A Christmas Hope: A Novel Hardcover – November 12, 2013

With a long and enviable track record, Anne Perry is the bankable author who her agent, publisher and booksellers can depend on to deliver successful (=profitable) novels. From the opening scene of “A Christmas Hope” which sets the rest of the story in motion until the end, Perry knows how to plot and develop a good novel. Some of the story is predictable—no examples so as not to spoil the read—but what bumps this book up a level is certain characters’ (=Perry’s) astute observations about human nature and the meaning of life.Near the end, Claudine, the protagonist who has not only survived a character-testing ordeal but emerged a stronger individual, stands up and burns “the last of her bridges,” explaining that Christmas is about offering hope to all to “everyone: rich or poor, friend or stranger. The moment you exclude anyone, you exclude yourself.” Then she walks out of the room and proceeds to put her reputation and life as she knows it on the line in order to do the right thing.In the end, it’s a satisfying read about individuals who are willing to sacrifice a great deal to take the high road, in other words, a good, solid read about the best of the holiday season.

When Mrs. Burroughs, who works at Hesters clinic in port pool lane, witnesses an injury to a street woman at a party she feels obligated to visit the injured young woman at the hospital. When the street woman, Winnie Briggs dies, the police look for a guest at the party because other attendees says he is guilty. How Mrs. Burroughs, with help from Squeaky Robinson and Arthur Davidson, discovers what really happened and frees the guest, a famous poet, makes for a good book. Great characters, good editing and a goid story. Highly recommend this book.

Anne Perry's Christmas story is the present I give myself each year, and I have never been disappointed. This years offering lives up to all expectations. I love the way she features one of the minor characters and gives us a deeper look into their lives, their hopes and dreams.The 2013 story features Claudine Burroughs, one of the volunteers at Hester Monk's clinic. She is a society woman who, of course, is stuck in a loveless marriage and unfulfilling life until she finds meaningful work at the clinic. Her husband forbids her to continue on a regular basis - but continue she does.Having formerly assisted in Hester and Monks' cases, this time she takes on one of her own. The story revolves around the beating death of a young "unfortunate' woman at a Christmas party and Claudine's first meeting with Dai Tregarron. Dai is falsely accused of the murder and only Claudine believes in him and works to find the truth.Another gem by Anne Perry.

I did not dislike anything. I have enjoyed each one of the Anne Perry books. I have read all the Thomas books and the Monk books. Have not read all the Christmas books.I gave my books to the library and wish I had them back to reread. It’s off to the library to check them out.

I usually like Anne Perry's Christmas stories a lot. But I thought this one was weaker than usual. Maybe that's because it involves the world of William Monk and his wife Hester, and I don't usually read those novels, preferring the Charlotte and Thomas Pitt novels. The usual Christmas story often involves one of the minor characters from the Pitt novels (like Runcorn, or the grandmother of Charlotte) and gives us a lot more insight into what motivates them and who they actually are. Maybe this Christmas novel also involves minor characters from the Monk novels, but I don't know. The story dragged a bit in the beginning but did get more interesting when the characters had to make decisions that might affect their standing in society (especially because some of the decisions had consequences that would be unlikely to be today central to us today--so we got a sense--as we usually do with Perry--of how different life was in Victorian England than it is for us today.) If you love Perry's Christmas stories it's worth getting this one, but I warn you you may be rather disappointed..

I like Anne Perry's novels and this is the fourth Christmas-themed book I've read this month. The others were sappy, contrived and generally really bad. What a wonderful surprise! It's short so to go into too much detail would truly be a spoiler. What makes it work (among other things) is that the main character can move about freely because she's making Christmas visits to acquaintances. This is a wonderful way to keep things going and to keep Christmas "believable" as the setting for the novel. Anne Perry doesn't disappoint and this book is one more example of that.

I have always loved Anne Perry's recurring characters, Hester and Monk as well as Charlotte and Pitt and especially Aunt Vespasia. This novel introduces a new heroine, Charlotte Burroughs, and she has all the earmarks of another strong character in the Perry tradition. At first I was disappointed that my old favorites were not in this novel, but by the time I finished it I was hoping there will be sequels to allow us to get to know her better and follow her life's journey. She's a keeper!

Once upon a time I was a regular reader and fan of Anne Perry's Monk and Pitt detective novels. But then she wrote the fat and wonderful historical novel “The Sheen on the Silk,” which left me wanting more writing of that caliber from her. I'm still hoping for that. Meanwhile, the other day, I read about Perry's annual Christmas series and decided to give this latest one a go. It 's a quick and easy one-day read about a wealthy 19th century woman living in a cold and loveless marriage who goes to a society party where a young woman is killed and the wrong man is arrested and bravely takes it upon herself to do some sleuthing that she hopes will rectify that wrong, find out who really done it, and win the release of the innocent. A pleasant and easy read, but not an especially compelling one.

A novella by Anne Perry has been traditional at Christmas for a long time; always an enjoyable sojourn from something longer and deeper. This was most disappointing, wearying, had no focus that I could see. Apart from the insights into an unhappy marriage from which Claudine Burroughs regularly escaped to Hester Monk's clinic in Portpool Lane, there was a nothingness about this book. I gave up reading it midway and turned to something with more point. A great shame. A novella written for the sake of it.

Again Anne Perry created a perfect Christmas Novel. I could hardly stop reading, although I have only time to read before I go to sleep.She can always create an athmospere for the reader in which one can feel the time and the spirit she is describing.Heather Monk is only mentioned in this novel but this is no problem at all.I can recommend it to all Anne Perry fans.

the item arrived on time a very good price and in very good condition who ever was selling it looked after itthankyou

Another good story from.this author. An easy read and a book you cannot put down till you get to the end. All the books with Christmas in the title by this author are good and would recommend the series.

Good book have had books from Anne Perry Christmas series before and have never been disappointed.