Tag: Anne Perry

Death With A Double Edge by Anne Perry

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, George V - 1910- 1936, Historical MysteryLeave a comment

Death with a Double Edge: A Daniel Pitt NovelBarbara’s rating: 3.4 of 5 stars

Series: Daniel Pitt #4
Publication Date: 4/13/21
Number of Pages: 304
** 3.4 STARS **

I love this author and this series, but this is my least favorite book so far. I’m not saying it isn’t a good read, I’m just saying that it isn’t as good as previous books. I am usually very good at figuring out whodunit, following the clues, etc. but this one just kept me scratching my head throughout – not in a good way. I just didn’t get some of those ‘logic leaps’ that were made and I’ll give you some reasons below.

Daniel Pitt, twenty-five years old, a lawyer in the law chambers of fford Croft and Gibson, son of Sir Thomas Pitt, head of Special Branch, receives a summons from the police to come to the morgue to identify a body. The only identifiable item on the body was Daniel’s business card. Daniel had already been worrying about his friend and fellow lawyer, Toby Kitteridge because he was always early, never late – and today he was late to work. Daniel, filled with fear and trepidation at what he might see when he gets into the morgue, seems to have his worst fears confirmed when he sees Kitteridge’s unsightly coat hanging in the morgue. Then, they escort him into the area where the body has been kept. Daniel swallows hard, takes a deep breath, and tells them he is ready. What he sees will haunt him forever – a horribly slashed face (and body) – but it isn’t Kitteridge – it is another lawyer from their firm, Jonah Drake.

Why would Jonah Drake be in that depraved part of London – in the wee hours of the morning? Was he pursuing some perverse inclinations at one of the bawdy houses? Not likely. Was he pursuing leads on a case on which he was working? His current case was a tangled financial one, not something that should take him to that area. Is it something from a previous case? It could be. As they question and look into Jonah’s life and cases, they meet a man they didn’t know existed. Jonah was seen as aloof and cold – a workaholic at the office – no personal life, yet, in the notes and drawings they find as they go through his paperwork, they get to know a brilliant mind, a perceptive mind, a witty mind, a lonely man. How could they all have ignored this man who was so much more than they ever imagined?

As their investigation goes on, Daniel’s father gets involved as well as others who have made appearances in previous books. We have more bodies turning up in almost the same place and still no idea who or why the murders have happened.

For me personally, this wasn’t a great mystery – but it was a lovely way to see Daniel grow as a person, and perhaps that was one of the purposes of the book. Daniel has been sort of a man-child who was learning his way in the world and trying to get out of the shadow of his wonderful larger-than-life father. He also sees his own shortcomings in judging someone by outward appearances/actions. His learning to appreciate Jonah as the person he was rather than the person he projected hopefully taught Daniel a valuable lesson he’ll use in future books. He saw his father was human and vulnerable just like everybody else and that was a good thing.

Here are some of the reasons the mystery part of this book left me scratching my head: (1) Daniel seemed totally inept and almost played a secondary role. (2) Daniel, his father, and Kittreridge went over the same evidence time-after-time-after-time. (3) Daniel, his father, and Kittridge asked the exact same questions of themselves and each other time-after-time-after-time. (4) Giant leaps in the progress of the case would happen, with nothing to support it. They just all suddenly decided this is what happened and off they went. (5) Somehow, because Marcus is getting forgetful, they immediately start assuming he must have done something shady. (6) When Charlotte is kidnapped, Daniel and his father sit around reading files trying to solve the murder. How is that going to tell them where Charlotte is being kept? Why didn’t they just ask Roman Blackwell and his mother to check the area where they were sure Charlotte was being held – after all, that area is their old stomping grounds?

Anyway, the book was an okay read, but I wouldn’t read this one again. I’ll certainly be looking forward to the next book and will be hoping that a post-COVID book will have a different flavor/feel than one written during COVID.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

One Fatal Flaw by Anne Perry

On By BarbaraIn Barb's Reviews, Edwardian Age (1901-1910), Historical MysteryLeave a comment

One Fatal Flaw: A Daniel Pitt NovelBarbara’s rating: 5 of 5 stars

Series: Daniel Pitt #3
Publication Date: 4/7/20
Number of Pages: 304

Tightly wrapped within the cocoon of this superb, well-plotted mystery series, you will find the nuggets of early forensic science. This story deals with the effect of arson and intense heat upon bones – particularly the skull – and the way an arrogant, self-centered, selfish, vengeful ‘expert’ can warp the judicial system for his own reward.

The story is tightly plotted, well written, and filled with historical accuracy. I loved Daniel Pitt immediately because I loved his parents first. Daniel is a wonderfully honest, dedicated, and very honorable twenty-five-year-old man who has been out of law school for just a couple of years. He’s on the bottom rung of the ladder at his law firm, fford Croft and Gibson, and rarely gets assigned a case himself. He sits as second chair to his friend and mentor, Toby Kitteridge.

When a young woman, Jessie Beale, arrives at the prestigious law firm and asks to see Daniel, it is because of an earlier case in which he had represented a party who was found innocent. It had seemed a near-impossible case, yet Daniel won it – and she wanted that same thing for her friend, Rob Adwell. After hearing what she had to say, Daniel couldn’t help but believe the man was guilty of the crime, but once he discussed it with Kitteridge and the firm head Marcus fford Croft, it was decided they would take the case. He was amazed when they won the case, but it was because of the expert forensic testimony of Sir Barnabus Saltram.

Weeks later, Daniel is called to defend Jessie herself. She is accused of murdering Rob in exactly the same manner as the first murder occurred. As Daniel investigates, he begins to wonder if his client might not be guilty of not one, but two murders. Yet, because of the expert testimony from Adwell’s trial, he can only assume she will be found innocent. That tears at him because he will be a party to letting a murderer go free. What a conundrum our erstwhile young lawyer has found for himself. How can he meet his obligations to his client and his conscience at the same time?

As more things emerge and information shifts, attacks happen, the tale gets filled with more twists and turns. Will Daniel’s minor case end up turning Britain’s justice system and the fledgling forensic sciences field on its head?

Miriam fford Croft is the forty-year-old daughter of Marcus fford Croft, Daniel’s boss. Miriam is a woman who has suffered for the times. She’s brilliant, dedicated, educated, and without a college degree or credentials even though she has completed all of the coursework and received exceptional marks. The field of forensic science is not one that is available for women. I have to say, I was a bit concerned about Miriam in about the first 35-40% of the book. She seemed to have given up on her pursuits and was feeling pretty ho-hum. Then, she perked up and things got moving for her. I was happy for her to finally come to some sort of resolution within herself.

I loved Miriam and Daniel working together and solving issues. I loved Miriam’s courage in the face of social ruin and I loved that Daniel let her make the decision about how to continue.

I keep wondering if there is going to be a May-December romance between Daniel and Miriam. They certainly care for each other, but is it romantic? I don’t know, but it will be interesting to see.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.