Anne Perry (1938–2023)

Oh, how I always look forward to Anne Perry's Christmas stories and this one certainly did not disappoint. It is a story fraught with anxiety, frustration, worry and fear. Yet, there is a full draught of courage, fortitude, endurance, mercy, grace and forgiveness rendered all around.

As is so often (and perhaps always) the case, the main characters featured in Ms. Perry's Christmas novellas, are the secondary characters from her mystery series. In this case, Charlotte Pitt's dear and show more tenacious grandmother Mariah Ellison has resolved to visit a long-known friend over the Christmas holidays after receiving her friend Sadie Alsop's invitation. Upon Mariah's arrival at the Alsop's country home, she is informed by Mr. Alsop that Sadie is away and that Mariah will have to find somewhere else to stay, for the sake of propriety. She is eventually welcomed warmly into Gwendolyn's home, she being an old acquaintance. Both being worried about Sadie, they begin the arduous task of seeking out clues and in so doing, upsetting the town's status quo. The longer Sadie remains unfound, the more anxious everyone becomes. Will Mariah be able to find her friend before it's too late? Only time will tell.

The writing of fulfilling short stories is never an easy task. Yet, Ms. Perry was a master of her craft and has again, delivered an atmospheric and compelling mystery within a modest number of pages. Her scene descriptions are rich and her characters are amazingly well developed. The humanity of the characters is palpable and the reader is afforded an escape from the current world into another of a distant time. As the protagonist goes about her sleuthing, the tension gradually builds and ultimately, to a fevered pitch. As the tension relaxes, the story is drawn to a satisfying conclusion.

I am grateful to Ballantine Books for having provided a complimentary uncorrected e-book through Netgalley. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.

Publisher: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: November 7, 2023
ISBN: 978-0593359181
No. of Pages: 208 show less

It is hard to face the end of a tradition. I have been reading Anne Perry’s Christmas missives as long as she has been writing them. They are usually dark and more troubling than you would expect from a Christmas offering. “A Christmas Vanishing” speaks to harsh remembrances from the past and whether they can be understood, righted, perhaps forgiven. There were many secrets that had been hidden for so many years, covered over with hope that they would never find the light. But then a show more woman goes missing, old mistakes explode and an octogenarian, with her own secrets, is determined to answer what could be a plea for help, to take “the chance to choose which way to go.

I will miss Anne Perry and her many characters. I want to thank Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this last Christmas novella. show less

The holiday novellas of gifted mystery writer, Anne Perry, are treasures to which this reader looks forward each year. This twentieth offering of her Yuletide mysteries is certainly another fine piece. There's mystery, superlative mise en scène with its spot-on historic detail as well as a strong Dickensian feel.

True to form, Ms. Perry has drawn on a secondary character of her William and Hester Monk mystery series, to act as the protagonist within her holiday story. The story opens with show more Dr. Crowe attending the wounds of a young street orphan, Mattie. He treats her with tenderness, respect and concern. Crowe operates a clinic which mostly attends to the poor in its vicinity. Most people pay for their services with food and the occasional donation helps to procure the medicines and bandages necessary to treat the clientele. On occasion, a well to do client is attended to at the clinic as urgency requires. Such was the case 8 months prior when Crowe attended to Ellie, a victim of a nearby road accident. Thoughts of her continue to tease his mind. He had cared for her through her convalescence. She, however, was the daughter of a wealthy man and Crowe, with his meager means, stood no chance of courting her. He finds himself strolling near Ellie's home on his way back to the clinic after procuring supplies. He observes a man treating Ellie rather harshly. The man is Paul, Ellie's supposed fiancé and son of a notorious, wealthy and dangerous man. Crowe intercedes and has immediately made an enemy. As Crowe wanders back to the clinic, he wonders how Ellie's father could permit Ellie's engagement to such a brute and decides he's going to get to the bottom of things and try and save Ellie from her unfortunate fate. Thus begins this holiday mystery.

The writing of fulfilling short stories is never an easy task. Yet, Ms. Perry is a master of her craft and has again, delivered an atmospheric and compelling mystery within a modest number of pages. Her scene descriptions are rich and her characters, amazingly well developed. The humanity of the characters is palpable and the reader is afforded an escape from the current world into another of a distant time. As the protagonist goes about his sleuthing, the tension gradually builds and ultimately, to a fevered pitch. As the tension relaxes, the story is drawn to a satisfying conclusion. Although set in the days leading up to Christmas, the references to the holiday are few, yet tasteful.

I am grateful to Ms. Perry and her publisher, Ballantine Books, for having provided a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.

Publisher: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: November 8, 2022
No. of pages: 224
ISBN: 9780593359105 show less

I cannot believe I have never read a William Monk mystery before! There are over 50 Anne Perry books and An Echo of Murder is the 23rd book in the Monk series. A fact for which I am incredibly grateful now.

Anne Perry’s William Monk series is set in Victorian London and really, reminds me of the BBC show, Ripper Street. (Or more accurately, Ripper Street reminds me of Anne Perry.) The central character is the sensitive and tough Commander Monk who is aided by his street-smart show more second-in-command, Hooper, and his brave wife, Hester, who worked with Florence Nightingale in the Crimean War. Monk is also surrounded by an eclectic collection of supporting characters ranging from a reformed shyster to an unlicensed doctor and, of course, a beloved street urchin.

In this installment of the series, the Thames River Police, headed by Monk, must rely on the Hungarian community’s own people for access to and legitimacy in the immigrant neighborhood where a terrible murder has taken place. When it becomes obvious they are dealing with a serial killer, the Hungarians are equal parts suspects and victims.

“We’re not taking people’s jobs. You’ve got to make them see that. We’re just taking care of ourselves, like everybody. We’ve got a right to do that. Englishmen have gone all over the world, where they had no business. Can’t they make room for us here?”

Two themes emerge quickly after the discovery of the first victim: the plight of the immigrant and the home life of soldiers after wartime. Both of these topics are particularly relevant right now and it is both interesting and disheartening to realize how little we have learned throughout history when it comes to both subjects.

“There are things you can’t share, except with those others who were part of it. The people at home don’t want to know. They can’t take it away from, they can only feel useless. There are not words created to describe the horror of some things. and why would you want to burden them with it anyway? They cannot help, and they cannot carry it for you.”

I actually read a second book in the Monk series over the weekend and found it just as enjoyable. And, now I have a third Anne Perry book waiting for me on my shelf! If you are a fan of serial mysteries or just really good fiction, you should try this series.

Rating: 89/100 show less