Rating: 
Summary: Promises much, delivers little
Review: A dead man found on the steps of one of Victorian London's most fashionable homes kicks off the 19th mystery featuring Superintendent Thomas Pitt of the Bow Street Police Station and his clever wife, Charlotte. Although General Brandon Balantyne denies knowing the shabbily dressed man, his snuffbox was found in the dead man's pocket. Since he's dealing with his betters in class-conscious Victorian Britain, Pitt must tread carefully as he delves into the dead man's past in hopes of finding a connection. "Bedford Square" is a story which promises much but delivers little. There's much talk about class differences -- Pitt's constable assistant is nearly blinded in his anger against the upper classes -- and in Pitt's investigation of what turns out to be a nasty wide-ranging blackmail plot, we are repeatedly told that the victims are all pure in character and how least revelation, no matter how false, will blast their reputations so utterly that it becomes tedious. The solution to the mystery is extremely disappointing: neither making much sense, nor is it in keeping with what we know of the characters. A disappointing book to someone who wondered what all the shouting was about.
Rating:
Summary: Promises much, delivers little
Review: A dead man found on the steps of one of Victorian London's most fashionable homes kicks off the 19th mystery featuring Superintendent Thomas Pitt of the Bow Street Police Station and his clever wife, Charlotte. Although General Brandon Balantyne denies knowing the shabbily dressed man, his snuffbox was found in the dead man's pocket. Since he's dealing with his betters in class-conscious Victorian Britain, Pitt must tread carefully as he delves into the dead man's past in hopes of finding a connection. "Bedford Square" is a story which promises much but delivers little. There's much talk about class differences -- Pitt's constable assistant is nearly blinded in his anger against the upper classes -- and in Pitt's investigation of what turns out to be a nasty wide-ranging blackmail plot, we are repeatedly told that the victims are all pure in character and how least revelation, no matter how false, will blast their reputations so utterly that it becomes tedious. The solution to the mystery is extremely disappointing: neither making much sense, nor is it in keeping with what we know of the characters. A disappointing book to someone who wondered what all the shouting was about.
Rating: 
Summary: Far from the pits, excellent Victorian mystery
Review: Bow Street Superintendent Thomas Pitt investigates the corpse found on the steps of the BEDFORD SQUARE home of General Brandon Balantine. Among the possessions the shabbily dressed victim held is a snuffbox that belongs to the General, who insists he does not recognize the body as anyone he knows. No one else steps forward with the victim's identity. Meanwhile, added to that dilemma is the General's high position in society. All this makes for a difficult investigation. To gain entrance to the elite, Thomas turns to his spouse Charlotte, an individual born at a higher station than him. This pays off when she learns that someone was blackmailing the General. Soon the married couple discovers other members of the gentry have been the recipient of extortion. Though they do not know what it is, the duo believes that something or someone connects the murder with the blackmail. Now, all they have to do is find the missing link. BEDFORD SQUARE, the sixth Thomas and Charlotte Pitt Victorian mystery, is a historical who-done-it fan's ultimate delight. The story line vividly brings to life 1890 England. So colorful is the detail, readers will believe they have been transported there. Diametrically opposite to the meaning of their name, the Pitts are a warm, witty duo, whose teamwork adds luster to the tale. The secondary characters, especially the servants, bring depth to this Victorian England novel. With this series and her William Monk stories, Anne Perry has carved out a deserved niche with her entertaining Victorian era novels. Harriet Klausner
Rating: 
Summary: Not quite up to par
Review: A bit disappointing.....the ending was less than stunning, and the reader is more than a few steps ahead through the entire thing. Good atmosphere, etc., as usual though, and hard to put down regardless.
Rating:
Summary: Perry's Pitt best!
Review: Anne Perry has outdone herself in this Pitt novel...the sheer intricacy of the plot is enough to keep you turning pages. You have no idea until the last few pages what or who...that is the essence of the great mystery novel....I could not put it down. Her characterizations of Victorian England are superb and her historical research is flawless. What a good read!
Rating: 
Summary: Perry's best story line, but the ending is a let-down
Review: As I was reading BEDFORD SQUARE, I felt this was the best of her Thomas and Charlotte Pitt books. I prefer these to her William Monk series. I love her descriptions of Victorian England;she gives the reader a real feel of life in those times. I couldn't put the book down and had to finish it before I could sleep. However, the ending is not as fully developed as the rest of the novel. I felt like she was in a hurry to finish and get it to the publisher.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent entry in the Pitt & Charlotte series
Review: Bedford Square is an excellent entry in the series of books about William Pitt, Superintendent of the Bow Street station, and his higher-born wife Charlotte. Sergeant Tellman, his aide in investigating this case, & the Pitts' maid Gracie play major parts well. I wanted their relationship (reminiscent of the earlier one between Pitt & Miss Charlotte Ellison) to move on to the next level. Aunt Vespasia Cumming-Gould also plays a large part in spite of her age and her growing frailty. General Ballantyne and his insufferable wife Augusta are just as we remember them from two previous books. His fondness for Charlotte is touching and even sad. My only complaint would be that the other characters (aside from Commissioner Cornwallis) are not as fleshed out as they might be. I also was a step ahead of Pitt, but that was because I knew what he knew and also what Charlotte knew. The identity of the murderer does come as a surprise, and the underlying motivation reflects on one of the social ills of the time, as do all of Perry's novels, Inspector Monk's as well as the Pitts'. I found it hard to put this book down and enjoyed it very much.
Rating:
Summary: What a disappointing plot.
Review: I am a HUGE Anne Perry fan, but I found this one to be a bit of a letdown. Perhaps I've been spoiled by Perry's trademarks: tightly wound plots and shocking conclusions. This one just seemed to sputter to an end. Plot hole #1 (don't worry, I don't give anything away): Part of the big mystery is figuring out what all the blackmail victims have in common. During the course of Pitt's investigation, several of the victims discover who their fellow blackmailees are and rack their brains trying to figure out what they all have in common. But when the reader finally learns what the victims DO have in common, it seems inconceivable that the victims themselves didn't figured it out earlier. Plot hole #2: It's clear very early on that the blackmailer is blackmailing to cover something up (i.e., not blackmailing for money). But when you discover who the blackmailer is, you never understand WHY he or she (or they) did the thing that's being covered up. The motive seems to be: the villain is a bad person. Pretty weak by Perry's own standards. The historical detail and the main characters are engrossing as usual, which is why I've given three stars. But the mystery lacked punch.
Rating:
Summary: One of Perry's Best Pitt Thrillers
Review: I am a huge fan of Anne Perry. I have read all of her books and eagerly look forward to the next one. My actual favourite series is the William Monk series, but the Pitt ones are very good too. This particular one is a very good example of her style of writing and it would be a good book to read first in order to get into the series. Her writing puts the reader right there in Victorian England as no one else can. I never guessed what the motive could be at all and was suitably surprised with the last chapter. A really tight well-knit thriller.
Rating:
Summary: Not my favorite
Review: I did manage to finish this book, but it took awhile. Was Ms. Perry under pressure from her publisher to finish this book? Not up to her usual standards. Very disappointing.
| 
