Product Description

When evidence presented in court by Thomas Pitt leads to the execution of a distinguished soldier and archaeologist, the retaliation from the hanged man’s influential friends is swift. The murderer was a member of the Inner Circle, a group of men whose power extends further than Pitt realised was possible, and, within days, he loses command of the Bow Street police station. To protect him from the Inner Circle’s hatred, he is forced to leave his family to work undercover in the dangerously volatile East End.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #328020 in Books
• Published on: 2001-08-02
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 416 pages

About the Author
Anne Perry lives in Portmahomack, Scotland, and her well-loved series featuring Thomas and Charlotte Pitt has recently been adapted for television. THE CATER STREET HANGMAN was watched by millions of viewers when it was broadcast by ITV. Also available from Headline are the acclaimed William Monk and Hester Latterly mysteries.

Customer Reviews

Good conspiracy theories and resolution
Gracie and Tellman take the main parts in this very readable story. I was most impressed by the ending which made sense and was quite possible. I really enjoyed the play between Gracie and Tellman. They provide an extra interest in the development of Charlotte and Pitt and the story also gives us more information about Vespasia. The Ripper connection was very well done. Anne Perry is right at the top of thriller writers with story, characterisation and historical detail.

Excellent commuter read!
I bought this... to amuse myself on a return flight, and wasn't disappointed. It's an easy, enjoyable read - your brain won't be too taxed by any of it, but you'll keep turning those pages anyway, eager to find out just how the author intends to knit all her strands together.

It deals with a policeman who, called into examine a suspicious death, becomes the key witness in the the murderer's trial. It's somewhat unusual in that from the beginning, we know *who* committed the murder, but not why. And when we start getting into why, the novel takes on a real life, with characters I cared about and a twist-and-turn plot. The policeman is sent into exile -- well, the East End -- and his colleagues and family set about figuring out why catching a murderer should have caused this purdah. The result takes in republicans, royalists, the Prince of Wales, the Ripper, not to mention half of London's top movers and shakers of the time. There's courtroom drama, exciting chase scenes, villanous big bosses and nosey journalists. . .no new ground being trodden here, but tried and tested formalae applied with an expert hand.

It's set at the end of the Victorian era, with detail enough to get the imagery alive but not too over the top - this is a thriller first and foremost, not a historical treatise. Perry isn't trying to get across how clever she is and how much she knows.

As I said, it's not a real brain teaser, but the combination of intriguing plotting and period touches make it a great read. Perfect for whiling away those commuter hours on the bus or train. Anne Perry has written a whole series featuring this policeman, so I'm off to find the rest!

Amazing!
Another success for Anne Perry. She's done a fine job in characterisation and an amazingly vivid picture of victorian Britain. Breathtaking to the last pages. When will she stop writing such interesting and well-written books? I can't wait for the next one!