Anne Perry's "Bedford Square"

Recently I seem to have been revisiting favourite books I've read before, sometimes more than once. One of the mystery authors whose works I collect is Anne Perry, and when I start reading her stuff I find I want to read more than one. I think the reason for that is that she sucks me into the world she writes about and I need to read more books to stay there.

Perry's specialty is detective stories set in Victorian England, and she is a master at creating the environment. She does it through her characters, but also through the type of language they use (which is vastly different from the English of the 21st Century), her mention of the events that were happening at that time, and her description of the London that existed then.

Let me give you an example from "Bedford Square".

"He looked up from his desk as Pitt cam into his room. It was a sultry day outside, and the windows were open, allowing in the noise of traffice fro mthe street below, the rattle of carriage wheels, the occasional cry of a coachman or hansom driver, the heavy rumble of brewers' drays, the sharper treble of crossing sweepers hoping for a penny, peddlers calling their wares: bootlaces, flowers, sandwiches, matches." Quite different from the traffic sounds of today, eh?

Perry has two series, one featuring Superintendent Thomas Pitt, his wife Charlotte, their intrepid maid Gracie, and Charlotte's rich and titled in-law, Great-Aunt Vespasia. Bedford Square is in this series. The other series, which I like a little less, stars William Monk and his wife Hester. Of course, in Victorian times the likelihood of wives taking any active part in these adventures would be slim to none, but we mystery lovers are good at suspending our disbelief in the interests of entertainment!

I'll report further on Bedford Square as I read on. In the meantime, what are you reading? Send me your comments!