A Sudden Fearful Death

Rating:
Summary: A Nurse is Murdered--Inspector Monk is called in!
Review: A Sudden, Fearful Death is the fourth mystery in the Inspector Monk series of books by Anne Perry. Better known for her Pitt series, the Inspector Monk series are slighly earlier (just after the Crimean War), grittier, and in many ways more riveting. They are longer than the average Pitt novel, and this allows the author's wonderful ability to convey period detail and characterization to shine through.

In this mystery Inspector Monk is called in to investigate the murder of one of Florence Nightingale's Crimean nurses, who is working at a London hospital. Those of you who have read the previous three novels know how hard it can be for these young women to adapt to English hospitals after their stint abroad, and at first it seems that Prudence Barrymore might be a victim because of her desire to reform the medical system. As the plot unfolds, however, we realize that there is a great deal more going on at London's Royal Free hospital than meets the eye.

One of Perry's greatest talents lies in character development, and she is always careful to let a different character feature prominently in each novel. This time it is Lady Callandra Daviot's turn, Inspector Monk's female patron, who emerges as a more three-dimensional character. Hester Latterly, another Nightingale nurse, is also featured, along with the brilliant Inspector Monk and the lawyer of lawyers, Oliver Rathbone.

I would particularly recommend the Monk series to fans of TV's Law and Order, since these mysteries combine excellent sleuthing with taut court-room drama. If you like historical mysteries, you will love this series. If you already like Anne Perry, I encourage you to give Inpsector Monk a try!

Rating:
Summary: A Nurse is Murdered--Inspector Monk is called in!
Review: A Sudden, Fearful Death is the fourth mystery in the Inspector Monk series of books by Anne Perry. Better known for her Pitt series, the Inspector Monk series are slighly earlier (just after the Crimean War), grittier, and in many ways more riveting. They are longer than the average Pitt novel, and this allows the author's wonderful ability to convey period detail and characterization to shine through.

In this mystery Inspector Monk is called in to investigate the murder of one of Florence Nightingale's Crimean nurses, who is working at a London hospital. Those of you who have read the previous three novels know how hard it can be for these young women to adapt to English hospitals after their stint abroad, and at first it seems that Prudence Barrymore might be a victim because of her desire to reform the medical system. As the plot unfolds, however, we realize that there is a great deal more going on at London's Royal Free hospital than meets the eye.

One of Perry's greatest talents lies in character development, and she is always careful to let a different character feature prominently in each novel. This time it is Lady Callandra Daviot's turn, Inspector Monk's female patron, who emerges as a more three-dimensional character. Hester Latterly, another Nightingale nurse, is also featured, along with the brilliant Inspector Monk and the lawyer of lawyers, Oliver Rathbone.

I would particularly recommend the Monk series to fans of TV's Law and Order, since these mysteries combine excellent sleuthing with taut court-room drama. If you like historical mysteries, you will love this series. If you already like Anne Perry, I encourage you to give Inpsector Monk a try!

Rating:
Summary: Mysteries abound
Review: It is a mystery to me that Amazon.com should begin reviews of the mysteries by Anne Perry by quoting "Kirkus reviews." The results are predictable -- the reviewer dislikes all of the strengths of these novels. He cannot appreciate Perry's real skill in character development. He is opposed to any discussion of the status of women in Victorian England; dislikes Perry's careful depictions of social mores and class status in Victorian London --despite the fact that these are often the very crux of the novels. One of the best examples is "A Breach of Promise." I haven't the Kirkus review for that novel but I am willing to bet that he really really hated it!
Actually, this series of novels should be called the
Hester Latterly - William Monk - Oliver Rathbone series. Hester is often the central sleuth and it is the links between these three characters which move the plots forward ingeniously. As example of this I recommend "A Breach of Promise which the Kirkus reviewer undoubtedly hated.

Rating:
Summary: Mysteries abound
Review: It is a mystery to me that Amazon.com should begin reviews of the mysteries by Anne Perry by quoting "Kirkus reviews." The results are predictable -- the reviewer dislikes all of the strengths of these novels. He cannot appreciate Perry's real skill in character development. He is opposed to any discussion of the status of women in Victorian England; dislikes Perry's careful depictions of social mores and class status in Victorian London --despite the fact that these are often the very crux of the novels. One of the best examples is "A Breach of Promise." I haven't the Kirkus review for that novel but I am willing to bet that he really really hated it!
Actually, this series of novels should be called the
Hester Latterly - William Monk - Oliver Rathbone series. Hester is often the central sleuth and it is the links between these three characters which move the plots forward ingeniously. As example of this I recommend "A Breach of Promise which the Kirkus reviewer undoubtedly hated.

Rating:
Summary: A strange book
Review: When I began the book (with the problem of Marianne) it obviously had five stars, when you finish that part you won't understand why it was written in so many pages and it really doesn't have to do anything with the book, so the book has now four stars, in the middle of the book, when you see why it was written the [beginning], the book has only three stars ..., and that keeps during all the judgment of the doctor (I won't tell you which one because I will tell you the story), but when the judgment is almost over, when you almost finish the book you will see that this is definitely a five stars book, And when you read the last chapter you will see that you will recommend this book to your friends.