The Whitechapel Conspiracy

This is an excellent book. It's more a political story than a mystery in some ways, but the mystery is still there, and Ms. Perry keeps you guessing until the very end. This book is quite a bit different than the later Thomas Pitt series, but still exciting. Thomas has offended some very highly placed political enemies, and they have seen that he has been separated from his wife and family and placed in the degraded East End of London, to ostensibly look for anarchits. More than anarchists are found though, and this plot threatens the whole Engligh way of life as it was known at this time in history. We see Charlotte and Vespasia play less dominant roles in this book than they usually do, but Gracie has stepped up to the plate and what a delight she is! This is an excellent mystery, and again the era is so well depicted it feels like you're actually there.

Anne Perry fans, rejoice! Reading this book was like running into an old friend and discovering the friendship still vibrant and alive. After some of Perry's recent, less-than-stellar efforts, this book showcases her mastery of the intricate plot, compelling characters, and flawless historical description (London 1892).This book finds Superintendent Thomas Pitt paying the price for his discovery of a murder (and subsequent identification of the murderer, despite the lack of a motive) that was meant to look like an accident. Having foiled the malevolent Inner Circle (a secret society of powerful men who protect one another and scheme to control the country) once too often, Pitt finds himself demoted to working undercover in the slums of East End, separated from his family and embroiled in danger and revolution.His wife, Charlotte, and their maid, Gracie, in an effort to restore Pitt's reputation, set out to discover the motive for murder, the one aspect of the case Pitt was unable to unearth. They enlist the help of Sergeant Tellman, loyal to Pitt and even more so to Gracie, to help them discover the truth. In the meantime, Pitt finds himself deeper and deeper in political intrigue, with no one to trust with what he discovers.As the title suggests, the murders of Jack the Ripper come to play a role in the plot, as do the excesses of the monarchy, the recklessness of tabloid journalism, the virtues and evils of the status quo, and the price one is willing to pay for political gains. At its heart, this book asks, do the ends ever justify the means? It is to Perry's credit that she does not attempt a pat answer to this provocative question.The increasing involvement of Gracie and Tellman in the Pitt series adds a welcome vibrancy to the otherwise stark tale. Watching these two stumble over their own feelings is a wonderful reminder that even in times of chaos and terror, the human heart dares to hope and dream. Perry has introduced and developed many side characters in this series over the years, but Gracie and Tellman are not only the most enjoyable, their involvement in solving the mystery adds a fresh and interesting element to the mix. I look forward to their continued involvement.This is not so much a mystery as it is a political thriller, but mystery fans should enjoy it just the same. Perry provides a neat and credible solution to the Ripper murders, but cleverly leaves open the possibility that her solution is untrue. The story is told through varying perspectives--Pitt, Charlotte, Tellman, Gracie, Aunt Vespasia--as each person gathers information, but the solution to the mystery is never obvious.My faith in Anne Perry is restored.

The Whitechapel Conspiracy shows that even Thomas Pitt is not immune from the grasp of the Inner Circle. Punished for doing his duty, Pitt is exiled to the misery of Whitechapel and Spitalfields in East London where he has been attached to the undercover branch of the Metropolitan Police dealing with anarchists and bombers; a far cry from his usual cases. The greater down side to this is that Pitt must leave his family and live on his own in his new patch.The minor charecters in this latest work by Anne Perry get a great deal of developement. Gracie Phipps and Samuel Tellman are back scraping and fussing with each other, as their regard for each other grows deeper. Tellman especially has his work cut out for him since he has been forbidden to contact or work with Pitt. Tellman has to do the bulk of the work to get Pitt returned to his position at Bow Street. But at times, Gracie is the better detective.Then to add to the mixture, another secret organization makes its appearance. This group, the Masons, is a much more public organization, even the Prince of Wales was a Mason. Yet they have their agenda as well. It is interesting to see the competing agendas get worked through in this book.Aunt Vespasia's early life is revealed in much more detail. Who'd have throught it will be many readers reactions, I think.The only down side to the book as far as I could see is that with all the turmoil going on, with Pitt's transfer and all, that the Pitt's children's reactions to this are left out. I can imagine that for two young children to suddenly have dad disappear without an explanation they can understand, it would be quite upsetting. I would think that Charlotte's reading to them at night and visits with Aunt Emily wouldn't be enough to compensate. In all, this is a very good book. I devoured it at one sitting. I think everyone who reads this will feel the same. I highly recommend it to all Victorian period enthusiasts.

This book is a rare example of Pitt and Charlotte having to work on their case totally separately, as Pitt has been transferred in disgrace thanks to the powerful Inner Circle. However, the intrepid Gracie and her reluctant swain Sergeant Tellman more than take up the slack. There is an intrepid Clark Kent type reporter, a Supreme Court justice with his own agenda, and, of course, a brief visit by Emily, who functions as a shoulder to cry on and a babysitter, which is something of a loss to those who remember her courage and resourcefulness in other books. Aunt Vespasia is a major figure, and we learn some secrets of her past. About halfway through the book, it began to remind me of a movie I had seen about 20 or so years ago called Murder by Decree, starring Christopher Plummer as Sherlock Holmes, James Mason as Doctor Watson, Susan Clark as a London prostitute, and Genevieve Bujold as an unfortunate young woman. If it's available to you, watch it in conjunction with this book. You'll see what I mean. It was good to see the Gracie/Tellman story unfold a little more. Anne Perry is outstanding at developing romances. Long may she write!

Superintendent Thomas Pitt of the Bow Street police station testifies against John Adinet, under trial for allegedly murdering antiquarian Martin Fetters. Martin and John were best friends who believed in social reform.Though no motive surfaces, circumstantial evidence and Pitt's compelling testimony swings the jury to deliver a guilty verdict. John's appeal fails leaving his execution in three weeks.Meanwhile, the verdict leaves Thomas with some powerful foes since John was a member of the "Inner Circle," a group of influential men protecting each other's interests. They know that cannot save John, but they need to release their anger while also gaining revenge for one of their members.They go after Pitt starting with obtaining a transfer for him to the East End slum looking for anarchists. This forces John to separate from his wife and children, but his spouse, peers, and friends refuse to sit back while an injustice occurs.Anne Perry, known for her enthralling Victorian historical mysteries, provides her audience with an unusual take on the Ripper murders. The various subplots, each one starring a different main character, adds up to a fascinating and plausible story line. THE WHITECHAPPEL CONSPIRACY highlights the squalor of the lower classes while only a few miles away the heir apparent is hosting a party that could feed the masses for a week. Ms. Perry's fans will receive plenty of pleasure from her latest novel.Harriet Klausner