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William Monk #19
Justicia ciega
Hester Monk, la esposa de William Monk, inspector de la Policía Fluvial del Támesis, cuestiona las finanzas de una iglesia de Londres en la que, al parecer, los donativos de los feligreses han terminado en los bolsillos del carismático predicador Abel Taft, para pagar su magnífica casa y los elegantes vestidos de su esposa y sus hijas.
Como fruto de ello, Taft resulta acusado, y el brillante abogado Oliver Rathbone, recientemente nombrado juez, es el elegido para presidir el juicio contra él. La culpabilidad de Taft parece clara; sin embargo, en el último instante la defensa llama a un testigo que socava por completo los cargos.
Entonces Rathbone da un paso bienintencionado pero temerario que podría arruinar su carrera, su reputación y hasta su vida. Justicia ciega presenta un rico y vívido panorama de la vida londinense, al tiempo que despliega un magnífico drama judicial.
Como fruto de ello, Taft resulta acusado, y el brillante abogado Oliver Rathbone, recientemente nombrado juez, es el elegido para presidir el juicio contra él. La culpabilidad de Taft parece clara; sin embargo, en el último instante la defensa llama a un testigo que socava por completo los cargos.
Entonces Rathbone da un paso bienintencionado pero temerario que podría arruinar su carrera, su reputación y hasta su vida. Justicia ciega presenta un rico y vívido panorama de la vida londinense, al tiempo que despliega un magnífico drama judicial.
376 pages, Paperback
First published August 27, 2013
468 people are currently reading
1557 people want to read
About the author
Anne Perry
362 books3,376 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
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 379 reviews
February 27, 2024
I couldn’t imagine a better plot line for a book I read in memory of Anne Perry who has given me so many, many hours of wonderful historical mysteries.
This is less an adventure and more of a character story. It is harrowing mentally (the thought of Oliver Rathbone in prison was both shocking and sad).
This book deals with the reckoning of justice and the means by which justice may be served. I always want more Monk and Hester, but they do provide both the problem and the solution that impacts Rathbone who has just begun his career as judge.
The title is ironic given the circumstances of the two trials of the book. Perry has a lot to say about justice, and given her own history, her characters’ inner dialogue resonates more than usual.
Ms. Perry, your original brand of mysteries will be missed by this fan.
(Reviewed 4/23/23)
This is less an adventure and more of a character story. It is harrowing mentally (the thought of Oliver Rathbone in prison was both shocking and sad).
This book deals with the reckoning of justice and the means by which justice may be served. I always want more Monk and Hester, but they do provide both the problem and the solution that impacts Rathbone who has just begun his career as judge.
The title is ironic given the circumstances of the two trials of the book. Perry has a lot to say about justice, and given her own history, her characters’ inner dialogue resonates more than usual.
Ms. Perry, your original brand of mysteries will be missed by this fan.
(Reviewed 4/23/23)
November 30, 2013
Although this book is in the Hester and William Monk series, this is definitely a story about Oliver Rathbone. Sir Rathbone finds himself at the pinnacle of his career at the beginning of this book, but because of an error in judgement that he makes in one of the cases he is presiding as judge over, he finds himself at the lowest point personally and professionally that he has ever found himself in. I am an ardent reader of all Ms. Perry's books and I particularly love the William Monk series, but I found this book a bit slow for the first half of the book. And I didn't get to see much of William and Hester who I absolutely love. In the second half though, the pace did pick up and there was a lot more of William and Hester as well as some endearing segments with their young ward Scuff. This book's storyline is a continuation of her previous book "A Sunless Sea", so for anyone who hasn't read that particular book, they might find this book a bit incomprehensible. And to anyone new to the series. there is a lot of Victorian courtroom drama with no murder to accompany it, so new readers will not fully understand how good Ms. Perry is at setting her stage for tension and suspense, and how very talented she is at filling her books with a wealth of period detai. I wouldn't recommend this book as a First-Read to this wonderful series, but for Anne Perry fanatics like myself, it is a must-read. Ms. Perry continually proves herself worthy to me, and she sits alone at the top of my favourite author list.
January 30, 2014
Like a good number of reviewers on Amazon, I have been finding Perry's work increasingly and more exasperatingly verbose, repetitive and slow-moving. However, I have always liked her main series characters, particularly the women, Charlotte Pitt and Hester now-Monk, so I decided to try the latest in both series. But whatever her women’s virtues, after over 50 novels in the same setting, Perry is just about down to boilerplate paragraphs. If a character steps out in the street, a carriage with women in it will come past, jingling and jangling. Elsewhere, there will be street criers and/or noises that always include a distant hurdy-gurdy or barrel organ. By this stage I cd. practically write these paragraphs myself.
The main reasons for abandoning Perry, though, are firstly, the utter cluelessness of the detectives, whose flapping round like a chicken with one foot nailed down has reached plague proportions. This novel concerns the equivalent of a televangelist who, like his later models, has been shafting his congregation for their money. The case goes to court, without the prosecution bothering to check the claims of cooked accounts from Hester and Co, which depend wholly on her previously dishonest accountant. And while the case runs its wearisome gamut through misdirected attempts to prove the bona fides of the witnesses, rather than focus on the question, What did the preacher do with the money? nobody until about the second last chapter even bothers to ask, What’s the preacher’s stipend? What do his living conditions suggest about his actual income? Let alone actually check the claims of the accountant that are the centre of the case.
Sure, the physical investigation of the house has to be withheld so Monk can find a last-minute clue to who actually committed the central murder, but a plotline that enforces complete stupidity on the characters is not enough to compensate.
Nor, though the novel sets up an interesting dilemma for Sir Oliver Rathbone, and I like the foreshadowing of vehement changes in his circumstances, did I find the final cutting of the Gordian Knot particularly convincing. It doesn't really solve any of the questions the novel raises about the dilemma, but seems rather a strategy of desperation in dealing with a knot neither writer nor characters can undo.
The main reasons for abandoning Perry, though, are firstly, the utter cluelessness of the detectives, whose flapping round like a chicken with one foot nailed down has reached plague proportions. This novel concerns the equivalent of a televangelist who, like his later models, has been shafting his congregation for their money. The case goes to court, without the prosecution bothering to check the claims of cooked accounts from Hester and Co, which depend wholly on her previously dishonest accountant. And while the case runs its wearisome gamut through misdirected attempts to prove the bona fides of the witnesses, rather than focus on the question, What did the preacher do with the money? nobody until about the second last chapter even bothers to ask, What’s the preacher’s stipend? What do his living conditions suggest about his actual income? Let alone actually check the claims of the accountant that are the centre of the case.
Sure, the physical investigation of the house has to be withheld so Monk can find a last-minute clue to who actually committed the central murder, but a plotline that enforces complete stupidity on the characters is not enough to compensate.
Nor, though the novel sets up an interesting dilemma for Sir Oliver Rathbone, and I like the foreshadowing of vehement changes in his circumstances, did I find the final cutting of the Gordian Knot particularly convincing. It doesn't really solve any of the questions the novel raises about the dilemma, but seems rather a strategy of desperation in dealing with a knot neither writer nor characters can undo.
September 6, 2013
First Sentence: Hester let the hansom cab pass, then crossed Portpool Lane and went in through the door to the clinic for sick and injured prostitutes.
From the very beginning, we are introduced to the main characters, as well as being provided their backstories. While this may not be strictly necessary for continuing readers, it is a boon for readers new to the series and an author who doesn’t take forget new readers is one to be commended. Perry has wonderful ability for conveying insights into the lives of her characters and their thoughts. They become very real people to the reader; people about whom you care. In this book, that is particularly important.
Ms. Perry excels at raising social, moral and ethical issues and looking at them from various sides. She poses questions and, while she may provide her answers, she causes the reader to consider and weigh their own answers. She even address crime by those who feel they are entitled…”…they all think they will be the one to get away with it.” Although this introspection does slow the first part of the book, she more than makes up for that later.
Perry creates a very strong sense of time and societal conventions, yet often in subtle ways. A character is admiring a particular painting…”it is quite lovely,” he said instead, looking at the little painting. “I think he could well become professional, don’t you?” Henry smiled. “Actually it’s a ‘she,’ so I doubt it…”
There is nothing fluffy about a Perry book. She asks serious questions, addresses serious issues, and makes you look at things in a way you may not have previously. Although set in Victorian England, all the issues she raises are just as relevant today. At the same time, the story has an excellent twist, plenty of suspense, drama and tension.
“Blind Justice” may be a bit of a morality play, but it’s also a cracking good and suspenseful mystery with possibly devastating consequences for one of the principal characters. Although a bit slow and repetitive in the beginning, one should always trust that Ms. Perry will make it well worth your while to stay with it and read to the end. You won’t regret it.
BLIND JUSTICE (Hist Mys-Monk/Hester/Oliver Rathbone-London-Vict) – VG+
Perry, Anne – 19th in series
Ballentine Books, 2013
From the very beginning, we are introduced to the main characters, as well as being provided their backstories. While this may not be strictly necessary for continuing readers, it is a boon for readers new to the series and an author who doesn’t take forget new readers is one to be commended. Perry has wonderful ability for conveying insights into the lives of her characters and their thoughts. They become very real people to the reader; people about whom you care. In this book, that is particularly important.
Ms. Perry excels at raising social, moral and ethical issues and looking at them from various sides. She poses questions and, while she may provide her answers, she causes the reader to consider and weigh their own answers. She even address crime by those who feel they are entitled…”…they all think they will be the one to get away with it.” Although this introspection does slow the first part of the book, she more than makes up for that later.
Perry creates a very strong sense of time and societal conventions, yet often in subtle ways. A character is admiring a particular painting…”it is quite lovely,” he said instead, looking at the little painting. “I think he could well become professional, don’t you?” Henry smiled. “Actually it’s a ‘she,’ so I doubt it…”
There is nothing fluffy about a Perry book. She asks serious questions, addresses serious issues, and makes you look at things in a way you may not have previously. Although set in Victorian England, all the issues she raises are just as relevant today. At the same time, the story has an excellent twist, plenty of suspense, drama and tension.
“Blind Justice” may be a bit of a morality play, but it’s also a cracking good and suspenseful mystery with possibly devastating consequences for one of the principal characters. Although a bit slow and repetitive in the beginning, one should always trust that Ms. Perry will make it well worth your while to stay with it and read to the end. You won’t regret it.
BLIND JUSTICE (Hist Mys-Monk/Hester/Oliver Rathbone-London-Vict) – VG+
Perry, Anne – 19th in series
Ballentine Books, 2013
October 12, 2013
While I didn't like this book as well as some Anne Perry books I've read, she is so superior to almost every other writer I've been reading that she deserves four stars even when she isn't at the top of her game.
That said, I thought the way the question of what, truly, is justice? was developed in this novel was terrific. The secondary theme of what constitutes true friendship or love was wonderful too. The beginning was hard to read, up to Chapter 6. I didn't want to watch the "train wreck" and kept putting the novel down to reflect on the nature of fiction and how to keep myself distant from characters I love doing the completely wrong thing. Then things settled into a classic Anne Perry pattern, and I couldn't put it down. Her philosophy is so great, I kept rereading the wonderful things said on page 161.
My criticisms are all spoilers, so don't read further unless you've finished the book or don't care!
All in all, a great novel with wonderful character development and philosophy, set impeccably in Victorian England.
That said, I thought the way the question of what, truly, is justice? was developed in this novel was terrific. The secondary theme of what constitutes true friendship or love was wonderful too. The beginning was hard to read, up to Chapter 6. I didn't want to watch the "train wreck" and kept putting the novel down to reflect on the nature of fiction and how to keep myself distant from characters I love doing the completely wrong thing. Then things settled into a classic Anne Perry pattern, and I couldn't put it down. Her philosophy is so great, I kept rereading the wonderful things said on page 161.
My criticisms are all spoilers, so don't read further unless you've finished the book or don't care!
All in all, a great novel with wonderful character development and philosophy, set impeccably in Victorian England.
April 15, 2017
I've always looked forward to new books in Anne Perry's William Monk series, but I'm afraid the series has outlived its vitality. There's a good deal of repetition, and many of the characters seem to be slogging along familiar paths. Several of the previous books have provided intriguing or informative details about Victorian England, but there's little new to be learned from this one.
I also found the transformation of one character, Margaret Rutherford, something less than credible -- and an injustice to Margaret.
I still like the main characters of this series enough that I enjoyed some of the time I spent with them, this time out -- but I'm not very optimistic about next time.
I also found the transformation of one character, Margaret Rutherford, something less than credible -- and an injustice to Margaret.
I still like the main characters of this series enough that I enjoyed some of the time I spent with them, this time out -- but I'm not very optimistic about next time.
November 15, 2014
I had mixed feelings about this book -- it is verbose and tedious in one sense as Perry looks at the justice system and the events leading up to the moral decision that one of her characters had to make which compromised his career. The endless navel gazing and character development sometimes is unending -- but, that said, Perry is brilliant as she slowly but surely lays out her case for her characters taking the high road even at some cost to themselves.
This means that I can give this four stars for her tenacity and careful construction while thinking two plus stars for not keeping the reader interested enough to continue to follow all the thought processes and musings which laid the foundation for the novel. By the end I found myself skimming paragraphs of thoughts in her main characters' heads because I was wanting her to get to the solution.
It was a curious read.
This means that I can give this four stars for her tenacity and careful construction while thinking two plus stars for not keeping the reader interested enough to continue to follow all the thought processes and musings which laid the foundation for the novel. By the end I found myself skimming paragraphs of thoughts in her main characters' heads because I was wanting her to get to the solution.
It was a curious read.
January 12, 2026
2.5 Stars.
Story pace seemed a bit slow to me and dragged, however the plot might spark interesting dialogue or discussion, especially amongst those who have strong emotion or opinion toward content. (Religious issues, fraudulent use of funds within a church, sexual abuse of children).
Story pace seemed a bit slow to me and dragged, however the plot might spark interesting dialogue or discussion, especially amongst those who have strong emotion or opinion toward content. (Religious issues, fraudulent use of funds within a church, sexual abuse of children).
July 15, 2015
The first hundred pages of this are absolutely tedious - even more repetitious than usual for Perry. You could skip every other page without losing any of the details.
It begins with Sir Oliver Rathbone, newly appointed to the bench, presiding over a fraud trial. When it looks like the bad guys are going to prevail, Rathbone must decide whether or not to wield that secret weapon he acquired in the last book. He makes the really stupid choice, but only after a lot of tiresome agonizing during which the reader knows perfectly well what he’s going to do. When he gets into trouble, Monk and Hester and their adopted son Scuff launch into action to defend him.
This is mostly written from Rathbone’s point of view; there is very little of Hester, and even less of Monk. Rathbone is understandably depressed for most of the book, but it’s annoying that his regrets and his fears for the future are intermingled with a new obsession - a married woman with a vaguely sad and sympathetic countenance.
I still like the characters, and I enjoy Perry’s depiction of Victorian London, so I’ll probably go on reading these even though they seem to be running out steam.
It begins with Sir Oliver Rathbone, newly appointed to the bench, presiding over a fraud trial. When it looks like the bad guys are going to prevail, Rathbone must decide whether or not to wield that secret weapon he acquired in the last book. He makes the really stupid choice, but only after a lot of tiresome agonizing during which the reader knows perfectly well what he’s going to do. When he gets into trouble, Monk and Hester and their adopted son Scuff launch into action to defend him.
This is mostly written from Rathbone’s point of view; there is very little of Hester, and even less of Monk. Rathbone is understandably depressed for most of the book, but it’s annoying that his regrets and his fears for the future are intermingled with a new obsession - a married woman with a vaguely sad and sympathetic countenance.
I still like the characters, and I enjoy Perry’s depiction of Victorian London, so I’ll probably go on reading these even though they seem to be running out steam.
April 26, 2025
This is called a "William Monk" novel, but it could also be called an "Oliver Rathbone" novel, as much of the focus is on that brilliant lawyer. Here he is a judge, struggling with an evil legacy that can be used for good, but should it?
Note here: Perry has one unfortunate habit, which is using the same device repeatedly. In both the Pitt books and these books a character falls in love with a married woman, who ends up conveniently widowed so that this character can marry them. It happens twice in the Pitt books. In these we've had Melisande, who at least was a widow BEFORE Runcorne met her, but here we are again with another potential widow in Beate York.
Note here: Perry has one unfortunate habit, which is using the same device repeatedly. In both the Pitt books and these books a character falls in love with a married woman, who ends up conveniently widowed so that this character can marry them. It happens twice in the Pitt books. In these we've had Melisande, who at least was a widow BEFORE Runcorne met her, but here we are again with another potential widow in Beate York.
September 25, 2013
I don't mind when characters reveal what they're thinking, but there's too much of that in this novel. The plot also seemed a bit stale as it spent a lot of time rehashing an earlier book. I usually like the books in this series but this was disappointing.
August 27, 2013
Absolutely riveting!
Having been given an ARC of Blind Justice, I decided to read as many of the William Monk Series as I could before this one. To say that I became entangled and embroiled in them to the point of distraction is no understatement. William Monk and Hester's journey along with their friends from Sir Oliver to Scruff and others is precious, a journey in growth of the characters involved and in insightful moments of reflection on life, integrity, justice, freedom and love. The series is well worth the reading time. Whether you start at #1 or #19, without a doubt you will want to devour the series.
In Blind Justice Hester takes up the cause of her employees at her clinic for sick and injured prostitutes. Her employee's father has been defrauded by the church he belongs to and is now in serious debt. This seemingly worthwhile cause has repercussions that stretch back to Jericho Phillips and for Oliver Rathbone, the presiding judge and now keeper of criminal evidence and child pornography left by his father-in-law. Evidence that stretches into the very upper echelons of society. This double-edged sword of horror and justice is used and rebounds in a way that has far reaching consequences. Just prior to this I realized that although the fraud case may have ended, the complexity of the situation had so much more to reveal. After all at this stage I was not even half way through the book.
A startling and complicated novel, well told. A seemingly simple look at the legal system of the time, that explores integrity, justice, the concepts of right and wrong including those areas of grey we all have trouble grasping. A gripping, highly original novel with Perry as always continuing via her characters in questioning, probing and exposing what it is to be human and how can justice be found.
A NetGalley ARC
Having been given an ARC of Blind Justice, I decided to read as many of the William Monk Series as I could before this one. To say that I became entangled and embroiled in them to the point of distraction is no understatement. William Monk and Hester's journey along with their friends from Sir Oliver to Scruff and others is precious, a journey in growth of the characters involved and in insightful moments of reflection on life, integrity, justice, freedom and love. The series is well worth the reading time. Whether you start at #1 or #19, without a doubt you will want to devour the series.
In Blind Justice Hester takes up the cause of her employees at her clinic for sick and injured prostitutes. Her employee's father has been defrauded by the church he belongs to and is now in serious debt. This seemingly worthwhile cause has repercussions that stretch back to Jericho Phillips and for Oliver Rathbone, the presiding judge and now keeper of criminal evidence and child pornography left by his father-in-law. Evidence that stretches into the very upper echelons of society. This double-edged sword of horror and justice is used and rebounds in a way that has far reaching consequences. Just prior to this I realized that although the fraud case may have ended, the complexity of the situation had so much more to reveal. After all at this stage I was not even half way through the book.
A startling and complicated novel, well told. A seemingly simple look at the legal system of the time, that explores integrity, justice, the concepts of right and wrong including those areas of grey we all have trouble grasping. A gripping, highly original novel with Perry as always continuing via her characters in questioning, probing and exposing what it is to be human and how can justice be found.
A NetGalley ARC
August 30, 2013
I'm sorry to say that I think the Monk/Hester series has run its course. I was eagerly awaiting this next installment, but it seemed to cover old ground and didn't really develop the characters further (except perhaps Rathbone). I always prefer it when Perry stays out of the courtroom and focuses on the small details of life in Victorian England. Hopefully, the next Pitt/Charlotte book will do that.
May 28, 2017
This book is great but it's also heartbreaking. Rathbone does help bring justice to a case, but in turn breaks the law and is procecuted for it, and risks hanging (due to unforseen consequences.)
The characters have to deal with the fact that even though Rathbone was morally right, he was legally wrong, and then wonder what the punishment should be for it.
Recommened 15+ for child pornography, blackmail, and murder.
The characters have to deal with the fact that even though Rathbone was morally right, he was legally wrong, and then wonder what the punishment should be for it.
Recommened 15+ for child pornography, blackmail, and murder.
August 27, 2023
Normally Anne Perry is one of my favorite authors. This one was my least favorite of all her books. It is mostly courtroom drama which was tedious at best. It is not at all a William Monk novel, but an Oliver Rathbone novel. I skimmed a lot of this book. It only got exciting when Monk, Hester and Scuff finally get involved in the last 3 chapters.
February 10, 2021
Anne Perry creates stark scenarios of the day-to-day life of Victorian England, and place into the middle of it William and Hester Monk, who daily deal with both the upper and lower classes of society.
William is a commander with the Thames River Police; Hester, a nurse who served in the Crimea, now serves in a clinic she has established for prostitutes.
And it is in her work that Hester comes across a young woman whose father is in dire financial straits after having 'donated' far too much to his church. Hester, whose own father found himself in such debt that he could not repay and paid the ultimate price in consequence, investigates and finds a situation that becomes a case of fraud. And the judge of the trial is one of the Monks' old friends, Sir Oliver Rathbone.
While the trial is going on, Rathbone faces a moral dilemma — how he faces it will put his life and his career on the line.
Both situations combine for a compelling, edge-of-the-seat read, far different from thrillers and other mysteries. There is not a lot of action, rarely a high speed chase in these books but still there is a tension as we see the inequity between the rich and the poor, and the manipulation of justice by corrupt individuals.
Perry has a wonderful way of describing this time period and the people who live during it. And she has created realistic, sometimes flawed characters we can all get behind and believe in. Every time I pick up one of her books I find again just how compelling her stories are and how I am affected by the characters and the situations while I read the book. This is a story that truly transports the reader.
One note — if you have not read this series, don't read this before reading Acceptable Loss. Better yet, begin at the beginning. Its well worth the reading.
William is a commander with the Thames River Police; Hester, a nurse who served in the Crimea, now serves in a clinic she has established for prostitutes.
And it is in her work that Hester comes across a young woman whose father is in dire financial straits after having 'donated' far too much to his church. Hester, whose own father found himself in such debt that he could not repay and paid the ultimate price in consequence, investigates and finds a situation that becomes a case of fraud. And the judge of the trial is one of the Monks' old friends, Sir Oliver Rathbone.
While the trial is going on, Rathbone faces a moral dilemma — how he faces it will put his life and his career on the line.
Both situations combine for a compelling, edge-of-the-seat read, far different from thrillers and other mysteries. There is not a lot of action, rarely a high speed chase in these books but still there is a tension as we see the inequity between the rich and the poor, and the manipulation of justice by corrupt individuals.
Perry has a wonderful way of describing this time period and the people who live during it. And she has created realistic, sometimes flawed characters we can all get behind and believe in. Every time I pick up one of her books I find again just how compelling her stories are and how I am affected by the characters and the situations while I read the book. This is a story that truly transports the reader.
One note — if you have not read this series, don't read this before reading Acceptable Loss. Better yet, begin at the beginning. Its well worth the reading.
May 23, 2023
Rathbone is a judge, and dealing with a case of fraud-- theft by a church. He's coming to grips with the collapse of his marriage at the same time. Then he uses one of the child pornography photos his father-in-law willed to him to make the case come out right, and next thing you know, he's being charged with it. Miscarriage of Justice, although the official crime is something else. And he has to sit in prison, or in the accused's box in the courtroom and allow others to take care of everything. The stuff that he normally does. Hester and Monk and their adopted son Scuff all investigate to help him, especially since Hester's attempts to help a coworker started the fraud case to begin with. It's a good story. I liked it.
March 9, 2023
It took a good number of pages to get into this book but once I did I enjoyed it. The judge that is the main character inherits something that will change his life a great deal. He ends up overseeing a trial in which the inherited item provides the judge with information about the witness which no one else is privy to. The judge must decide if he should make this secret known and if revealing it will also cause him to be accused of unethical conduct, hurting his future as well. The story artfully portrays the fine line that can be a part of prosecuting crimes. when victims are brought to justice.
June 18, 2017
7/10
This William Monk mystery focuses on Monk's friend, Sir Oliver Rathbone. Hester starts the ball rolling on a possible case of fraud, which end up being tried before Rathbone, recently elevated to Judge. The pornographic photos in Rathbone's possession play a role, as does his estranged wife Margaret. Monk, Hester, and even Scuff work together to untangle the mysteries.
Nagging questions:
This William Monk mystery focuses on Monk's friend, Sir Oliver Rathbone. Hester starts the ball rolling on a possible case of fraud, which end up being tried before Rathbone, recently elevated to Judge. The pornographic photos in Rathbone's possession play a role, as does his estranged wife Margaret. Monk, Hester, and even Scuff work together to untangle the mysteries.
Nagging questions:
June 18, 2018
A different kind of story for this excellent series. William and Hester Monk take a supporting role in this novel; backseat to Oliver Rathbone. An early twist in the book puts Rathbone, now a sitting judge at The Old Bailey, into a precarious and frightening position. One small error of judgement and his whole world comes crashing down. Less mystery and more introspective, this plot focuses on the drama of the courtroom and the inner thoughts of a man who sees his reputation and everything he’s known and stood for, slipping away.
November 1, 2021
même si j'ai eu l'intuition de certaines parties du dénouement avant leur révélation dans le livre, j'ai vraiment apprécié ce tome.
February 5, 2018
Hester, Monk and Rathbone become involved in a fraud investigation that leads to Rathbone, recently appointed a judge, being charged with perverting justice. Hester, Monk and Scuff work to vindicate Rathbone. Perry's usual attention to historical detail enriches this entry in one of her Victorian period mystery series.
August 22, 2013
In this latest novel by Anne Perry, when Hester Monk hears about a church which is pushing its parishioners to donate more than they can afford, indeed, so much that it has financially ruined some, she decides she must investigate. What she learns makes her suspect that the preacher, Adam Taft, is bilking his mostly poor parishioners out of their money, not for other poorer folk as they are being told but so that he and his family can live a lavish lifestyle. When a bookkeeper confirms her suspicions, she reports it to the law.
The Monks' friend Sir Oliver Rathbone, is selected to reside over the trial as judge. As the trial moves forward, it becomes clear that the defence is winning, thanks mainly to the testimony of one witness. Rathbone believes that Taft is guilty but there is nothing he, as judge, can do until he realizes he may hold damning evidence against the witness. His interference in the trial has consequences more dire than he had considered not only to the witness but to Taft and Rathbone himself. Soon, he is the one on trial and it is up to the Monks to discover evidence which can save him.
Most of the story revolves around the trials, first of Tate and then Rathbone's. We get very little of Hester's investigation of the church except the outcome. Monk's investigation of the aftermath of Rathbone's revelation is more detailed. There are several references to a past story and reading it may have helped with some of the background but it wasn't necessary to follow this one. Perry did a very good job of weaving this into the narrative without making the mistake of lesser authors of telling it through the conversation of characters who shouldn't need the recap.
However, like in most of Perry's novels, the main character is really Victorian England itself, always lovingly betrayed in all its fog enshrouded glory from the abject poverty surrounding the docks to the palatial estates of the wealthy in Knightsbridge. Whether it's an accurate portrait is less important than that Perry makes it a seductive one.
Despite being set in the sprawl of mid-19th c. London, Blind Justice has the feel of a cosy mystery in the tradition of Agatha Christie. There is little violence and what there is tends to be in the background; bodies are found, never killed in plain view of the reader; the investigators are mostly nice amateurs, in this case, Hester, with a rare understanding of human nature; good almost always triumphs over evil and bad people almost always get their comeuppance. I added the almosts because, unlike the usual cosy or most mysteries for that matter, Perry also recognizes that the power to judge can easily become the power to corrupt and that, as the old cliche warns, two wrongs don't make a right. Sometimes, it is important to step away from the abyss even if it allows bad people to get away if we are to remain human. It is this rare ability to add nuances in a genre filled with stories of a manichean simplicity which sets Anne Perry apart and makes her novels so compelling.
The Monks' friend Sir Oliver Rathbone, is selected to reside over the trial as judge. As the trial moves forward, it becomes clear that the defence is winning, thanks mainly to the testimony of one witness. Rathbone believes that Taft is guilty but there is nothing he, as judge, can do until he realizes he may hold damning evidence against the witness. His interference in the trial has consequences more dire than he had considered not only to the witness but to Taft and Rathbone himself. Soon, he is the one on trial and it is up to the Monks to discover evidence which can save him.
Most of the story revolves around the trials, first of Tate and then Rathbone's. We get very little of Hester's investigation of the church except the outcome. Monk's investigation of the aftermath of Rathbone's revelation is more detailed. There are several references to a past story and reading it may have helped with some of the background but it wasn't necessary to follow this one. Perry did a very good job of weaving this into the narrative without making the mistake of lesser authors of telling it through the conversation of characters who shouldn't need the recap.
However, like in most of Perry's novels, the main character is really Victorian England itself, always lovingly betrayed in all its fog enshrouded glory from the abject poverty surrounding the docks to the palatial estates of the wealthy in Knightsbridge. Whether it's an accurate portrait is less important than that Perry makes it a seductive one.
Despite being set in the sprawl of mid-19th c. London, Blind Justice has the feel of a cosy mystery in the tradition of Agatha Christie. There is little violence and what there is tends to be in the background; bodies are found, never killed in plain view of the reader; the investigators are mostly nice amateurs, in this case, Hester, with a rare understanding of human nature; good almost always triumphs over evil and bad people almost always get their comeuppance. I added the almosts because, unlike the usual cosy or most mysteries for that matter, Perry also recognizes that the power to judge can easily become the power to corrupt and that, as the old cliche warns, two wrongs don't make a right. Sometimes, it is important to step away from the abyss even if it allows bad people to get away if we are to remain human. It is this rare ability to add nuances in a genre filled with stories of a manichean simplicity which sets Anne Perry apart and makes her novels so compelling.
July 9, 2014
Once in a while, change is a good thing particularly when one least expects for change to bring something good. What I'm referring to is the direction, pace and tone this particular installment in the William Monk series took. Instead of the focus being on Monk and Hester with the help of their friends particularly Oliver Rathbone working to solve a murder and bring the villain to justice, Oliver himself is the one in the hot seat accused of one crime whether a few other connected crimes piled on for good measure.
This story was very introspective and addressed a few story lines that have been simmering in the background. I have wanted these to be addressed for the last few books so I was not disappointed to see that happen here. I refer to the deteriorating relationship between Oliver and Margaret because he chose justice over blind inappropriate displays of loyalty which Margaret wouldn't forgive because the criminal was her father. I just wanted resolution for Oliver's sake once I realized the bitter, ugliness that Margaret has become. The second thing was the box of pornographic pictures exposing all those important members of British society. They are like a ticking time bomb so I was glad to see that come to a head though I wouldn't necessarily they are entirely done with.
It was also introspective in that it forces Monk, Hester and even Scruff to look at the subject of love, mistakes, friendship and their own familial relationship. They all leap into action to help save Oliver, but it forces them to consider how they would handle things if one of the other of them made a huge mistake.
These introspective story lines most definitely affected the pacing and turned the plot into a character and relationship analysis, but they were only part of the story.
I am pleased to report that it wasn't devoid of a tangled mystery that involves murder that adds a lot of tension to the case against Oliver. I wasn't fooled by this one as to the murderer or the motive, but the method definitely left me with a surprise.
There was one other tantalizing mystery in the form of the ambivalent character York that was never quite teased out to what his game was in all this. I really hope it comes out in a further story.
So all in all, it was a step away from the usual, but not a bad piece and the ground definitely needed to be covered to things could move on for the recurring characters. The deep delving into Oliver Rathbone was a definite plus as was the wrap-up to the connection with a past story. Though they were not the focal point, I enjoyed the further time spent with Monk, Hester and Scruff while they worked to solve the murder mystery.
This story was very introspective and addressed a few story lines that have been simmering in the background. I have wanted these to be addressed for the last few books so I was not disappointed to see that happen here. I refer to the deteriorating relationship between Oliver and Margaret because he chose justice over blind inappropriate displays of loyalty which Margaret wouldn't forgive because the criminal was her father. I just wanted resolution for Oliver's sake once I realized the bitter, ugliness that Margaret has become. The second thing was the box of pornographic pictures exposing all those important members of British society. They are like a ticking time bomb so I was glad to see that come to a head though I wouldn't necessarily they are entirely done with.
It was also introspective in that it forces Monk, Hester and even Scruff to look at the subject of love, mistakes, friendship and their own familial relationship. They all leap into action to help save Oliver, but it forces them to consider how they would handle things if one of the other of them made a huge mistake.
These introspective story lines most definitely affected the pacing and turned the plot into a character and relationship analysis, but they were only part of the story.
I am pleased to report that it wasn't devoid of a tangled mystery that involves murder that adds a lot of tension to the case against Oliver. I wasn't fooled by this one as to the murderer or the motive, but the method definitely left me with a surprise.
There was one other tantalizing mystery in the form of the ambivalent character York that was never quite teased out to what his game was in all this. I really hope it comes out in a further story.
So all in all, it was a step away from the usual, but not a bad piece and the ground definitely needed to be covered to things could move on for the recurring characters. The deep delving into Oliver Rathbone was a definite plus as was the wrap-up to the connection with a past story. Though they were not the focal point, I enjoyed the further time spent with Monk, Hester and Scruff while they worked to solve the murder mystery.
August 29, 2013
This is a solid entry in the Monk series but just okay in comparison to many of the others. Oliver Rathbone is one of my favorite characters in the series, and Blind Justice picks up after his early cases as a judge. After successfully maneuvering a fraud trial, he finds old ghosts continue to haunt in the form of the photographics he inhertied from his late father-in-law Arthur Ballinger. Whether to destroy the photos or use them in some form in the cause of justice plagues his mind as much as the memories of his dying marriage to Margaret Ballinger. For one thing, I'm weary of the story arc that's played out over the past three to four books and am ready for the characters to move on to new and different cases. What I do like about this book is that we have the opportunity to see inside Rathbone's thoughts more than previous books. I love how Perry perfectly captures the mental wanderings we all have when we're trying to figure out a problem or are distracted and also how Rathbone comes to a greater realization of what it's like to be on the opposite side of a courtroom (and the justice system). We can never go back to the days of Defend and Betray or A Dangerous Mourning, but the agonizing repetition of lines like "What are we going to do about it?" and Hester Monk's blind mercy (which sometimes isn't realistic) makes me nostalgic for the rougher, younger days of Monk wading through running gutters or dashing up stairs to interrogate suspects and witnesses. I kind of miss the stories in which a missing brooch had some significance. I'd like to see the characters get out of London again - maybe Monk could visit his sister in Northumberland and stumble upon a crime there. Could we have reappearances of some favorite barristers or private nursing patients from the past? Whatever happened to Charles and Imogen Latterly? Anything, please! WIth all that said, I still stayed up until 2am to finish the book. Like other reviewers I guessed the guilty party early on. It wasn't a surprise. For Sir Oliver, I wish only the best and look forward to what Perry has in store for him next!
December 4, 2013
Anne Perry continues her exploration of Victorian London with Blind Justice. Hester Monk questions the finances of a London church whose members have given money to the Reverend Abel Taft until at least one of hem has become bankrupt. Hester's husband, William Monk, is commander of the Thames River Police and the two of them have worked together on many crimes committed in London. When one of the members complains to Hester that the Reverend has used tactics to ask for money repeatedly from his congregation, she goes to the bookkeeper of her own charity to secure the financial records from the church to see if there are any irregularities. He discovers a great deal of money has not been sent to the overseas charity as the preacher claimed had been.
Taft is arrested foe extortion and undergoes a trial presided over by recently appointed Judge Oliver Rathbone. When it looks as if Taft might be found not guilty, the Judge recklessly gives the prosecution a picture he had received from his wife's father. The shocking photo showed the star defense witness in a compromising situation with a five-year-old boy. Taft is found guilty and apparently goes home and kills his wife, children and himself.
Now, suspicion falls on Rathbone and charges of interfering with justice are brought. Hester and Walter begin a search to discover what is behind the deaths and prove their friend innocent.
The novel presents a rich panorama of London life, from the Thames docks to the wealthy East end as the two race to find the real killer and prove the innocence of their friend.
Taft is arrested foe extortion and undergoes a trial presided over by recently appointed Judge Oliver Rathbone. When it looks as if Taft might be found not guilty, the Judge recklessly gives the prosecution a picture he had received from his wife's father. The shocking photo showed the star defense witness in a compromising situation with a five-year-old boy. Taft is found guilty and apparently goes home and kills his wife, children and himself.
Now, suspicion falls on Rathbone and charges of interfering with justice are brought. Hester and Walter begin a search to discover what is behind the deaths and prove their friend innocent.
The novel presents a rich panorama of London life, from the Thames docks to the wealthy East end as the two race to find the real killer and prove the innocence of their friend.
October 2, 2013
This book is more about Oliver Rathbone than Hester and Monk. Rathbone is now a Judge; he is hearing the case of fraud and embezzlement against a church minister. Hester was the first to uncover the problem and turned it over to the local police. She deliberately stayed away from Rathbone so not to compromise him in case he ended up as the Judge of the case. From prior books we know that Rathbone had inherited pictures of prominent men having sex with young boys from his Father-in-law who he had failed to successfully defend. Rathbone turns over to the prosecutor the picture of one of the witness that was destroying the prosecution case with his testimony. Rathbone is then arrested for perverting the course of justice. The minister and family are found dead thought to be a murder suicide. Monk and Hester along with Scuff try to gather evidence to help Rathbone. This leads to some suspense, no action, some humor and tense courtroom drama. I enjoy Perry's Monk series as she paints a picture of what it was like in London in the 1850 & 60's. She appears to do a great deal of research to create as real a picture as she is able. I read this in audio-book format. Davina Porter is superb narrating the story. I hope they continue to use her for all the Monk series. If you are a fan of Perry's or are interested in the 1800 England you will enjoy this story.
November 3, 2013
One of the nice things about Goodreads is the ability to check all kinds of statistics regarding one's reading life. I believe the last time I searched my "authors read" that Anne Perry came up as my top author. I have read all of the Thomas Pitt series and all of the Monk series. I have read the World War I series. I've not read all of the Christmas books nor her stand-alones.
She's starting to get on my nerves -- at least in this book. I finally realized that I'm not too fond of her alternating first-person narration in "Blind Justice." Perhaps -- just once -- it would be nice to have a smooth third person narration without all the angst.
The plot of this book is, however, fantastic. I recommend that you read the prior 18 novels before this one, although her summary of the relevant prior stories is very good if you want to just jump in. The story can be summed up with the question: "What's the right thing to do?" and Oliver Rathbone, facing that question, make a decision with multiple repercussions. Would you or I make the same decision? It's hard to know, but Oliver's decision gives him some insight into his father-in-law and how that man came to make the decisions he did.
This book would make a great ethical case study. The mystery here is kind of sparse, but the topic is interesting.
She's starting to get on my nerves -- at least in this book. I finally realized that I'm not too fond of her alternating first-person narration in "Blind Justice." Perhaps -- just once -- it would be nice to have a smooth third person narration without all the angst.
The plot of this book is, however, fantastic. I recommend that you read the prior 18 novels before this one, although her summary of the relevant prior stories is very good if you want to just jump in. The story can be summed up with the question: "What's the right thing to do?" and Oliver Rathbone, facing that question, make a decision with multiple repercussions. Would you or I make the same decision? It's hard to know, but Oliver's decision gives him some insight into his father-in-law and how that man came to make the decisions he did.
This book would make a great ethical case study. The mystery here is kind of sparse, but the topic is interesting.
August 9, 2022
The setup is an intriguing one. Sir Oliver Rathbone is in possession of pornographic pictures, nastily bequeathed him by father-in-law who used them for blackmail of high government officials. Rathbone had defended his father-in-law against the blackmail scheme, even though he was appalled by it. The father-in-law was found guilty and murdered in prison. This is all a prelude to the novel, where a minister, Abel Taft, is on trial for pressuring his congregation for money, including some to their ruin, and spending the money on himself. His right-hand man Robertson Drew testifies to the weak will of the congregants until Rathbone provides the prosecutor with one of the pictures. The court case collapses, but charges are preferred against Rathbone for preventing justice, in the sense that he did not recuse himself and only provided the picture to the defense. A brilliant lawyer, Brancaster, and the work of Monk and Hester keep Rathbone from a prison sentence and discover how the minister and his family were killed and how the money was hidden. This all sounds like a great mystery, but it is hampered by endless rhetoric questions from Rathbone, Monk, and Hester as they think about what is justice, what is love, etc. The novel would have been a third shorter without all of them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 18, 2013
I've read (and loved) all the William Monk novels and had high expectations, so I was a little disappointed when it started with a lot of Oliver Rathbone and almost NO Monk. At the beginning there seemed to be a promise of some sort of love affair for Sir Oliver, an interesting concept since all Monk fans know Oliver's heart belongs to Hester. But after pages showing Sir Oliver's fascination, even obsession, with the wife of another Judge, it all peters out to nothing. So I kept reading thinking he would be consoled by Hester, perhaps causing tension with Monk. Nope. The story is Sir Oliver Rathbone from start to finish. As a judge he makes a move that is both unethical and unlawful, he gets arrested, thrown in jail, and put on trial. He never so much as speaks to Hester and only briefly to Monk. My favorite Anne Perry couple have very few lines in this novel.
Most of the book takes place in the court room and it is fascinating to see and hear how courts worked in Victorian England. As always, Anne Perry's research is impeccable. And even a so-so Anne Perry novel is vastly superior to most of the novels out there, so I give it four stars.
Most of the book takes place in the court room and it is fascinating to see and hear how courts worked in Victorian England. As always, Anne Perry's research is impeccable. And even a so-so Anne Perry novel is vastly superior to most of the novels out there, so I give it four stars.
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