Series:
Charlotte and Thomas Pitt Mysteries
Book description courtesy of Goodreads
The gentleman tied to the lamppost on Westminster Bridge is most elegantly attired --- fresh boutonniere, silk hat, white evening scarf --- and he is quite, quite dead, as a result of his thoroughly cut throat.
Why should anyone kill Sir Lockwood Hamilton, that kindest of family men and most conscientious member of Parliament? Before Inspector Thomas Pitt can even speculate on the reasons, a colleague of Sir Lockwood's meets the same fate in the same spot.
Public indignation is boundless, and clever Charlotte Pitt, Thomas's well-born wife, can't resist helping her hard-pressed husband, scouting society's drawing rooms for clues to these appalling crimes. Meanwhile, the Westminster Bridge Cutthroat stalks still another victim ...
My Thoughts
I have gotten to know the main characters in this series well over the years. There are a lot of books in the Pitt series (32!) and so I always remain behind. But when I start a new book it is like being with old friends. I was excited to check in and see what the Pitts are up to.
The London community is living in fear. Prominent members of Parliament are being attacked and it is not as easy to shrug off this time as it is when the poor people who live in the shadows are normally the victims of brutal crimes. No, these are wealthy, powerful men, found with their throats slit and hanging from a bridge used by all classes of citizens.
When multiple murders occur and Charlotte and Thomas go looking for clues, they discover a separate world of suspects in the local women's suffrage movement. Charlotte spends her time with her Great Aunt Vespasia (who appears in many of the Pitt novels) while Thomas pursues things within his rank in the police department alongside his co-worker Micah Drummond. Both enter the homes of wealthy, prominent persons but only Charlotte and her Aunt are welcome, Pitt being a lowly policeman whom no one wants seen in their drawing rooms.
As they investigate, they find the real story behind it all is far from what they imagined. I truly never, ever would have guessed the path Perry was taking. About the last fourth of the story was fascinating and included some history that was genuine. I stayed up finishing it until midnight and honestly it was just creepy enough that I had to turn on the lamps in the living room, lol. It stayed with me the next day, I was thinking about the fact that some of the incidents in the resolution really happened to a lot of women in that era. No spoilers but you will be so surprised with how she chose to explain the murders and those involved with it all.
There wasn't necessarily a whole lot to the plot until the end and it wasn't the most action filled book of hers. But the very creative ending makes up for this so read it and be sure to finish....you will come away with a true surprise ending!
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