered in soil and sitting in places like the driver's seat of a horse drawn cab or on top of a grave stone complete with a jaunty hat. Inspector Thomas Pitt does excellent work to discover the people responsible for this weird situation and the reason why it has occurred.
Meanwhile Charlotte is mostly at home looking after baby Jemima but she still uses her connections to find useful information for Thomas. She is also very smart and occasionally steers her husband in the right direction to progress his case.
I really enjoyed this one. It was short and snappy and the resurrected bodies were entertaining! Perhaps I have a strange sense of humour. I hope book five is as good.
People keep discovering dead bodies. Not just any dead bodies though. These have been exhumed, are at least a couple of weeks dead, covered in soil and sitting in places like the driver's seat of a horse drawn cab or on top of a grave stone complete with a jaunty hat. Inspector Thomas Pitt does excellent work to discover the people responsible for this weird situation and the reason why it has occurred.
Meanwhile Charlotte is mostly at home looking after baby Jemima but she still uses her connections to find useful information for Thomas. She is also very smart and occasionally steers her husband in the right direction to progress his case.
I really enjoyed this one. It was short and snappy and the resurrected bodies were entertaining! Perhaps I have a strange sense of humour. I hope book five is as good.
August 11, 2018
This 4th novel in the Charlotte and Thomas Pitt series illustrated for me the importance of reading a series sequentially.
A corpse turns up in an unlikely place, and even more mystifying, the corpse is three weeks old and was obviously dug up from its burial site. An empty grave is discovered and the identity traces to a Lord who was in his early 60’s when he died. His second wife, Alicia, is much younger – and she is also attracted to the handsome and charming Dominic Corde.
Dominic Corde is a widower, and his first wife was Charlotte’s sister. This part of the story relates back to the first book in this series. There is also a magnificently turned out Lady (Aunt Vespasia) who returns from another novel. She is the aunt of Charlotte’s other brother-in-law, and is not only an elegant older woman but also shrewd and intelligent with no time for fools. Lady Vespasia is, however, fond of both Thomas and Charlotte Pitt, and she is in a quandary. Thomas Pitt senses that she knows more than she is letting on, even though she does help him – to a degree – in her own way.
When another corpse turns up, and yet another, things really start to get confusing – especially when one of them turns up in the grave of a previous corpse. Thomas Pitt has each corpse autopsied, and there is one whose death is not ‘natural’.
Once again, Anne Perry’s writing skills and deft handling of a mystery had me glued to the pages. I didn’t figure out who the main culprit was until moments before Thomas Pitt had the evidence he needed. I also didn’t see the final twists coming – and because of another, larger issue stewing along in the background (that of getting a bill passed through parliament to rescue children from the workhouses and poverty and provide them with educations so they could sustain themselves) – I was pleased and satisfied with the ending.
I am definitely looking forward to #5 in this series – another one that I missed on my first pass through this exciting Victorian-era series.
A corpse turns up in an unlikely place, and even more mystifying, the corpse is three weeks old and was obviously dug up from its burial site. An empty grave is discovered and the identity traces to a Lord who was in his early 60’s when he died. His second wife, Alicia, is much younger – and she is also attracted to the handsome and charming Dominic Corde.
Dominic Corde is a widower, and his first wife was Charlotte’s sister. This part of the story relates back to the first book in this series. There is also a magnificently turned out Lady (Aunt Vespasia) who returns from another novel. She is the aunt of Charlotte’s other brother-in-law, and is not only an elegant older woman but also shrewd and intelligent with no time for fools. Lady Vespasia is, however, fond of both Thomas and Charlotte Pitt, and she is in a quandary. Thomas Pitt senses that she knows more than she is letting on, even though she does help him – to a degree – in her own way.
When another corpse turns up, and yet another, things really start to get confusing – especially when one of them turns up in the grave of a previous corpse. Thomas Pitt has each corpse autopsied, and there is one whose death is not ‘natural’.
Once again, Anne Perry’s writing skills and deft handling of a mystery had me glued to the pages. I didn’t figure out who the main culprit was until moments before Thomas Pitt had the evidence he needed. I also didn’t see the final twists coming – and because of another, larger issue stewing along in the background (that of getting a bill passed through parliament to rescue children from the workhouses and poverty and provide them with educations so they could sustain themselves) – I was pleased and satisfied with the ending.
I am definitely looking forward to #5 in this series – another one that I missed on my first pass through this exciting Victorian-era series.
May 1, 2012
Fourth in the Charlotte & Thomas Pitt historical mystery series set in Victorian England and revolving around an unlikely couple.
My Take
Twisty. Perry sure went to a lot of work on this one.
It's foot-slogging having to go back over and over again. Dealing with the same people as Pitt continues to drag the bits and pieces out of them. Slowly assembling the puzzle. It's an excellent example of why the police need to ask so many seemingly unrelated questions. You never know when one bit of information, one sly hint will be the catalyst to release the reason for an entire case. Or even a bit of gossip.
Perry is amazing in her depiction of the times from the mores, the culture, the dress, the interior decoration, and the language. I felt as though I was there with the heat from the fireplace, the chill of the grimy streets, the horror of the workhouses, and the purposelessness of society with their silly insistence upon such strict manners.
YES!!! I LOVE it!! Alicia finally hits back at that nasty old lady...I just wish Perry had given us a bit more closure on this nasty little bully! Lady Vespasia has some things to say about the old lady, makes you wonder if she indulges in such biting, vicious behavior because she so lacks in self-esteem. Hmmm, maybe book 5...Rutland Place.
Poor Domenic. He's beset on all sides in this. First the suspicions revolving around Lord Augustus, then the eye-opening experience thrust upon him by Mr. Carlisle, and Charlotte's dimming enthusiasm. Carlisle certainly does show Domenic how it's done! A master at work. In the end, it's a kindness to Domenic and Alicia, really.
An interesting discussion of art. I do have to wonder if Pitt will recommend Froggy to paint Miss Verity's portrait… Then that overheard conversation in the park by Lady Alicia...naughty Perry...very naughty...and very well done!
The Story
It all starts with a dead man driving a hackney cab one night outside the theatre. His true state discovered when Sir Desmond attempts to hail him. Fortunately, Inspector Pitt and his lady were attending the same performance of The Mikado. It's only when Lord Augustus keeps popping up out of his grave and is seemingly joined by friends that Pitt begins to wonder if there's a reason why someone is trying to catch police attention.
An autopsy is the only way to still people's tongues and eliminate the questions. A point with which Pitt pummels Lady Alicia and Domenic quite hard. Poor Domenic is all to aware of how gossip and suspicion can destroy a family. And those questions are beginning to prey upon both Lady Alicia and Domenic.
Domenic is also pulled into Carlisle's promotion of the workhouse bill that St. Jermyn is sponsoring in Parliament. It's an eye-opening tour for him with all the grime, despair, and hopelessness of the workhouses through which Carlisle drags him.
It's the identity of one of the bodies that finally begins to narrow down the focus as a search of his home raises yet more questions that dig more deeply into the backgrounds of those involved.
The Characters
Inspector Thomas Pitt has the diction and manners of a gentleman, but is of the lower classes---his father was a gamekeeper. This combined with his profession makes him persona non grata is the more genteel households. Not that Thomas lets that bother him. He pursues the truth no matter where it leads.
Ably supported by his wife Charlotte. The woman who fell in love with him and lowered herself to marry the man she wanted. They now have a daughter, Jemima. And Charlotte is slowly learning how to cook, clean house, and keep a budget. Part of the attraction is Thomas' acceptance of her intelligence, that he treats her more equally than most men of the day...and is coming to accept that she has a way of seeing things that help him solve his cases. Her sister Emily has had a son and they've named him George. Mrs. Smith is the very accommodating neighbor across the road who watches over Jemima when Charlotte needs to go out.
The neighbors in Gadstone Park include:
Sir Desmond and Lady Cantlay (Gwendoline) found the first mobile corpse. The newly widowed Alicia, Lady Fitzroy-Hammond, gets on well with her stepdaughter, The Honorable Miss Verity Fitzroy-Hammond, and both of them would probably love to murder the old lady, Lady Fitzroy-Hammond, and her maid Nisbett. --I know I would! Although Alicia does do a much better job...and so legal Lady Fitzroy-Hammond has one little problem---besides the mobile deceased---Domenic Corde, Charlotte's widowed brother-in-law, is a somewhat ardent admirer. Lord and Lady St. Jermyn (Edward and Hester); he's a member of the House of Lords upon whom Lady Vespasia and Mr. Somerset Carlisle (another neighbor) are pinning their hopes for their workhouse bill. Lady Vespasia Cumming-Gould is Lord Ashworth's great-aunt, remotely connected to Pitt by marriage. And she is a treat and a half! Major Hubert Rodney is a widower and lives with his two maiden sisters, Miss Priscilla and Miss Mary Ann. Virgil Smith is a rich, vulgar American...in love with Lady Alicia whom Lady Vespasia likes very much. Goldolphin Jones is a society portrait artist who commands huge sums for his rather mediocre work, but he's been traveling in France these past few weeks.
Lord Augustus Fitzroy-Hammond died of a heart attack, or so says his very aloof and tetchy Dr. McDuff. It makes quite a contrast to the helpfulness of Dr. Childs. Then the very-deceased Mr. William Wilberforce Porteous appears followed by Horrie Snipe, a pimp and the true start of this particular race, Albert Wilson, Mr. Dunn's butler. Mrs. Philp, a high-end madame.
The Cover
The cover is a deep red with a tiny inset, circular window filled with an old Elizabethan house, the ivy crawling over its walls.
The title is a bit odd, at least, because I was expecting the subject to be resurrection men, instead Resurrection Row turns out to be...convenient.
My Take
Twisty. Perry sure went to a lot of work on this one.
It's foot-slogging having to go back over and over again. Dealing with the same people as Pitt continues to drag the bits and pieces out of them. Slowly assembling the puzzle. It's an excellent example of why the police need to ask so many seemingly unrelated questions. You never know when one bit of information, one sly hint will be the catalyst to release the reason for an entire case. Or even a bit of gossip.
Perry is amazing in her depiction of the times from the mores, the culture, the dress, the interior decoration, and the language. I felt as though I was there with the heat from the fireplace, the chill of the grimy streets, the horror of the workhouses, and the purposelessness of society with their silly insistence upon such strict manners.
YES!!! I LOVE it!! Alicia finally hits back at that nasty old lady...I just wish Perry had given us a bit more closure on this nasty little bully! Lady Vespasia has some things to say about the old lady, makes you wonder if she indulges in such biting, vicious behavior because she so lacks in self-esteem. Hmmm, maybe book 5...Rutland Place.
Poor Domenic. He's beset on all sides in this. First the suspicions revolving around Lord Augustus, then the eye-opening experience thrust upon him by Mr. Carlisle, and Charlotte's dimming enthusiasm. Carlisle certainly does show Domenic how it's done! A master at work. In the end, it's a kindness to Domenic and Alicia, really.
An interesting discussion of art. I do have to wonder if Pitt will recommend Froggy to paint Miss Verity's portrait… Then that overheard conversation in the park by Lady Alicia...naughty Perry...very naughty...and very well done!
The Story
It all starts with a dead man driving a hackney cab one night outside the theatre. His true state discovered when Sir Desmond attempts to hail him. Fortunately, Inspector Pitt and his lady were attending the same performance of The Mikado. It's only when Lord Augustus keeps popping up out of his grave and is seemingly joined by friends that Pitt begins to wonder if there's a reason why someone is trying to catch police attention.
An autopsy is the only way to still people's tongues and eliminate the questions. A point with which Pitt pummels Lady Alicia and Domenic quite hard. Poor Domenic is all to aware of how gossip and suspicion can destroy a family. And those questions are beginning to prey upon both Lady Alicia and Domenic.
Domenic is also pulled into Carlisle's promotion of the workhouse bill that St. Jermyn is sponsoring in Parliament. It's an eye-opening tour for him with all the grime, despair, and hopelessness of the workhouses through which Carlisle drags him.
It's the identity of one of the bodies that finally begins to narrow down the focus as a search of his home raises yet more questions that dig more deeply into the backgrounds of those involved.
The Characters
Inspector Thomas Pitt has the diction and manners of a gentleman, but is of the lower classes---his father was a gamekeeper. This combined with his profession makes him persona non grata is the more genteel households. Not that Thomas lets that bother him. He pursues the truth no matter where it leads.
Ably supported by his wife Charlotte. The woman who fell in love with him and lowered herself to marry the man she wanted. They now have a daughter, Jemima. And Charlotte is slowly learning how to cook, clean house, and keep a budget. Part of the attraction is Thomas' acceptance of her intelligence, that he treats her more equally than most men of the day...and is coming to accept that she has a way of seeing things that help him solve his cases. Her sister Emily has had a son and they've named him George. Mrs. Smith is the very accommodating neighbor across the road who watches over Jemima when Charlotte needs to go out.
The neighbors in Gadstone Park include:
Sir Desmond and Lady Cantlay (Gwendoline) found the first mobile corpse. The newly widowed Alicia, Lady Fitzroy-Hammond, gets on well with her stepdaughter, The Honorable Miss Verity Fitzroy-Hammond, and both of them would probably love to murder the old lady, Lady Fitzroy-Hammond, and her maid Nisbett. --I know I would! Although Alicia does do a much better job...and so legal Lady Fitzroy-Hammond has one little problem---besides the mobile deceased---Domenic Corde, Charlotte's widowed brother-in-law, is a somewhat ardent admirer. Lord and Lady St. Jermyn (Edward and Hester); he's a member of the House of Lords upon whom Lady Vespasia and Mr. Somerset Carlisle (another neighbor) are pinning their hopes for their workhouse bill. Lady Vespasia Cumming-Gould is Lord Ashworth's great-aunt, remotely connected to Pitt by marriage. And she is a treat and a half! Major Hubert Rodney is a widower and lives with his two maiden sisters, Miss Priscilla and Miss Mary Ann. Virgil Smith is a rich, vulgar American...in love with Lady Alicia whom Lady Vespasia likes very much. Goldolphin Jones is a society portrait artist who commands huge sums for his rather mediocre work, but he's been traveling in France these past few weeks.
Lord Augustus Fitzroy-Hammond died of a heart attack, or so says his very aloof and tetchy Dr. McDuff. It makes quite a contrast to the helpfulness of Dr. Childs. Then the very-deceased Mr. William Wilberforce Porteous appears followed by Horrie Snipe, a pimp and the true start of this particular race, Albert Wilson, Mr. Dunn's butler. Mrs. Philp, a high-end madame.
The Cover
The cover is a deep red with a tiny inset, circular window filled with an old Elizabethan house, the ivy crawling over its walls.
The title is a bit odd, at least, because I was expecting the subject to be resurrection men, instead Resurrection Row turns out to be...convenient.
April 15, 2017
A murder mystery set in the Victorian period in London and, I discovered, part of a series about police inspector Thomas Pitt and his wife Charlotte. Resurrected bodies start turning up, the first propped on the box of a hansom cab, and confusion follows with mis-identification adding to the Inspector's problems.
A strong thread in the story is the appalling conditions in the homes of the urban poor and the workhouses where they are forced to go if they reach bottom - with women prepared to turn part-time prostitute to avoid taking their children to such places. The Victorian setting is well evoked, not only the squalor and destitution but also the struggle of the respectable working classes such as the Inspector's family; the cold and wet and the difficulty of heating a home, and the balancing of household budgets so that bacon for breakfast means having to take the omnibus or walk rather than take a cab. Charlotte is from a prosperous family and has married beneath her, this apparently being the subject of an earlier book in the series, so she has to teach herself household skills. Unlike most married couples of the period, she and Thomas enjoy a fairly equal partnership, with Thomas having to bite his lip when his so-called betters express misogynistic views. For this is an era when deference to the upper classes holds sway and even the police must avoid upsetting them or risk losing their jobs.
Throughout the story Pitt has to deal with the upper classes with all the difficulties this entails, although he enjoys a more relaxed relationship with 'Aunt Vespasia', an elderly intelligent woman who is related to Charlotte through the marriage of her sister Emily. The story deals with the scandals that some of the privileged are involved in and the lengths to which they will go to prevent disclosure.
Where it fell down for me is in the denouement. Given the prejudices and the difficulties Pitt has already had in pursuing the case, with his superiors anxious not to give offence to the rich and powerful, I found it incredible that he is able to arrest the guilty party. . With all that, it would surely have been much more credible to have it as one of those cases where the police know who did it, but can't bring it to court?
That lack of believability seriously undercut my enjoyment by the end, given that I also didn't find it very credible when we find out who was responsible for the 'resurrections'. Why did the person concerned go to so much trouble;
All in all, good evocation of setting and the main protagonist and his wife are likeable characters, but the lack of a strong convincing plot means this can only rate 3 stars, and does not encourage me to try the series again.
A strong thread in the story is the appalling conditions in the homes of the urban poor and the workhouses where they are forced to go if they reach bottom - with women prepared to turn part-time prostitute to avoid taking their children to such places. The Victorian setting is well evoked, not only the squalor and destitution but also the struggle of the respectable working classes such as the Inspector's family; the cold and wet and the difficulty of heating a home, and the balancing of household budgets so that bacon for breakfast means having to take the omnibus or walk rather than take a cab. Charlotte is from a prosperous family and has married beneath her, this apparently being the subject of an earlier book in the series, so she has to teach herself household skills. Unlike most married couples of the period, she and Thomas enjoy a fairly equal partnership, with Thomas having to bite his lip when his so-called betters express misogynistic views. For this is an era when deference to the upper classes holds sway and even the police must avoid upsetting them or risk losing their jobs.
Throughout the story Pitt has to deal with the upper classes with all the difficulties this entails, although he enjoys a more relaxed relationship with 'Aunt Vespasia', an elderly intelligent woman who is related to Charlotte through the marriage of her sister Emily. The story deals with the scandals that some of the privileged are involved in and the lengths to which they will go to prevent disclosure.
Where it fell down for me is in the denouement. Given the prejudices and the difficulties Pitt has already had in pursuing the case, with his superiors anxious not to give offence to the rich and powerful, I found it incredible that he is able to arrest the guilty party. . With all that, it would surely have been much more credible to have it as one of those cases where the police know who did it, but can't bring it to court?
That lack of believability seriously undercut my enjoyment by the end, given that I also didn't find it very credible when we find out who was responsible for the 'resurrections'. Why did the person concerned go to so much trouble;
All in all, good evocation of setting and the main protagonist and his wife are likeable characters, but the lack of a strong convincing plot means this can only rate 3 stars, and does not encourage me to try the series again.
May 7, 2012
This book really deserves more like 3 1/2 stars, because it's a really well-written mystery, but it didn't really grab me emotionally. I more enjoyed it for the puzzle of it, and I have to say, it was nice having Detective Pitt as more of a focus than his wife Charlotte. Oddly, there was a lot less verbal class warfare and sniping than the last book in the series, which was a relief, but ironic, since the primary focus of many characters was passing a reform law to help deeply impoverished people in workhouses.
I will say that Perry can be a bit heavy-handed in her moralizing. This is not the kind of historical fiction where the main protagonists are deeply flawed and subject to the prevailing beliefs of their time. Rather, Mr. and Mrs. Pitt are more visionaries, as if seeing their times from some future place (like from Anne Perry's brain!) In a way, it's nice because, frankly, when reading "Golden Era" mysteries, I sometimes get frustrated by the backwards, classist, racist notions tossed off as if they are common beliefs that make total sense. At the same time, I see the artifice in Perry's novels, and it can rub me the wrong way. I just read another historical mystery by a different author, which was written in the 1st person and where the narrator dares to have some rather backwards Imperialistic views, and I did find it refreshing in its reflection of the reality of the times. So in other words, I feel torn!
Anyway, as for this particular mystery, my only other complaint is that there was no way any reader could have figured out this entire mystery, because some key information was held back until the end. Even so, I enjoyed the read!
I will say that Perry can be a bit heavy-handed in her moralizing. This is not the kind of historical fiction where the main protagonists are deeply flawed and subject to the prevailing beliefs of their time. Rather, Mr. and Mrs. Pitt are more visionaries, as if seeing their times from some future place (like from Anne Perry's brain!) In a way, it's nice because, frankly, when reading "Golden Era" mysteries, I sometimes get frustrated by the backwards, classist, racist notions tossed off as if they are common beliefs that make total sense. At the same time, I see the artifice in Perry's novels, and it can rub me the wrong way. I just read another historical mystery by a different author, which was written in the 1st person and where the narrator dares to have some rather backwards Imperialistic views, and I did find it refreshing in its reflection of the reality of the times. So in other words, I feel torn!
Anyway, as for this particular mystery, my only other complaint is that there was no way any reader could have figured out this entire mystery, because some key information was held back until the end. Even so, I enjoyed the read!
March 24, 2017
Despite gruesome aspects, I enjoyed "Resurrection Row" thoroughly. Charlotte and Thomas's daughter, Jemima, is two and Emily, with a newborn son, does not appear. Aunt Vespasia is en forme and it was touching that Sarah is mentioned. Her widower, Dominic, is fond of a young widow. They land under brief suspicion in the most bizarre case Thomas has ever encountered: bodies in and out of graves. Minor quibbles leave ample room for a high grade. I do hope that with time, Anne Perry overcame these things. I'm late to the party with her early novels and have the benefit of catching up any time I like.
First: she long ago overstepped the quota for uttering the word "quite"! References to rain, wetness, and cold were excessive too. We got the point without needing her to note that Thomas had wet socks every time he walked in or out of doors. Lastly, after investing oneself in the superb plotting of her many-layered mystery-solving efforts; Anne shuts her novels down too abruptly. It's like snatching the off-button on a song when the concluding note has scarcely played. Being deprived of the fading tones is to lose the most satisfying part about finishing a novel; a chapter or at least a few pages past the denouement.
What we cannot accuse this mystery-weaver of is lack of emotion and colour. Somehow, despite galloping from one investigative tactic to another, she utterly masters inner-thoughts. Perhaps because she is exhibiting an era steeped in the art of that which is not said aloud; the writing trait I admire the most in her is the way all characters read each others' emotional cues. I also loved the side to Aunt Vespasia and other socialites, that revokes snobbery by fighting for a bill to end sweatshops and workhouses.
First: she long ago overstepped the quota for uttering the word "quite"! References to rain, wetness, and cold were excessive too. We got the point without needing her to note that Thomas had wet socks every time he walked in or out of doors. Lastly, after investing oneself in the superb plotting of her many-layered mystery-solving efforts; Anne shuts her novels down too abruptly. It's like snatching the off-button on a song when the concluding note has scarcely played. Being deprived of the fading tones is to lose the most satisfying part about finishing a novel; a chapter or at least a few pages past the denouement.
What we cannot accuse this mystery-weaver of is lack of emotion and colour. Somehow, despite galloping from one investigative tactic to another, she utterly masters inner-thoughts. Perhaps because she is exhibiting an era steeped in the art of that which is not said aloud; the writing trait I admire the most in her is the way all characters read each others' emotional cues. I also loved the side to Aunt Vespasia and other socialites, that revokes snobbery by fighting for a bill to end sweatshops and workhouses.
September 12, 2019
Wunderbar leichte viktorianische Krimilektüre. Das ist so eine reine Wohlfühlserie für mich, die ich immer lese, wenn mein Alltag sehr anstrengend und stressig aussieht, deswegen ist die Bewertung sicherlich 100% subjektiv. ;)
Thomas und Charlotte Pitt sind tolle Protagonisten - pragmatisch und empathisch an den richtigen Stellen, und die kleinen Einblicke in ihr Ehe- und Familienleben lenken nicht ab von dem Krimifall sondern machen sie eher zu noch runderen Charakteren. Der Fall ist ein besonders unterhaltsamer, obwohl - oder grade weil? - man bis zu ca. 70% der Story noch gar kein Mordopfer hat. Also Leichen gibt es schon, und zwar haufenweise, aber ärgerlicherweise sind die alle eines natürlichen Todes gestorben und werden nur immer wieder ausgegraben und in Droschken oder auf Parkbänken platziert. Was dahinter steckt, möchte ich nicht verraten, weil das miträtseln einfach ganz viel Spaß macht in diesem Band.
In einer Nebenhandlung geht es um die unglaubliche Armut und grässlichen Zustände in den Arbeitshäusern der damaligen Zeit - und die vollständige Blindheit der Oberschicht gegenüber dieser Missstände. Das verlangt einem tatsächlich sehr viel mehr ab als der Krimifall (der eher heiter und unblutig a'la Agatha Christie ist).
Also einfach schöne, leichte Lektüre, die man am schönsten in der Badewanne oder in eine warme Decke gewickelt bei dem beginnenden Herbstwetter lesen kann.
(Auch wer die Serie nicht kennt, kann in diesem Band bedenkenlos einsteigen.)
Thomas und Charlotte Pitt sind tolle Protagonisten - pragmatisch und empathisch an den richtigen Stellen, und die kleinen Einblicke in ihr Ehe- und Familienleben lenken nicht ab von dem Krimifall sondern machen sie eher zu noch runderen Charakteren. Der Fall ist ein besonders unterhaltsamer, obwohl - oder grade weil? - man bis zu ca. 70% der Story noch gar kein Mordopfer hat. Also Leichen gibt es schon, und zwar haufenweise, aber ärgerlicherweise sind die alle eines natürlichen Todes gestorben und werden nur immer wieder ausgegraben und in Droschken oder auf Parkbänken platziert. Was dahinter steckt, möchte ich nicht verraten, weil das miträtseln einfach ganz viel Spaß macht in diesem Band.
In einer Nebenhandlung geht es um die unglaubliche Armut und grässlichen Zustände in den Arbeitshäusern der damaligen Zeit - und die vollständige Blindheit der Oberschicht gegenüber dieser Missstände. Das verlangt einem tatsächlich sehr viel mehr ab als der Krimifall (der eher heiter und unblutig a'la Agatha Christie ist).
Also einfach schöne, leichte Lektüre, die man am schönsten in der Badewanne oder in eine warme Decke gewickelt bei dem beginnenden Herbstwetter lesen kann.
(Auch wer die Serie nicht kennt, kann in diesem Band bedenkenlos einsteigen.)
April 11, 2018
Ces enquêtes sont toujours aussi agréables à lire. Ce tome m'a semblé un peu plus centré sur Thomas, Charlotte était moins présente, mais ça ne gâche en rien le roman.
July 9, 2014
I read Resurrection Row because it was mentioned in Anne Perry's latest book, Death on Blackheath, tying Aunt Vespasia's friend and neighbor, Somerset Carlyle, in with digging up dead bodies and placing them in places where they would be found. Pitt felt he must in some way be associated with the murder in Death on Blackheath since he was the only person he knew who had a stomach for such work. On the other hand, he didn't want to disturb the very proper Vespasia by bringing up a friend of hers, Carlyle, in such a situation. I had to find out what history Somerset Carlyle had with dead bodies and thus looked up this very early (1981--4th Pitt book) novel. The movement of dead bodies--some placed in public places (driving a taxi, sitting in church for a funeral, sitting on a tombstone), some in the graves of the real owners (who were reburied after being found in inappropriate places)made the whole situation macabre. Obviously there was only one obvious murder victim, but there was a great public outcry about the disgusting display of rotting corpses.
At the same time there was move to get parliament to pass a bill to help the very poor. Somerset Carlyle was a behind the scenes mover and shaker to improve the lot of the poorest of children in the workhouses, just as he was a leading mouth in parliament in Death on Blackheath. Pitt assumed there was some connection between getting the bill passed and the display of corpses, but he didn't know what or why. Even Pitt did not assume Carlyle had anything to do with murder, but he was also concerned with why the bodies danced around the one who was. What was Carlyle doing this for?--if, of course, he was doing it.
Pitt, of course solves both the murder and comes up with a reason for the bizarre body movements, but although he does prove murder, he doesn't prove anything against Carlyle. Well, maybe Carlyle winked at him--or did he have something in his eye?
This is an early Anne Perry novel. It is not as smooth and polished as we expect today--35 years later. But it does have a fascinating plot (where are all these bodies coming from?), dry humor to counter the horror (rotting bodies in the most interesting places), and serious social commentary. Scenes from Seven Dials, the workhouse, the streets are vividly and disgustingly portrayed. It provides a vivid portrait of Victorian England in some of its worst places. While not up to Perry's present polish, the book is certainly worth reading!
At the same time there was move to get parliament to pass a bill to help the very poor. Somerset Carlyle was a behind the scenes mover and shaker to improve the lot of the poorest of children in the workhouses, just as he was a leading mouth in parliament in Death on Blackheath. Pitt assumed there was some connection between getting the bill passed and the display of corpses, but he didn't know what or why. Even Pitt did not assume Carlyle had anything to do with murder, but he was also concerned with why the bodies danced around the one who was. What was Carlyle doing this for?--if, of course, he was doing it.
Pitt, of course solves both the murder and comes up with a reason for the bizarre body movements, but although he does prove murder, he doesn't prove anything against Carlyle. Well, maybe Carlyle winked at him--or did he have something in his eye?
This is an early Anne Perry novel. It is not as smooth and polished as we expect today--35 years later. But it does have a fascinating plot (where are all these bodies coming from?), dry humor to counter the horror (rotting bodies in the most interesting places), and serious social commentary. Scenes from Seven Dials, the workhouse, the streets are vividly and disgustingly portrayed. It provides a vivid portrait of Victorian England in some of its worst places. While not up to Perry's present polish, the book is certainly worth reading!
June 11, 2017
I've read a bit of Anne Perry and like her books but this one was a letdown. The ending had many loose ends and unresolved story lines. A bunch of the characters were nothing but place holders. The mystery was too convoluted and silly.
I might be giving up on this series and just sticking to the Monk series.
I might be giving up on this series and just sticking to the Monk series.
October 30, 2023
A solid mystery. I feel like the story dragged out way too much. There were some red herrings, but I didn't feel all that invested in the actual murder because it was introduced so late. I liked the characters well enough, but Pitt annoyed me in this book, and he didn't in the others I've read. I felt like he wavered too much, catered (no pun intended if you've read Perry's other works) to the upper classes much more, and wasn't as strong as he could've been until the end. I really enjoyed the social commentary about the workhouses and slums and also about the treatment and opinions of women. Of course, it's very focused on the Victorian era, but there are echoes and implications that could still be applied to contemporary society. As always, when I read books like this that take place during a much stricter class-based society, I appreciate how far some places have come in the treatment of the lower classes but also in the dynamics between the classes. Of course, classism still exists, and there are still strict standards and expectations, but the limitations and suppressions seem far worse 150 years ago. I also always appreciate being part of the middle class and not the upper classes because I've always believed and have had my view reinforced reading this book that the upper classes have far less freedom despite having far more money and access to resources. The restrictions on behavior and the need to be careful of reputation and public opinion are far too limiting in my opinion, and I don't think that has changed all that much.
All that being said, this isn't my favorite Anne Perry book, but I still recommend it if you like mysteries. I feel much less like I'm reading a work of historical fiction and much more like I'm reading a Victorian novel when I read Perry's work than I do with other historical fiction, so that's another bonus for me!
All that being said, this isn't my favorite Anne Perry book, but I still recommend it if you like mysteries. I feel much less like I'm reading a work of historical fiction and much more like I'm reading a Victorian novel when I read Perry's work than I do with other historical fiction, so that's another bonus for me!
February 15, 2021
Resurrection Row has a great premise. Bodies start turning up in the most surprising places. Not a surprise for a murder mystery, you say? Except these bodies have already had a funeral. Inspector Thomas Pitt is perplexed at what's happening. The first time was odd, the second time...
This was another enjoyable read in a series that I have dipped into from time to time. I appreciate the social commentary that Anne Perry weaves into her books. Charlotte Pitt plays a very small role in this entry which was disappointing. The book ends abruptly which left me staring at my Kindle in confusion. No worries, I'll be back for more.
This was another enjoyable read in a series that I have dipped into from time to time. I appreciate the social commentary that Anne Perry weaves into her books. Charlotte Pitt plays a very small role in this entry which was disappointing. The book ends abruptly which left me staring at my Kindle in confusion. No worries, I'll be back for more.
December 15, 2022
Algo muy extraño y macabro está sucediendo en las calles de Londres, varios cadáveres exhumados aparecen en distintos lugares de la ciudad. Thomas piensa que no es simplemente sucesos a cargo de quizás un psicópata sino que al parecer es una especie de encubrimiento y para hacer que la policia no sepa a qué atenerse.
Cuarta entrega de la saga con Thomas Pitt y Charlotte, en donde Thomas es mucho más protagonista que los anteriores libros y eso me gustó, por algo es el Inspector a cargo.....
Mi personaje favorito: la tía Vespasia.
Cuarta entrega de la saga con Thomas Pitt y Charlotte, en donde Thomas es mucho más protagonista que los anteriores libros y eso me gustó, por algo es el Inspector a cargo.....
Mi personaje favorito: la tía Vespasia.
February 11, 2023
Leído en petit comité en la carrera por alcanzar al grupo de lectura conjunta de esta serie.
Me gustó, pero también es verdad que empiezo a ver patrones en la escritura de Perry que me desesperan. Además de los finales, que encuentro apresurados y melodramáticos hasta límites insospechados 🤣
Espero que sea por el atracón de lecturas de esta serie, tan seguidas y en tan poco tiempo y no por motivos de gustos personales.
Creo que lo que más disfruto de estos libros es la crítica social que suele incluir la autora.
Tengo entendido que al ser estas novelas de las primeras, no son de las mejores de Anne Perry.
Ya veremos. En breve empieza la lectura conjunta del siguiente libro.
Me gustó, pero también es verdad que empiezo a ver patrones en la escritura de Perry que me desesperan. Además de los finales, que encuentro apresurados y melodramáticos hasta límites insospechados 🤣
Espero que sea por el atracón de lecturas de esta serie, tan seguidas y en tan poco tiempo y no por motivos de gustos personales.
Creo que lo que más disfruto de estos libros es la crítica social que suele incluir la autora.
Tengo entendido que al ser estas novelas de las primeras, no son de las mejores de Anne Perry.
Ya veremos. En breve empieza la lectura conjunta del siguiente libro.
August 5, 2021
The case of the reappearing corpses: Lord Augustus Fitzroy-Hammond of Gadstone Park was properly buried after dying from a heart attack several weeks ago. So what is his body doing sitting atop a hansom cab like some sort of other-wordly cabbie? That's what Inspector Thomas Pitt would like to know. Graverobbing is a crime and he must discreetly try to find out what motive there could be for disinterring a lord and displaying his body on a cab. But Fitzroy-Hammond hasn't made his final appearance. Not long after a second burial, the nobleman makes a second escape from his grave--this time to take a seat in the family pew on a Sunday morning.
From there bodies keep appearing where they didn't ought to be. The gravediggers discover another corpse resting in Fitzroy-Hammond's coffin when it comes time for them to attempt to bury his lordship a third time. But no one know who this fellow is right away. It's thought he might be the body missing from a Mr. Porteus's grave, but the widow Porteus declares that it's not her husband. A third corpse is then discovered and that one is Mr. Porteus. And then another man, a well-known procurer Horry Snipe who was run over by cart, is found wearing a stovepipe hat and sitting on a gravestone in the Resurrection Row cemetery. Eventually the second, unclaimed body is identified as a Mr. Wilson--whose grave doesn't appear to have been dug up. But when Pitt arranges for the grave to be opened up a final body is discovered.
Up till now all the bodies have died from natural causes or by accident. But not this one--this one has been strangled and is quickly identified as Godolphin Jones, a portrait artist also living in Gadstone Park who was thought to have gone on a trip to France. Pitt's attention is redirected back to the gentry who live near Fitzroy-Hammond and Jones. Who could have wanted the artist dead? He overcharged for his portraits, but surely that isn't cause for murder...or is it? And why play musical graves with four other bodies? Thomas soon notices clues in Jones's paintings which tie in with an odd little notebook and the trail leads him back to Resurrection Row and a secret worth killing for.
This fourth book in the Charlotte and Thomas Pitt series was the best yet. Perhaps I have an off-beat sense of humor, but I found the idea of corpses popping up in unlikely places quite entertaining. Other bonuses are the reappearance of Aunt Vespasia (whom we met in the last book) and Pitt's emergence as a much more energetic and involved detective. We actually get to see him following up clues and looking through evidence rather than just questioning people and disappearing for a great deal of the book. The plot was a bit twisty--with various threads, some of which are nicely done red herrings. Overall, a satisfying read.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. PLease request permission before reposting portions of review. Thanks.
From there bodies keep appearing where they didn't ought to be. The gravediggers discover another corpse resting in Fitzroy-Hammond's coffin when it comes time for them to attempt to bury his lordship a third time. But no one know who this fellow is right away. It's thought he might be the body missing from a Mr. Porteus's grave, but the widow Porteus declares that it's not her husband. A third corpse is then discovered and that one is Mr. Porteus. And then another man, a well-known procurer Horry Snipe who was run over by cart, is found wearing a stovepipe hat and sitting on a gravestone in the Resurrection Row cemetery. Eventually the second, unclaimed body is identified as a Mr. Wilson--whose grave doesn't appear to have been dug up. But when Pitt arranges for the grave to be opened up a final body is discovered.
Up till now all the bodies have died from natural causes or by accident. But not this one--this one has been strangled and is quickly identified as Godolphin Jones, a portrait artist also living in Gadstone Park who was thought to have gone on a trip to France. Pitt's attention is redirected back to the gentry who live near Fitzroy-Hammond and Jones. Who could have wanted the artist dead? He overcharged for his portraits, but surely that isn't cause for murder...or is it? And why play musical graves with four other bodies? Thomas soon notices clues in Jones's paintings which tie in with an odd little notebook and the trail leads him back to Resurrection Row and a secret worth killing for.
This fourth book in the Charlotte and Thomas Pitt series was the best yet. Perhaps I have an off-beat sense of humor, but I found the idea of corpses popping up in unlikely places quite entertaining. Other bonuses are the reappearance of Aunt Vespasia (whom we met in the last book) and Pitt's emergence as a much more energetic and involved detective. We actually get to see him following up clues and looking through evidence rather than just questioning people and disappearing for a great deal of the book. The plot was a bit twisty--with various threads, some of which are nicely done red herrings. Overall, a satisfying read.
First posted on my blog My Reader's Block. PLease request permission before reposting portions of review. Thanks.
April 7, 2024
I'm giving up Anne Perry and her Pitt series.
This mystery was awful just like the last book in the series, Paragon Walk. The dialog is terrible and at times unnecessary for the story line. Pitt and his wife suffer from wet boots in this story. This just had me laughing. Apparently the author doesn't know how to keep her own feet dry. Trust me, they knew in the 19th century how to apply oils and fat to their shoes to waterproof them. Several things were left hanging. I couldn't figure out how Lord Augustus Fitzroy-Hammond was mistakenly identified as the first dead man but I didn't want to waste time to go back and re-read it. I figured that Mr Somerset Carlisle had some hand in the bodies being dug up and displayed here and there but Pitt didn't care about prosecuting him; I found this hard to believe. If it weren't for Charlotte Pitt (Inspector Thomas Pitt's wife), Pitt wouldn't know what to do next. Pitt is supposed to be smart; he can't see the forest for the trees. Sherlock Holmes could see all. The details make up the whole. Pitt can't do this.
There was one line in the story where Lord St. Jermyn says
This mystery was awful just like the last book in the series, Paragon Walk. The dialog is terrible and at times unnecessary for the story line. Pitt and his wife suffer from wet boots in this story. This just had me laughing. Apparently the author doesn't know how to keep her own feet dry. Trust me, they knew in the 19th century how to apply oils and fat to their shoes to waterproof them. Several things were left hanging. I couldn't figure out how Lord Augustus Fitzroy-Hammond was mistakenly identified as the first dead man but I didn't want to waste time to go back and re-read it. I figured that Mr Somerset Carlisle had some hand in the bodies being dug up and displayed here and there but Pitt didn't care about prosecuting him; I found this hard to believe. If it weren't for Charlotte Pitt (Inspector Thomas Pitt's wife), Pitt wouldn't know what to do next. Pitt is supposed to be smart; he can't see the forest for the trees. Sherlock Holmes could see all. The details make up the whole. Pitt can't do this.
There was one line in the story where Lord St. Jermyn says
"If I did pay too much, then I was duped."I'm duped. This dialog seems very much like today's American English, not 19th century English. I guess I'm spoiled by me reading real 19th century English by Englishmen.
January 7, 2011
I had read this back when it originally came out (1981! I can't believe it was that long ago). But it had been so long that as I listened to the audiobook I kept thinking it sounded familiar. Then about 3/4 of the way through I remembered the ending.
This is after Thomas Pitt and Charlotte are married and have a little girl. He's still insecure about her losing her position in society by marrying him and being okay with it. She's happy with her life as it is, chores and all. Pitt is called to investigate a case where a corpse (and then several) keep popping up. I remember being appalled at the workhouse conditions and the woman who worked in a match factory that fumes? somehow affected the condition of her jaw to where it was misshapen. Even knowing the end of the book, it was still intriguing about who-done-it. And of course, Davina Porter does a wonderful job with both the male and female voices. Would recommend this book/audiobook.
This is after Thomas Pitt and Charlotte are married and have a little girl. He's still insecure about her losing her position in society by marrying him and being okay with it. She's happy with her life as it is, chores and all. Pitt is called to investigate a case where a corpse (and then several) keep popping up. I remember being appalled at the workhouse conditions and the woman who worked in a match factory that fumes? somehow affected the condition of her jaw to where it was misshapen. Even knowing the end of the book, it was still intriguing about who-done-it. And of course, Davina Porter does a wonderful job with both the male and female voices. Would recommend this book/audiobook.
May 29, 2022
An interesting mystery involving seemingly random corpses popping up where they definitely did not belong, during the reading of which I thought, "There had better be a really good explanation for all of this." I thought, "You'd have to be a special kind of brilliant to come up with a plot that makes sense of so much exhuming and reinterring!"
Then I reached the explanation and found out that it was not really good, or even regular good. It took the easy way out. Plus it wasn't even believable. Sigh, what a disappointment.
Still - Anne Perry's denouements are about one and a half paragraphs long, and that's when she's feeling wordy. For the rest of the duration of this book I really enjoyed it, and remain in awe at her entirely immersive picture of Victorian London. The fog! The gaslights! The clopping hooves! If I live long enough to see time travel become a popular vacation feature, I will go immediately to late 19th-century London.
Then I reached the explanation and found out that it was not really good, or even regular good. It took the easy way out. Plus it wasn't even believable. Sigh, what a disappointment.
Still - Anne Perry's denouements are about one and a half paragraphs long, and that's when she's feeling wordy. For the rest of the duration of this book I really enjoyed it, and remain in awe at her entirely immersive picture of Victorian London. The fog! The gaslights! The clopping hooves! If I live long enough to see time travel become a popular vacation feature, I will go immediately to late 19th-century London.
February 8, 2012
I enjoyed the mystery in this book more than the previous 3. It DID deal with some seedier sides of society which hadn't really made an appearance in the other books. However, the actual mystery was much more interesting and really had me thinking even though a murder isn't discovered until close to the end of the book. Normally this would drive me batty but here there is still a mystery, I just began to assume that it wouldn't involve a murder.
It also delved into the horrific conditions of the poor during this time period. I've enjoyed reading how the upper and middle classes coexisted during this time period in England and this adds a new and interesting element. I was so happy to see the return of Aunt Vespasia. I love her! I think sharp-minded outspoken old ladies are probably my favorite characters in novels. 7/10
It also delved into the horrific conditions of the poor during this time period. I've enjoyed reading how the upper and middle classes coexisted during this time period in England and this adds a new and interesting element. I was so happy to see the return of Aunt Vespasia. I love her! I think sharp-minded outspoken old ladies are probably my favorite characters in novels. 7/10
May 18, 2017
I really like this one!
Corpses keep popping out all over the place, they've been dead and buried for weeks.
Now someone digging them out and leave them without stealing any part of their bodies, something just not right!:)
I think I like Ms. Perry's writing style.
No heart pounding actions or Thomas chasing the villains everywhere in this series.
He just a smart guy who was trying to solve the mystery with asking the right questions again and again until all the layers that we use to covered all the ugliness open up one by one. And Charlotte always there help him as much as she can in her own way.
Honestly?
You either enjoy this type of story or bored to death 😜
I enjoyed them and love the dry humour which often comes up without warning.
Very English I supposed, lol:)
Corpses keep popping out all over the place, they've been dead and buried for weeks.
Now someone digging them out and leave them without stealing any part of their bodies, something just not right!:)
I think I like Ms. Perry's writing style.
No heart pounding actions or Thomas chasing the villains everywhere in this series.
He just a smart guy who was trying to solve the mystery with asking the right questions again and again until all the layers that we use to covered all the ugliness open up one by one. And Charlotte always there help him as much as she can in her own way.
Honestly?
You either enjoy this type of story or bored to death 😜
I enjoyed them and love the dry humour which often comes up without warning.
Very English I supposed, lol:)
May 5, 2016
Some years ago I discovered Anne Perry and read several of her books. I still remember her series with Charlotte and Thomas Pitt. I just couldn't remember exactly how many of this series I had read. So I decide to start reading/listening to this fourth book. Perry does such a good job of portraying the time period, and creates real characters. In this book she presents an interesting mystery, but also relates the misery and hopelessness of the workhouses and lower classes in England. In addition, you feel the cold, wet climate of England as those people eek out a wretched living. I'm glad to read more of Perrys books.
July 17, 2019
It was nice to come back to these two characters and life in Victorian London.
And, as always, lots of historical information included, which was much appreciated.
My only gripe is that blackmail was done earlier in the series, so that reveal was a bit of a disappointment.
And, as always, lots of historical information included, which was much appreciated.
My only gripe is that blackmail was done earlier in the series, so that reveal was a bit of a disappointment.
October 25, 2017
Opinião em breve... ;)
January 25, 2018
Yes, the series is growing on me so I will continue on. Somewhat similar to Victoria Thompson's Gaslight series (which I love). Definitely some irony in how this mystery turned out.
"What an odd sight! The dead body of a peer of the realm sitting upright in an empty hansom cab. He had been decently buried once before, Inspector Pitt knew. There was something terrible amiss. Despite doctor's claims of death by natural causes, Pitt insisted on serious digging to unearth the truth--even if it killed him."
"What an odd sight! The dead body of a peer of the realm sitting upright in an empty hansom cab. He had been decently buried once before, Inspector Pitt knew. There was something terrible amiss. Despite doctor's claims of death by natural causes, Pitt insisted on serious digging to unearth the truth--even if it killed him."
February 4, 2018
Resurrection Row is book four of the Charlotte & Thomas Pitt series by Anne Perry. One night coming home with his wife Charlotte Inspector Thomas Pitt came across a body that three days before was buried at the local cemetery. At first Inspector Thomas Pitt did not know if it was a joke or something more sinister. The readers of Resurrection Row will continue to follow Inspector Thomas Pitt investigation to find out what happens.
I love reading the Charlotte and Thomas Pitt's books, and Resurrection Row did continue my love affair with this series. I like that Anne Perry made her made characters husband and wife instead of colleagues. I love Anne Perry's portrays of her characters especially Charlotte and Thomas Pitt. Resurrection Row is a well-written book by Anne Perry, and I do enjoy her writing style. Anne Perry does ensure my engagement with her books and Resurrection Row was no different. I like the way, Anne Perry, describes her settings and plots.
The readers of Resurrection Row will learn about law enforcement procedures during the Victorian era. Also, the readers of Resurrection Row will see how wealthy community in the Victorian era hinders law enforcement investigations.
I recommend this book
I love reading the Charlotte and Thomas Pitt's books, and Resurrection Row did continue my love affair with this series. I like that Anne Perry made her made characters husband and wife instead of colleagues. I love Anne Perry's portrays of her characters especially Charlotte and Thomas Pitt. Resurrection Row is a well-written book by Anne Perry, and I do enjoy her writing style. Anne Perry does ensure my engagement with her books and Resurrection Row was no different. I like the way, Anne Perry, describes her settings and plots.
The readers of Resurrection Row will learn about law enforcement procedures during the Victorian era. Also, the readers of Resurrection Row will see how wealthy community in the Victorian era hinders law enforcement investigations.
I recommend this book
July 31, 2018
In Resurrection Row, the book starts out with a corpse found in the driver's seat of a cab. Soon other bodies which have been dug up are also being found. An act of blackmail also leads to murder and Thomas Pitt is beside himself trying to find out what is going on. Aunt Vespasian makes a 2nd appearance and tries to help Charlotte and Thomas with this baffling mystery. We get another look at Victorian social life and the child labor and workhouse reform bill in called into the political realm. Another great read from Anne Perry makes me look forward to book 5 in the series.
July 18, 2020
Somebody is robbing graves and leaving the bodies in odd places around London. Somebody with a sense of humor, it appears. Inspector Pitt has to answer: Which was the original body, and Where is it now?
Alongside Pitt's investigation is Aunt Vespasia's group of reformers, trying to put through a bill to ease the lot of the poor in London. It is estimated that one quarter of the London population is living a life of horrible poverty, and the upper class does not want to know.
Read 4 times
Alongside Pitt's investigation is Aunt Vespasia's group of reformers, trying to put through a bill to ease the lot of the poor in London. It is estimated that one quarter of the London population is living a life of horrible poverty, and the upper class does not want to know.
Read 4 times
December 17, 2020
2.5, rounded up to 3. The characters were pretty flat this time around, but I'm giving it an extra half star for the way the mystery unfolded. But because the characters were so meh, it was hard to really invest. This was fine, and I'm sure I'll pick up the next one in the series, but if you have high standards for your cozy mysteries, I'd give this one a miss.
May 27, 2023
An excellent Victorian mystery by Anne Perry, this story has bodies being exhumed illegally and showing up in strange places, such as church pews, a carriage, and on the top of a tombstone. Thomas Pitt and his wife Charlotte have to figure out who is doing the dastardly deed, as well as who has murdered the body that was buried in someone else's grave.
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