Good book on suspense, keeps you wondering about the end of things.
A strong entry in Anne Perry's William Monk/Hester Latterly series. The solution was plain to me from the beginning but I enjoyed reading how the protagonists reached the conclusion and solved the crime. This is an excellent series with a convincing flavor of the period all throughout. Definitely worth the reading time. I highly recommend it.
Danielle P. (readingthyme) reviewed Defend and Betray (William Monk, Bk 3) on + 18 more book reviews
I really enjoyed this book. It was a page turner- full of suspense and surprises. I love how Anne Perry describes Victorian London. She puts in little details that just bring the book to life. This is the third William Monk book I have read and I am totally enamored with the main characters. Can't wait to read more!
A Thomas Monk and Hester Latterly mystery. Has a great court room scene.
In the two series that Anne Perry authored, William Monk and Thomas Pitt, she builds the characters and their lives as she delves into their latest mystery which enhances her stories with an added dimension. If you wish to get the most out of her series, here are the Monk books in the order in which they were written: 1990-Face of a Stranger, 1992-A Dangerous Morning, 1994-A Sudden Fearful Death, 1995-The Sins of the Wolf, 1996-Cain His Brother, 1997-Weighed in the Balance, 1998 The Silent Cry, 1998-A Breach of Promise, 2000-The Twisted Root, 2000-Slaves of Obsession, 2001-Funeral in Blue, 2002-Defend & Betray, 2003-Shifting Tide. For historical (Victorian Age) fiction mystery lovers, she is the greatest for a delightful pageturner.
Classic Anne Perry. Thaddeus Carlyon, a brilliant military general is killed by falling over a stair railing, at a dinner party. His wife readily admits to it, but who did it, and why????? A page-turner to the end, as Rathbone, Monk and Ms. Latterly unveil the secrets in this well bred family.
From back of book:
After a brilliant military career, esteemed General Thaddeus Carlyon finally meet death, not in the frenzy of battle, but at an elegant London dinner party. His demise appears to be the result of a freak accident. But the General's beautiful wife, Alexandra, readily confesses that she killed him -- a story she clings to even under the shadow of the gallows.
Investigator William Monk, nurse Hester Latterly, and brilliant Oliver Rathbone, counsel for the defense, work feverishly to break down the wall of silence raised by the accused and her husband's proud family. With the trial only days away, they inch toward the dark and appalling heart of the mystery. The final act is a courtroom masterpiece, through which we dare not breathe too deeply, lest the precarious balance of a woman's life be lost.
After a brilliant military career, esteemed General Thaddeus Carlyon finally meet death, not in the frenzy of battle, but at an elegant London dinner party. His demise appears to be the result of a freak accident. But the General's beautiful wife, Alexandra, readily confesses that she killed him -- a story she clings to even under the shadow of the gallows.
Investigator William Monk, nurse Hester Latterly, and brilliant Oliver Rathbone, counsel for the defense, work feverishly to break down the wall of silence raised by the accused and her husband's proud family. With the trial only days away, they inch toward the dark and appalling heart of the mystery. The final act is a courtroom masterpiece, through which we dare not breathe too deeply, lest the precarious balance of a woman's life be lost.
Inside Flap Copy
"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 brilliant Oliver Rathbone, counsel for the defense, work feverishly to break down the wall of silence raised by the accused and her husband's proud family. With the trial only days away, they inch toward the dark and appalling heart of the mystery. The final act is a courtroom masterpiece, through which we dare not breathe too deeply, lest the precarious balance of a woman's life be lost.
"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 brilliant Oliver Rathbone, counsel for the defense, work feverishly to break down the wall of silence raised by the accused and her husband's proud family. With the trial only days away, they inch toward the dark and appalling heart of the mystery. The final act is a courtroom masterpiece, through which we dare not breathe too deeply, lest the precarious balance of a woman's life be lost.
