I can't help but feel slightly geeky, giving a 4 star rating to a murder mystery. But Anne Perry is one of the best mystery writer I've ever come across. Her understanding of the Victorian Period - the fashions, the attitudes, the prejudices - is absolutely perfect and it shows in the books.This is one of a series of books about a Victorian dectective (William Monk) with complete identity amnesia. He has had a terrible accident and he no longer knows his name, his job or his relatives/acquaintances. Throughout the series, he gradually rediscovers himself and who he was. In this book, his friend (well, in a manner of speaking)Hester, a nurse who served in the Crimea, is accused of murdering her patient. Monk then frantically tries to discover the real murderer before she is found guilty and executed.There are a number of reasons I love Anne Perry. The quality of her writing is good. Her prose is solid and fits with the Victorian setting, without becoming overly flowery. Her representation of Victorian society is excellent. But the best thing about these books is the characters. The mysteries are seamlessly interwoven with their lives and their reactions to the crimes they face are natural and well depicted. Their relationships with each other are what grabs me though. The protagonists, Hester and Monk, spend their time in convoluted arguments with each other, interspersed with lovely little moments of odd tenderness. The only reason I didn't give this 5 stars is because these books tend to be a little formulaic. There's the murder, the beginning of the investigation, the initial arrest, the court case, and then the verdict or the big reveal, or both, not necessarily in that order. It can get wearing at times, but the interactions of the characters and the enjoyable plot twists more than make up for it.
I LOVED this mystery. It is the 5th in the series and I am so enthralled with all the characters. Hester ... How I wish I was Hester. The one thing I enjoyed most in this book was Hesters courage and heartbreak and fear. I felt it ripple and come crashing in on her. Those are real feelings. People cant be strong all the time and her showing the effects of prison was perfect. I felt for her and felt cold as I was reading it. The descriptions were deft and quick to the heart. I am not a romance reader by any stretch, but Anne Perry weaves Monk and Hesters romance into this book well. And the reader is so happy for them. She doesnt leave you wishing they had done more. Just that kiss was so profound. Their personalities wouldnt allow more at that moment. So perfefct. Thank to Anne Perry for that! The complaints from most it seems is that there are too many family secrets and the fact Hester was welcomed into the house after the trial was over. The fact is the family was all wonderful on the surface. But it was deeply troubled. I think it was a fantastic turn of events because even if you guessed one issue, there were others you hadnt thought of. Surely the forgery was a surprise. As far as Hester being welcomed in the house, I dont think that was really her intent. She came as a force of nature and her gratious attitude allowed her to be there. I think she had to be there to solve the mystery to her own satisfaction. The family knew they had almost hung her so they felt obliged. I am not sure how I felt about that either, but I know she had to know. Excellent book and kept me awake well past 4AM
What do You think about The Sins Of The Wolf (1995)?
SINS OF THE WOLF - GPerry, Anne - 5th in Monk seriesNurse Hester Latterly finds herself well-suited for the position: accompany Mrs. Mary Farraline, an elderly Scottish lady with delicate health, on a short train trip to London. Yet Hester's simple job takes a grave turn when the woman dies during the night. And when a postmortem examination of the body reveals a lethal dose of medicine, Hester is charged with murder--punishable by execution.The notorious case presents detective William Monk with a daunting task: find a calculating killer amongst the prominent and coolly unassailable Farraline clan. Since Hester must be tried in Edinburgh, where prejudice against her runs high, there is little that the highly skilled barrister Oliver Rathbone can do to help. He can only try to direct her Scottish lawyer from the frustrating sidelines, and pray that Hester will not be sent to the gallows....I'm still more a fan of the Pitt series but these are also quite good. Slow progress is being made in the relationship between Hester and Monk.
—LJ
***1/2 is my actual rating, one that I give for great mysteries. Anne Perry has a wonderful way of transporting the reader to Victorian times. When I am dealing with family illness, these are the types of escapist books I choose. I feel guilt at times over not choosing more mind expanding topics; then I cast that aside and read with pure enjoyment! Having characters that the reader knows and can return to again and again is one of the appeals of this author. William Monk, a victim of a hansom ride that took his memory, but not his ability to research a murder, is again coupled with Hester Latterly, one of Florence Nightingale's Crimean nurses. This time Hester is accused of murdering one of her patients; the gallows are ever a threat. But of course, Monk comes to the last minute rescue!
—Rita
I enjoyed this latest addition in the William Monk series. It was very entertaining (and that's what I value in a detective novel). Over all I think my favorite part of these books are the court room scenes. You can feel the tension mounting as the proceedings unfold. Both the interior and exterior dialogue is perfect in these scenes. They are delightfully dramatic. And this novel takes place largely in Edinburgh, giving us a slightly different culture to absorb, and indeed the differences in th
—Laurie
