Friday, May 29, 2009

The Cater Street Hangman by Anne Perry

Title: The Cater Street Hangman
Author: Anne Perry
Series: Thomas and Charlotte Pitt, Book 1
Genre: Historical Mystery
Publisher: Fawcett Crest
ISBN: 0449208672
Format: Mass Market Paperback, 287 pages
List Price: $6.99US
Characters: Thomas Pitt, Charlotte Ellison


Someone is killing young women in Cater Street. Thomas Pitt is called in to investigate and he meets Charlotte Ellison. More or less together, they try to uncover the identity of a killer dubbed the hangman.

What I liked: The characters. Ms Perry actually gave the reader a glimpse into each and every mind that she felt was important to the story. I was surprised by the POV switches even though they were separated by scenes and sometimes chapters, but it added well to the mystery. I didn't guess the murderer's identity until the second to last chapter. I also like the historical detail Ms Perry provides in her Victorian mysteries, giving the reader an accurate glimpse into the period with all its foibles and restrictions.

What I disliked: The romance. I know that sounds weird coming from a romance author but the romance felt contrived to me. This could be because Charlotte fought it and we never got to see inside Pitt's head to watch the gradual development of his regard. Which leads me to my other annoyance: We never got to see inside Pitt's head. Maybe this wasn't important to the story but I like him and would have liked to see how his mind works.

Overall: 4.2 stars. This was borrowed from my mom but I might borrow it again at a much later date. :o)

Note: The copy I read has a different cover and 287 pages instead of 288. The list price of the current edition available is $7.99US instead of $6.99US.

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