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William Monk #5
The Sins of the Wolf
Nurse 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....
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....
448 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
388 people are currently reading
1698 people want to read
About the author
Anne Perry
360 books3,375 followersAnne Perry, born Juliet Hulme in England, lived in Scotland most of her life after serving five years in prison for murder (in New Zealand). A beloved mystery authoress, she is best known for her Thomas Pitt and William Monk series.
Her first novel, "The Cater Street Hangman", was published in 1979. Her works extend to several categories of genre fiction, including historical mysteries. Many of them feature recurring characters, most importantly Thomas Pitt and amnesiac private investigator William Monk, who first appeared in 1990, "The Face Of A Stranger".
Her story "Heroes," from the 1999 anthology Murder And Obsession, won the 2001 Edgar Award For Best Short Story. She was included as an entry in Ben Peek's Twenty-Six Lies / One Truth, a novel exploring the nature of truth in literature.
Series contributed to:
. Crime Through Time
. Perfectly Criminal
. Malice Domestic
. The World's Finest Mystery And Crime Stories
. Transgressions
. The Year's Finest Crime And Mystery Stories
Her first novel, "The Cater Street Hangman", was published in 1979. Her works extend to several categories of genre fiction, including historical mysteries. Many of them feature recurring characters, most importantly Thomas Pitt and amnesiac private investigator William Monk, who first appeared in 1990, "The Face Of A Stranger".
Her story "Heroes," from the 1999 anthology Murder And Obsession, won the 2001 Edgar Award For Best Short Story. She was included as an entry in Ben Peek's Twenty-Six Lies / One Truth, a novel exploring the nature of truth in literature.
Series contributed to:
. Crime Through Time
. Perfectly Criminal
. Malice Domestic
. The World's Finest Mystery And Crime Stories
. Transgressions
. The Year's Finest Crime And Mystery Stories
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 354 reviews
January 4, 2016
4.5 stars. The best in this great series so far. Loved the focus on Hester in this book. She really is an amazing character; admirable strength and independence especially during Victorian times, an era where women's rights were basically non-existent. Monk's gruffness throughout a good part of the story did get a bit tiresome but he still is an interesting character as well as more and more of his lost memories come back to him. The set up to the storyline in this one was excellent; page-turning and compelling. The conclusion to this gripping mystery lost its way a bit though with one or two too many, family secrets revealed in the end.
October 16, 2018
3.5 stars. Go Hester! I didn’t enjoy this one quite as much. If it’s possible to generalise about Anne Perry’s writing, having only read 5 of her books, I would say they have a slow build and everything gets terribly exciting in the second half of the book. However in this one, we don’t get a proper denouement until the very end of the final chapter and for me, it was too long to wait. It was a good story, but with several red herrings. It was interesting to learn that in Scottish law at the time it was possible to get a ‘Not proven’ verdict as an alternative to guilty or not guilty. It was also interesting to watch Monk and Rathbone cope with their feelings! Go Hester!
January 23, 2019
I love historical fiction and I always enjoy a decent mystery, so Anne Perry is always a solid choice for some rainy-day reading.
This is one of a series of books about a Victorian detective (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.
The quality of the writing is good – definitely a cut above the average for the genre. Perry's prose is solid and fits with the Victorian setting, without becoming overly flowery, and her attention to historical detail makes the book feel really authentic. This authenticity also spills over into her characters, who are a good bit more subtle than the kind of stereotypes that inhabit your average detective novel. 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 also well-developed, with the protagonists, Hester and Monk, alternating between convoluted arguments and lovely little moments of odd tenderness.
The downside is that these books tend to be fairly 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.
This is one of a series of books about a Victorian detective (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.
The quality of the writing is good – definitely a cut above the average for the genre. Perry's prose is solid and fits with the Victorian setting, without becoming overly flowery, and her attention to historical detail makes the book feel really authentic. This authenticity also spills over into her characters, who are a good bit more subtle than the kind of stereotypes that inhabit your average detective novel. 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 also well-developed, with the protagonists, Hester and Monk, alternating between convoluted arguments and lovely little moments of odd tenderness.
The downside is that these books tend to be fairly 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.
September 6, 2020
Pretty good, on to #6.
I do wish we could quit pretending that Hester and Monk can't stand each other (though I would totally understand if she truly did despise him). Also, I'd like to quit pretending Monk is a brilliant detective when he a) does not ask any of the most obvious questions, b) decides not to follow up on certain things because they "seem pointless," and c) becomes either enraged or overly emotional at least ten times in each book, often when it is most critical to not become enraged or overly emotional.
I do wish we could quit pretending that Hester and Monk can't stand each other (though I would totally understand if she truly did despise him). Also, I'd like to quit pretending Monk is a brilliant detective when he a) does not ask any of the most obvious questions, b) decides not to follow up on certain things because they "seem pointless," and c) becomes either enraged or overly emotional at least ten times in each book, often when it is most critical to not become enraged or overly emotional.
March 30, 2025
3.5 stars for this entry in a long-running series.
Boy, howdy. what a hot mess of a plot.
The mystery of the murder of an elderly woman who was in Hester's care at the time of her death was a good one. And Hester's trial for said murder was very dramatic. However, the trial took up the middle of the book. The last third of the book got into the victim's family dynamics and that's where the book went off the rails, IMO.
Not one of the better books in this series.
I'm re-reading this series with a GR friend. Next up, Cain His Brother. I can't remember any of it, as I last read it in 1996. Here's hoping it's better than this one.
Boy, howdy. what a hot mess of a plot.
The mystery of the murder of an elderly woman who was in Hester's care at the time of her death was a good one. And Hester's trial for said murder was very dramatic. However, the trial took up the middle of the book. The last third of the book got into the victim's family dynamics and that's where the book went off the rails, IMO.
Not one of the better books in this series.
I'm re-reading this series with a GR friend. Next up, Cain His Brother. I can't remember any of it, as I last read it in 1996. Here's hoping it's better than this one.
April 7, 2021
2.5 stars
The Sins of the Wolf opens with an interesting premise: Hester Latterly is hired to accompany a lady on a trip from Edinburgh, Scotland, to London, England. Mary Farraline proves to be a delightful person and Hester enjoys her company very much. Her only duty is to make certain Mary takes her prescribed heart medication on time. But despite a wonderful beginning to their trip, Hester awakens in the morning on the train to discover Mary Farraline has died in her sleep.
At this point in the story, Perry has already thrown out several sentences that land with a thud, and it becomes clear to everyone except the people on the page that Hester was hired with the sole purpose of being a scapegoat. Hester is first charged with the theft of a missing brooch that turns up wrapped in Hester's chemise in her luggage. Then the family escalates the case by asking for a post-mortem and the attending person discovers a lethal dose of Mary's heart medication in her stomach, thus changing her death from natural to murder.
The courtroom scenes took up a good bit of the book, and while I enjoyed them on the whole, with Hester's life hanging in the balance — the whole thing felt purposefully molded to force Monk, on the page, to realize his true feelings for Hester. Another woman on trial for her life.
If Perry had streamlined the storyline of the murder and resulting mystery a bit, it would've worked better for me. But by the time we find the reveal and ending, the melodrama that it took to get there was daytime soap opera worthy (but condensed) and was just bordering on being downright silly. Perry includes some side stories and red herrings that lacked an organic feel, as though they were constructed after the fact.
The repetition continues in Perry's writing. Her characterizations are still tiresome, and though I don't think she was quite as focused on noses in this installment, I still am so annoyed with her persistence in describing characters by their level of attractiveness. It is said point-blank, and most are hardly ever actually attractive. There is generally something else that defines their appeal. So, their otherwise displeasing face is somewhat forgivable because there is something else in the person's demeanor and intelligence (or what have you) that lends itself to be used in the stead of general allure. Never once do I think it's said how attractiveness is generally subjective rather than objective, and one person's face can be unattractive to some while being very appealing to others. Never mind the simple fact of not judging people by their looks.
Despite all this, I am compelled, somehow, by Perry's main characters. (If she would stop describing Monk as such a brilliant detective, I think it would serve both character and author better, however, as he is no such thing.) William Monk, Oliver Rathbone, and Hester Latterly all seem to finally make some semblance of headway towards resolving their feelings. Or at least, owning up to them — as they seem as obtuse about their own as they are about each other's.
Audiobook, as narrated by Davina Porter: Porter's voice is just as fantastic as ever. Her variance extended quite brilliantly to include several Scottish characters without a hitch and despite the veritable merry-go-round of members of the Farraline family, as well as the two advocates, Porter handled the wide net of people wonderfully.
The Sins of the Wolf opens with an interesting premise: Hester Latterly is hired to accompany a lady on a trip from Edinburgh, Scotland, to London, England. Mary Farraline proves to be a delightful person and Hester enjoys her company very much. Her only duty is to make certain Mary takes her prescribed heart medication on time. But despite a wonderful beginning to their trip, Hester awakens in the morning on the train to discover Mary Farraline has died in her sleep.
At this point in the story, Perry has already thrown out several sentences that land with a thud, and it becomes clear to everyone except the people on the page that Hester was hired with the sole purpose of being a scapegoat. Hester is first charged with the theft of a missing brooch that turns up wrapped in Hester's chemise in her luggage. Then the family escalates the case by asking for a post-mortem and the attending person discovers a lethal dose of Mary's heart medication in her stomach, thus changing her death from natural to murder.
The courtroom scenes took up a good bit of the book, and while I enjoyed them on the whole, with Hester's life hanging in the balance — the whole thing felt purposefully molded to force Monk, on the page, to realize his true feelings for Hester. Another woman on trial for her life.
If Perry had streamlined the storyline of the murder and resulting mystery a bit, it would've worked better for me. But by the time we find the reveal and ending, the melodrama that it took to get there was daytime soap opera worthy (but condensed) and was just bordering on being downright silly. Perry includes some side stories and red herrings that lacked an organic feel, as though they were constructed after the fact.
The repetition continues in Perry's writing. Her characterizations are still tiresome, and though I don't think she was quite as focused on noses in this installment, I still am so annoyed with her persistence in describing characters by their level of attractiveness. It is said point-blank, and most are hardly ever actually attractive. There is generally something else that defines their appeal. So, their otherwise displeasing face is somewhat forgivable because there is something else in the person's demeanor and intelligence (or what have you) that lends itself to be used in the stead of general allure. Never once do I think it's said how attractiveness is generally subjective rather than objective, and one person's face can be unattractive to some while being very appealing to others. Never mind the simple fact of not judging people by their looks.
Despite all this, I am compelled, somehow, by Perry's main characters. (If she would stop describing Monk as such a brilliant detective, I think it would serve both character and author better, however, as he is no such thing.) William Monk, Oliver Rathbone, and Hester Latterly all seem to finally make some semblance of headway towards resolving their feelings. Or at least, owning up to them — as they seem as obtuse about their own as they are about each other's.
Audiobook, as narrated by Davina Porter: Porter's voice is just as fantastic as ever. Her variance extended quite brilliantly to include several Scottish characters without a hitch and despite the veritable merry-go-round of members of the Farraline family, as well as the two advocates, Porter handled the wide net of people wonderfully.
August 25, 2019
4.5 Stars
rounded up to 5 Stars. This particular Monk novel is as close to a page turner as you are going to get, since Victorian police procedurals especially by Anne Perry usually move at a slow pace in keeping with a true mid 19th century atmosphere. So this particular story was a real treat.
December 17, 2019
Anne Perry at her story-telling best; William Monk in one of his most vulnerable positions yet.
October 8, 2011
All I really need to say about this book is I finished it, went straight to the computer, and ordered more books by Anne Perry. Although I’ve read other books by her in the past, this really is a humdinger – interesting, complex characters, a really puzzling plot, lots of surprises, and a real sense of danger.
November 15, 2024
Cedo adivinhei quem estava por detrás do homicídio mas a razão foi um pouco mais difícil de descortinar. Gostei da evolução da história apesar de achar o final algo abrupto. Gosto da Hester como personagem, não tanto do Monk.
August 1, 2019
It’s been too long since I read Dante’s Inferno; so the title didn’t mean anything to me. After I read the book, I looked up the reference and learned that it refers to Upper Hell being for sins of Incontinence (essentially lack of control), which he calls the Sins of the Wolf. That didn’t add anything to my enjoyment of the book, but it’s nice to know. It seems to me there are several characters in the book who demonstrate such a way of acting, though we don’t learn who is the guilty one until the very end of the book which moves slowly at times. Most of the book deals with Hestor Latterly, who is first accused of theft and then murder. I enjoyed the courtroom scenes. Hestor And Monk are still struggling with how to define their relationship.
August 20, 2013
There are only a few books in the world worthy of me staying up till 3 AM to finish. This book was one if them.
IM FREAKING OUT OK?! That was perfect. PERFECT. Every detail, every moment, was careful and planned and yet totally unexpected!! What even.
IM FREAKING OUT OK?! That was perfect. PERFECT. Every detail, every moment, was careful and planned and yet totally unexpected!! What even.
June 30, 2022
I found this one overly long and repetitive - maybe I just need a break from this series.
July 4, 2012
This is #5 in the Inspector Monk series, and the most impressive I’ve read yet. The plot is very complex and the storyline is tight throughout. The Perry hallmarks are here: murder, most foul, coupled with a fascinating comparison of the interaction between the upper class and the lower class in Victorian times.
Hester takes a position as a traveling companion/nurse for an old lady from Edinburgh who wants to take the train down to London to talk to her daughter, who is about to give birth and has some unknown concern about it. All goes well until the train gets to London and Hester discovers that her patient is deceased, but things go worse a few hours later when she discovers that her bag contains an item of her patient’s jewelry that she happens to know was not included on the trip. Hester gets blamed for the death, which turns out to be murder. Rathbone instantly aggress to defend her and sends Monk to Edinburgh to look for evidence. Everyone in the seven-member family is suspect, of course, as well as some of the servants, so he has to investigate very carefully. The story then becomes more complex when a legal decision is made that Hester must be tried in Edinburgh, since the poisoning presumably occurred in Scotland, and Rathbone can only serve as an adviser to her Scottish counsel.
As usual, Perry managed to confuse me enough that I decided on just about every suspect except the correct one, and the only consolation I have is that Hester and Monk clearly were just as confused as I was. The denouement is riveting, when all the carefully described facets come together into a realization of who did what to whom, and why.
Hester takes a position as a traveling companion/nurse for an old lady from Edinburgh who wants to take the train down to London to talk to her daughter, who is about to give birth and has some unknown concern about it. All goes well until the train gets to London and Hester discovers that her patient is deceased, but things go worse a few hours later when she discovers that her bag contains an item of her patient’s jewelry that she happens to know was not included on the trip. Hester gets blamed for the death, which turns out to be murder. Rathbone instantly aggress to defend her and sends Monk to Edinburgh to look for evidence. Everyone in the seven-member family is suspect, of course, as well as some of the servants, so he has to investigate very carefully. The story then becomes more complex when a legal decision is made that Hester must be tried in Edinburgh, since the poisoning presumably occurred in Scotland, and Rathbone can only serve as an adviser to her Scottish counsel.
As usual, Perry managed to confuse me enough that I decided on just about every suspect except the correct one, and the only consolation I have is that Hester and Monk clearly were just as confused as I was. The denouement is riveting, when all the carefully described facets come together into a realization of who did what to whom, and why.
March 26, 2012
Still a good series. This is another Victorian mystery in which the family is probably the likeliest to have killed the victim, but it does take a while and a few rabbit trails to close in on who it is. I found the ending satisfactory, and I am hoping that the relationship between Monk and Hester has turned a corner of sorts - not romance, but at least an end to hostilities.
Apart from the writing, I found this book to be poorly edited. Grammar mistakes, using the wrong name for someone, and not keeping the staging correct (first they are standing, then sitting, then they sit down - wait, weren't they already sitting?). A previous reader of my library book even marked a page or two noting an error. It just trips you up when you are reading and pulls you out of the story. I would think a writer of Ms. Perry's stature would be worthy of better editors.
Apart from the writing, I found this book to be poorly edited. Grammar mistakes, using the wrong name for someone, and not keeping the staging correct (first they are standing, then sitting, then they sit down - wait, weren't they already sitting?). A previous reader of my library book even marked a page or two noting an error. It just trips you up when you are reading and pulls you out of the story. I would think a writer of Ms. Perry's stature would be worthy of better editors.
October 4, 2008
This book in the William Monk series was interesting to me because Hester is accused of the murder of her charge, and the setting is Edinburgh, one of my favorite cities. However, the book gets mired down at the end with an overly complicated plot and outrageous family secrets. One family secret would have been fine, but Perry hit overkill in this book.
August 10, 2019
Re-reading this story has been a treat. I read it more slowly this time around and enjoyed every word. The main characters are so very admirable. Arriving at book five in the story has me firmly connected to the flow of the series. I’ll be re-reading all of them. There is so much good writing within the covers. A really good mystery.
August 13, 2019
Good God. My nerves were shot during the entire story.
October 9, 2021
How is it possible that the 5th book in a series could be the best to date (for this reader)? The answer is definitely the writing prowess of Anne Perry. Not just a great mystery but a truly wonderful story...and a love interest for Hester? Yes! This one has mystery unfolding upon mystery, to a very climatic end that leaves me wanting more of this crime fighting duo...or is it trio?
October 2, 2024
Hester is hired as a nurse and traveling companion, largely to help an older woman take her meds. When her charge is found dead, Hester is accused of killing her to steal her jewelry, which is conveniently found in her possession.
A slow burn.
A slow burn.
August 5, 2019
Gripping and suspenseful. I had a hard time with the beginning, because the first part introduces the scenario and the characters. There is a strong sense of foreboding as you are introduced to the first few characters, and get to know the elderly lady whom Hester is accused of murdering. I enjoyed this character immensely. The crisis of Hester being in the dock shifts the relationships among her and Monk and Rathbone, with some interesting revelations. There is plenty of courtroom drama, and some new facts come to light, but it doesn't form the "ending" that some previous stories have enjoyed.
May 6, 2022
Oh my goodness, this one was SOOOOO good. I went into it with a little trepidation after the last two books. I find Anne Perry's writing very compelling, but it can also be quite disturbing -- probably because she is so good. I know the impact these books have on me. When I started this book, I knew that I have a tendency to want to slow down and listen to her books while I am doing puzzles or something. Knowing that, it was a bad idea to start this book during track coaching season, but I did it anyway, and spent the last two days neglecting things I should have been doing so I could finish.
My biggest regret with this one was the victim. I wish it could have been someone else. The thing I liked least about it was the continuation -- even emphasis almost -- of the love triangle. However, these books can hardly be described as romances and since it's not a major part of the plot, I deal with it. That part of this seems to be coming to a resolution, although I can see it taking two or three more books to really get there.
I had the murderer figured out to a certain degree, although not nearly completely, and I also had the motive figured out. However, there was a lot of sub-motive was woven in that while it wasn't like I was shocked about it, it certainly wasn't anywhere on my radar.
I'm quite disappointed that the next few books don't seem to have been recorded, so I will read them. This is a good news/bad news situation. At least I am heading into summer vacation, so I will have time to read them. The problem (or other good part?) is that if I had had a hard copy of this book, I so would have been reading the ending. I will be much more likely to do that with the next few books. :)
My biggest regret with this one was the victim. I wish it could have been someone else. The thing I liked least about it was the continuation -- even emphasis almost -- of the love triangle. However, these books can hardly be described as romances and since it's not a major part of the plot, I deal with it. That part of this seems to be coming to a resolution, although I can see it taking two or three more books to really get there.
I had the murderer figured out to a certain degree, although not nearly completely, and I also had the motive figured out. However, there was a lot of sub-motive was woven in that while it wasn't like I was shocked about it, it certainly wasn't anywhere on my radar.
I'm quite disappointed that the next few books don't seem to have been recorded, so I will read them. This is a good news/bad news situation. At least I am heading into summer vacation, so I will have time to read them. The problem (or other good part?) is that if I had had a hard copy of this book, I so would have been reading the ending. I will be much more likely to do that with the next few books. :)
July 9, 2008
SINS OF THE WOLF - G
Perry, Anne - 5th in Monk series
Nurse 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.
Perry, Anne - 5th in Monk series
Nurse 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.
January 10, 2011
This book was given to me by a friend (Sue) upon the recommendation of another friend (Alison). I have some stress over this book, now, because I enjoyed this murder mystery by Anne Perry so much, I will have to find time to read all of the other books in the William Monk Mystery Series. Set in Victorian Great Britain, Anne Perry does an excellent job of bringing us into another era and place and engaging us with intriguing characters. The plot twists and turns. At times a bit over-the-top in description, but such an enjoyable read. For any who have not already read William Monk novels, I would not recommend this one as a starting point. I wish I had read the first book, Death of a Stranger. There are many references in the story to past cases and the personal issues William Monk, Hester Latterly, and Oliver Rathbone that were developed in earlier novels. I think that my reading experience would have been even richer if I had read at least the first novel. Agatha Christie is still my favorite mystery writer, but Anne Perry has given me a second to enjoy.
April 8, 2018
Hester Latterly is hired to care for an elderly woman making a trip from Edinburgh to London. When she dies on the train, Hester is charged with murder as she was the person who administered a lethal dose of medicine. It's up to Monk to travel to Edinburgh and discover who the real murderer is.
I've been a little disappointed with the last two books in the series (although I enjoyed them) because Monk didn't seem to be central. Here, once again, Monk is at the center of the book, as arrogant and acerbic as ever. He regains a little more of his memory, but the murder mystery is the central plot and it was satisfyingly mystifying.
I enjoyed the setting of Edinburgh, being very familiar with the city. Ms. Perry captures the flavor of the old town and new town very well. I sympathized with Oliver Rathbone's inability and frustration at not being able to defend Hester; Scotland has different rules than English law. I also liked the subtle changes in the relationship between Hester and Monk.
Another enjoyable read in this series.
I've been a little disappointed with the last two books in the series (although I enjoyed them) because Monk didn't seem to be central. Here, once again, Monk is at the center of the book, as arrogant and acerbic as ever. He regains a little more of his memory, but the murder mystery is the central plot and it was satisfyingly mystifying.
I enjoyed the setting of Edinburgh, being very familiar with the city. Ms. Perry captures the flavor of the old town and new town very well. I sympathized with Oliver Rathbone's inability and frustration at not being able to defend Hester; Scotland has different rules than English law. I also liked the subtle changes in the relationship between Hester and Monk.
Another enjoyable read in this series.
February 19, 2011
This plot had me going. I must be getting better, because I DID figure out who 'did it,' I just didn't account for the extent of the damage done.
I liked the development that happened between Rathbone and Hester, then Monk and Hester. Mary was a great character, too, and I loved reading of their short time together. Somehow Perry succeeded in gettting me to see past Hector's drunkenness and be suspicious of it, all the while really liking him. What a tragic ocurrence in their family. I want to research the disease the 'false' father had to understand its implications, as this is the seoncd Perry novel that incorporated as part of the main plot/murder story.
Having Hester in prison was nerver-racking. I'm curious to see how her experience will play into her relationships with others and her view of life in the succeeding novels.
Fun read!
I liked the development that happened between Rathbone and Hester, then Monk and Hester. Mary was a great character, too, and I loved reading of their short time together. Somehow Perry succeeded in gettting me to see past Hector's drunkenness and be suspicious of it, all the while really liking him. What a tragic ocurrence in their family. I want to research the disease the 'false' father had to understand its implications, as this is the seoncd Perry novel that incorporated as part of the main plot/murder story.
Having Hester in prison was nerver-racking. I'm curious to see how her experience will play into her relationships with others and her view of life in the succeeding novels.
Fun read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 9, 2013
A very enjoyable entry in the William Monk series. While there was some problems -- I figured out who the murderer was within the first fifty pages -- where this one works is the why someone is so callously disposed of. This time, one of the main characters of the series, Hester Latterly, is accused of murdering a client. The story moves from London to Edinburgh and with all sorts of twists and turns. I give this one five stars despite the flaws. Recommended.
For the longer review, please go here:
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For the longer review, please go here:
http://www.epinions.com/review/Book_T...
January 2, 2012
This was nicely dramatic. Hester is accused of murdering a patient, and Monk and Rathbone desperately try to find evidence that will clear her. Much of the action takes place in Edinburgh.
The author is still quite repetitious, although I'm trying to be forgiving since I'm reading these books close together, which amplifies the problem.
The murder mystery itself was interesting, but I think the author got a little carried away with the finale: there are multiple dramatic revelations, any one of which would have made for a sufficient ending.
We have progress on the Monk/Hester romance. They share a tender moment, when they think they're about to die.
The author is still quite repetitious, although I'm trying to be forgiving since I'm reading these books close together, which amplifies the problem.
The murder mystery itself was interesting, but I think the author got a little carried away with the finale: there are multiple dramatic revelations, any one of which would have made for a sufficient ending.
We have progress on the Monk/Hester romance. They share a tender moment, when they think they're about to die.
March 29, 2015
De lo mejorcito que ha escrito esta autora. La trama te mantiene en vilo y el final es sorprendente. Muy recomendable.
January 1, 2019
Scotland! All those great Davina Porter accents! I knew the culprit of the main crime from the very beginning, but the trial, the additional crimes, and the ending were great!
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