346th out of 738 books
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1,613 voters
Defend and Betray (William Monk #3)
by
Anne Perry
"A richly textured and timeless novel of suspense. Her Victorian England pulsates with life and is peopled with wonderfully memorable characters."
Faye Kellerman
Although esteemed General Thaddeus Carlyon meets his death in a freak accident at home, his beautiful wife, Alexandra, confesses that she killed him. Investigator William Monk, nurse Hester Latterly, and the brillia...more
Faye Kellerman
Although esteemed General Thaddeus Carlyon meets his death in a freak accident at home, his beautiful wife, Alexandra, confesses that she killed him. Investigator William Monk, nurse Hester Latterly, and the brillia...more
Paperback, 448 pages
Published
September 1st 1993
by Ivy Books
(first published 1992)
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In the third of the William Monk Victorian detective series I was very pleased to see the character of Hester Latterly developed with careful expertise. Hester figures so strongly in later novels that I was delighted to see how the author introduced her character in this book with words both eloquent and moving. The conditions of Victorian England, the repression of superbly talented women such as Hester, and her determination to be herself in spite of society's prejudiced, ill-informed attitude...more
The more I read Anne Perry's books, the more impressed I am with her storytelling. This is the second I've read of her Inspector Monk series and I see a pattern developing where each book proves to be better than the last. I rarely if ever flip ahead in a book, but for the life of me I couldn't resist doing it here, if only to try to get a hint at why the prime suspect was so willing to take the blame for her husband's murder, despite the fact that the motive she provides made no sense. Followin...more
Avec ce troisième volume Anne Perry nous replonge à nouveau dans une époque où les inégalités sociales sont à leur paroxysme, et nous dresse le portrait d’une société victorienne scindée en deux univers qui cohabitent mais s’ignorent. Lorsque la veuve d’un général respecté avoue son meurtre, rien ne va plus dans la famille du mort. Les membres ont chacun une idée de la situation et certains préfèreraient voir la coupable enfermée chez les fous plutôt que de se voir exposés sur la place publique...more
This is #3 in the Inspector Monk series, read immediately after its predecessors in sequence. Monk and Hester still don’t know that they were made for each other, and Perry is teasing us with a developing relationship between Hester and Rathbone, the great defense attorney they keep turning to. The basic story here is another Victorian household, this one containing only seven people and the usual batch of servants, but the married daughter and her family live around the corner and they all go v...more
Defend and Betray finds Hester hiring Oliver Rathbone, the lawyer who convicted the murderer in the first book on behalf of her friend's family. Her friend's brother has been murdered and his wife confessed to it. But Hester's friend does not believe she did it though she won't admit it. What could be the reason for her admission of guilt? Who is she protecting? Rathbone hires Monk to work as his detective for the case and Hester helps get the family gossip. Ooh, the one thing that would keep me...more
This book opens with a murder about which very little is known other than the victim's wife openly admits to having killed her husband. No one seems to know why and her only excuse is openly dismissed by everyone.
The next 150 pages or so repeats these minimal facts from various angles and viewpoints. And, really, that's about it.
The final 100 devolve into a standard courtroom drama, although all of the surprises have already been revealed.
I lost count of how many aristocratic characters (a) st...more
The next 150 pages or so repeats these minimal facts from various angles and viewpoints. And, really, that's about it.
The final 100 devolve into a standard courtroom drama, although all of the surprises have already been revealed.
I lost count of how many aristocratic characters (a) st...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
2.5 - 3 stars
Narrated by Davina Porter
The third book in the William Monk mysteries felt like the longest and the most boring, and my overall impression of the book was one of just plain blah.
What I liked about this book was the further insight into Monk's history. He regains some more memories, and with the help of his friend Sergeant Evan, retraces a couple of his cases to find a woman from his past. I suppose I also appreciated the fact that Hester Latterly is shown to be just as important to...more
Narrated by Davina Porter
The third book in the William Monk mysteries felt like the longest and the most boring, and my overall impression of the book was one of just plain blah.
What I liked about this book was the further insight into Monk's history. He regains some more memories, and with the help of his friend Sergeant Evan, retraces a couple of his cases to find a woman from his past. I suppose I also appreciated the fact that Hester Latterly is shown to be just as important to...more
It is hard to write about this book and not give away too much of the plot. General Thaddeus Carlyon dies after falling over a bannister to the floor below at a dinner party given by friends. Soon after, his wife Alexandra confesses to the crime and goes to jail. She remains adamant that she is the guilty party but won’t give any reason for her actions. Rathbone, hired to defend her, secures the aid of William Monk to try to discover a motive for the crime. The victim’s sister, Edith, is friend...more
A general dies at a dinner party. First, the police figure out that he was murdered. Then, his wife confesses. It takes the rest of the book for William Monk, Hester Latterley, and Oliver Rathbone to figure out a) who really killed the general, b) why, and c) how they can prove it in court.
Either this book was not as well written as the first two in the series, or the novelty is wearing off. The whole thing consists of one interview after another, many of them pointless. The main characters are...more
Either this book was not as well written as the first two in the series, or the novelty is wearing off. The whole thing consists of one interview after another, many of them pointless. The main characters are...more
Feb 02, 2011
Hazel
rated it
2 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Lovers of historical history
Shelves:
crime
I've been rereading these early William Monk novels while travelling recently. I appreciate Perry's research and am sympathetic to her views on Victorian social conditions, (poverty, child labour, the position of women). So far, however she doesn't construct the novels well. Every idea, question about motive, puzzle about clues takes pages to discuss. Each lead character has the same internal voice, and they all repeat (ad nauseum) the author's perspective. So the private investigator, the bold...more
This book took forever to get into but once I did it became very interesting. I had to give the book only a good rating simply because I did not find much of interest in the first half. One problem with the book was that, in spite of it being an 'inspector monk' story, he was not really in it very much. There was no traditional clues leading to discovery of whodunit. Both the reader and the characters in the story knew who very early in the story; the question was why. The main character was Hes...more
I found this one hard going and I'm wavering between 2.5 and 3 stars for the rating. It's not as strong a story or as engaging as the first two Monk books. In fact, there is very little Monk in it, which I found frustrating. I want to know more about his past. Also, he's supposed to be this brilliant detective, right? And dogged in his pursuit of the truth, etc. He was neither brilliant nor dogged in this book. In fact, he missed glaringly obvious suspects once the true motive for murder was unc...more
I'm continuing to enjoy these Victorian mysteries. I can't deny that they're didactic and tediously repetitive at times, but I like the characters and the setting.
In this book a woman has confessed to killing her husband, and while most people are satisfied by the confession, our investigative team of Detective Monk, Barrister Rathbone and Nurse Hester have doubts about her motive.
The mystery itself was intriguing at first, and then I figured out the motive from obvious clues that everyone was i...more
In this book a woman has confessed to killing her husband, and while most people are satisfied by the confession, our investigative team of Detective Monk, Barrister Rathbone and Nurse Hester have doubts about her motive.
The mystery itself was intriguing at first, and then I figured out the motive from obvious clues that everyone was i...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
This book suffered a little from rereading: there were clues in people's behavior on the night of the murder that were inexplicably not followed up for chapters, despite multiple mentions. There were a few leaps of logic, and at least one plot point I would have suggested editing out. I'm no expert on British law of the period, but some of the courtroom rulings seemed a little capricious or unlikely to me. Monk's retracing of his past seemed occasionally irresponsible in the face of his other du...more
I read many of the Monk books in my pre-foodreads days, and found them to be quite compelling. Whether it was the amnesia Monk had, and his trying to solve a mystery plus solve his own mystery, or Hester's fierce determination to maintain her nursing skills, worth, and strength of character, or some of all of the above, I don't know, but I enjoyed the series. That I fell off later in the game is probably only because my life circumstances made it more complicated to keep up with when new books c...more
Hester Latterly has just received dreadful news: her friend Edith Sobell's brother, well-renowned General Carlyon, has just died a very horrible death. He was pushed over a balcony during a dinner party when no one was around, and then had a halberd driven into his chest. Not only that, but his wife has confessed to killing him! Edith believes her sister-in-law may be trying to cover up someone else's crime, maybe her daughter's, but Alexandra is adamant that she killed her own husband. Hester b...more
I'm beginning to find all other mysteries and crime dramas are wilted and boring compared to Anne Perry's William Monk series. She focuses so acutely on characterization, delving into the atrocities of a Victorian society that, among other things, seems to suffocate and entrap its inhabitants. Every last detail connects in some way, shape or form to the plot, the unwinding of a crime that is usually quite ghastly and very usually incredibly chilling. "Defend and Betray" was no exception. When hi...more
This book was a little more obvious that the others I have read. A man is murdered and his wife immediately confesses to his murder and offers no defense. It seems that she is shielding someone, but whom? It appears that it may be her fiesty daughter who has quarreled with him, but she can’t possibly have done it. In fact, the wife is the only one who could have done it, but why? Even in jail, she won’t tell her lawyer anything or help in her defense.
William Monk is brought in to determine what...more
William Monk is brought in to determine what...more
I've really enjoyed the books I read by Anne Perry and I can't wait to continue reading this series. The fact that there are so many books out only makes me more enthusiastic.
Although the summary above mentions Monk as the main detective in this case the truth is that Hester Latterly does most of the investigation. She has been employed to nurse a military man who has broken his leg and, when she story opens, she is waiting to meet her friend Edith Sobell. Edith is General Carlyon's sister and s...more
Although the summary above mentions Monk as the main detective in this case the truth is that Hester Latterly does most of the investigation. She has been employed to nurse a military man who has broken his leg and, when she story opens, she is waiting to meet her friend Edith Sobell. Edith is General Carlyon's sister and s...more
Part detective novel, part courtroom drama, this book is not badly written. However, I resent its extreme sensationalism. Murder not bad enough? Throw in some sexual abuse. Still not bad enough? Make it incest. Still want more? How about a child sodomy ring? It makes me angry that a book should require this much suffering to make a simple whodunnit story. I've read about 5 or 8 of the 40 or so books Anne Perry has written, and I've mostly enjoyed them for their Victorian color and suspense. But...more
“Monk, Hester and Rathbone take on a case involving one of the biggest taboos of our society. I enjoyed the book enormously but, to pick at a mighty small issue, I thought the resolution was a tad convenient. Just a tad. I was very impressed by how believable the progression of the unveiling of the crime was and the final "scene" was very satisfying. It made me wonder how discovery and these offenses really did progress back then. I also am enjoying Monk's rediscovery of his own history, which p...more
Possibly the worst Anne Perry book I've read (and I've read over 30 of them). The mystery was thin, and I figured it out well before half the book was over...and, as it concerned child abuse, could only wish I hadn't. Both Monk and Hester seemed peripheral and their relationship didn't move forward as it could have. However, as the previous 2 Monk books were wonderful (as well as her other series), I look forward to the next one and can only hope she's back in stride.
I think this one was my favorite so far of the series! I really enjoyed the interactions between Hester, Rathbone, and Monk!
"There was something extraordinarily sweet and comfortable about a friend who knows you and accepts you at your worst, your most bitter, or defeated, who sees your emotional ugliness naked and is not afraid to call it by name, and yet does not turn from you or allow you to cease to struggle, who wills your survival as precious."
"There was something extraordinarily sweet and comfortable about a friend who knows you and accepts you at your worst, your most bitter, or defeated, who sees your emotional ugliness naked and is not afraid to call it by name, and yet does not turn from you or allow you to cease to struggle, who wills your survival as precious."
I really love Anne Perry’s books about Hester Latterly and Mr. Monk. They are so well written, rich with historical details and the mystery always leads to something unexpected.
Of course, Davina Porter’s narration is delightful and absolutely perfect for the story. What a golden voice!
Plus I enjoy information about the Crimean War, Nightingale’s contributions to military healthcare and the problems that surrounded the beginnings of professional nursing.
Great stories.
Of course, Davina Porter’s narration is delightful and absolutely perfect for the story. What a golden voice!
Plus I enjoy information about the Crimean War, Nightingale’s contributions to military healthcare and the problems that surrounded the beginnings of professional nursing.
Great stories.
I must have a dirty mind . . . or have read too many mysteries, becassue I saw this one coming. No spoiler here, just that I got there before the sleuth which made me feel odd, but maybe it's the times. It's still an excellent book and watching Monk go through the permutations of who he was before he had his accident is fascinating. I am less in thrall of Hester, but maybe she's not the sort of woman I'd want to be. I still root for her!!
While attending an elegant dinner party a military hero fell from a staircase and was impaled on a suit of armor. When his death is revealed to be a murder, the victim's wife immediately confesses. William Monk doubts her confession and begins a search for the real murderer. But first he must find out why a wife would confess to a murder she didn't commit. Once again Perry brings to light the social and moral conditions of Victorian England.
Anne Perry, an amazing slueth through William Monk and the Pitts. This 3rd book in the Monk series is the best so far. Perry paints a horrifying and beguiling picture of heroes and villans. Ms Perry's showing us the horror of being a mid 19th century woman - chattel of her husband with no property or personal rights. Doubtless pushing some women to murder in order to escape the worst of conditions for herself and her children.
When is a suit of armor more than just an ornamentation in a great hallway? What intrigues can be masked by the comings and goings of the inhabitants of a great house and their friends? And just how little can poeple purported to be close family and friends fail to know about one another? Oft times it takes an outsider- or three- to think through the problems and find the clues hidden among all the players.
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Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Anne Perry (born Juliet Hulme) is a British historical novelist.
Juliet took the name "Anne Perry", the latter being her stepfather's surname. Her first novel, The Cater Street Hangman, was published under this name in 1979. Her works generally fall into one of several cate...more
More about Anne Perry...
Anne Perry (born Juliet Hulme) is a British historical novelist.
Juliet took the name "Anne Perry", the latter being her stepfather's surname. Her first novel, The Cater Street Hangman, was published under this name in 1979. Her works generally fall into one of several cate...more
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