topic Re: Have you read Anne Perry? in Book Club

Have you read Anne Perry?

qualitygal — Tue, 29 Sep 2015 09:20:51 GMT

It appears our library has a number of books on tape, large print and recordings of hers. I may try some. I had looked up Christmas in New York, to see about stories in NY and at Christmas, and that's what came up.

I wonder if she is a good read? Please comment if you know her books. Thanks.

Re: Have you read Anne Perry?

Zita — Tue, 29 Sep 2015 12:43:28 GMT

Hi! I am a big fan of Perry's Victorian mysteries. Her detail of the time is exquisite and her characters interesting and believable. I particularly like how murders (there's always at least one) are solved with old-fashioned deduction. No forensics in the 1800s.

She has different characters in her series, Thomas and Charlotte Pitt in the 1880s, and Wiliam Monk in an earlier era (Crimean War). I enjoy her plot and character development.

It is common knowledge among fans that she and a friend were convicted of killing her friend's mother when they were teenagers. She served her sentence, changed her name and went on to write these enormously successful books. Her understanding of how a killer's mind works with all the various motivations is unexcelled.

Enjoy!

Re: Have you read Anne Perry?

smoky22 — Tue, 29 Sep 2015 15:04:45 GMT

@Zita you said it perfectly. I love her books. I'm all caught up with the Wm Monk books (on waitlist for the newest one). I've just started the Thomas Pitt series. I think the Christmas books feature chracters from the Pitt series and I haven't read those yet. She writes about the injustices of the day, especially for women and the poor, combined with a cleverly plotted murder mystery. I think she's a very gifted writer.

Re: Have you read Anne Perry?

cerb — Tue, 29 Sep 2015 15:37:26 GMT

Wow, I had no idea about Anne Perry's past. I went and looked her up on Wikipedia, and it confirms that she and a friend were convicted of murdering the friend"s mother while living in New Zealand. They were minors and only served 5 years! Not only that, but for a period she lived in the United States. I didn't think that the USA allowed convicted murderers to enter our country. Seriously??? Australia won't allow Chris Rock into their country because he has a domestic violence conviction on his record. Anyway, I am glad that she turned her life around. Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction...

Re: Have you read Anne Perry?

MoJoV — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 01:31:00 GMT

I've read most if not all Anne Perry's Victorian mysteries. I loved them. Just easy reading,lots of interesting description. I was shocked about her past also and read the book about the brutal murder she and her friend committed...scary stuff.

Re: Have you read Anne Perry?

smoky22 — Thu, 01 Oct 2015 16:12:26 GMT

I just picked up Bluegate Fields, the next in line (for me) in the Thomas Pitt series. So far I think I prefer the Wm Monk series, but I'm not that far into this one yet. Does anyone else have a preference between the two?

Re: Have you read Anne Perry?

LyndaGee — Fri, 02 Oct 2015 01:45:24 GMT

Read "The Cater Street Hangman" a while ago. Really good.

Re: Have you read Anne Perry?

qualitygal — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 09:52:53 GMT

Thank you. Today's the book sale and I'll see if some of her books are there. Appreciate it.

Re: Have you read Anne Perry?

ritasNo1Fan — Sat, 17 Oct 2015 18:07:04 GMT

Kate Winslet starred in a movie about Anne Perry, Beautiful Creatures.

Re: Have you read Anne Perry?

smoky22 — Sat, 17 Oct 2015 20:19:06 GMT

I just finished Corridors of the Night, the latest in the William and Hester Monk series. I always enjoy her plots (this one was especially good) and the characters. I'm sad that I will probably have to wait another year for the next installment. In the mean time, I'll keep reading her Thomas and Charlotte Pitt series.

Re: Have you read Anne Perry?

Pearlee — Mon, 09 Nov 2015 00:53:35 GMT

@ritasNo1Fan wrote:
Kate Winslet starred in a movie about Anne Perry, Beautiful Creatures.

I saw it - the end where the kill the mother was pretty horrific. I never liked Perry's books as much again after I saw that film.

If you read the Inspecfor Pitt series, it's best to read them in chronological order for the development between Pitt and Charlotte.

Re: Have you read Anne Perry?

ritasNo1Fan — Mon, 09 Nov 2015 01:06:01 GMT

A.P. definitately has issues. I too don't care about her books even tho I cannot read enough about that time period, and mysteries. Oh well.

Re: Have you read Anne Perry?

stevieb — Mon, 09 Nov 2015 03:12:57 GMT

I very much enjoyed her earlier and even some of the more recent Pitt and Monk series and her Christmas novellas are enjoyable as well. After not reading her for several years, though, I recently picked up one of her more current Pitt novels and found it somewhat lacking. Well worth exploring.