The Sins of the Wolf

I am in the process of reading Perry's Monk books in order. All have been excellent, however, the climax of Sins of the Wolf was so surprising and exciting, it has won the title of best in series (so far). The last 30 pages will leave you amazed.

This is easily the best entry in the Monk series. The mystery was great, and the personal interplay between Hester, Monk and Rathbone was excellent. This was also the book where the emotion between Monk and Hester finally wins out over their reserve with each other, and the results are endearing. A must read for anyone who likes this series and these characters.

When Hester Latterly, a former Crimean War nurse, takes on a brief assignment between jobs to assist an elderly Scottish woman from Edinburgh to London she has no idea that when they reach their destination she will be charged with murder. Despite the best efforts of her friends private detective William Monk and lawyer Oliver Rathbone, she is put on trial in Scotland. You will enjoy following the twists and turns in this 19th-century "Law and Order"-type mystery as the skilled Anne Perry takes you from investigations to trial procedures without ever missing a beat or hitting a false note. Perry's Monk mysteries are a bit darker and more psychologically thrilling than her more well-known Pitt series of mysteries, but devoted fans of the Pitts will recognize the skilled plot and character developments, the labrynthine twists and turns of the investigations, and the focus on scandals and secrets.

Anne Perry has done well on the bestseller lists every time her books have come out. After reading this book, I can see why. This is an incredible, breathtaking book. Hester Latterly has been accused of killing an elderly woman in her charge on a train from Edinburgh to London. Things get progressively worse for her when a private detective who is a close collegue of hers comes up with very little to prove her innocence, but a light at the end of the tunnel does eventually appear. Anne Perry brilliantly describes England and Scotland with vivid detail. She even brings the village she lives in in Scotland, Portmahomack, into it. There is a great deal of psychological detail, but keep reading. The end left me with my mouth hanging open. One of the very best historical mysteries I have read.

William and his barrister friend Oliver come to the aid of Hester, whose latest charge died in her care, and the family is accusing her of their matriarch's murder. William and Oliver must go to Scotland, where Oliver isn't authorized to practice law, because that's where the trial is. The courtroom drama is as good as those in Scott Turow's and John Grisham's novels. Who framed Hester, and why? That's what William's about to find out. . .The three friends face life and death together here, and you can truly feel the bond that's been established among them. Though they don't always like each other, their loyalty and valor in helping one another makes this series a real delight. A great read all the way around