Death of a Stranger (William Monk Series #13)

Wonderful book!

Anne Perry does it again with this newest entry in the Monk series. Scandal and intrigue happen when Monk's wife Hester, tends to several prostitutes in her clinic. Monk has problems of his own when his latest client, Katrin Harcus, asks him to look into a possible case of fraud. Wonderful period piece for fans of AP.

good...

Death of a Stranger, Anne Perry's latest installment in the William Monk series, is not as slapdash as the critic's review above suggests, but it could have used a little more meat on its bones. As Hester works in a charity medical clinic in the slums and investigates the beatings of prostitutes, and as Monk looks into the possibility of railroad fraud for a woman who is afraid for her finacee, Monk finds that, though he can't discover any current fraud, he fears that in his past life he had less than honorable dealings in another railroad fraud sixteen years ago. His fear of finding that he had been involved in something illegal or immoral estranges him from Hester, and Hester is uncertain what to do about it. As the action accelerates, though, that part of the story is neglected, leaving one wishing for more character-oriented material. The two storylines, Hester's doings in Coldbath Fields and Monk's railway investigation, do not intersect enough, and at times one must assume a conversation relaying important information between them took place. Also, whether or not (or, if he does, how) Monk confides his fears (and certain events) to Hester, we are not told, and since much of the first half of the book deals with that issue, it's strange that their interactions all but cease in the last 120 pages. There are three reasons to read a Perry novel, the fine mysteries she cooks up, the descriptions of Victorian England, and the new information and insights into her characters. Unfortunately, the third element is not as srong as could be; I missed the richness of Hester and Monk's relationship that's more evident in earlier installments. An opportunity for Hester and Monk to face a real problem in their marriage is missed, and it shows. However, the unexpected (and unexpectedly action-packed) denoument is top-notch. Other positives include a practically laugh-out-loud funny sequence in which Rathbone helps Hester uncover the prostitutes' persecutor and the (re)introduction of spunky young Margaret, a well-to-do young woman who helps Hester in her clinic. Followers of the series will enjoy this latest book, and with its revelations about Monk's past, it's not to be missed.

vivid picture of mid-nineteenth century England

William Monk considers himself very lucky that Hester loves him as much as he loves her. Their marriage is a good one despite the fact that William still suffers from amnesia and much of his past remains a blank. As an enquiry agent, William takes on various cases that his clients don¿t want the police to know about, such as the one with Katrina Harcus

Katrina wants Monk to find out if her suitor, Michael Dolgarno, a junior partner in a company building railroads, is involved in illegal activities, possibly land fraud. The deeper Monk digs into the case, old memories begin to reawaken and the enquiry agent is afraid that at one time he may have been involved in something illegal. Unable to turn for comfort to Hester, Monk is determined to find out the truth about his past once and for all and though he knows his client is a fool he starts making inquiries.

Fans of this series will be delighted to know that the tortured hero finally regains a good chunk of his memory and with it a measure of peace. The story line is fascinating with a climax so shocking that readers will remember it in the years to come and wonder how Anne Perry will top this vivid picture of what it means to be poor in the mid-eighteenth century England.

Harriet Klausner

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