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Twenty-One Days

(Daniel Pitt #1)

Anne Perry

4.08 · Rating details · 3,229 ratings · 583 reviews

TWENTY-ONE DAYS is the first in an exciting new generation of Pitt novels, featuring Daniel Pitt, by New York Times bestseller and queen of Victorian crime, Anne Perry.

1910. Sir Thomas Pitt's son, Daniel, is in the middle of his first case as a barrister when he is summoned to the Old Bailey for an important trial. Renowned biographer Russell Graves is charged with the bru ...more

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Paperback, 352 pages

Published April 19th 2018 by Headline (first published September 26th 2017)

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Twenty-One Days

Anne Perry

Release date: Apr 09, 2019

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May 25, 2019 Beata rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Anne Perry introduces us to a brand-new series featuring the Pitts' son, Daniel, who is at the beginning of his career as a lawyer and gets involved in a complicated case that may blacken his father's name. I have read only one or two books in the Pitt series, and became an avid supporter of the other one, with the Monks, and as I followed Book 1 with Daniel Pitt, it reminded me very much of William & Hester's complicated cases with regard to the atmosphere and the way the story develops. And th ...more

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May 26, 2018 Juli rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: read-review-copies-2018

Over the years I have enjoyed several of the Charlotte & Thomas Pitt books by Anne Perry. The author has now started a new series, featuring Charlotte & Thomas' son, Daniel Pitt. Daniel has just finished his education to be an attorney and he's glad his father is proud of him. One of his first cases involves assisting a senior attorney with a murder case. Russell Graves is accused of murdering his wife. Graves is to be executed in 21 days for the killing. Daniel has to pull out all the stops and ...more

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Apr 17, 2018 Marialyce rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: net-galley

4 here is a new series stars

Up until this book, I had not read an Anne Perry book. I am happy to say that I will be changing that in the near future. I found the book set in 1910 Victorian England to be a wonderfully paced novel that had just the amount of intrigue that held one's interest.

Daniel Pitt is a new untried lawyer. He is thrown, because of circumstances, into a murder trial of a man who is accused of murdering his wife and then horribly disfiguring her by burning her face. Russell Gra ...more

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May 20, 2018 Stephen Robert Collins rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I have read over 50+ books of Anne Perry from the early Pitt when his son was just a baby to his reading Wind in the Willows 20 years before Kenneth Grahame wrote it.
This is lot like her other series The Monk books with Rathbone the lawyer which set earlier in 1850s.
Here we have switched centuries to 1910 only four years from WWI & this the next generation of Pitts Daniel who has not followed in his father's footsteps but gone to the dark side of law a barrister often hated by the police.
Thom ...more

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Jan 30, 2018 OLT rated it really liked it

When an author writes a multiple-book series featuring a character, or in the case of Perry's original Charlotte and Thomas Pitt series, a couple, the decision must be made whether to keep the protagonist(s) in a time bubble or to allow them to age. Perry began her Charlotte and Thomas Pitt Victorian mystery series years ago with THE CATER STREET HANGMAN, first published in 1979, and in that one upper-class Charlotte meets Thomas Pitt, a lowly policeman. While they solve this first mystery, they When an author writes a multiple-book series featuring a character, or in the case of Perry's original Charlotte and Thomas Pitt series, a couple, the decision must be made whether to keep the protagonist(s) in a time bubble or to allow them to age. Perry began her Charlotte and Thomas Pitt Victorian mystery series years ago with THE CATER STREET HANGMAN, first published in 1979, and in that one upper-class Charlotte meets Thomas Pitt, a lowly policeman. While they solve this first mystery, they fall in love and will later marry.

Over the years the Pitts have partnered in solving many crimes--at least 32 of them because that's the number of books in the series--and in raising their children. This all started in Victorian times and now Perry begins a new series set in the Edwardian era, 1910 for this first book, featuring their son Daniel, all grown up and a junior barrister at the law firm of Fford Croft and Gibson. As the book begins, Daniel is on his own for the first time as defense in the trial of Roman Blackwell, former policeman who had worked with Daniel's father before Thomas became head of Special Branch. Blackwell, now a private detective with his own moral code, is still a friend, so Daniel feels a special pressure to save Blackwell.

Well, this particular trial is not the real plot of the book, although it is quite interesting and takes up the first two chapters. However, it's just setting us up to see where Daniel is at this point in his career and to give him a personal relationship with Blackwell and Blackwell's mother, who are somewhat important to the rest of the story and probably will feature in the books to follow.

The main plot revolves around Daniel's next case. He is assigned to assist senior barrister Kitteridge in the defense of famous author/biographer Russell Graves, who is accused of the brutal murder of his wife. The trial does not go well for them and Graves is convicted and sentenced to be hanged in 21 days, hence the title of this book. Now Daniel has only that amount of time to find the real killer and save Graves from his fate. To do this he will be enlisting the help of investigator Blackwell and Blackwell's mother, who knows the in's and out's of London society, and also the assistance of a very interesting character, Miriam Fford Croft, daughter of Daniel's employer, the owner of the law firm where Daniel is a junior barrister.

Miriam is perhaps the most intriguing person in this book, as a 40+-year-old single woman who is educated and knowledgeable about both medicine and chemistry. Limited by the times she is living in, Miriam had passed all her examinations but was not awarded her degrees and is not recognized by her male peers. But she makes a perfect sidekick for Daniel in helping him solve this crime. Her observations lead to some crucial insights into what's going on.

This book has the best of two worlds for me in mysteries: (1) There are compelling courtroom scenes, which I have always enjoyed, and (2) there is the usual methodical investigative procedure, with the search for physical clues and the interviewing of key suspects and witnesses. Lots of twists and turns here and a few red herrings. A very attentive reader can probably figure out the murderer before the Big Reveal, but this is still a compelling read and a good beginning to the Daniel Pitt series.

I'll be looking forward to watching Daniel mature and even grow older, as his parent did before him. BTW, not to worry, fans of Charlotte and Thomas. They have cameos in this book. They aren't totally out of the picture but they have passed the crime-solving torch over to their son. ...more

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Apr 18, 2018 Bam cooks the books ;-) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2018-netgalley, 2018-reads, mystery

The first Daniel Pitt novel is a spin-off of Anne Perry's long-running mystery series set in Victorian England, featuring Thomas and Charlotte Pitt.

Their son Daniel is now a lawyer working for the small law firm of fford Croft and Gibson and he is fresh off a big win when he is unexpectedly called in to assist the esteemed lawyer Kitteridge in a murder trial after unforeseen circumstances have created a vacancy. When this trial is lost and their client sentenced to be hanged, they have twenty-o ...more

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Mar 31, 2018 Dianne rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-read, netgalley, 1-in-series, own

They say, if we listen close enough, the dead will talk to us, they will tell the story of their death and it will be the truth and nothing but the truth. Daniel Pitt, a young attorney with a losing murder defense case dumped in his lap will have only TWENTY-ONE DAYS to save the life of his client, a man, while unlikable may very well be innocent, as he claims.

Russell Graves will die if Daniel cannot prove he did not murder his wife and the clock is ticking.
The year is 1910, long before modern ...more

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May 02, 2020 Hayley rated it liked it · review of another edition

Didn't enjoy the book in the beginning but thoroughly enjoyed it by the end. ...more

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Apr 10, 2018 eyes.2c rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley, victorian-mysteries

The Pitt Dynasty continues!

A brave new beginning for Daniel and Charlotte's son Daniel! Now a junior barrister he greets his situation with a devoted fervency and honor.
After defending a family friend, Roman Blackwell, he is called by his Head of Chamber, Marcus fford Croft, to assist Toby Kitteridge with the defence of one Russell Graves. He is accused of the heinous murder of his wife.
Graves, a biographer, presents facts in such a way that truth appears to be lost. It just so happens that at ...more

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Apr 01, 2018 Barbara Rogers rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, iblog, netgalley, mystery-historical, zz-favorites-2018

Series: Daniel Pitt #1
Publication Date: 4/10/18

I can hardly begin to tell you how excited I am about this new series – and I almost missed it! It takes place in a later time period than I normally read, so I almost passed it by. However, it is by an author whose writing I enjoy and it featured the son, Daniel, of the lead characters, Charlotte and Thomas Pitt, in another series that I really enjoy – so I decided to give it a try. The writing is great, the plot is excellent and I came to really l Series: Daniel Pitt #1
Publication Date: 4/10/18

I can hardly begin to tell you how excited I am about this new series – and I almost missed it! It takes place in a later time period than I normally read, so I almost passed it by. However, it is by an author whose writing I enjoy and it featured the son, Daniel, of the lead characters, Charlotte and Thomas Pitt, in another series that I really enjoy – so I decided to give it a try. The writing is great, the plot is excellent and I came to really like and appreciate the characters. I couldn’t tell for sure which characters would be recurring in the series, nor could I decide if I thought there would be a romance between Daniel and Miriam – since she is almost his mother’s age. It will be a delight to find out what is going to happen next!

Daniel Pitt, twenty-five years of age, is a newly minted lawyer with a degree from Cambridge. 1910 is an exciting time in which to live. Women are beginning to be more and more insistent about their rights and the field of forensic science is in its infancy. They are able to identify an individual by their fingerprints, bullets can be matched, they can tell human blood from animal and x-rays have been invented. Daniel grew up learning about honesty, honor, and integrity from both his father and his mother. His father, Thomas Pitt started out as a Bow Street Runner and moved on to the newly formed police force and he is now knighted and is the head of the Special Branch. I have read and loved the Charlotte and Thomas Pitt series and can highly recommend it as a series.

Daniel has just wrapped up a really tricky murder case when he’s ordered to another courtroom to assist another lawyer, Kitteridge, in yet another murder trial. This one isn’t going well and neither lawyer really believes that the defendant is innocent. They think that, in a stretch, he could be, but they aren’t convinced of it. Besides, the defendant is a total jerk and nobody, including the lawyers, likes him. When he is convicted and sentenced to hang, they aren’t surprised. They have twenty-one days to find a reason to appeal the verdict and keep him from being hanged.

As Daniel investigates and makes more and more discoveries, he becomes convinced that Graves is really innocent. However, he has no idea how to prove it. He believes that his only option is to find out who the real murderer is and his investigation leads to some real soul searching on Daniel’s part. The client is a writer and he is writing an expose that could ruin his father. It isn’t true, but can Daniel prove that?

It was a really great read and there wasn’t a dull moment in it. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

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"I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher." ...more

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Apr 03, 2018 Susan Johnson rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: net-galley

I have been reading Anne Perry's two main series for more years than I can remember. I particularly like the Thomas and Charlotte Pitt one and this new one is about their son, Daniel, now a lawyer. I remember Daniel growing up so there is something particularly satisfying about that. You don't need to have read the other series to enjoy this quite likable new series.

Daniel successfully gets his first client acquitted from murder and then is thrown into a case that can seemingly not be won. The ...more

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Apr 12, 2018 Rachel McMillan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I absolutely loved this race-against-the-clock story for several reasons. First, Perry draws Edwardian-era London with the same finesse she loans to her Victorian mysteries. The research (Especially in budding forensics ) is exceptional. I also really loved Daniel. I have to tell you that a much as I love Charlotte and Thomas Pitt, it is about time for someone else to take the stage and Daniel is the perfect hero. A junior barrister assigned to his first case, he has the same curious nature as h
I absolutely loved this race-against-the-clock story for several reasons. First, Perry draws Edwardian-era London with the same finesse she loans to her Victorian mysteries. The research (Especially in budding forensics ) is exceptional. I also really loved Daniel. I have to tell you that a much as I love Charlotte and Thomas Pitt, it is about time for someone else to take the stage and Daniel is the perfect hero. A junior barrister assigned to his first case, he has the same curious nature as his father (late of the Police and now a knighted member of the Special Branch in more foreign investigations) and the refined energy of his mother and yet is someone completely his own. He’s idealistic and passionate and I really fell hard for him. He is a very worthy successor. Having just dazzled in the courtcase of (the very likeable to the point that he sticks around) Roman Blackwell, Daniel is sent to the Old Bailey to assist Toby Kitteridge, a lawyer a decade senior in a hanging case. Russell Graves is sentenced to death for the murder and subsequent disfigurement of his wife and Marcus fford Croft (of Daniel’s firm) beseeches Daniel and Kitteridge to win an appeal. They have the traditional three Sundays--- 21 days—to prove a man confoundedly unlikeable (seriously, this guy is the worst) innocent. Just because a man is a brute, doesn’t make him guilty. Things get a little more dastardly when Daniel discovers that Graves is a notorious biography writer, renowned for taking heroic stories down a notch. The fiend seems to have some rather incriminating evidence that could destroy Daniel’s father’s reputation.

I just absolutely fell into this story and gobbled it up. I LOVED that it balanced a clever and airtight mystery ( I had NO idea of the twist at the end) with a very (smart) 21 chapters of intense quicksand and, of course, a rousing Old Bailey courtcase.

Daniel seems more to want to be a detective like his father than a lawyer and this book proves that he is well equipped in both and I am SO stoked for this new series. Also, there is a perfectly AWESOME and intellectual woman named Miraim who, though unmarried and well in her 30s, is just a cracker jack scientist and helps Daniel break open the truly pivotal moment in the case. This was my favourite Anne Perry in years!

...more

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Jan 10, 2019 Kathy rated it liked it · review of another edition

Have read most of Perry's books over the years. This is the launch of a new member of the family, the son of Thomas Pitt at the beginning of his career in law. Daniel starts out strong on his first two cases, seems settled well in his housing and first job and promises the appeal of a new and more modern world. Women still do not have the vote, but things are changing.
Writing courtroom drama has always been a part of this author's ouvre, and this book brings new life to some old friends. ...more

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Nov 26, 2018 Laura (Kyahgirl) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery, new-to-me-author

I haven’t read anything by this author before and really enjoyed the characters and the mystery. Will definitely read more by Anne Perry.

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Apr 13, 2018 Sophia rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-mystery-suspense, net-galley-reads

I love that the author is tackling the next generation with this first book in the Daniel Pitt series. I adored the long running series set in the late Victorian era about Daniel's parents. This one is during the Edwardian Era and begins perhaps a decade after the last released Thomas and Charlotte Pitt book.

Daniel is fresh out of university with a law degree and his father helps get him in with a prestigious London law firm. Now he must prove himself to his new employer and to his father with I love that the author is tackling the next generation with this first book in the Daniel Pitt series. I adored the long running series set in the late Victorian era about Daniel's parents. This one is during the Edwardian Era and begins perhaps a decade after the last released Thomas and Charlotte Pitt book.

Daniel is fresh out of university with a law degree and his father helps get him in with a prestigious London law firm. Now he must prove himself to his new employer and to his father with his first courtroom case- a big one, since his client is in the dock for murder. No sooner than he finishes this trial than he is put on an even bigger one.

I loved getting to know this adult Daniel who has the best of both his parents in him and lots of promise. He's vulnerable and also confident, but he has definitely been tossed into the deep end with these cases. I enjoyed getting to know the situation and the surrounding cast of characters.

The author uses her gift for historical setting, social issues of the day and a profound gift for writing complex characters to tell a steadily paced, twisting mystery. Daniel uncovers the clues that will either hang his detestable client or free him, but things get complicated fast leading close to home. The case brings out domestic abuse, the plight of people with disabilities, the issues of responsible writing when it comes to tell-alls, illegitimacy, women's equality, and so much more. The author teases out these social issues as part of the plot without getting pedantic.

As usual, the mystery is not as easy as it looks from the beginning and the moral dilemma that comes with it is just as challenging for Daniel. I started to get an inkling when the clues popped up, but that just made things more knotty instead of easier. I enjoyed how the mystery tied this first of Daniel's cases back to the earlier series so his parents make an appearance, but also established itself in its own right.

I hope the new cast of characters will end up being regulars because I loved the Blackwoods with their shades of gray quirkiness, Daniel's kind landlady, Miriam the female forensics scientist who is the daughter of Daniel's boss.

So yes, this first in the new spin-off series was great. Love this peek at the Edwardian Era, a new main character, and a great twisting mystery plot. While I think a reader could get by starting with this book, it does have strong ties to the earlier Thomas and Charlotte Pitt series- and they are fabulous so why miss them. Definitely a recommend for historical mystery lovers.

I rec'd this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. ...more

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Apr 26, 2018 Teri-K rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-mystery, mystery

When Perry's Cater Street Hangman came out in 1979 I fell in love with Charlotte and Pitt and the historical setting, and they became an auto-buy for me until the series started getting into the occult and orgies, and I sadly stopped reading them. Then came The Face of a Stranger with Monk and his friends and I loved them, too. Now we have a new series, with the lawyer son of Charlotte and Pitt, and I was reluctant to read it in case I was disappointed. But when it showed up on the library shelv When Perry's Cater Street Hangman came out in 1979 I fell in love with Charlotte and Pitt and the historical setting, and they became an auto-buy for me until the series started getting into the occult and orgies, and I sadly stopped reading them. Then came The Face of a Stranger with Monk and his friends and I loved them, too. Now we have a new series, with the lawyer son of Charlotte and Pitt, and I was reluctant to read it in case I was disappointed. But when it showed up on the library shelves I knew I had to give it a try, and I'm glad that I did. It's a good, solid story. It isn't wonderful, though, like the two I've mentioned were. Why not?

For one thing, Daniel Pitt is a young man who isn't sure he's in the right job. Apparently his father wanted him to pursue the law, but now he's not sure he likes it. The MCs in the earlier series were all very confident of who were they were and what they wanted. Even though Charlotte knew society wouldn't allow her to be who she wanted to be she always had a strong sense of self. Daniel doesn't and I think that makes him less compelling as the lead in the book.

Also, the earlier books were multi-layered. One of the things I loved about Cater Street was that you got Charlotte's feelings and social circle, insight into her family, the murders, and Pitt's social and professional struggles. Face of a Stranger was also a complex story, as Monk was trying to solve a murder while struggling to hide his amnesia. This book is a straightforward mystery, with a race against the clock to save a convicted man who may not be guilty. Sure there are some great twists and turns, but it doesn't have the complex layers of the earlier books.

In those earlier books the MCs take situations in their own hands and act, sometimes causing more problems, but they are doing things themselves. Daniel depends a lot on others to find out information for him, and sometimes we're not even let in on what they find, like who the publisher was. I think not showing those details weakened the story for me, as Daniel doesn't feel as interesting or as active as his predecessors. Monk and Pitt would have insisted on being in the confrontations with the publisher and we'd have gotten a great, emotional scene with lies, blustering, threats and fear, etc. And Charlotte would have shown up somehow. lol Here Daniel just lets himself be told about it after the fact and we don't get any details at all.

In fact none of these characters came alive for me in the way I hoped they would. I've often thought about Charlotte and Pitt over the years and "wondered what happened to them". And my daughter, a nurse, and I have talked about Hester and her life and choices - these people feel so real you never forget them. In this book nobody comes alive on the page, which is sad.

It is a good, well-written mystery, and even though I kept saying (view spoiler), there was at least one twist I didn't see coming. And though Daniel didn't pursue every lead, (view spoiler) it still worked for me overall. The pacing is especially good and the story never dragged. But it's not as good as I'd hoped it will be. I'll probably read the next one when it comes out, as Daniel has great potential. But in the meantime I'm going back to Cater Street and revisiting those books, as well as the Monk series. This story reminded me of just how good they are. If you've not read them, I recommend you do that first and save this book for when you've run out of the others.

NB - For the rest of April, 2018 get Cater Street on Kindle for 1.99. It's worth it! ...more

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Mar 03, 2018 Alisha rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This mystery novel begins a new spin-off from a series Anne Perry has been writing for decades. Daniel Pitt is the son of an investigative husband-and-wife team that featured in the Thomas Pitt series. As this book opens, he is in his mid-twenties and just beginning a legal career. He's in the midst of one case in which the defendant seems headed for a guilty verdict, but Daniel gets him off thanks to some nimble deduction regarding fingerprints.
He is rushed to assist another lawyer on a case in ...more

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May 27, 2018 Susan in NC rated it really liked it · review of another edition

4.5 stars - I was so excited to see Perry starting a new series with Daniel Pitt as her hero, and thrilled when my best friend sent me a copy of this book autographed by Perry herself!

I was a rabid Perry fan back in the day, devouring every book in the Charlotte and Thomas Pitt and William Monk series for years; I stopped reading both when I got caught up in other historical mystery series. This new series makes me want to go back and read the Thomas Pitt books I missed, but you can dive in with ...more

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Jun 28, 2018 Beth rated it liked it · review of another edition

I was so excited for a new Anne Perry historical mystery series! I was even more excited that it was about Daniel Pitt, son of Thomas and Charlotte Pitt, and the time frame was fast forwarded to the early 20th century. Think: Downton Abbey meets the type of mysteries I've loved to read for years. I wasn't disappointed in the characters. We also get to revisit Thomas and Charlotte, and enjoy mention of Narraway and Vespasia. HOWEVER, I was much disappointed in the quality of the edit for plot and ...more

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Jun 19, 2019 Niki rated it liked it · review of another edition

3.5/5 in fact - a good plot, although I discovered part of it at the very beginning of the story - nevertheless I wanted to pursue the story because i was convinced the plot was more than what i thought -
i did not realize that anne perry had decided to create a new series, with the Pitts' son being the main character - a very likeable person, still very young at discovering the mean streaks of humankind - there is the same pattern in the daniel pitt stories as in his parents stories or in the he ...more

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Oct 28, 2017 Ira marked it as to-read

Hello there Daniel Pitt:)

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Apr 07, 2018 LJ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: edwardian_1901_1910, mystery, 1900s_early, female_author, historical, england, legal_thriller

First Sentence: They were alone in the small room where the accused was allowed to take visits with his lawyer.

Junior barrister Daniel Pitt has just won his first case defending Roman Blackwell, a private inquiry agent. Now, he has been called to the Old Bailey to assist his fellow attorney, Toby Kitteridge, on a case. With the trial lost, biographer Russell Graves has been found guilty of murdering his wife and is due to be hanged in 21 days. Daniel, along with fellow barrister Kitteridge, has First Sentence: They were alone in the small room where the accused was allowed to take visits with his lawyer.

Junior barrister Daniel Pitt has just won his first case defending Roman Blackwell, a private inquiry agent. Now, he has been called to the Old Bailey to assist his fellow attorney, Toby Kitteridge, on a case. With the trial lost, biographer Russell Graves has been found guilty of murdering his wife and is due to be hanged in 21 days. Daniel, along with fellow barrister Kitteridge, has been instructed to have Graves’ sentence overturned. While Kitteridge searches the law for a loophole, Daniel is determined to find the real killer.

Beginning in a prison interview room certainly sets the tone of what is to follow and creates an initial gravitas, especially when a trial is going badly. In this instance, it also gives us some concern about the effectiveness of our protagonist as an attorney—“Daniel frankly found the law far more tedious than he had expected to.”

With the start of a new series comes the creation of characters we hope will continue on. Blackwell and his mother are true examples of friendship and understanding the importance of paying ones moral debts. Daniel’s landlady, Mrs. Portescale, is delightful. Kitteridge is an excellent foil to Daniel—“Kitteridge loved it; he loved the idea that the law was an elegant but imperfect servant of justice.” Perry also establishes good conflict, both with the opposing counsel and later with his fellow barrister, Kitteridge—“Do you care about anything? Don’t you care about the law?” Introduced later in the story is Miriam, who is analytical, observant, has studied medicine and chemistry and has passed her exams but is not recognized with a degree. Such is the discrimination of the time. It will be interesting to see which, if any, of these characters continue as the series carries forward.

On the chance that this book may be someone’s first entry into reading Perry, she does an excellent job of introducing all the members of the Pitt family. For those well acquainted with the Pitt series, this book is a very good segue between the series of Thomas and Charlotte to Daniel. There is, however, one large detail which is unexplained and would have been helpful to the series readers. Still, it is interesting how the recounting of Daniel’s family leads to his awareness of the importance of connections—“My dear, a secret exposed is a secret you can no longer use. It is an opportunity wasted, is it not?”

The analysis of the crime scene is well done and prompts Daniel to ask the questions some readers may have had. The scene of Daniel having dinner in the servants’ quarters is particularly wonderful as it shows the dynamics of the staff and their relationship. It also provides an opportunity to describe a meal which is relatively simple but enviable. Mr. Falthorne, butler to the Graveses, is delightful and provides an interesting revelation. There is nothing like hitting that “Aha!” moment when a significant link is made. However, it is also an opportunity for Perry to present Daniel with a serious moral dilemma.

Perry doesn’t take the easy way out. She challenges both her readers and her characters. This is, in part, what makes her such an effective author. Although set in the early 1900’s her observations are timely--“Most people, women included, judge according to their own experience. We think what we need to think in order to hold on to our own worldview and validate what we must believe. It is a matter of survival, although it may seem merely to be prejudice to someone else. It takes a lot of courage to turn your world upside down and start again.” She states truths; those things we intrinsically know but seldom say.

“Twenty-One Days” is a very good start to this new series. The plot has twists, turns, and surprising revelations. The element of time running out is well used, and the final courtroom scene very effective. Perry never disappoints.

TWENTY-ONE DAYS: A Daniel Pitt Novel (Hist Mys-Daniel Pitt-London-1910) – VG+
Perry, Anne – 1st book in series
Ballentine Books – April 2018
...more

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May 25, 2018 Kate Baxter rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Bob Mueller, Lori, Tania Rentz

Shelves: historical-fiction, mystery-suspense-thriller

Exciting and clever courtroom scenes along with methodical investigative procedural passages - this book has it all and never disappoints. The many twists and turns make for a most delicious read.
If you're a fan of author Anne Perry's Charlotte and Thomas Pitt Victorian era police investigative tales, then you'll be delighted to know that the torch has been passed to their son, young Daniel Pitt, as he begins his career as a barrister. Oh, he's as green as they come but clever and bright, just a ...more

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Apr 23, 2018 Barb in Maryland rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-thriller-goodies, historical-fiction

Nice start to new series, featuring the son of Thomas and Charlotte Pitt, main characters in the author's long-running Victorian mystery series. We jump forward 10 years from the action in Murder on the Serpentine to about 1910 or so; Daniel is now 25, a junior barrister conducting his first serious case and feeling woefully inadequate.
The trial that opens the book serves to introduce us to Daniel and several other characters who will probably be featured players in the series. The action then s Nice start to new series, featuring the son of Thomas and Charlotte Pitt, main characters in the author's long-running Victorian mystery series. We jump forward 10 years from the action in Murder on the Serpentine to about 1910 or so; Daniel is now 25, a junior barrister conducting his first serious case and feeling woefully inadequate.
The trial that opens the book serves to introduce us to Daniel and several other characters who will probably be featured players in the series. The action then shifts to the main drama. Russell Graves, noted biographer and thoroughly unpleasant person, is on trial for murdering his wife. The defense case, argued by Daniel and his senior colleague Kitteridge, fails; Graves is convicted and sentenced to death. They now have 21 days to find enough evidence to get the verdict overturned.
Marcus fford Croft (head of the law firm) assigns Kitteridge to find any possible legal loophole and sets Daniel off to investigate the Graves family, including the late Ebony Graves and Russell Graves himself.
Now the pace really picks up--lots of twists and turns to keep the reader turning the pages to find out what happens next. Perry has fun working new technology (X-rays! Fingerprints!) into the cases. She also touches on 'playing to the jury', a valuable skill for any barrister. The book that Graves is currently writing becomes a key plot point, providing people who might have a motive to kill Mrs. Graves. All a bit far-fetched, but it must be checked out. This leads Daniel to several rather tense conversations with his father, Sir Thomas, head of Special Branch.
Experienced mystery readers will, no doubt, leap to the correct conclusion when they read the description of Mrs. Graves' body. That doesn't diminish the enjoyment of watching Daniel and friends work their way towards the mystery's solution. Perry plays fair; all the clues are there.
The action concludes with two tense courtroom scenes which tie up all the plot threads in a very satisfactory way. The final scene gives the reader a chance to catch their breath, relax and smile over a job well done.
I am definitely looking forward to renewing my acquaintance with young Daniel Pitt. ...more

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Aug 23, 2018 Elizabeth A.G. rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Investigative crime procedure and intriguing courtroom drama lead the reader into the world of Daniel Pitt who is a new lawyer in a respected law firm and the son of Thomas Pitt, the Head of Special Branch and who is Anne Perry's lead character in a previous series of books. Twenty-One Days is a stand-a-lone book from her previous Thomas and Charlotte Pitt books, but makes a generational change in characters with this being the first of the Daniel Pitt series. Perry's hero in this new series beg ...more

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Apr 09, 2018 Macayla Fryc rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: giveaways, mystery-thriller

Twenty-one days.

“Dialogue.”
Contemplation
“Dialogue.”
Internalization
“Dialogue.”
Childhood reflection

Twenty days.

“Dialogue.”
Contemplation
“Dialogue.”
Internalization
“Dialogue.”
Childhood reflection

Nineteen days.

“Dialogue.”
Contemplation
“Dialogue.”
Internalization
“Dialogue.”
Childhood reflection

Eighteen days........

It’s easier to describe Twenty-One Days as what it’s not rather than what it is.
It’s not a thriller.
It’s mystery, but it’s not complex.
It’s not a romance.
It’s not a whodunni ...more

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Aug 14, 2020 Sharyn rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I have finally finished all the Thomas and Charlotte Pitt books, and have now started Daniel Pitt's books. It's now 1910, Thomas is still head of Special Branch and Daniel is a newly minted barrister. The book starts with Daniel winning a case and the rushing over to Old Bailey to assist in a murder case. This was an exciting book with many surprises. It turns out that Thomas could be compromised and Daniel must figure out how to solve the problem. I
was surprised that some of my favorite charac ...more

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Oct 10, 2017 Ron Judenberg rated it it was amazing

A worthy successor to the Thomas Pitt novels. Daniel has his father's enthusiasm, but a distinctly different temperament. His youth gives the story more of the feel of the early years of Thomas Pitt. Ann Perry has begun setting up a new set of allies for him to work with. I hope this series continues. ...more

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Apr 18, 2018 Rebekah rated it really liked it · review of another edition

****a few general spoilers ahead****

The last of the Charlotte/Thomas Pitt novels ended on a triumphant note as Thomas was knighted by the Queen for his services. After all of his difficult challenges and tribulations it was a fitting and perfect end. Much to my joy, the baton has been taken up in this new novel by his son, Daniel Pitt, a newly minted young lawyer. This effectively gets Anne Perry back to murder mysteries as opposed to foiling anarchists and other threats to the state and will be ****a few general spoilers ahead****

The last of the Charlotte/Thomas Pitt novels ended on a triumphant note as Thomas was knighted by the Queen for his services. After all of his difficult challenges and tribulations it was a fitting and perfect end. Much to my joy, the baton has been taken up in this new novel by his son, Daniel Pitt, a newly minted young lawyer. This effectively gets Anne Perry back to murder mysteries as opposed to foiling anarchists and other threats to the state and will be welcomed by most of her loyal readers. We have seen Daniel, and his sister Jemima, grow up through the 32 books of her first series. Twenty-one Days begins approximately 10 years later, and has Daniel assigned to help defend and save from execution a biographer, Russell Graves, whose latest work purports to expose Vincent Narraway, Thomas’s mentor, and his wife, the beloved Vespacia Cumming-Gould, as manipulators and blackmailers whose actions fueled their ambition rather than in service to their country. As the closest of associates to Narraway, Daniels father, Thomas, comes in for his fair share this imminent threat to reputations and legacies. Like his father and Charlotte before him, Daniel has to wrestle with ethics, duty, truth and love for and loyalty to his family and the values they hold dear.

I won’t go into more regarding the plot, but this first in the series has a lighter tone than many of Anne Perry’s previous books, and I welcome it. It is full of twists, questions, red-herrings, and shocks (to those who didn’t see them coming). It introduces a bevy of new characters that are set up to be staples of this new series. This particularly includes Daniels probable future love interest Miriam fford Croft, a remarkable and brilliant woman, ahead of her time, and also not quite 15 years older than Daniel. Thomas and Charlotte make more than brief cameo appearances in this new beginning. Sadly, Narraway and Vespacia have both passed away, but Jemima is, I think, waiting in the wings. Although she now lives in New York and is a married mother of two, I suspect that she will figure in this continuation of the Pitt dynasty in future books. Heck, I wouldn’t be surprised if she gets her own series! After all, she is married to a policeman, like her mother. And heaven knows, domestic happiness and motherhood never stopped Charlotte from providing invaluable assistance to her husband’s career in crime and intrigue. ...more

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May 30, 2020 Megan rated it liked it

This novel was ok. The prose was repetitive, and I have difficulty with characters written as defense attorneys who question whether or not to defend their clients. The mystery was entertaining, and I appreciate that the author brought to light some of the injustices against women at the time. I won’t be continuing the series. 3 stars

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About Anne Perry

Anne Perry

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Anne Perry (born Juliet Hulme) is an English author of historical detective fiction, best known for her Thomas Pitt and William Monk series. In 1954, at the age of fifteen, she was convicted of participating in the murder of her friend's mother. She changed her name to "Anne Perry" after serving a five-year sentence.

Her first novel, The Cater Street Hangman, was published under this name in 1979. ...more