Friday, September 22, 2017

Sophia Rose Reviews An Echo of Murder by Anne Perry

Today Sophia Rose shares her thoughts on Anne Perry's An Echo of Murder.
Enjoy!'

An Echo of Murder by Anne Perry
#23 William Monk
Historical Mystery
Publisher:  Ballantine Books
Published:  9.19.17
Pages:  320
ISBN: 0425285014
Format: eARC

Source:  Net Galley
ADD TO: GOODREADS
GoodReads Blurb:
Monk tackles a series of ritualised killings, which seem to be targeting the Hungarian community in London.  Bad enough that the first has a bayonet through his heart, his fingers broken and surrounded by candles, but these escalate in ferocity.  A worried immigrant community co-operates with Monk's team initially, until tensions mount.  Soon Monk has civil unrest to contend with too.

Meanwhile, an old flame of Hester's makes his reappearance.  Fitz was a doctor, left for dead on a Crimean battlefield, but survived and made his way home via Hungary.  He now works in the Hungarian community, but is a traumatised wreck of a man.  Hester must face her guilt over leaving him, and do what she can to help heal him.

SOHPIA ROSE'S REVIEW


Review:
An Anne Perry mystery always feels like a deep submersion into history and a delving into the darkest corners of humanity while using her circle of heroes to show there can be hope and justice as well.  An Echo of Murder the #23 entry in the William Monk series is no exception.

From the beginning, there was no doubt this was going to be brutal and emotionally tense.  Was the vicious killing of a Hungarian business owner in his office a hate crime?  Was it personal?  Was it a lunatic?  Monk and his River Police have the job of discovering the answers- and quickly, as it happens again.

As usual, I was quite engaged with all the elements surrounding the murder case.  The author tackles two main social issues of the day (which are still relevant now, actually)- the hatred of people ethnically and religiously different from one's own and also the lack of treatment or understanding for those come back broken by war.  Alongside these issues, the story gives Scuff (now 18 yrs and desirous of being called Will) a much larger role as he is nearly a man and is studying medicine, but also still feeling vulnerable that he will lose all the good things he has since Monk and Hester adopted him.

And yes!!!  Finally get to see what comes of a Latterly family reunion.  Those who read The Christmas Escape and have followed along with the series knowing Hester's background will really appreciate this inclusion.

But, I also want to address the mystery and the riveting courtroom drama finale.  I figured out the killer early, but I didn't know the motive and it remained pretty obscure for some time.  I have to say that it moved at a gentle pace until the court case began and then I was riveted and couldn't pry myself away from the book. 

The mystery is broken up by switching back and forth with Hester and Scuff's storylines crossing Monk's investigation.  I don't bring that up as a criticism, but just to give readers a heads-up that in this book, the mystery is only one of the plot threads instead of the main one.

All in all, this was a strong and engaging entry in the series.  It has standalone ability, but the reader would draw so much more from it by getting the series in order.  Historical Mystery fans are the target audience for this series and I shamelessly push it at you.

I rec'd this book from Net Galley in exchange of an honest review.

Biography
Anne Perry is the bestselling author of two acclaimed series set in Victorian England: the William Monk novels, including Dark Assassin and The Shifting Tide, and the Charlotte and Thomas Pitt novels, including The Cater Street Hangman, Calandar Square, Buckingham Palace Gardens and Long Spoon Lane. She is also the author of the World War I novels No Graves As Yet, Shoulder the Sky, Angels in the Gloom, At Some Disputed Barricade, and We Shall Not Sleep, as well as six holiday novels, most recently A Christmas Grace. Anne Perry lives in Scotland.
 Website:  http://www.anneperry.co.uk/
Twitter: @anneperrywriter


Sophia’s Bio:
Sophia is a quiet though curious gal who dabbles in cooking, book reviewing, and gardening. Encouraged and supported by an incredible man and loving family. A Northern Californian transplant to the Great Lakes Region of the US. Lover of Jane Austen, Baseball, Cats, Scooby Doo, and Chocolate.
Sophia’s Social Media Links:



6 comments:

  1. That sounds good. I haven't read this author but the book sounds good.

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    1. I'm a diehard fan, Mary. :) Her earliest ones in the series are my favorites, but I'm still loving them this far along.

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  2. You know Sophia, I always did wonder how many blogs you review for? ;)

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    1. Hi Blodeuedd at least 3 or 4 that I know of. She's out of town for a while but I'm sure she'll be back here to answer your question.

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    2. LOL! Seven right now. But, one or two is just a couple times a year.

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