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Charlotte & Thomas Pitt #18
Brunswick Gardens
Like the great Victorian novelists whose mantle she wears with such distinction, Anne Perry creates a rich and intimate world and fills it with remarkably vivid characters who experience the majesty--and shame--of the British Empire at its brilliant zenith. Now, in Brunswick Gardens, she explores the controversial birth of a philosophy that enflamed fiery debate--and possibly murder.
A century ago, Charles Darwin's revolutionary theory of evolution rocked the civilized world, and the outraged Anglican church went on the warpath against it. In a mansion in London's affluent Brunswick Gardens, the battle is intense, as that most respected clergyman, the Reverend Ramsay Parmenter, is boldly challenged by his beautiful assistant, Unity Bellwood--a "new woman" whose feminism and aggressive Darwinism he finds appalling.
When Unity, three months pregnant, tumbles down the Parmenter staircase to her death, Thomas Pitt, commander of the Bow Street police station, is virtually certain that one of the three deeply devout men in the house committed murder. Could it have been the Reverend Parmenter, his handsome curate, or his Roman Catholic son? Powerful forces demand that the scandalous matter be cleared up immediately. But Pitt and his clever wife, Charlotte, refuse to settle for less than the truth . . . and justice.
Like all Anne Perry's novels, Brunswick Gardens translates great moral issues into deeply moving human dramas. Perhaps the most psychologically penetrating book she has written, it is a distinguished addition to her acclaimed body of work.
A century ago, Charles Darwin's revolutionary theory of evolution rocked the civilized world, and the outraged Anglican church went on the warpath against it. In a mansion in London's affluent Brunswick Gardens, the battle is intense, as that most respected clergyman, the Reverend Ramsay Parmenter, is boldly challenged by his beautiful assistant, Unity Bellwood--a "new woman" whose feminism and aggressive Darwinism he finds appalling.
When Unity, three months pregnant, tumbles down the Parmenter staircase to her death, Thomas Pitt, commander of the Bow Street police station, is virtually certain that one of the three deeply devout men in the house committed murder. Could it have been the Reverend Parmenter, his handsome curate, or his Roman Catholic son? Powerful forces demand that the scandalous matter be cleared up immediately. But Pitt and his clever wife, Charlotte, refuse to settle for less than the truth . . . and justice.
Like all Anne Perry's novels, Brunswick Gardens translates great moral issues into deeply moving human dramas. Perhaps the most psychologically penetrating book she has written, it is a distinguished addition to her acclaimed body of work.
389 pages, Hardcover
First published January 30, 1998
424 people are currently reading
1299 people want to read
About the author
Anne Perry
361 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
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 165 reviews
November 29, 2010
This was my first Anne Perry and first mystery in a decade. Wow. Beautifully written. This was NOT action-packed by any stretch of the imagination; the mystery didn't seem to be the real agenda here. It was more a character portrait; a study of human behavior with the mystery as the backdrop. Perry shares keen insights on what makes different types of people "tick". I guess since they didn't have DNA testing in Victorian times you had to really know how to read people to figure out whodunnit.
This book centered on the debate between the church of England, the church of Rome and Darwin's theory of evolution. If you're at all interested in those topics you'll find this fascinating. Great dialogue. Perry is a genius when it comes to the subtleties of Victorian society. A funny, sweet, interesting and slightly romantic story.
This book centered on the debate between the church of England, the church of Rome and Darwin's theory of evolution. If you're at all interested in those topics you'll find this fascinating. Great dialogue. Perry is a genius when it comes to the subtleties of Victorian society. A funny, sweet, interesting and slightly romantic story.
August 27, 2018
About 1/2 way through, I thought that I would stop reading this series. But a as always-the fast-paced twisty ending has me ready to start on the next in the series. I do think this could have been about 100 pages shorter!
"In London’s affluent Brunswick Gardens, the battle over Charles Darwin’s revolutionary theory of evolution intensifies as the respected Reverend Parmenter is boldly challenged by his beautiful assistant, Unity Bellwood—a “new woman” whose feminism and aggressive Darwinism he finds appalling. When Unity, three months pregnant, tumbles down the staircase to her death, Superintendent Thomas Pitt is as certain as he can be that one of the three deeply devout men in the house committed murder. Could it have been the Reverend Parmenter? His handsome curate? Or his son, a fervent Roman Catholic? Pitt and his clever wife, Charlotte, refuse to settle for less than the truth—or less than justice."
"In London’s affluent Brunswick Gardens, the battle over Charles Darwin’s revolutionary theory of evolution intensifies as the respected Reverend Parmenter is boldly challenged by his beautiful assistant, Unity Bellwood—a “new woman” whose feminism and aggressive Darwinism he finds appalling. When Unity, three months pregnant, tumbles down the staircase to her death, Superintendent Thomas Pitt is as certain as he can be that one of the three deeply devout men in the house committed murder. Could it have been the Reverend Parmenter? His handsome curate? Or his son, a fervent Roman Catholic? Pitt and his clever wife, Charlotte, refuse to settle for less than the truth—or less than justice."
January 25, 2022
Que bien me lo paso con estas historias
Es la primera vez que leo a la autora y tengo ganas de seguir con ella.
En casa de un erudito religioso ha habido una muerte, la joven traductora esta muerte, ella era feminista que luchaba por el boto de la mujer y por el equilibrio de poder entre hombre y mujeres se reía abiertamente de las creencias religiosas y creía en la evolución de Darwin, en una casa de un clérigo ella no encajaba y alguien debió de ser el culpable, pudiera ser el hijo, las hijas, el ayudante del marido, su esposa y por supuesto el mismo. Pitt tendrá que descubrirlo
Es verdad que sobran unas cuantas paginas, diría que hay mucho rellene y te repiten varias veces lo mismo, pero tanto la investigación como la resolución son entretenidos y se lee estupendamente. Los personajes son fantásticos.
Es la primera vez que leo a la autora y tengo ganas de seguir con ella.
En casa de un erudito religioso ha habido una muerte, la joven traductora esta muerte, ella era feminista que luchaba por el boto de la mujer y por el equilibrio de poder entre hombre y mujeres se reía abiertamente de las creencias religiosas y creía en la evolución de Darwin, en una casa de un clérigo ella no encajaba y alguien debió de ser el culpable, pudiera ser el hijo, las hijas, el ayudante del marido, su esposa y por supuesto el mismo. Pitt tendrá que descubrirlo
Es verdad que sobran unas cuantas paginas, diría que hay mucho rellene y te repiten varias veces lo mismo, pero tanto la investigación como la resolución son entretenidos y se lee estupendamente. Los personajes son fantásticos.
May 31, 2014
The latest Thomas and Charlotte Pitt mystery for me (I’ve reached the point where I only pick them up occasionally) was Brunswick Gardens. I’m a fan of all of the novel series by Anne Perry, but the husband and wife sleuthing team of Thomas and Charlotte has generally been my favorite. Brunswick Gardens isn’t one of my favorites. To be sure, it was worth reading and, in point of fact, I was quite late in the book before I fell upon the bizarre notion of who the perpetrator was (though the means wasn’t clear to me until the actual exposition). Brunswick Gardens is also not a simple mystery in that layers of possible motivations, complex interpersonal interactions, and the texture of more than one scandal provide a fascinating backdrop for the accident, death, killing, murder, whatever which occurs in the novel (maybe all?). My disappointment is that the sleuthing is almost all Thomas. That may be appropriate and realistic but Charlotte was always the more interesting character to me.
The real point of interest in this story is what happened to Charlotte’s brother-in-law (and onetime “crush”) from the original book in the series, Dominick from The Cater Street Hangman. The widower of Charlotte’s murdered sister (Sorry if that’s a spoiler for those of you who have never experienced any of this series!) was always rather self-absorbed and he experienced more than one tragedy in his life before reaching the point where he is during the plot of Brunswick Gardens. After reaching the nadir of life, he was rescued by the clergyman in whose house he now resides. Unfortunately for him, said clergyman seems to be the prime suspect in an apparent murder and this brings suspicion upon Dominick. In investigating the death, a scandal threatens to ensue and the past appears to implicate him. Much of the interest in this novel turns on deciding which of the many possible scandals might be the most acceptable.
The plot is well-drawn; the suspects all have outstanding motivations for initiating whatever occurred (It is, after all, in doubt whether the defining event is truly a murder or not.). There are also some rather insightful statements and turns of phrase in the book. One character rather castigates stuffy and inauthentic prayer language by saying, “’Why do you all treat your God as if He’s an idiot? You use stilted language and go on explaining yourselves over and over, as if He didn’t understand you the first time. You speak to Him the same way you speak to old ladies who are deaf and a bit senile.’” (p. 159) But don’t think that the book is totally against faith. One character admits, “’…in the end it is about trust. If you can trust God, all else will fall in its place.’” (p. 243) At another point, a character honestly asks, “…if he could not face the reality of pain, what was all the singing and praying worth?” (p. 268) I particularly liked one character’s definition of love. “’Isn’t that what love is, wanting someone to fulfill all the best in themselves?” (p. 363) If you enjoy such considerations, Brunswick Gardens uses the religious backdrop of the defining incident to explore the idea of faith.
The real point of interest in this story is what happened to Charlotte’s brother-in-law (and onetime “crush”) from the original book in the series, Dominick from The Cater Street Hangman. The widower of Charlotte’s murdered sister (Sorry if that’s a spoiler for those of you who have never experienced any of this series!) was always rather self-absorbed and he experienced more than one tragedy in his life before reaching the point where he is during the plot of Brunswick Gardens. After reaching the nadir of life, he was rescued by the clergyman in whose house he now resides. Unfortunately for him, said clergyman seems to be the prime suspect in an apparent murder and this brings suspicion upon Dominick. In investigating the death, a scandal threatens to ensue and the past appears to implicate him. Much of the interest in this novel turns on deciding which of the many possible scandals might be the most acceptable.
The plot is well-drawn; the suspects all have outstanding motivations for initiating whatever occurred (It is, after all, in doubt whether the defining event is truly a murder or not.). There are also some rather insightful statements and turns of phrase in the book. One character rather castigates stuffy and inauthentic prayer language by saying, “’Why do you all treat your God as if He’s an idiot? You use stilted language and go on explaining yourselves over and over, as if He didn’t understand you the first time. You speak to Him the same way you speak to old ladies who are deaf and a bit senile.’” (p. 159) But don’t think that the book is totally against faith. One character admits, “’…in the end it is about trust. If you can trust God, all else will fall in its place.’” (p. 243) At another point, a character honestly asks, “…if he could not face the reality of pain, what was all the singing and praying worth?” (p. 268) I particularly liked one character’s definition of love. “’Isn’t that what love is, wanting someone to fulfill all the best in themselves?” (p. 363) If you enjoy such considerations, Brunswick Gardens uses the religious backdrop of the defining incident to explore the idea of faith.
April 11, 2023
This was slower than most for me. I’m determined to finish this series but honestly it’s getting harder.
June 8, 2009
Update to the update: Fortunately, my local library had a copy of this in storage, so I was able to finish it in peace. It was a strong little mystery - I really didn't know whodunnit until about 20 pages from the end. The novel takes place in 1890s Britain and one of the central threads running through it involves the debate over Darwin's ideas vs. the Church of England, as well as the problem with "new women." Entertaining and well-settled in the historical period. It loses a star for being slightly too long in the middle and for the clumsy dialogue of the last few pages.
Vaycay update 6: I was sitting on the plane back from France today - being bored after finishing in two hours a non-page-turning, not-even-any-good-love-scenes Danielle Steel novel that I picked up from the shared bookshelf at one of our hotels in Corsica (having run out of other books) that I will not even bore the scant readers of my reviews by listing here - when I stopped taking furtive glances at the novel on the floor by my feet belonging to the passenger in front of me and just went for it. I read about a quarter of the book during the rest of the flight, and it's turned out to be a fun mystery, set in 1890s Britain. I grudgingly asked the old lady in front of me if she'd dropped it (her boarding pass was inside, so it wasn't much of a mystery) when they turned the seatbelt signs off after landing. No, I'm not a bad person - in fact, I would have been a much worse person if I'd sat around being bored for the last two hours of our flight. Bill would not have enjoyed the torture (of him) that I would have turned to in order to entertain myself. Anyhow, I plan on getting this from the library tomorrow and finishing it.
Vaycay update 6: I was sitting on the plane back from France today - being bored after finishing in two hours a non-page-turning, not-even-any-good-love-scenes Danielle Steel novel that I picked up from the shared bookshelf at one of our hotels in Corsica (having run out of other books) that I will not even bore the scant readers of my reviews by listing here - when I stopped taking furtive glances at the novel on the floor by my feet belonging to the passenger in front of me and just went for it. I read about a quarter of the book during the rest of the flight, and it's turned out to be a fun mystery, set in 1890s Britain. I grudgingly asked the old lady in front of me if she'd dropped it (her boarding pass was inside, so it wasn't much of a mystery) when they turned the seatbelt signs off after landing. No, I'm not a bad person - in fact, I would have been a much worse person if I'd sat around being bored for the last two hours of our flight. Bill would not have enjoyed the torture (of him) that I would have turned to in order to entertain myself. Anyhow, I plan on getting this from the library tomorrow and finishing it.
July 11, 2021
What an enjoyable surprise Brunswick Gardens was. I’ve been disappointed with the last few instalments in Anne Perry’s lengthy Charlotte and Thomas Pitt series; to the point of nearly giving it up entirely a couple of times. However, with this excellent book, Perry has redeemed the series in my eyes. Yes there’s occasions to melodrama in this story like the over-the-top examples in her previous couple of books, but these are minimized here. Instead one is treated to an engaging story and mystery. I found the spiritual questions entertained in the novel: Church of England vs. Roman Catholicism vs. The “ new and provocative at the time” theory of evolution most interesting. As with all her Victorian novels, Perry focuses on burning issues of the time spotlighting the lack of opportunity for women scholars and deep thinkers and the condescension women with brains and knowledge faced. Thoroughly enjoyable. Glad I didn’t give up on Charlotte and Thomas.
December 5, 2018
Once again, a very good entry in the series. This is a locked room mystery, in that the suspects are all living in the house and Pitt has to eliminate them one by one. Complicating the plot is the revelation that one of the residents of the house is Charlotte's brother-in-law, Dominic Corde, husband of her sister, Sarah, who was murdered in the first book in the series. Pitt has some residual feelings against him, Charlotte wants him to be innocent, things aren't as they seem, and Perry unfold the truth a little at a time. The theme of this novel is Darwin's theory & women's rights in the Victorian era.
April 6, 2011
This was one of Perry's most clever, I thought. I missed Charlotte, who was not active in this investigation and Emily was on holiday but the intrigue of Pitt's murder case was excellent! This is an excellent read !
June 30, 2024
9/10
An excellent mystery, although I did figure out some of it before the “reveal”. The author certainly captures the mores of Victorian England at the end of the 1800s, especially regarding the role of women.
An excellent mystery, although I did figure out some of it before the “reveal”. The author certainly captures the mores of Victorian England at the end of the 1800s, especially regarding the role of women.
April 26, 2016
I couldn't follow it as much as I tried. I rarely don't finish a book usually wondering if it ever would've gotten good, but I couldn't.
October 29, 2020
Too much religion for me
September 6, 2023
My favorite Anne Perry thus far! Love the depth of her characters!
February 7, 2018
Единствената преведена на български книга на Ан Пери, която съм срещала, е "Лицето на странника" от серията ѝ за Уилям Монк (не господин Монк от едноименния сериал, а детектив от Лондонската полиция през ранната викторианска епоха). На "Брунсуик Гардънс" попаднах случайно и се радвам, че в превод на руски се намират още поне 15 книги от серията за суперинтендант Томас Пит и съпругата му Шарлот, защото госпожа Пери и нейните герои са пристрастяващи. Много приятни исторически кримки, чието действие се развива във викторианска Англия, написани в стил, напомнящ с нещо за лейди Агата. Специално в тази Томас Пит разследва смъртта на млада жена - талантлив преводач от древни езици и последователка на суфражистките идеи - в дома на известен англикански теолог. Разследването тече на фона на смута, предизвикан от разпространението на дарвинистката теория и сблъсъка на научния прогрес с традиционализма на английското общество.
July 8, 2019
Al final es un libro predecible. En ciertos momentos mantiene la tensión sin embargo los giros que da ya los he leído / visto en otro lado. Pasable.
May 30, 2025
This series is so much better when Charlotte and Emily aren’t running around making a mess of everything. Maybe Emily should stay in Italy.
January 13, 2021
Least favorite Thomas Pitt mystery. I typically really enjoy Anne Perry, but this book was very slow and rather boring. Because the killer must be a member of the household, Perry spends a lot of time examining the characters of each suspect. That was fine until she chose to revisit each person’s character more than once without introducing new insights. This story is an intellectual mystery, but the shallowness of the suspect pool overly wordy writing made this installment of the series rather boring a dry. I figured out the killer about halfway through (although it took longer to uncover the motive) and finished the book simply for the accomplishment.
August 6, 2023
Another winner from Anne Perry. The premise of the books are always different and wonderfully written. Lots of details, like a scene of two people talking in a garden and noticing the sparrows taking flight from a tree. This did nothing to advance the plot, but was a wonderful image.
In this book, two people die, and another who was introduced in the first book - The Cater Street Hangman - and appeared in a couple of others in the series - is a major character in this book. I did figure out the murderer, but the details leading up to the end were not anything that I could have predicted.
I highly recommend this series.
In this book, two people die, and another who was introduced in the first book - The Cater Street Hangman - and appeared in a couple of others in the series - is a major character in this book. I did figure out the murderer, but the details leading up to the end were not anything that I could have predicted.
I highly recommend this series.
March 13, 2023
Este fue el primer libro de Anne Perry que leí, y sinceramente como introducción a la autora fue una buena elección. Al ser un policial histórico, abarca los dilemas morales de la época victoriana sin cometer anacronismo y logra generar empatía con cada uno de sus personajes que viven en una época llena de revoluciones ideológicas y paradigmas derribados.
Escrito de manera que el lector se siente parte de la trama que lo acompaña, y con revelaciones que mantienen el suspenso en su máximo esplendor hasta el ultimo capitulo.
El drama policial se va desenvolviendo cual ovillo de lana, hasta encontrar el origen de esta. En el medio el lector va enredándose junto con los detectives, hasta comenzar a presentir un final cercano pero aún poco certero.
Quiero destacar la humanidad con la que se retrata a cada personaje, desde la familia detective de Pitt, hasta cada uno de los empleados domésticos que ocupan el segundo plano en la investigación.
Además, se aborda un feminismo sutil pero tangible en cada una de las intervenciones femeninas, realizando un llamado de atención continuo a la realidad socio-politica de la mujer en el 1800. Transmitiendo la impotencia e inconformismo de cada voz femenina que a pesar de sus constantes demostraciones de pertinencia y capacidad eran calladas por la sociedad de su época.
-------------------------------
Cita textual:
"Luchaba por la libertad en el sentido más amplio: el derecho de las personas a ser ellas mismas, a no tener que amoldarse a las anticuadas ideas de otra gente. ¿Sabe lo que se siente cuando una esta sola en su lucha, realmente sola?¿Cuando hay que fingir vanidad ignorancia para halagar la vanidad de individuos estúpidos, solo porque ellos han nacido con distinto sexo?"
Escrito de manera que el lector se siente parte de la trama que lo acompaña, y con revelaciones que mantienen el suspenso en su máximo esplendor hasta el ultimo capitulo.
El drama policial se va desenvolviendo cual ovillo de lana, hasta encontrar el origen de esta. En el medio el lector va enredándose junto con los detectives, hasta comenzar a presentir un final cercano pero aún poco certero.
Quiero destacar la humanidad con la que se retrata a cada personaje, desde la familia detective de Pitt, hasta cada uno de los empleados domésticos que ocupan el segundo plano en la investigación.
Además, se aborda un feminismo sutil pero tangible en cada una de las intervenciones femeninas, realizando un llamado de atención continuo a la realidad socio-politica de la mujer en el 1800. Transmitiendo la impotencia e inconformismo de cada voz femenina que a pesar de sus constantes demostraciones de pertinencia y capacidad eran calladas por la sociedad de su época.
-------------------------------
Cita textual:
"Luchaba por la libertad en el sentido más amplio: el derecho de las personas a ser ellas mismas, a no tener que amoldarse a las anticuadas ideas de otra gente. ¿Sabe lo que se siente cuando una esta sola en su lucha, realmente sola?¿Cuando hay que fingir vanidad ignorancia para halagar la vanidad de individuos estúpidos, solo porque ellos han nacido con distinto sexo?"
August 27, 2019
In Brunswick Gardens we come across Dominic Corde, the husband of Charlotte's murdered sister, from the first book in this series "The Cater Street Hangman". He is now in the clergy and living in the home of Reverend and Mrs. Ramsay Parmenter.
Parmenter is experiencing a challenge to his Anglican faith caused by Darwin's theory of evolution. But the Reverend has even bigger problems within his own household! His son is studying for the Catholic priesthood and his newly hired research assistant Unity Bellwood is dead at the foot of the stairs having been heard to call out "No!No! Reverend!" as she was falling! Pitt is called in to investigate because the Reverend is in line for a Bishopric and the church wants to keep this as quiet as they can.
Lots of twist and turns in this story so be careful while reading least you miss one of them. Ms. Perry tends to slip in one sentence that completely changes your opinion of who the murderer is.
Anne Perry is one of my favorite authors. I've been reading my way through the Charlotte and Thomas Pitt series all this year and will follow with the Monk stories after I've finished. When I get bored or frustrated with some new book or some author I pick up an Anne Perry mystery knowing it will be a satisfying story worth reading.
Parmenter is experiencing a challenge to his Anglican faith caused by Darwin's theory of evolution. But the Reverend has even bigger problems within his own household! His son is studying for the Catholic priesthood and his newly hired research assistant Unity Bellwood is dead at the foot of the stairs having been heard to call out "No!No! Reverend!" as she was falling! Pitt is called in to investigate because the Reverend is in line for a Bishopric and the church wants to keep this as quiet as they can.
Lots of twist and turns in this story so be careful while reading least you miss one of them. Ms. Perry tends to slip in one sentence that completely changes your opinion of who the murderer is.
Anne Perry is one of my favorite authors. I've been reading my way through the Charlotte and Thomas Pitt series all this year and will follow with the Monk stories after I've finished. When I get bored or frustrated with some new book or some author I pick up an Anne Perry mystery knowing it will be a satisfying story worth reading.
October 20, 2018
Another generally good entry into this long-running series set in Victorian London. The solution, at least generally, was apparent early on, but of course it took a long involved process to get to the solution in the book. This is largely caused by the relatively tight restrictions imposed by the rules of society in those times and among the class of people involved. I must say I rather tire of various people "recognizing" all sorts of psychological nuances by merely glancing at a face or looking at the subjects eyes. Seems more than a little unlikely to me. Perry always picks an aspect of Victorian Era morality or societal norms to center her stories on, and this book is no exception, in this case going after the religious mores and pretensions of the time. The mystery seemed like kind of an afterthought to this analysis of those pretensions and the characters involved. Pitt suspected all was not as it seemed from early on, and of course his wife Charlotte helped find the solution.
July 30, 2025
I really loved this one. It might be the best in the series so far. If you're a fan of Anne Perry's work, you know there's no formula; her characters are fully developed, and the settings (late Victorian England) are richly described.
The other books in this series usually have a theme beyond just the murder or murders to be solved. In Brunswick Gardens, Perry examines a reverend's crisis of faith triggered by the then-novel ideas of Charles Darwin. She also explores the subjugation of women and the deep-rooted misogyny that intelligent women faced when trying to break into academia. If you're interested in this series, I recommend sampling this one.
I should mention that in the last few years of her life, Perry lived in my building. We had a brief acquaintance. Before her passing, I read one or two of the Charlotte & Thomas Pitt series, and we discussed them briefly. When I told her I had read one of her books, she snarked, "Well, only 90 more to go."
The other books in this series usually have a theme beyond just the murder or murders to be solved. In Brunswick Gardens, Perry examines a reverend's crisis of faith triggered by the then-novel ideas of Charles Darwin. She also explores the subjugation of women and the deep-rooted misogyny that intelligent women faced when trying to break into academia. If you're interested in this series, I recommend sampling this one.
I should mention that in the last few years of her life, Perry lived in my building. We had a brief acquaintance. Before her passing, I read one or two of the Charlotte & Thomas Pitt series, and we discussed them briefly. When I told her I had read one of her books, she snarked, "Well, only 90 more to go."
February 16, 2020
I figured out who the villain was just before something huge happened that basically confirmed my suspicion. Figuring out a mystery before the end sometimes ruins it but in this case it made the last 100 pages (ish) even more enjoyable. I do think that this series is starting to get on the longer side and she could trim most of the books down to 250-300 pages compared to the 400 that this was. I like how Perry mixes in elements that are political, societal, or historically driven. While her mysteries are more of a character study than anything I really like how much we learn about the culture of Victorian England. It was nice to have a more domestic crime this time around, with a little religion vs. science mixed in.
June 2, 2020
Perry brings back a complicated character from her first Charlotte and Thomas Pitt novel—the widow of Charlotte’s murdered sister. Charlotte was obsessed with Dominic, her brother-in-law, when her sister was alive. After Sarah’s death, Charlotte fell in love with Thomas, a policeman investigating Sarah’s murder. Charlotte’s obsession subsided and Dominic’s true character was revealed (shallow, self absorbed, hedonistic). Fast forward to the 18th book and an older, possibility wiser and reformed Dominic is a Curate and in the,
middle of a murder investigation. Is Dominic truly reformed? Does Charlotte still have feelings for him? Can Thomas really investigate without bias? Can the Church of England survive the pervasive spreading of Darwinism? (Lots of time dedicated to arguing science versus religion...)
middle of a murder investigation. Is Dominic truly reformed? Does Charlotte still have feelings for him? Can Thomas really investigate without bias? Can the Church of England survive the pervasive spreading of Darwinism? (Lots of time dedicated to arguing science versus religion...)
February 9, 2022
Some very good perspectives on love, sacrifice, and going into ministry. All in the course of solving a murder mystery. One of the best of this series so far.
Good quotes:
“Happiness [in marriage] was not in taking what you pleased…but in knowing the infinite value of what you had, of being able to look at it with gratitude and joy.”
“I sometimes think hell is not actually something awful happening, it’s waiting for something and never absolutely sure if it will happen, so you soar on hope, and then plunge into despair, and then up again, and down again. You get too exhausted to care for a while, then it starts all over again. Permanent despair would almost be a relief. You could get on with it. It takes so much energy to hope.”
Good quotes:
“Happiness [in marriage] was not in taking what you pleased…but in knowing the infinite value of what you had, of being able to look at it with gratitude and joy.”
“I sometimes think hell is not actually something awful happening, it’s waiting for something and never absolutely sure if it will happen, so you soar on hope, and then plunge into despair, and then up again, and down again. You get too exhausted to care for a while, then it starts all over again. Permanent despair would almost be a relief. You could get on with it. It takes so much energy to hope.”
August 20, 2024
El misterio que plantea Anne Perry en este libro es interesante y se mete en los avances sociales y culturales que ya se menciona en los últimos libros. Creo que tiene mejores obras, pero aún así construye bastante bien todo el escenario. El único motivo por el que tiene 3 estrellas es la cantidad de diálogo eclesiástico y lo repetitivo que es la primera cuarta parte del libro. Sé que la autora suele tener pasajes de este tipo, pero en este caso creo que se ha dejado llevar demasiado. Hay muchísimas reflexiones intrascendentes que no aportan nada a la trama ni a los personajes, y eso me habría ahorrado muchas páginas. Ya a mitad de libro empieza a enganchar en las dinámicas que suelen tener sus historias. Por lo demás, muy entretenido.
November 14, 2024
An okay read, nothing spectacular. The emphasis was on Darwinism versus religious beliefs. It also touched on women's rights, which is very common in an Anne Perry novel.
Unity Bellwood was found dead at the bottom of the stairs. When she fell, she could be heard screaming no no Reverend. This was after she quarrel with the same Reverend, Ramsay Parmenter. It seems obvious the Reverend pushed her, right? Well, that's for Pitt and Charlotte to find out.
The cast of characters includes Dominic Corde, Charlotte's brother in law who was married to her murdered sister Sarah, previously found in the Crater Street novel; Mallory, the son, Vita, the wife, Clarice, the daughter, and Tryphena the other daughter.
Unity Bellwood was found dead at the bottom of the stairs. When she fell, she could be heard screaming no no Reverend. This was after she quarrel with the same Reverend, Ramsay Parmenter. It seems obvious the Reverend pushed her, right? Well, that's for Pitt and Charlotte to find out.
The cast of characters includes Dominic Corde, Charlotte's brother in law who was married to her murdered sister Sarah, previously found in the Crater Street novel; Mallory, the son, Vita, the wife, Clarice, the daughter, and Tryphena the other daughter.
March 26, 2020
Book #18 and Anne Perry is still going strong. This novels deals with members of the clergy and their families and the effects Darwin's work has on their beliefs. A character from earlier books appears as a murder suspect, Dominick, Charlotte's sister Sarah's husband. I had actually figured out who the murderer was about half way through the book which pleased me since I usually have to wait until the end to find out. I have learned a lot about life in London in the late 1800's from reading these books. I do like the attention to detail in Ms. Perry's books, but I am often amazed at the names of her characters.
March 21, 2021
Acabo de terminar este libro que por momentos se me ha hecho un poco pesado por algunos diálogos que tienen algunos personajes. Pero la verdad es que me ha gustado bastante este libro. De esta autora no había leído nada y me ha parecido muy bueno, pues trata de unos asesinatos y está ambientado a finales del siglo XIX.
Yo parecía en algunos momentos que estaba en esa casa y conviviendo con esa familia. Subiendo y bajando escaleras, entrando en el gabinete, biblioteca...
A mitad del libro sabía más o menos lo que iba a pasar con uno de los asesinatos pero el desenlace del libro me ha parecido fantástico. Seguiré leyendo a esta autora. 21/03/2021.
Yo parecía en algunos momentos que estaba en esa casa y conviviendo con esa familia. Subiendo y bajando escaleras, entrando en el gabinete, biblioteca...
A mitad del libro sabía más o menos lo que iba a pasar con uno de los asesinatos pero el desenlace del libro me ha parecido fantástico. Seguiré leyendo a esta autora. 21/03/2021.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 7, 2017
I like the Victorian setting of these Thomas and Charlotte Pitt mysteries. Life is hard, but there is a lot of variety in it and people do their best to survive and work things out. Pitt, as police superintendent, is charged with solving a murder and has three very likely suspects. The recent publications by Charles Darwin play a role here, as there is apparently much alarm over his findings. I enjoy the characters drawn by Anne Perry. Their foibles and personalities create suspicion and are revealed as the murder investigation proceeds.
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