|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Frequently Bought Together
Product Details
|
Product Description
From Amazon
For Inspector Thomas Pitt, doing one's job can have unpleasant consequences. When his testimony sends distinguished soldier John Adinett to the gallows for the murder of Martin Fetters, traveler and antiquarian, Adinett's friends (members of the Inner Circle, "those men who had secret loyalties which superseded every other honor or pledge") ensure that Pitt loses his command of the Bow Street station. He is forced to leave his family and take up an undercover existence in the slum district of Spitalfields, chasing anarchists (though he feels he might as well be chasing his own tail). But when his wife, Charlotte, their maid, Gracie, and her would-be suitor, Sergeant Tellman, apply themselves to the task of restoring Pitt's good name, they uncover an anarchist's conspiracy that dwarfs even Guy Fawkes's Gunpowder Plot. The secrets and lies of respected men lurking in the halls of power, who will stop at nothing short of abolishing the monarchy, form the backdrop for the trio's frantic investigations. To top everything off, Perry throws in a marvelously effective subplot--but to divulge how Jack the Ripper figures into the narrative would be to spoil a highly entertaining read.
The novel has its flaws; Charlotte's great-aunt Vespasia seems less the dynamic character she has been throughout the series than a mouthpiece of mourning for the waves of change. Yes, the reader is tempted to say, the potential downfall of the British monarchy would no doubt be painful and unspeakably unsettling for those who respect Victoria and her forebears--but must one natter endlessly on about it? Better to let the whole shebang go gracefully into that good night. No fears for contemporary Victorian-philes, though; with Thomas and Charlotte around, who could doubt that the monarchy will live to fight another day? --Kelly Flynn --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From Publishers Weekly
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items. |
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most helpful customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
RIPPING GOOD TALE!,
By
This review is from: The Whitechapel Conspiracy (Hardcover)
This was my second Pitt adventure, Southampton Row being my introduction to Anne Perry's characters Thomas and Charlotte Pitt. Since this book was referred to so often in Southampton Row I felt I should read it to get the full scenario. It was certainly a good read.Having been on a "Jack the Ripper" tour on a dark and rainy night last April, I was intrigued as to whom would be the most prominent suspect. Even though this book was about far more than "Jack", it was spot on with the theory of a "royal" being involved and certainly better than the yarn that Patricia Cornwell is trying to thrust upon us! The Inner Circle and corruption in both politics and police is really the storyline here. After the trial of Adinett I felt I could actually see Thomas and Charlotte sitting in their cozy kitchen facing this nightmare together. It seemed all too real and plausible to me and I could easily fit the scenes into 2002 and the corruption that is floating all around us. I admire the active roles that both Charlotte and Gracie took, and not being caught up in the shy reserved woman's roles of their time. It was interesting that Pitt tampered with the crime scene at the sugar factory; I hope it does help him in future episodes to be more understanding of his own suspects and how frail humanity in the most honest of people can be. It served a more just cause, but he could have been fired and even possibly prosecuted for "doing the right thing". I was also surprised by the ending and admire Vespasia's strength and courage. Can we see more of her? I am now working on Brunswick Gardens.....let you know soon!
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great addition to Perry's works,
By ColoraturaSoprano (my computer desk) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Whitechapel Conspiracy (Mass Market Paperback)
As a great fan of Anne Perry, especially Thomas and Charlotte's adventures, I was pleasantly suprised with this novel. It is harrowingly realsitic, frightening, and yet ever socially and polotically oriented; adding a rich twist from the streets of bitter poverty, to the elegance and grace of the more fortunate elite. Of all the mysteries in the series, "The Whitechapel Conspiracy" was, to me, the most suspensful, realistic, and enjoyable all around. I found the link to Jack the Ripper to be an interesting historical aspect, which added great flavor and suspense. It seemed that the plot was somehow altered with every turn of the page, and the exciting, realistic social and polotical scenes throughout kept the story alive with action. I recommend this book to any fan of mystery, but especially those who have been with Thomas and Charlotte from the beginning, for their growth as characters is astounding and suprisingly captivating.
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Ripper Rehash,
By
This review is from: The Whitechapel Conspiracy (Mass Market Paperback)
Anne Perry's Victorian novels are always well written and intense. She has a strong sense of morality and justice and a great love for her characters. The Whitechapel Conspiracy is somewhat of a departure for her in that she has chosen to rehash the Jack the Ripper legend. Her apparent source is The Ripper and the Royals, which when published in the early 1990s claimed to have proof that the Ripper crimes were connected to the secret marriage and fatherdom of Albert Victor (Eddy), Duke of Clarence and Avondale, second in line to his grandmother Queen Victoria's throne. This is an old rumor which never seems to die out, but instead, like the Kennedy assassination theories, just keeps rolling along, adding ever more outlandish embroiderings with each new version.Regardless of the reliability (or lack thereof) of her source, Perry has turned out yet another good chapter in the lives of Thomas and Charlotte Pitt, whom I have followed with great delight for more than ten years now. Although I am disappointed that her subject matter is not new, I still enjoyed The Whitechapel Conspiracy, and await her next effort with pleasure.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Want to see more reviews on this item?
|
Most recent customer reviews |
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
|
