While I agree with those reviewers who cite the courtroom scenes in Sins of the Wolf as terrifically compelling and am delighted with the developing attraction between Hester Latterly and William Monk, I cannot agree that this is one of Perry's finest mys teries in the Monk series. In fact almost every turn of events brought a new jolt of incredulity. As an example, why oh why does Monk make the long and arduous trip (in pages as well as distance) to Northern Scotland to learn a bit of information about on e of the members of the Farraline family which he could so easily have learned from the family member himself and which in fact had no bearing whatsoever on the resolution of the mystery? To be really petty, must Hester turn up at the Farralines one day a fter the conclusion of her trial (and surprisingly cordial and unembarrassed the Farralines are too, considering the mess they'd thrown her into) still wearing her prison garb? And the confrontation and chase scene at the end seemed to me to smack more of a spaghetti western than a quality denouement. In my opinion Perry did much better with the earlier Monks, and I hope to discover she does just as well in the subsequent ones.

I Have read most of Anne Perry's novels and I am a great fan. All of her books are set in England of another era. Anne Perry has two different settings and main protaganists. The first series and most popular is The Pitts(husband and wife) a detecting team in early Victorian England. Her more recent series features Inspector Monk in the late 1800's. "The Sin of the Wolf" features Inpsector Monk and with this book, Inpector Monk has finally reached a point where he is a likable character, in prior novels Monk is portrayed as a good person but not one who you could warm up to. With this novel, Miss Perry makes you like him. There is one more very fascinating aspect to Miss Perry's novels and that is the research she has put into them. When I read anyone if her books I feel like I am getting a very accurate description of not only the times and the people but the way they acted towards one another. England was a very class oriented society and these novels force you to recognize how man has treated man over the centuries. I should explain, I read mysteries constantly, 2-4 a week, I have read most popular and unpopular authors out there. What keeps me coming back to a certain author is the characters, if I like them, then I want to read all their adventures, so if you are like me, then Anne Perry is a great find

When Hester Latterly, a former Crimean War nurse, takes on a brief assignment between jobs to assist an elderly Scottish woman from Edinburgh to London she has no idea that when they reach their destination she will be charged with murder. Despite the best efforts of her friends private detective William Monk and lawyer Oliver Rathbone, she is put on trial in Scotland. You will enjoy following the twists and turns in this 19th-century "Law and Order"-type mystery as the skilled Anne Perry takes you from investigations to trial procedures without ever missing a beat or hitting a false note.

Perry's Monk mysteries are a bit darker and more psychologically thrilling than her more well-known Pitt series of mysteries, but devoted fans of the Pitts will recognize the skilled plot and character developments, the labrynthine twists and turns of the investigations, and the focus on scandals and secrets.

As opposed to the preceeding reviewers, I found this book, the first Perry that I read, such a stimulous that I literally became obsessed and chomped through at least 9 others. The Victorian conditions were never so well conceived. Whatever you thought you knew about this era, Perry brings you more. The romance between Charlotte and Thomas, the easily resolved complications of class and money- were as satisfying as a good love story- more like a novel of manners with an attractive heroine. The heroine, the intrepid Charlotte, is always breaking the safety rules, scaring her readers and her husband, a brave lady to admire in an era where ladies were in quite a strange condition to say the least. In this case, Charlotte goes undercover to snoop and dig up the facts. There is a pleasant likeness to another bold young lady- Nancy Drew, who had a roadster- who can forget Roadster? Well, the feeling's back.
The mystery in this case was a backdrop, but not at all a loser. In that area, and throughout her series the surprises are in the characters and the manners and furniture that hide the base nature of villains or those they torment.

Perry is not afraid of the unseemly- dead babies, after all are pretty gross. Alas, after a good old time, I found Perry's novels
had said about all that could be said about the love and the era. But I hearily urge any former Nancy Drew devotees and admitted romantics who cannot stomach romance novels to give her a try. I started with this and then wound in and about her other sleuth and also a romantic figure, Monk. Charlotte and Pitt do stay married, and that's all I'll say.

This is the second book in Anne Perry's mystery series involving Charlotte and Inspector Pitt. But note, reading the first in the series, "The Cater Street Hangman" is not a requirement to understanding and enjoying "Callandar Square." Perry seems to have foreseen this issue and wrote the books in this series without any prerequisites. (Obviously, if one can read the books in order, than that's terrific too!) The story, as do most of Perry's works, is set in Victorian England. Perry is so natural in description of places, people and customs of this era, one wonders if she doesn't own a time-machine. In the mystery, two bodies of babies are found buried in the well-to-do, respectable neighborhood of Callandar Square. Rumors abound on who they were and who was the mother. Naturally, the well-born classes dismiss it as the desperate act of a chambermaid or some other lowly working-class girl. But when Inspector Thomas Pitt puts his sleuthing wits to the matter that assumption doesn't seem so easy. The Inspector has recently married Charlotte, who is from an established family. Those in their society may have seen the marriage as unprofitable for her, but Charlotte married for love. Charlotte is a delight with her brains and attitudes, and is ever so likable. She is a woman ahead of her times. Charlotte, through some scheming with her high-society sister, takes up a clerical position in one of the aristocratic homes in Callandar Square as an attempt to uncover any secrets about the discovered bodies. An array of concealments and hush-hush information unfolds as Pitt, Charlotte, and Charlotte's sister begin to delve into the lives of the residents of Callandar Square. There are surprises and heartbreaks as the killer is finally cornered. Perry's skill of dialogue is excellent as the reader learns intimately the attitudes of the various characters. The ending seems a little quick in the realization of the killer, but Perry makes up for it with a touching reflection that Pitt ponders in the final pages. Other readers of this series have suggested they wish there was more dialogue and action between Pitt and Charlotte together. Perhaps feeling a little spoiled from "Cater Street." But I see this as a compliment to Perry, not a fault. The characters so well drawn and their charms when together in a chapter, so relishing, that it will always leave one wanting more. Yet, there are only so many opportunities for a dual appearance in this particular plot. If Perry wrote anymore, it may have seemed forced. But fear not, there are plenty of Charlotte and Pitt books to get happily lost in. And "Callandar Square" was one of them for me.

This is the second in the Thomas and Charlotte Pitt series. I started reading it as soon as I had finished The Cater Street Hangman (the first)! Inspector Pitt is now married to his Charlotte and they make a delightful couple. Although pregnant with their first child, Charlotte does some detecting of her own in this case, helped by her well-to-do sister, Emily. The plot is excellent and the characters are very well-drawn. The strict rules regarding class which most of the Victorian upper-class people in this book feel compelled to follow appear somewhat laughable to us in this more enlightened age but are very destructive for all that! I could not put this book down until I knew whodunnit and I was quite a way through it before I guessed the culprit! A wonderful read!

This is the best book by this author that I have read so far.

Perry's writing style is unobtrusive, somewhat given to unclear pronouns, but generally solid.

I found it interesting that nothing seemed to differ between this setting, in 1859, and the setting of the author's Pitt novels, in the late 19th century, except that the Pitts have telephones. I wonder how authentic that is. I found no obvious errors, except that, in keeping with the rest of Perry's books, the women seem very independent for the period.

Perry has come up with what must be one of the best characterization hooks ever invented. William Monk suffers from amnesia. He has reason to think he was an unpleasant person, a person capable of wronging others, in the past. But... he can never know what, exactly, he did. I would have liked to see a few more original touches in his *current* character, but it's still a fascinating idea.

The plot of Cain his Brother is outstanding. A minor consistency error here and there does not detract from its drama. A man has murdered his twin brother -- or has he? I thought I had the secret figured out several times, but I was wrong. But when the answer was revealed, it made perfect sense. Perry sometimes has surprise twists out of nowhere at the end of her books, but this time she got it exactly right. I remained unclear on one thing --Ravenstone's motivation -- but that may be my oversight.

This is a very entertaining historical mystery which I strongly recommend.

I love Anne Perry's ability to twist and wind through a story and keep you hanging until the last pages. I also love her well researched novels that offer such exsquisite detail about Victorian London, especially the class differences (particularly in this book). Unfortunately I found the conclusion of this novel truly unoriginal and disappointing. The result it ended with was a thought that had ocurred to me earlier in the novel, but I doubted it just because of the lack of inspiration it required. I am more fond of the Monk/Latterly series than the Pitts series, and "Cain..." is one of the better stories among the Perry novels, but I would definitely read it knowing in advance that the ending doesn't compare with the rest of the story. If you want a truly excellent Anne Perry book, read "The Face of a Stranger" (the first Monk/Latterly novel). A great read.

William Monk is hired by Genevieve Stonefield to find her missing husband, Angus. He was last seen visiting his twin brother Caleb, who lives in Limehouse; the destitute part of London. Monk must find Caleb, but no - one is willing to talk. Just who is Caleb, and why is everyone so afraid of him. Monk must face some of his own private demons and realises that even the simplest things can be more complicated than he ever imagined. Another brilliant novel from Anne Perry.

I loved CATER STREET HANGMAN and liked CALLANDER SQUARE. But I only thought this one was OK. I mean, the endings have all had the same "twist". This starts to get a bit predictable. I also didn't buy how Charlotte kept showing up at all these parties. I found it a bit insulting to all the hard work her husband was doing. There was little Pitt and Charlotte interaction that was real or satisfying.

Although I loved the addition of the Great Aunt, I'd like to see less of Charlotte's fascination with other men, and more Charlotte and Pitt working together.

Murder strikes close to home again, this time on Emily's own street, with the brutal rape and murder of an inoffensive young girl. Then her somewhat smart-mouthed brother disappears, to be found later stuffed up a chimney. Pitt has to solve the crimes before Society freaks out completely, while also trying to clear Emily's husband of her suspicions. While Perry once again is devastating in her depiction of the Victorian upper middle classes and their preoccupation with manners, clothing, and withdrawing room gossip, the mystery plot is not as satisfactory in its conclusion.

This is the third in the Charlotte and Thomas Pitt series. It's been two years since their marriage, and I like the way their relationship has grown. Charlotte's simple but happy life is seen here against her sister's more affluent lifestyle. The story is complex, like the first one, with a nice vision of the social system and a not-obvious ending. Interesting and well done. Makes me want to read the next one.

I am always glad when I see another Charlotte and Thomas Pitt mystery waiting for me in the bookstore. I have read all the books in this series, as well as the Monk series, and have thoroughly enjoyed them all. Anne Perry's Victorian mysteries are fascinating. A quick peek under the carpet of this historical period reveals some very nasty habits. I especially liked the part that Gracie played in this adventure. She is growing up to be quite a detective, in addition to expanding her skills as a maid. Keep up the good work Ms. Perry

This is the third Anne Perry novel I have read. They are all well crafted, intelligent cozy mysteries, along with an interesting portrayal of the culture and politics of Victorian England. This particular book revolves around a peace conference for Ireland which is being held at Ashworth Hall, hence the title. Ashworth Hall happens to be the home of the sister-in-law of Inspector (now Superintendent) Pitt, who is the hero of this series of Perry's novels. Moreover, the politician presiding over the conference has been the subject of death threats in the recent past. So Pitt is asked to attend the conference, without revealing his identity, as a security measure to prevent foul play.

Unfortunately, Pitt fails. Two murders are committed despite his efforts, terrifying both the guests and the sizable contingent of servants. We then have the usual collection of suspects and motives, and Pitt eventually sorts through all of the information to solve the mystery - with considerable help from his wife Charlotte and their maid Gracie.

It's a tightly written mystery, along with a convincing portrayal of Victorian mores and the unending hatreds in Ireland. It doesn't quite rise to the level of true literature, as Elizabeth George's and P. D. James's books often do, but it's a solid, high-quality production.

Confession..I love a good read, even if it isn't the greatest novel ever written..and Anne Perry gives me a book to enjoy. This is one of the "Pitt" series, set in Victorian England..and it concerns the Irish problem..but that isn't the point. All her books address a social problem, and they are all beautifully authentic. But,most important, they are fun to read. Her plots are sometimes too familiar,but who cares as long as she writes well, and gives us characters to care about. Keep writing your two books a year Miss Perry, they are well done and a good read

I used to be a fan of Anne Perry's novels, especially the Monk series. However, for the last few years, I haven't bothered to read her new books, since they have become rather formulaic. I decided to pick up this one to see if anything has changed.

"Funeral in Blue" is another in the series of William Monk mysteries set in Victorian England. William Monk is a former policeman who is now a private investigator, and Hester Latterly, his wife, is a nurse who is married to Monk. In "Funeral in Blue," two women are murdered in the studio of an artist, Argo Allardyce. One of the women, Elissa Beck, is the wife of Kristian Beck, a respected physician with whom Hester has worked. The other woman is an artist's model. Both women were strangled, although the police have no idea why they were killed or who did it. Hester has a personal interest in this case, since her good friend, Callandra Daviot, secretly loves Dr. Beck and Callandra is anxious that he not be blamed for the homicides.

In an implausible scenario, Monk joins forces with his old enemy, Runcorn, a policeman who is in charge of the homicide investigation. Monk and Runcorn interview everyone who has a connection to the case, and ultimately Dr. Beck is arrested, since his alibi for the night of the murders doesn't hold up. In addition, it turns out that Dr. Beck had a strong motive for wishing his wife dead.

During the course of the investigation, Monk visits Vienna, Austria, to explore the roots of Elissa's relationship with Kristian. Elissa and Kristian had fought in the revolution that took place in that city thirteen years earlier. Complicating matters further, Hester's sister-in-law, Imogen Latterly, had a connection with Elissa Beck that may have a bearing on Elissa's death.

As is usual in Perry's novels, most of the book consists of a series of repetitious interviews in which the investigators try to ferret out who is telling the truth and who is lying. Nothing much happens until the end, when the murderer is finally unmasked. The solution is implausible and it comes completely out of left field.

Unfortunately, Perry does little to explore the relationship of Monk and Hester. The couple spends very little time together and Hester and Monk seem more like good friends than husband and wife. The characters in "Funeral in Blue" are rather bland and the pacing is slow. What Perry does well is describe the atmosphere of Victorian London. The city itself is the best and most lively character in the book. If Perry had imbued her characters with as much life as she does the city of London, "Funeral in Blue" would have been a much more compelling mystery.

I've just finished reading the latest William & Hester Monk mystery novel, and I must confess that while I enjoyed it very much, if you're looking for the kind of mystery novel that it full of twists and turns, and that will keep you happily guessing till the very end, you might be in for a bit of a disappointment. "Funeral In Blue" is an interesting and absorbing read, but mainly because of the psychological element in the novel. What makes "Funeral In Blue" such compelling reading is NOT the mystery at hand: who could have murdered Elissa Beck, and the artist's model, Sarah Mackeson, but rather the manner in which Perry delves into the characters of the personalities involved in this novel.

Briefly the novel opens with the grisly discovery of the bodies of two women in artist, Argo Allardyce's studio. The dead women turn out to be Sarah Mackeson, Allardyce's model, and Eliisa Beck, the wife of Dr. Kristian Beck (a friend of Hester's) and the daughter of rising political and barrister, Fuller Pendreigh. The nature of the crime causes the police to focus their investigations on Allardyce (who had been commissioned to paint Eliisa's portrait and who happened to be in love with her) and Kristian. Allardyce, it turns out has an iron cast alibi; however Kristian's alibi proves to be shaky at best. And then Monk, together with the detective in charge of the case, discover that Elissa was a hopeless and addicted gambler, and who was near ruining Kristian with her enormous debts. Krisitan is arrested for the murders of both his wife and Sarah Mackeson, however neither Monk nor Hester believe that Kristian could have committed so heinous a crime. Neither does Elissa's father, who commissions Monk to investigate the murders more thoroughly while he undertakes to defend Krisitan in court. Monk's investigations takes him from the gambling slums of London, to Vienna, where Kristian and Elissa first met during the 1848 revolution, where they became comrades in arms, and where they fell in love with each other. For this case seems to hinge on the characters of both Eliisa and Kristian, both one time fiery revolutionaries, all set to change society and the world, and how they have changed since -- for while Kristian seems to have given his life to helping the sick and the poor, Eliisa seems to have exchanged the heady danger of revolution for that of gambling. What had caused Eliisa to fall into such an abyss? Could her murder be linked to her gambling debts? Could Kristian have killed both his wife and the model, Sarah? An added complication for the Monks arises when they realise that Imogen, Hester's sister-in-law, was a gambling cohort of Eliisa's and who may know more of the murder than she is letting on. For Monk and Hester the stakes have never seemed higher as they battle to help a friend, and protect Imogen from discovery and ruin.

As is usual with most Anne Perry novels, "Funeral In Blue" is an excellently written and crafted mystery novel. The characters are deftly and thoughtfully portrayed, as is her look at the 1848 uprising. The mystery itself gets resolved suddenly, and there is a gigantic element of coincidence in the resolution of the murders, that gives an air of reality to the whole thing, but which could prove frustrating to all armchair detectives out there. What this mystery novel hinges on however is the riddle that was Elissa Beck. And that is what makes this novel such an absorbing read.

Buy this book. The purpose of this review is not to tell the plot but rather to assure Perry fans that her "Funeral in Blue" is a fine piece of storytelling.

If you are a William Monk fan, you will enjoy this book especially if you are more interested in puzzles than Perry-philosophy. "Funeral in Blue" has a better balance between storytelling and philosophy than most of the recent Monk novels. If you liked "The Face of a Stranger," you will be relieved to read "Funeral in Blue" because it seemed that the recent Monk novels focused more on the "other" characters than Monk and his wife Hester; this book returns its focus to its namesake.

I rated the book like this: Two stars for Ms. Perry returning her focus to Mr. and Mrs. Monk; two stars for Ms. Perry departing, thank goodness, from her usual sordid murder to a crime less gruesome than is her wont; and two stars for the mystery itself. I know that two plus two plus two is six stars, but this mystery novel rated an additional star.

Because Ms. Perry has become somewhat predictable, I had a pretty good idea who the culprit would be (and I was correct), but I have to admit that she did a good job of trying to make me change my mind several times. Give Ms. Perry an A+ for this addition to her Monk series. Once I picked up "Funeral in Blue," I had to read it all the way through. If you like Perry, this one is worth buying.

This was my first Anne Perry mystery and unless something else by her is more interesting, she is going on my don't read list. What was the real story/mystery here? It seemed like half of the book revolved around Caroline and Joshua and their marraige. I saw only a minor connection of this story with the murder of the photographer. Are Caroline and Joshua really supposed to be the central characters or is it Pitt and the murder. While I do applaud the author for tackling the tough subject of censorship and the right for women to divorce thier husbands, I can not in good conscience give this book any better than two stars, it just didn't flow or come together.

This novel is set in London in 1891, with particular emphasis on the theatres and the arts. It relates to a time period when women could be held in virtual slavery by their husbands. It deals with a variety of issues including women's rights, pornography, and perversions. It is more a romance novel than a mystery. While the novel has interesting sub-plots, perhaps it contains too many to be a good novel. The author also seems to be on a soap box, and perhaps does a little too much name dropping...

Inspector Pitt and Sergeant Tellman find themselves investigating sleazy shops that sell pornographic photos under-the-counter, sometimes to teenage boys - photos that sometimes depict acts that are illegal. The investigation eventually leads to a solution of the case. The novel deals with the seamier side of people's lives. It has content unsuitable for children. Parental discretion is advised.

Anne Perry really knows how to tell a Victorian story. I've read all of her books (Pitt and Monk) and never tire of turning back the clock. Half-Moon Street is a wonderful story and a well written mystery. Though some may bemoan the fact that Charlotte was out of the picture (vacationing in Paris), I found that this did not detract from the story in the least (since, I have found that Ms. Perry sometimes contrives plots for Charlotte to "help").

I am always interested in the amount of research that Ms. Perry does and this book was quite well done. The information on photography at the time and how she connected it to the theatre and even a little Shakespeare thrown in was intriguing. The mystery was centered on censorship and pornagraphy and I thought it was interesting that these were problems faced over 100 years ago. I guess there are no 'new' problems, only new ways of looking at them (Pun?). I highly recommend Perry's work. But I think to truly enjoy you need to start at the beginning and read in order. This book in particular delved into old relationships (Mariah Ellison and Caroline Fielding) and someone who did not understand these characters from previous books might be lost.

This was my first Anne Perry book. It may be my last.

My impressions:

1) The story plays too many head games with it's characters for a story less than 75 pages. I can't imagine what her longer stories might be like.

2) I never felt comfortable with Celie, the main character. Then again, I don't feel comfortable being around unstable people in the 'real world'.

3) This story could have taken place during any time in history. The back drop simply made a [bad] story, [a bad] story with a morbid setting.

After reading this book, I had to check the photo on the jacket to make sure it was the same Anne Perry who writes such wonderful Victorian mysteries. I found the main character annoying and I didn't really care about what happened to any of them. I'm a big fan of Anne Perry, but this book was a major disapointment. If you are looking for a character like the Pitt or the Monk books, you won't find that here.

This story is a departure from the usual Anne Perry novels in several ways. It is not set in Victorian England (story is set in revolutionary France, August-September 1792), the pace of the story moves much more quickly, and, given that it is only 73 pages long, there is naturally much less character development and attention to detail than I usually associate with Anne Perry's novels. None of this detracts from the novella in any way because it focuses only upon one event in Celie's life and how she reacts to it, with the beginning of the Reign of Terror in the backdrop. This makes the novella all the more intriguing because it provides a vehicle in which to carry out plans of revenge that were not available earlier. It is also all the more dangerous because once set in motion, there is no way to stop it. Anne Perry manages to convey Celie's deep hurt, sorrow, anger, gullibility, jealousy, thoughts (helped here by a less-than-well-meaning "friend"),plans, & acts for revenge, second thoughts, actions to remedy what she has done before it is too late, redemption, forgiveness, and love for her fellow human beings in what was possibly most terrifying period in French history. It is a story of revenge, but the revenge is carried out by different people for different reasons. Although there is not as much character development of Celie compared with Charlotte Pitt or Hester Latterly, I think readers still learn what kind of a person Celie is by her actions. If you are looking for the standard Anne Perry novel, then you will be disappointed (it is NOT a mystery), but if you are willing to take a chance on a different kind of story, you will not be disappointed.

What a disapointment. I love the William Monk series. I read Sins of the Wolf in three days and and quickly decided it was my favorite. Cain His Brother was just as compelling of a read and the details of Limehouse, the typhoid hospital and especially the chase seen were amazing. Couldn't wait to read this book, but quickly found that I couldn't wait for it to end. Ms. Perry's research on Victorian England is second to none, but I found this story in particular very forgetable. I agree with one reviewer that Hester's contribution to solving the cases is sometimes better than Monk's or Rathbone. Thank goodness Monk is finally starting to figure out that Hester's courage, friendship and brains is more attractive than beauty. Don't waste much time on this book, except to find out who did it and the next step in Monk's and Hester's relationship.

This book focuses on the political machinations of a small German realm prior to the unification of Germany. Most of the action is set in either Victorian England or Venice. The plot revolves around a slander suit against Countess Zorah Rostova by Princess (a courtesy title) Gisela. The countess has publicly accused the princess of murdering her husband, Prince Freidrich. The official cause of death was internal bleeding, following a riding accident. The book develops from the perspectives of Ms. Rostova's barrister, Sir Oliver Rathbone, private investigator, William Monk, and his friend, nurse Hester Latterly. The countess is threatened with financial ruin, and Sir Oliver's career is on the line. Ultimately, the defense takes the tack of trying to prove that a murder has taken place. That search goes into unexpected areas.

The handling of the trial is masterly, and will please those who stick with the story that long. Much of the rest of the book is slow-going with little happening either in the way of character development or plot advancement. It often seems like filler.

If the book had focused on just the trial, this could have been a five star novella. If reduced to that area, there still would have been a few problems. The author never adequately explains why Sir Oliver and the countess faced financial ruin if the suit was lost. Barristers lose suits all of the time. Unless a plaintiff can prove substantial economic damages and malice, slander is not going to cost the defendent very much beyond the defense. Also, if this suit was so risky, it is not obvious why Sir Oliver took the case.

The trial has a great strength of doing some marvelous character development with the princess through the testimony that she and others provide. This was a virtuoso accomplishment because the princess is kept well hidden until then by her public image of being one-half of one of Europe's most romantic couples.

The book has some interesting things to say about what happens after you get your wish. I suggest that if you do read the book that you consider the potential downsides of what you wish for, as well.

Find the truth!

I started on Anne Perry by recommendation of a friend, and loved the Monk series. At the time, "Twisted Root" had come out a few weeks before, so I read through the first nine to get caught up.

My first impression of "Weighed" was "What?" There was just nothing really grabbing at my attention about slander. True, Friedrich *may* have been murdered, but it didn't have the immediacy of the others.

But of course, I was reading through it sort of quickly to get caught up, and this *was* after I had finished the entire Pitt series and was a bit annoyed with how it got sort of bogged down after about eight books...

So I picked up "Weighed in the Balance" again a few months ago, and really read it. I was surprised at how different it seemed now that I considered it, and after I had read the later books too.

Granted, slander just doesn't grab you by the throat and demand your attention. I had the same initial problem with "Breach of Promise."

This re-reading also took place after my European history class had covered Germany in the nineteenth century, so I also had more historical perspective this time and could understand the German principalities and their concerns better.

This book is more subtle and slower-moving than some. But I still think it's a good entry into the Monk series. All along, I kept thinking "Gisela couldn't have done it--Zorah's toast!" But the reasoning for it made sense--it was well developed.

It was surprising and great to see emotionally corseted Oliver Rathbone take a risk and take up Zorah's cause. Though if you read, he sounds a little attracted to her...hmm! His development as more than the dry, skillful barrister was great to read. I never saw Oliver as really having passions and emotions before this--granted, there's been some gentle and sort of half-hearted courting of Hester, but after this book, it was possible he might actually get the girl in the end. At least, it evened the odds more!

Monk also gets some development here--glimpses into his past. He also is romantically disillusioned yet again by Evelyn von Seidlitz. After Imogene, Hermione, Drusilla, and now Evelyn, it's possible he's actually gotten a romantic *clue*! Throughout the books, Perry keeps him slowly learning about himself and romance, and what he really is and what he wants. Even if some of us feel like giving him a good smack for being such an emotional duffer sometimes! ;-)

The idea of the Cinderella couple gone wrong is interesting--most wouldn't dare to touch on something so exalted as royalty. Even in writing fiction today, besmirching those who were once considered "chosen by God" to rule is somewhat taboo.

I reiterate that I still don't find it quite as gripping as some of her other Monk novels, but this one is more subtle and dark. It covers the lengths one may go to in order to save their good name and image in an era where honor and reputation were practically deified. It's got probably some of the *biggest* bits of character development in the series, "Sins of the Wolf" probably having the most *significant*. Not her best Monk novel, but still superb and not to be consigned to the shelves at all!

Ms. Perry should stick with her novels set in Victorian England. I have read all of them, so when I saw a new book by Anne Perry, I immediately purchased it. What a disappointment! Boring. The characters were so unlifelike. I love fantasy, but this was too far out for me.

Perhaps because I am somewhat familiar with Anne Perry's conversion to Mormonism, I recognized this novel for what it was: Her own expression of her love for God, and an allegorical telling of her own journey toward peace. No, it is not to be compared to Lewis or Tolkein, but I don't think she ever meant for it to be. I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (aka Mormons), and I believe that this book will be most appreciated by other members of this church and people who have a sincere interest in just what we believe. It is beautifully written, and I have a great deal of respect for how much of herself Ms. Perry was willing to share in its publication. One final note, however: The best way to learn what the Mormons are all about will always be to read The Book of Mormon. I'm certain Ms. Perry would agree that even her sweet novel is a weak substitute for the real thing.

I, fifteen years old, was pleasantly surprised to find this book in our small local library. Once I started to read, it was very difficult to put it down. I was able to read it in less than a week, during finals. It is a beautiful fantasy that takes place on another world created after our earth. Anne Perry uses her exceptional writing skills to make the book come alive, to help us feel the hatred of Satan and the love of God. In answer to "Kevin, in South Africa," if you only read 50 pages you barely made a mark in it. The first 125 (out of 525) are a spiritual journey, almost a vision, that Tathea takes on. It is an allegory filled with symbolism of what will come later. The beginning makes much more sense if one imagines what is being alluded to each situation. After she is given a golden Book filled with the words of God, Tathea shares it with the world. The rest is much more easy to understand and accurately portrays human nature so that one feels as if they know the characters. At the end of the novel is the text of the Book. It filled me with such awe, such love as I read it, and helped me better understand God's plan. I applaude Anne Perry for taking the stand to write this, one of the most beautiful books I have ever read, exempting the scriptures. Many people think that the definately Christian, yet very different philosophy found in the book was created by Anne Perry. However, it actually reflects the doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, of which she is a member. I encourage, even plead with, everyone to read this awe-inspiring, spiritual novel. It will make you a better person; if everyone in the world read it and believed what it says the world would be at peace. I feel certain that our Heavenly Father smiles upon this book.