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cakereads's review against another edition
3.0
Decent women don't get violated - they don't lay themselves open to it - they don't invite it - or frequent such places in such company.
Deft writing, great characters, excellent plot twist.
Perry's characters are always so well-done - they are flawed characters, realistically strong in their own ways. I enjoyed this book better than the first one: the mystery is better done, and the twist at the end - wow! I did not expect that at all.
One thing I've noted about Perry's books is how feminist they are. In this book, within the frame of a mystery, we deal with rape culture, and how the powerful prey on the weak and steal their voices away. Relevant in the context of the Victorian England drawing room, and relevant to our world today. And we have our protagonists, Monk and Hester, fighting for the powerless in their own ways - it's just so awesome.
Monk and Hester - their simultaneously antagonistic and caring relationship. Now these are two people who know themselves and know the other person very well, and (will eventually it seems from the other books) go into the relationship clear-sighted. I love them together and how they bounce ideas off each other and fight for the truth.
TLDR: Intriguing plot, can't wait for the next book to see how Monk and Hester's relationship develops.
staticdisplay's review
4.0
I read the first book so many years ago that I actually don't remember much of it! just the basic premise. this book covers the aftermath of the crime in the first book, with details of the trial, while Monk takes on a new case and gets Hester involved, "undercover." There are many interesting recurring characters and the side characters who populate this story are well-rounded albeit mostly miserable. there is a bit of repetition in the beginning of the book, as Monk doesn't really seem to know how to investigate this particular case and keeps going over the same details. I think also in the beginning of the book, character is established through some awkward and repetitive interactions - many times we're told how much Lord Basil hates Monk, who returns the feeling. the book has a lot of details about society and norms at the time, which made me aware that I would have absolutely perished if I had lived in history. roles are very rigid and people in certain classes are seen as "less than," which I'm sure is how it really was back then. it makes me appreciate how much people have accomplished in social reform over the last few centuries. in any case I enjoyed the amount of research that must have gone into representing this time period; I thought the interview with Perry at the end of the book showed someone thoughtful, sharp, and confident. admirable.
judyward's review
4.0
In 19th century London, the daughter of Sir Basil Moidore is stabbed to death in her home and private detective William Monk struggles to figure out who is responsible while also trying to recover his lost memory and come to grips with his forgotten past.
greenldydragon's review
3.0
As a fan of Anne Perry's Thomas and Charlotte Pitt mysteries, I had high hopes for the William Monk Mysteries. In this second book, Monk is called to investigate the death of Octavia Moidore, which at first, appears to be the work of a burglar. Horrible family drama ensues, and Harriet Latterly goes in undercover to investigate the family from inside the house. While I only put this book down once in frustration (less pauses in reading than with the first Monk mystery), overall, the investigation has very little fact and a whole lot of gossip. The amount of evidence by the final conclusion is minimal and that was frustrating as a reader. Instead of contradicting evidence or any evidence on which the reader can try and sort out the answer, this book leads the reader without providing enough information for them to do their own "mental" investigation.
Overall, I gave it three stars because of the character of Septimus, the uncle. He has some interesting notes and well-developed personality even though he wasn't mentioned with a high frequency. I even highlighted a few of his lines that really struck me. He redeems the book in a way, in my mind.
Overall, I gave it three stars because of the character of Septimus, the uncle. He has some interesting notes and well-developed personality even though he wasn't mentioned with a high frequency. I even highlighted a few of his lines that really struck me. He redeems the book in a way, in my mind.
okenwillow's review against another edition
5.0
Après avoir lu le premier volume de la série William Monk je m’étais promis de la poursuivre, il m’aura fallu plus de 3 ans ! Mais m’y revoilà, et je pense faire une cure dans les semaines qui viennent.
William Monk se lance dans une nouvelle enquête délicate, et pénètre dans l’intimité de la famille Moidore. L’une des filles est retrouvée poignardée dans sa chambre. Monk devra agite vite, et ne pas trop remuer la boue au sein d’une famille puissante et respectée. Les secrets, les rivalités, les jalousies et les antécédents parfois embarrassants de certains membres devront pourtant être passés au crible et le coupable démasqué. Malgré l’apparente coopération des Moidore, l’enquête se révèle difficile et Monk marche dès le départ sur des œufs.
Toujours amnésique, il fait mine de rien mais on devine le trouble constant qui l’habite. Son goût prononcé pour la justice ne plaît pas à son supérieur qui préfère l’efficacité. La situation déjà incongrue de Monk va s’en trouvée modifiée, et compliquera sa tâche. Nous retrouvons la volontaire Hester Latterly ainsi que l’avocat Oliver Rathbone qui seront d’une grande aide et joueront un rôle crucial dans la résolution de l’enquête.
Anne Perry a le don de tisser des intrigues particulièrement tordues et efficaces, elle nous mène peu à peu vers la solution par des détours aussi nombreux que subtils. Il arrive que le lecteur parvienne lui-même à une hypothèse pas forcément éloignée de la vérité, mais les détails ont une telle importance que de nombreux éléments contribuent à la complexité de l’ensemble. Lorsque la vérité éclate, on s’aperçoit que celle-ci n’est pas aussi simple. Le pourquoi, le comment, le qui n’ont pas forcément une seule réponse, et les scènes de procès qui sont supposées clore le roman contribuent à intensifier un suspens qui semble inépuisable.
William Monk se lance dans une nouvelle enquête délicate, et pénètre dans l’intimité de la famille Moidore. L’une des filles est retrouvée poignardée dans sa chambre. Monk devra agite vite, et ne pas trop remuer la boue au sein d’une famille puissante et respectée. Les secrets, les rivalités, les jalousies et les antécédents parfois embarrassants de certains membres devront pourtant être passés au crible et le coupable démasqué. Malgré l’apparente coopération des Moidore, l’enquête se révèle difficile et Monk marche dès le départ sur des œufs.
Toujours amnésique, il fait mine de rien mais on devine le trouble constant qui l’habite. Son goût prononcé pour la justice ne plaît pas à son supérieur qui préfère l’efficacité. La situation déjà incongrue de Monk va s’en trouvée modifiée, et compliquera sa tâche. Nous retrouvons la volontaire Hester Latterly ainsi que l’avocat Oliver Rathbone qui seront d’une grande aide et joueront un rôle crucial dans la résolution de l’enquête.
Anne Perry a le don de tisser des intrigues particulièrement tordues et efficaces, elle nous mène peu à peu vers la solution par des détours aussi nombreux que subtils. Il arrive que le lecteur parvienne lui-même à une hypothèse pas forcément éloignée de la vérité, mais les détails ont une telle importance que de nombreux éléments contribuent à la complexité de l’ensemble. Lorsque la vérité éclate, on s’aperçoit que celle-ci n’est pas aussi simple. Le pourquoi, le comment, le qui n’ont pas forcément une seule réponse, et les scènes de procès qui sont supposées clore le roman contribuent à intensifier un suspens qui semble inépuisable.
laubrarian's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Una novela un tanto densa al principio pero con muchos giros intrigantes hacia la segunda mitad. Muy buena descripción del ambiente victoriano, muy buen desarrollo de los personajes. El final me gustó pero me pareció dudoso cómo se llegó a la conclusión de la resolución del caso.
felinity's review against another edition
4.0
Following closely on from the first book, this shows the trial [b:The Face of a Stranger|583883|The Face of a Stranger (William Monk, #1)|Anne Perry|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320469225s/583883.jpg|6440293] but Monk is now investigating a murder within a household where beneath the surface lingers unhappy resentment.
Although this is technically a Monk book, Hester features very prominently - and not just as an irritant to Monk. Her very real frustration with the politics holding back medical reform despite the fame of Florence Nightingale and her new practices are clear. She's trying to change the face of nursing from a low-wage job offered to illiterate cleaners to a respected profession undertaken by skilled women, and yet society stands in the way of everything.
Monk, meanwhile, is realizing the hollowness of life without memory, and the terrible reality of those who serve justice blindly, but this book is not bleak. It's filled with emotion, and description, and Perry continues to surround us with details making the Victorian era come alive, from a separate staircase for female servants to a chocolate house. (Bring those back!) I was glad to have the next book ready to read.
Although this is technically a Monk book, Hester features very prominently - and not just as an irritant to Monk. Her very real frustration with the politics holding back medical reform despite the fame of Florence Nightingale and her new practices are clear. She's trying to change the face of nursing from a low-wage job offered to illiterate cleaners to a respected profession undertaken by skilled women, and yet society stands in the way of everything.
Monk, meanwhile, is realizing the hollowness of life without memory, and the terrible reality of those who serve justice blindly, but this book is not bleak. It's filled with emotion, and description, and Perry continues to surround us with details making the Victorian era come alive, from a separate staircase for female servants to a chocolate house. (Bring those back!) I was glad to have the next book ready to read.
tdesgross's review against another edition
3.0
Overall a good book, but I didn't find it as interesting as the first. I feel like mysteries can depend on interesting investigators, an interesting crime, or a blend of both. In this case, both the mystery and Monk's development beyond confused amnesiac detective left a lot to be desired. Now, to be fair, confused amnesiac detective is a pretty awesome premise, but the author didn't cover much new ground for Monk personally in this book compared to the previous. His professional developments were interesting enough, but Perry mostly seemed to use this book to set up future novels, so it felt pretty flat emotionally. To be fair, Hester Latterly and a mostly new character, Oliver Rathbone, are both interesting, sympathetic characters, and I'm excited to see more of them. The mystery itself and its conclusion were disappointing. Personally I thought the resolution - or at least, the main antagonists - were fairly obvious.
As a very nitpicky sidebar, all of the characters are very definite about the fact that women won't be able to be doctors, never, ever, oh no, poor Hester. I would have liked at least a throwaway line about Elizabeth Blackwell and some hope for the future. EB graduated from medical school in the US in 1849 then studied in Paris in 1852 or thereabouts. She worked in England in the late 1850s and was a recognized physician there. Either way, 4-7 years before our characters come into contact with each other she had medical training and was recognized in the States and in Europe. Now, I'm not saying this would have significantly altered Hester's career path, but you'd think it would at least have come up in conversation.
As a very nitpicky sidebar, all of the characters are very definite about the fact that women won't be able to be doctors, never, ever, oh no, poor Hester. I would have liked at least a throwaway line about Elizabeth Blackwell and some hope for the future. EB graduated from medical school in the US in 1849 then studied in Paris in 1852 or thereabouts. She worked in England in the late 1850s and was a recognized physician there. Either way, 4-7 years before our characters come into contact with each other she had medical training and was recognized in the States and in Europe. Now, I'm not saying this would have significantly altered Hester's career path, but you'd think it would at least have come up in conversation.
we_are_all_mad_here26's review against another edition
4.0
This one was better than the first in the series - book #2 is often the deciding factor for me, as to whether I'm going to keep reading or cut my losses. In this case, keep reading it is.
The good: a lot less of the amnesia angst, I mean, anyone would be angsty if they had Monk's degree of amnesia, but then I don't want everyone's train of thought to keep interrupting my reading experience. And, I enjoyed the characters in this story much better than the last.
The bad: I cannot believe that there has ever, in the history of crime fighting, been any police officer as ridiculously and obnoxiously stupid as Runcorn.
The good: a lot less of the amnesia angst, I mean, anyone would be angsty if they had Monk's degree of amnesia, but then I don't want everyone's train of thought to keep interrupting my reading experience. And, I enjoyed the characters in this story much better than the last.
The bad: I cannot believe that there has ever, in the history of crime fighting, been any police officer as ridiculously and obnoxiously stupid as Runcorn.