CARDINGTON CRESCENT (Anne Perry)

I didn't realize how much I missed Anne Perry's astounding ability to immerse her readers in the everyday life of Victorian England.  From the squalor of London's slums to the unabashed hypocrisy of the privileged classes, Perry makes us feel as if we are there.  When Charlotte's brother-in-law, George, is found poisoned at his cousin's family home, Bow Street detective Thomas Pitt, her husband, is called in to investigate.  With today's plethora of television shows and novels about forensics and police procedures it is fascinating to see how far we have come from Victorian times!  The family stands in the way of Thomas's investigation, insisting (with no evidence whatsoever) that widow Emily must be guilty, primarily because of her lower social standing!  A simultaneous investigation involving the murder and dismemberment of a young woman is rather too neatly tied into this upper-class murder, but the investigations of both are intriguing from start to finish, as are the various related sub-plots that round out the novel, enriching the Victorian experience.  Thomas and Charlotte are an intelligent, practical, and very loving couple. They will charm and entertain you through every page.  Read this series, or re-read it!