I read this book years ago, but thought I'd bring it out again. I love Agatha Christie's espionage thrillers (sans Poirot and Miss Marple). She does these very well, and this book is well worth a read. There are a lot of the same things you are used to in an Agatha Christie novel: lots of red herrings, a shining, young debutante, young love, tricky murders, staid police officers and a whole cast of colourful characters. But these books have another element and that is suspense and spy craft, which Ms. Christie handles like a pro. This one is a tricky one to figure out, and I remember I had great difficulty getting my head around the nub of this story when I read it years ago. I listened to this book on audio, and that is how I have decided to re-visit these old Agatha Christie gems. This book was narrated by Emilia Fox, who is one of my favourite British actresses. She is great as Niki in Silent Witness, and handled the narration of this book with aplomb.. ( )

From The Book Jacket:

Thomas Pitt, mainstay of Her Majesty's Special Branch, is summoned to Connaught Square mansion, where the body of a junior diplomat lies huddled in a wheelbarrow. Nearby stands the tenant of the house, the beautiful, notorious Egyptian woman Ayesha Zakhari, who falls under the shadow of suspicion. Pitt's orders are to protect--at all costs--the good name of the third person in the garden: senior cabinet minister Saville Ryerson. The distinguished public servant, whispered to be Ayesha's lover, insists that she is as innocent as Pitt himself. Pitt's journey to uncover the truth takes him from Egyptian cotton fields to the insidious London slum called Seven Dials--and ultimately to a packed London courtroom in which shocking secrets will at last be revealed.

My Thoughts:

Thomas Pitt and his wife Charlotte have been at the center of many mysteries, many of which take them into the heart of the underworld of Victorian London. Nothing is ever as it seems on the surface, however, and it takes the married couple more than wits in order to solve a crime. The mystery which surrounds that in Seven Dials is no exception. The writer's knack for making a scene come alive, whether it is a society event, the slums of the east end of London or the streets of Alexandria is unparalleled. She makes her way unerringly through the mind-boggling convolutions of Victorian morality without miring the reader in its tedious virtue. This is another of Anne Perry's good yarns, complete with Gracie, Aunt Vespasia and sister Emily. It is full of strong emotions, well-honed dialogue and spiced this time with Pitt's visit to Egypt. 4 stars for a great read. ( )

I'd gone off on a tangent, away from the Pitt books, so reading this book was like visiting an old friend. It may have been entertaining to have read some of the backstory that caused Thomas to be in his new position, but in no way was it necessary to understand what was going on in this book.

More than once I thought I knew whodunit, but I was wrong.

Good writing (as usual), the audio book performer/reader was unremarkable - which is as it should be; a good time was had by all. It's time to figure out where I left the series and fill in the blanks. ( )

I was delighted to find several books by Anne Perry in a bag of books given to me by a friend a few months ago. This is a 2003 mystery in the Charlotte and Thomas Pitt series, a favorite series of mine. They are set in 19th century London, and as a bonus, this one also has Thomas Pitt being sent to Alexandria, Egypt so the reader gets a good idea of what Egypt was like at that time as well. Perry portrays these settings so well, I'm amazed at her ability to set the scene without sounding like a travelogue.

Her characters are rightfully beloved ones among Anne Perry fans. Charlotte and Thomas especially with their loving marriage and comfortable, if not plush, home. Their maid Gracie is very funny, but a strong woman who surprises herself with her strength. Great-Aunt Vespasia is a character I love. She reminds me of a good-natured version of the dowager countess in Downton Abbey.

The mystery is difficult to figure out, for me anyway. An Egyptian woman living in London is found in her garden at 3 a.m. trying to dispose of the body of a man and the gun that killed him, which happens to be her gun. Her current lover is also at the scene; he is a cabinet minister, Member of Parliament for Manchester. It's all a huge scandal and Pitt's job is to solve the mystery but keep the cabinet minister out of it if he possibly can. An impossible task but he is now with Special Branch and must do as he is ordered.

I recommend this novel, and for that matter the entire series. ( )

This was such a good read. The little insights on life in the nineteenth century was enjoyable. I did not figure out the mystery before the end of the book. ( )