Spoiler Discussion (May 2018) Group Read - Twenty-One Days, by Anne Perry

[Mary]

Though I'd just put my review on this spoiler section. It doesn't look like anyone is reading this book.

Having read many Anne Perry books and liked them, I was eager to read this one and grateful to get an arc from NetGalley and Random House.. Perry did not let me down. The story was interesting and just twisted enough to make it a notch up to fun. The problem was that I guessed the main part of the mystery way too early in the book. It turned out ok because when the next part of that part of the story began again, it picked up speed and flowed along. Daniel Pitt, lawyer and investigator is fun because he sometimes bends the rules. The authority figures he works with tell him not to do that but with a wink and a nod. His assignment is to prove a man innocent of killing his wife. Everyone hates this man and would really rather see him hang since he has been found guilty and sentenced. The side story involved Daniel Pitt (main character and investigator and lawyer) and his father and old coworkers and friends. Pitt was true to his old character and that was a good feeling. I liked having him around. Other characters are described and developed, sometimes I thought too much. But, then remembered this is the first in a series so some characters will be needing more development for future books. The courtroom scenes at the end of the book were exciting and well written.

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves investigational drama and mysteries and legal/courtroom drama.

[Beth]

I am waiting for a hard copy, Mary. Should be here this week. Not sure why I ordered hard copy.... old age moment I guess

[Mary]

I had an ARC from NetGallery and read this a few weeks ago. I just didn't get here to post anything about it, so you're not alone, Mary.

I had not read any Anne Perry mysteries before this, so I was pleased to get in on the first of a new series. And I enjoyed it enough to plan on going back to read some of the previous catalog. I was mildly concerned that there would be a lot of the backstory I needed to know from the Thomas Pitt series in order to enjoy this but that was not the case. In fact, she painted just enough details for Thomas to be comfortable with him, and yet not overburdened with the history I don't need to know.

I agree with Mary that there was a LOT of time spent on developing the characters, but I don't think that's necessarily unusual for the first of a planned series of mysteries. It did make it a bit tedious in places. It took me a lot longer to get through than I would have expected, at least for the first two thirds of the book. Then I got caught up in the story and finished it in an evening.

Overall, I thought it an interesting view into the early 1900's, and some glimpses of early forensics and feminism. The courtroom portions of the story were well balanced with the investigative ones.

I didn't guess the whodunnit, though there were clues that I put in place after the reveal.

As I said, Anne Perry's now on my TBR list.

[Mary]

I have an off-the-wall question about Anne Perry. I suspect I am not alone in this , but I didn't know that at age 15, she was a convicted of participating in the murder of one of her friends' mother. I didn't know until after I had read this book. I found out because someone on a thread somewhere said they would NEVER read any of Perry's books because she was a murderer. We all draw the lines about who we will/won't read for various reasons. Just wondering if knowing this about her makes any difference to those of us reading her work this month?

[Beth]

I do know Ann perrys story and it hasn't stopped me from reading her novels. If does make me wonder why she would choose the genre, especially when the book includes murder of a parent by the adult child

[Mary]

Hi Mary, I must admit it made me squirm a bit when I found out Perry's past She and her also 15-year-old friend were convicted of the murder of her friends' mother. It was pretty brutal. It is questionable who was swinging the bag with a brick in it but the woman was struck over 20 times! They were tried as children or they would have been eligible for the death penalty. (New Zealand) Instead, they were each given 5 years in prison. I

I had started reading the William Monk and the Thomas Pitt series of her books before learning of her past. I like her books and I can put her past aside because of her age and the loneliness of her childhood. Not an excuse, I know. But, I don't have to forgive her.

[Shera]

I really don't know why, but I've not been able to read her books for about 20 years. HER story gets in the way of THE story.
I also don't read much historical fiction. I majored in history in college and most historical mysteries take today's values and concerns and dress them up in "old clothes" without computers.

[Mary]

I read her books and really enjoy them...then I get bored with the speed and stop reading her for a few years. I am curious when she wrote this one. That actual murder that she committed was in the 50's, I think and she was 15. She would be 80yo now so did she write this? And supposedly it is the start of a new series?

[Beth]

Does speed reading count? I am exasperated with this one. I think Anne Perry has a template for all her books
Male detective (in this series it's a detecting lawyer) can't quite get it on his own so he needs a female (enter Miss fford croft)

Why would a legal firm give a novice lawyer two murder cases????

[Beth]

Gosh... face obliterated and dresses and shoes in closet too big for victim? Let me think about that .......

[Mary]

Beth wrote: "Gosh... face obliterated and dresses and shoes in closet too big for victim? Let me think about that ......."

Haha, Beth, you are so funny...yes it is what you think it is!

And yes, I agree with the formula theory but I also think that most writers with more than a few books have a formula...a few exceptions such as Stephen King and Dean Koontz.

[Beth]

Oh Mary it gets worse. It's takes Pitt 240 pages to be told by his female Partner "this isn't Ebony Graves" gosh...... really? This is painful to read

[Mary]

Beth wrote: "Oh Mary it gets worse. It's takes Pitt 240 pages to be told by his female Partner "this isn't Ebony Graves" gosh...... really? This is painful to read"

Beth, I am so sorry that you are hating this book so much. I liked it, for the most part, the first time around but when I tried to reread it for this book club, well, oh dear, I did not like it at all. Although, I did like the final courtroom scene.
Please stop reading...with every page you might be turning, I am cringing. haha

[Beth]

I did finish the book, Mary, but I will admit i was skimming from page 260 on. I put my review on the other thread.

I used to read Anne Perry's series and then suddenly stopped. I think my issue with her books is that there isn't much substance to them. There are so many books out there that are much better; I won't be reading book two of this series