- Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
- Publisher: Ivy Books; First THUS edition (Aug 30 1997)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0804115621
- ISBN-13: 978-0804115629
- Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 2.5 x 17.4 cm
- Shipping Weight: 204 g
- Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #383,041 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
From Amazon
Set in the mid-1800s, this mystery brings the passionate and exotic aristocrats of a tiny German kingdom into contact with Victorian England, in particular with William Monk, the darkly romantic hero of Anne Perry's historical series. Countess Zorah Rostova first approaches Sir Oliver Rathbone with a story of murder, accusing the woman for whom an exiled prince has renounced his crown of killing him. Rathbone hires Monk to investigate, and both men are bewitched by the alluring women in the prince's court-in-exile. In pursuit of the truth, Monk follows a trail from England to Venice and then to the kingdom of Felzburg, a journey that teaches him much about the political intrigue in central Europe during those turbulent times.
--This text refers to the
Audio Cassette
edition.
From Publishers Weekly
The byzantine politics and aristocratic squabbles of a small German principality called Felzburg exasperate and puzzle William Monk in his seventh distinctive appearance (after Cain His Brother). Monk, a Victorian-era "agent of inquiry," is still haunted by a baffling amnesia, and he feels that his associates?the rigidly proper barrister Sir Oliver Rathbone and the uncompromising and outspoken nurse Hester Latterly?have taken on more than they can handle when Sir Oliver decides to defend Countess Zorah Rostova against a slander charge. The patriotic Zorah has accused Princess Gisela of Felzburg of murdering her husband, Prince Friedrich, heir to the throne, who presumably had died as a result of a fall from a horse. Gisela is suing. The issue of slander is almost lost in all the politicking. Gisela and Friedrich had lived in English exile, Gisela having played a sort of Wallis Simpson role to Friedrich's Edward. But Friedrich dreamed of returning triumphant to Felzburg in order to defend the statelet's independence against the unifying tide of Germany. Zorah's defense requires that Monk polish his image, refine his abrasive nature and interview some devious, scheming?and perhaps murderous?aristocrats. Was Friedrich poisoned? Was Gisela the intended target? Who profits? Are personal or political motives dominant? Perry indulges her characters in a bit too much unproductive speculation, but the novel springs to life in the courtroom scenes, where careful investigation and astute teamwork produce some astonishing revelations that presage the end of Victorian propriety and an era's pretense of innocence. Major ad/promo; Mystery Guild main selection; author tour.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
SIR OLIVER RATHBONE SAT in his chambers in Vere Street, just off Lincoln's Inn Fields, and surveyed the room with eminent satisfaction. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt
SIR OLIVER RATHBONE SAT in his chambers in Vere Street, just off Lincoln's Inn Fields, and surveyed the room with eminent satisfaction. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt
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Most helpful customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
The romance of the century?,
By Eva25at (Vienna, Austria) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Weighed in the Balance (Mass Market Paperback)
In the mid 19th century, there is a small european country about to be swallowed by the vast Prussian Empire. Friedrich, the crown-prince of this country, renounced to the throne to marry Gisela, the woman he loves (sounds familiar?). Some years later, his country invites him to come back - without Gisela, of course. During a rollicking week-end with other royals (the prince of Wales is present) and ex-royals, Friedrich falls from his horse. He is nursed by his devoted wife, seems to recover - and dies suddenly. The russian countess Zorah Rostova causes a scandal by declaring that it was Gisela who poisoned her husband. Gisela sues Zorah for libel, but this obstinate and self-assured countess brings star-attorney Oliver Rathbone to defend her...No surprise ending this time: I was able to guess the outcome after five minutes - everybody who knows which flowers are toxic will - but read it nonetheless because the motive is very revealing and there are some hilarious moments. Perry is always at her best when she has the opportunity to unmask the evil, evil establishment and the scene where Zorah describes in detail the daily routine of the idle aristocracy is a classic. How shocked the public is to learn that the prince of Wales played blind-man's buff - how easily shocked the public was then...
4.0 out of 5 stars
Contrariwise Review-- my favorite Perry to date,
By frumiousb "frumiousb" (Amsterdam, the Netherlands) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Weighed in the Balance (Mass Market Paperback)
I haven't read any Anne Perry in a long time-- largely because I wasn't enthralled by what I'd read of the Pitt novels. But I have to say that I really liked this book.I found all the character interesting because they had not only the trappings of the period, but also the appropriate flaws. I liked that Monk did not really appreciate Hester, and I liked his indecision about who to support in the slander trial. I even liked the slander trial and the forgotten European history as the centerpiece. Well done. I'll look for more in the same series.
2.0 out of 5 stars
Hurry through this one!,
By "janeeyre" (VIENNA, VA USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Weighed in the Balance (Mass Market Paperback)
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.
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