Ginette B. (Niteowl7) reviewed on 3/27/2006 + 242 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 1

Thomas Pitt is usually the sleuth in Anne Perry's Detective Thomas Pitt series but in "Cardington Crescent" it is his wife, Charlotte, who is the main detective. Charlotte's sister, Emily, and her husband, George, are staying at the Cardington Crescent household with some other relatives for a month long holiday. When George is murdered, the Cardingtons' main concern is to handle this incident as quietly as possible to avoid scandal. The head of the household, Eustace, is quick to blame Emily and suggests she be discreetly put away in a mental institution. Charlotte Pitt, realizing her sister Emily may be accused of a murder she didn't commit, rushes over to the Cardingtons to help with the investigation. Thomas Pitt does examine George's body and astutely sees that George could not have committed suicide as Eustace first suggested but was murdered. Since Pitt is very business investigating another murder, Charlotte takes it upon herself to find out who killed George. When another murder is committed, Emily seems again the likeliest prospect in the Cardingtons' eyes. But Charlotte is as determined to find the real killer as the Cardingtons are to accuse Emily. The story ends with the least likely candidate for murder but it all ties together quite neatly.
On the plus side, I loved the Anne Perry's use of description in that she makes the period so real. She is also quite adept at depicting the emotional lives of these people. It's not an easy task to write about people who must keep their emotions to themselves, showing them in other ways. On the negative side, I'm not a fan of the question and answer technique to get to the truth. Charlotte, like Thomas, spends an awful lot of time just questioning people whose answers lead nowhere. But I guess that's all they had at the time. Overall, a very good suspense novel with terrific characters. Good way to experience a different time and culture without having to travel.

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