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castiel67's review against another edition
1.0
I am unable to put into words my disgust and anger in the story. The author has done little to none in the area of research for the time period, English Law, social structure and least of all into the viability of the story. Pages drag on without progression of the story, and the same information is repeated numerous times throughout, for no purpose other than to extend the book itself. Complete waste of time.
melissasbookshelf's review against another edition
3.0
I liked this next book in the Monk series. This case is particularly sordid, but seemed a little obvious. The ending has a few surprises that I didn't see coming and enough misdirection that one of the villains I didn't suspect at all. It's a harsh commentary on Victorian England, especially concerning the rights of women and children. I recommend this though the case does involved some especially heinous crimes. As always, the narrator was fabulous.
annvsted87's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
robynryle's review against another edition
2.0
Growing tired of hearing about how bungled the Crimean War was and the Charge of the Light Brigade. Skip the mystery and just tell me about Monk and Hester and Rathbone, already.
csw_1981's review against another edition
4.0
Mystery in a historical fiction setting. Mystery plot keeps the reader engaged. Characters’ behavior does seem plausible in its context, no anachronisms.
rlse's review against another edition
4.0
Wow. Such harsh content, but wow. I couldn't put it down for the last 25%.
greenldydragon's review against another edition
4.0
A very dark twist that kept me reading up late at night....
okenwillow's review against another edition
5.0
Avec ce troisième volume Anne Perry nous replonge à nouveau dans une époque où les inégalités sociales sont à leur paroxysme, et nous dresse le portrait d’une société victorienne scindée en deux univers qui cohabitent mais s’ignorent. Lorsque la veuve d’un général respecté avoue son meurtre, rien ne va plus dans la famille du mort. Les membres ont chacun une idée de la situation et certains préfèreraient voir la coupable enfermée chez les fous plutôt que de se voir exposés sur la place publique lors d’un procès. Sollicitée par l’une des sœurs de la victime, Hester Latterly fait appel à Oliver Rathbone et William Monk afin d’établir l’innocence de la veuve. Celle-ci se montera fort peu coopérative et éveillera les soupçons de Monk et de Rathbone, incitant ces derniers à enquêter pour découvrir le véritable mobile du meurtre et ses tristes circonstances. Si le lecteur devine plus ou moins le vrai mobile, rien n’est pourtant certain et Anne Perry réussit malgré tout encore l’exploit de nous mener en bateau à peu près jusqu’à la dernière page, et n’hésite pas pour cela à développer une scène de procès d’une folle intensité, d’une efficacité confondante. Encore une fois l’enquête se poursuit en parallèle du procès, une course contre la montre qui rythme une intrigue déjà poussée et dense et nous bombarde de nouvelles révélations. Nous nous retrouvons pour ainsi dire au sein du procès, anticipant les réactions des protagonistes face aux nouvelles révélations. Redoutable, glauque et haletant, peuplé de personnages fouillés et réalistes, ce troisième volume est un vrai régal.
felinity's review
5.0
4.5 stars but rounding up
"How can we tolerate a law which affords no possible justice? And the unjustice is unspeakable." That's the premise of this book. Amongst the historical details that give so much richness to [a:Anne Perry|6331|Anne Perry|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1216671529p2/6331.jpg]'s writings, and Monk's tantalizingly close flashes of memory, a murder is investigated by Monk, Hester and Oliver Rathbone. The suspect never denied the act, setting them up for an unimaginably hopeless case, but Victorian social issues prove to be the real culprit. Perry demonstrates how the fear of change affects everyone, and how much women have to lose if they slip from the narrow path society permits.
Aside from everyone having an aquiline nose, it's hard to find anything wrong with this - except the compulsion to keep reading!
"How can we tolerate a law which affords no possible justice? And the unjustice is unspeakable." That's the premise of this book. Amongst the historical details that give so much richness to [a:Anne Perry|6331|Anne Perry|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1216671529p2/6331.jpg]'s writings, and Monk's tantalizingly close flashes of memory, a murder is investigated by Monk, Hester and Oliver Rathbone. The suspect never denied the act, setting them up for an unimaginably hopeless case, but Victorian social issues prove to be the real culprit. Perry demonstrates how the fear of change affects everyone, and how much women have to lose if they slip from the narrow path society permits.
Aside from everyone having an aquiline nose, it's hard to find anything wrong with this - except the compulsion to keep reading!