Buckingham Palace Gardens (Thomas and Charlotte Pitt Series Hardcover – July 12, 2009

Firstly I would like to say I am a long time fan of Anne Perry - I have followed all of her series and appreciate her accuracy and attention to detail as she takes us into. Two of her series are placed in the Victorian Era.It is an earlier time with the Monk series, but with Thomas and Charlotte Pitt series, it is the waning days of the Victorian era - After Prince Albert died, Queen Victoria was almost a recluse in her grief and didn't execute her duties as she did.The Thomas and Charlotte Pitt series has always been charming because it features a working class man, a policeman, Thomas Pitt, who through a murder investigation met a gentry family, and one of their daughters, Charlotte, and they fall in love and marry. She has to adjust to doing her own chores, and he has guilty feelings he is depriving Charlotte with the luxuries she is accustomed to - But they are rich with the love and respect they have with each other. They have 2 children, and have a maid, a whisp of a young woman, Gracie Phipps, who helps them. She literally grows up in the Pitt household.The charm of this series is Mrs. Perry used all the adult characters to be involved in the mystery and resolution of it. But as Pitt has progressed from policeman to a member of Special Services, that cannot happen as readily. But this outing it is Gracie Phipps' time to shine.There has been a murder in Buckingham Palace. The Queen is away and the Prince of Wales and his buds are at play, in the guise of meeting to plan a railroad that will run the span of Africa...when the ladies go to bed, they have prostitutes come in to 'entertain' them. Something goes wrong and one of the girls is found in the laundry closet and is naked and gutted - blood all around the sheets - and the Queen's sheets to boot!With the sensitive nature of the crime, Narraway and Pitt are called in to find what happened and on the QT handle it.Charlotte, and her sister Emily cannot come on this type of investigation. They used to go in and glean facts and clues for him in social situations, and enlist help from Emily's great aunt in law Aunt Vespasia Cumming Gould - she is a jewel in this series - once was hailed as the most beautiful woman of her time, she is still beautiful in the winter of her life and loves to help them.But the only person who may be able to help in this Buckingham Palace mystery is Gracie Phipps - she is put undercover as a maid in the palace to see if she can find clues - servants in those days were just about invisible - they could be standing in back of guests dining and the guests treated them as if they weren't there - and the servants could hear a lot of juicy things...There are brief appearances by our friends, Charlotte, Emily, etc. But thank goodness, Narraway goes to Lady Vespasia for advise about the people involved in the murder investigation. Her part is too short, but much longer than our other friends we are accustomed to seeing in the Pitt books.The mystery is well layered with twists and turns, and Gracie learns that she is capable of helping Thomas. The difference in class is such a major factor - many of the servants even in the Palace cannot read - and they make a big deal that Gracie can read - and even read Oscar Wilde!Palace's resolution is handled well, and it is another excellent work by Perry -Hopefully Perry will give us more of our friends in the next Pitt book.But Perry continues to write true reflections of the time.

Buckingham Palace Gardens is a straight mystery, meaning it engages the mind more than the adrenaline glands as a mystery/thriller or mystery/suspense would. I haven't read a mystery in years and am embarrassed to admit I'm out of practice. I jumped around from character to character in my thoughts of who slashed a prostitute to death inside the royal palace. Because I'm out of practice, I can't quite pinpoint what it is about this novel that failed to satisfy me. It could be nothing more than I'm not British and couldn't pick up on the clues presented in the very proper dialogue, or it could be that the men involved in the crime were arrested based entirely on conjecture. If I were the prosecutor in the case, I'd be stuck with speculation, because I'd be seriously short of witnesses and physical evidence. A shattered this, a monogrammed that, a mysterious character impossible to identify--add these to potential witnesses who are reluctant or not credible, and I'd have a flimsy case indeed.Oh well. As the old legal maxim goes: If you can't pound the facts, pound the podium.Because this was one of the books used to illustrate character in Donald Maass's *The Fire in Fiction*, it was one of the books added to my "to read" list--as are all the books in his how-to. Perry's mystery novel is found in Maass's section in the first chapter called, "Cutting Heroes Down to Size." I can't agree with him that Perry cut her hero, Thomas Pitt, down to size, but instead elevated him above many of the other characters occupying a higher social status in British society. She gave him a moral superiority which I appreciated because he wasn't arrogant. He had his standards and refused to be swayed from them, even if the results put his life or his family's in peril.Perry's characters in general were fascinating. She did an incredible job of illustrating the societal pecking order in Britain and the parallels from one caste to another. From the simple prostitute to the Prince and Princess of Wales, everyone is represented either through the characters themselves or through their attitudes toward other members of society. For this alone, the book is worth reading and, for writers wanting to improve the craft, studying.

First Sentence: She was apparently found in the linen cupboard, poor creature," Narraway replied, his lean face dour, his eyes so dark they seemed black in the interior shadow of the hansom cab.Now with Special Branch, Thomas Pitt and his boss, Narraway, have been called to Buckingham Palace.The Prince of Wales is having a gathering of businessmen and their wives. Once the wives retired, the man partied with prostitutes brought in for them. In the early morning, one of the women is found naked and brutally murdered, her body in a linen closet.To help solve the crime, quickly and quietly, Pitt brings in his household maid, the cockney Grace, to become part of the staff and look for clues.I am so glad Perry has moved away from conspiracy theories and back to a classic murder mystery.Yes, I missed that Charlotte wasn't in this story much, but I loved that sassy little Grace, at 4'11.5", had a chance to shine. It provided her an opportunity to emotionally grow while working for her country.Pitt is a marvelous character who, here, is torn between his regard for the monarchy, yet his having to face the weaknesses of the individuals. The wonderful Lady Vespasia makes a brief, but important appearance. Perry's characters are so perfectly drawn and wonderfully alive, you do feel you get to know them.The mystery, itself, is a good one. There are a lot of twists and turns along the way and her depiction of Victorian life among the classes is always fascinating.Not only has Perry not lost her touch, with this, her 25th book, she's as good as ever and always provides and excellent read.

Buckingham Palace Gardens: A Charlotte and Thomas Pitt Novel I have long been a fan of Anne Perry's work and her research and attention to detail in place, time and dialogue remains in top form.This story takes place in Buckingham Palace, but it is not the Palace of tourist's photos. There are plots afoot and not until the end are things in some way resolved. Special Branch, the Prince of Wales, a dead prostitute in the linen cupboard of the Palace and Thomas Pitt. This is a page turner--so plan no special meetings or long interruptions once you start the book. Buckingham Palace Gardens: A Charlotte and Thomas Pitt Novel

Very good. Thanks.

I am a big fan of Anne Perry but like others I didn't enjoy this as much as I have previous books. I too found it hard remembering who was who with their ridiculous names and who their wives were. There was much given over to the various characters thoughts which got a bit lengthy and laborious to the extent I had to go back and remind myself what dialogue had preceded the thoughts. Gracie is a highly entertaining character but is it realistic that he would be discussing the main points of his investigation with her even given the assistance she was providing. I personally missed Charlotte and the minutiae of his home life.

Great book to read

A first class murder mystery, good solid characters and period detail.Historical fact interwoven with the story line especially regarding Cape to Cairo railway.Nice class distinction, but all have same fears and feelings. Lots of clues if you can work it out!Description of palace rooms very interesting and description of the murders very vivid.Keep you guessing until the end, very good a worthy edition to the Inspector Pitt series.