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Jun 07, 2018DorisWaggoner rated this title 2.5 out of 5 stars
After finishing the Monk series, I'm beginning on the Charlotte and Thomas Pitt series. In this first one, Charlotte is living in her parents' home with older sister Sarah and her husband Dominic, with whom Charlotte has long been infatuated, and younger sister, Emily, who has her eyes set on marrying up. She's got her eyes set on a very handsome Lord, who has a few faults which Emily will change. In 1881, Papa, Mama, and Grandmama control what their daughters do ("Go to your room, Charlotte!"), and attempt to control what they think. A string of murders, all with the same MO, occur in their upper middle class neighborhood. This crime spree brings into their homes Inspector Pitt of the police, a definitely working class man who is seen as an intrusion the family, their servants, and their neighbors try hard to hide things from. Charlotte, the black sheep of the family because she can't keep her mouth shut or obey all the rules of society, is intrigued. Pitt's intrigued with her too. In the end he finds the serial killer, who's a real surprise. Unfortunately, it's too late for many good women in Cater Street. This first in the series is a real cut below the Monk series, in my opinion. There's a sarcastic tone to the writing, and a lack of the moral point to each one of the Monk books. I'll read a few more before I give up on them, however. I do like the rounded characters of Charlotte and Pitt a great deal, and enjoy the historical accuracy of the time period, 25 years after the beginning of the Monk series.