Status
Available
Call number
Series
Publication
New York : Ivy Books, 1991.
Description
In this exhilarating series debut, police detective William Monk must solve the mystery of his own past. His name, they tell him, is William Monk, and he is a London police detective. But the accident that felled him has left him with only half a life; his memory and his entire past have vanished. As he tries to hide the truth, Monk returns to work and is assigned to investigate the brutal murder of a Crimean War hero and man about town. Which makes Monk's efforts doubly difficult, since he's forgotten his professional skills along with everything else. "Richly textured with the sights and sounds of London and its countryside . . . Solidly absorbing and Perry's best to date."--Kirkus Reviews
User reviews
LibraryThing member csayban
An interesting concept and a thoughtful ending, but the storytelling was so glacial I had trouble even finishing the book. Actually skimmed the second half because it was and endless monolog. Just not a series I'm going to continue with.
LibraryThing member wiremonkey
(From audio book) I haven't read a whole lot of mysteries (though I enjoy them) and, in an attempt to be a good, well-rounded librarian and read as many genres as I can (excepting romance. I don't do romance), I picked this out of an audible virtual sale bin.
Set in the latter part of the 19th
Although Monk's constant questioning inside his own head becomes a little repetitive, and sometimes the clues seem so obvious you want to smack him over the head, the ending is twisty and satisfying enough to forgive him.
However, the best part of the novel were the sections that followed Hester, an independent 30 year-old spinster who had served with Florence Nightingale in the Crimea but who was called home after the death of her mother and father. She is funny, smart and above all tired of being condescended to by men who are less competent than she is. She and Monk form an uneasy, grudging relationship as their stories collide. It would be worth reading more William Monk novels just to see what happens between the two.
I would recommend this as a summer read for any Sherlock/ 19th century-era London mystery fans.
Set in the latter part of the 19th
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century in London, we meet William Monk, a taciturn detective who has lost his memory following a bad accident. For fear of losing his job and landing in the workhouse, he must not only piece his own life together without anybody knowing his secret, but must also solve the brutal murder of a nobleman and war hero.Although Monk's constant questioning inside his own head becomes a little repetitive, and sometimes the clues seem so obvious you want to smack him over the head, the ending is twisty and satisfying enough to forgive him.
However, the best part of the novel were the sections that followed Hester, an independent 30 year-old spinster who had served with Florence Nightingale in the Crimea but who was called home after the death of her mother and father. She is funny, smart and above all tired of being condescended to by men who are less competent than she is. She and Monk form an uneasy, grudging relationship as their stories collide. It would be worth reading more William Monk novels just to see what happens between the two.
I would recommend this as a summer read for any Sherlock/ 19th century-era London mystery fans.
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LibraryThing member mcfitz
I've read all of Anne Perry's Monk books, and a few of her Pitt books. I have to say that by the end of each of the Monk stories, the overall feeling is _emotional exhaustion_. The story is always very compelling, and the settings are excellent, but it's the characters that run the show.
Monk is a
So, I would not want to read them all together, straight in a row -- not because they are grisly (they aren't) or boring, but because I would need time in between to rest!
Other authors to try, as well: Boris Akunin, Barbara Cleverly, Jane Jakeman
Monk is a
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particularly complicated man, psychologically speaking, and the author devotes a lot of time delving into his head. The other main characters who get the cerebral treatment are fascinating, as well. They all interact during each book, and it usually ends up in a very tense court scene. So, I would not want to read them all together, straight in a row -- not because they are grisly (they aren't) or boring, but because I would need time in between to rest!
Other authors to try, as well: Boris Akunin, Barbara Cleverly, Jane Jakeman
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LibraryThing member Carol420
This was one of my mother's favorite series. I had never read any of it..don't know why I hadn't...but while going through some of her books to keep and to donate...I found that she had 20 of the 24 books in this series. So instead of finishing this task I sat down to read. I became captivated with
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the character of William Monk who William Monk looks in the mirror, and doesn't know the man looking back at him. A horrible injury has erased his memory of most things but he does remember that he is a London police detective, and a not very popular one with his superior, who can't wait to show him the back side of the door. Monk's personality is questionable at best but as the layers are peeled away a smart and gifted investigator is revealed. Monk finds that he doesn't like some of what he learns about himself, like the fact that he has very few friends outside or inside of his work place and even fewer of his superiors who would go out of their way to aid him. The ending is emotional as this man learns that even he doesn't much care for the man in the mirror. I see why my mother loved this series. I will certainly make use of the other 19 that I now own. Show Less
LibraryThing member miyurose
I enjoyed this, but man... it took me a long time. Two weeks! Part of that was the fault of my schedule, but it was also a slow-moving story. When you first meet Monk, he doesn’t know who he is. I think this lends an extra bit of flair to this book — you don’t have any background about your
The mystery here is interesting, but it’s the main reason that the plot is slow-going. Things didn’t become really interesting until Monk started putting the pieces together and remembering things, and that’s more than 3/4 of the way through the book. My only other experience with Anne Perry is her Thomas and Charlotte Pitt novels, and I didn’t think this was quite as good. I’ll read more in the series because I really like a good historical mystery, but I’m going to have to work my way into the next one.
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main character. As he relearns about himself, you’re learning about him too. And since he doesn’t particularly like what he’s learned about himself, you get to see him grow. He really doesn’t have a choice but to become an entirely new person.The mystery here is interesting, but it’s the main reason that the plot is slow-going. Things didn’t become really interesting until Monk started putting the pieces together and remembering things, and that’s more than 3/4 of the way through the book. My only other experience with Anne Perry is her Thomas and Charlotte Pitt novels, and I didn’t think this was quite as good. I’ll read more in the series because I really like a good historical mystery, but I’m going to have to work my way into the next one.
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LibraryThing member jsalmeron
While shopping at a used book store, I found Perry's first three Monk mysteries condensed into one book so I thought I would give it a try. I really want to like her writing but her method of story-telling falls short for me.
At the onset of Monk's investigations, Perry never has a thorough briefing
There are many great mystery writers that are still able to keep readers guessing even after thorough investigative techniques are employed. I will most likely discontinue the Monk series because of this reason.
I welcome any comments from other readers.
At the onset of Monk's investigations, Perry never has a thorough briefing
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with suspects. Monk never asks ALL the questions that need asking. Perry has him go back to suspects several times before many questions are covered. I guess Perry is using this technique to uncover elements slowly, but as a reader, it is unbelievable and makes it difficult to enjoy. There are many great mystery writers that are still able to keep readers guessing even after thorough investigative techniques are employed. I will most likely discontinue the Monk series because of this reason.
I welcome any comments from other readers.
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LibraryThing member jsalmeron
While shopping at a used book store, I found Perry's first three Monk mysteries condensed into one book so I thought I would give it a try. I really want to like her writing but her method of story-telling falls short for me.
At the onset of Monk's investigations, Perry never has a thorough briefing
There are many great mystery writers that are still able to keep readers guessing even after thorough investigative techniques are employed. I will most likely discontinue the Monk series because of this reason.
I welcome any comments from other readers.
At the onset of Monk's investigations, Perry never has a thorough briefing
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with suspects. Monk never asks ALL the questions that need asking. Perry has him go back to suspects several times before many questions are covered. I guess Perry is using this technique to uncover elements slowly, but as a reader, it is unbelievable and makes it difficult to enjoy. There are many great mystery writers that are still able to keep readers guessing even after thorough investigative techniques are employed. I will most likely discontinue the Monk series because of this reason.
I welcome any comments from other readers.
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LibraryThing member Kathy89
Very interesting beginning with Monk waking up in a hospital not knowing who he is. He goes back to work and has to hide his loss of memory from everyone while solving a case he was working before the accident. He meets Hester Latterly (his future wife) during the investigation. It was kind of slow
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and repetitious. Show Less
LibraryThing member mmillet
I'm not really a mystery reader, but I did enjoy this book. Monk is a great character and I really liked how Perry developed his returning memory of himself. I did feel like it moved really slowly for the first 200 pages or so. Monk kept thinking the same things (about who he was) over and over
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that I found myself skipping paragraphs at a time in order to get to the action. Other than that, I liked it and have started the second in the series. Show Less
LibraryThing member MargaretPinardAuthor
Wonderful book. I picked it up from the library and thought I would browse through the beginning, but was trapped! I had to put it down to sleep, but treasured the play of the story in my mind as I went about other chores and errands. Time: 1856. Milieu: Upper and lower classes of London and
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surrounds. I particularly like that it takes a jaunt into Northumberland. Great sense of suspense, very believable period detail and character dilemma. Excellent! Show Less
LibraryThing member yonitdm
I keep coming back to this book as an example of a great mystery when listing recommendations to friends. There are so many mysteries happening in this story it kept me going until the very end. The characters are compelling, and when the author shares character building, the main character is
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actually building his own character, so that's awesome. The settings are additive without being intrusive. Overall enjoyable! Show Less
LibraryThing member cmbohn
Themes: identity, crime, war, family, secrets, memory, class
Setting: Victorian England
Now I remember why I don't read Anne Perry anymore. I don't really like her writing. This book sounded like a change from her Thomas/Charlotte Pitt series, which I did enjoy at one time. I just got a little tired
Nope.
This is a classic example of how NOT to write a mystery, IMO. It starts with Detective William Monk awaking in a hospital to find that he is very weak, injured, and that he doesn't remember anything at all, even his name or how he got there. He returns home and searches for clues all over his flat to find anything that will help trigger a memory. When nothing helps, he goes to visit his sister. On his return to London, he gets sent to investigate a crime that occurred the same night he had his accident, the murder of a popular gentleman with a titled family. Someone beat Joscelin Gray to death.
So far, it could have been a good book. We've got both the mystery of Monk's past and the mystery of murder. But the writing was so darn bad that I really couldn't finish the book. I was listening to it, which means that it took stinking forever to finish, so I finally gave up and got a paper copy at the library so I could skim through to the end.
The main thing that turned me off was the way the writer stuck interior monologue in the middle of PRACTICALLY EVERY CONVERSATION! So Monk is questioning someone, and then randomly thinks, "I wonder what kind of man I was before my accident. I wonder if I liked music. Did I have a girlfriend? Did I like pie? Why can't I remember?" and on, and on, and on, while the actual conversation just sort of hangs there until Monk comes to his senses and starts paying attention again.
And the other main character, Hester Latterly, does the same thing. She'll be listening to some discussion of the Crimean war and have a flashback to her service there as a nurse and we'll get a page of her reminiscences. I know we all do that from time to time, let our minds wander now and then, but it's really super boring to listen to! Even reading it was bad enough, but at least then I could skip ahead a couple of paragraphs.
I know that this series, and her other one, have some fans, but I am not reading anymore by this author. One series is too dark, and this one is too dumb. The writing itself is not very good and the style is extremely irritating. 1 star.
Setting: Victorian England
Now I remember why I don't read Anne Perry anymore. I don't really like her writing. This book sounded like a change from her Thomas/Charlotte Pitt series, which I did enjoy at one time. I just got a little tired
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of reading about the seamy side of Victorian life, and she explored deviance in all its forms, the worst crimes she could imagine, and on and on and on. There wasn't much to smile about in her books, ever. But this is about a different character, so it was possible that it would be enjoyable.Nope.
This is a classic example of how NOT to write a mystery, IMO. It starts with Detective William Monk awaking in a hospital to find that he is very weak, injured, and that he doesn't remember anything at all, even his name or how he got there. He returns home and searches for clues all over his flat to find anything that will help trigger a memory. When nothing helps, he goes to visit his sister. On his return to London, he gets sent to investigate a crime that occurred the same night he had his accident, the murder of a popular gentleman with a titled family. Someone beat Joscelin Gray to death.
So far, it could have been a good book. We've got both the mystery of Monk's past and the mystery of murder. But the writing was so darn bad that I really couldn't finish the book. I was listening to it, which means that it took stinking forever to finish, so I finally gave up and got a paper copy at the library so I could skim through to the end.
The main thing that turned me off was the way the writer stuck interior monologue in the middle of PRACTICALLY EVERY CONVERSATION! So Monk is questioning someone, and then randomly thinks, "I wonder what kind of man I was before my accident. I wonder if I liked music. Did I have a girlfriend? Did I like pie? Why can't I remember?" and on, and on, and on, while the actual conversation just sort of hangs there until Monk comes to his senses and starts paying attention again.
And the other main character, Hester Latterly, does the same thing. She'll be listening to some discussion of the Crimean war and have a flashback to her service there as a nurse and we'll get a page of her reminiscences. I know we all do that from time to time, let our minds wander now and then, but it's really super boring to listen to! Even reading it was bad enough, but at least then I could skip ahead a couple of paragraphs.
I know that this series, and her other one, have some fans, but I am not reading anymore by this author. One series is too dark, and this one is too dumb. The writing itself is not very good and the style is extremely irritating. 1 star.
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LibraryThing member moontyger
So this is the first William Monk novel. I have actually read several of the later ones, which might make reading this one seem odd, but actually, I really enjoyed it. I was a little surprised; there was at least one other of Perry's early books that I'd read and found not very well-written, but
She sets it in the Victorian age without romanticizing the period at all, which is always nice to see. Not to say that every historical author romanticizes the period they choose, but quite a few do. Writing an amnesiac can be tricky, but she manages to pull it off quite well. Monk is both likable and sympathetic and the mystery is compelling and not too obvious. And of course Hester is still awesome. If you like historical mysteries, I'd recommend it.
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this one was quite good. She sets it in the Victorian age without romanticizing the period at all, which is always nice to see. Not to say that every historical author romanticizes the period they choose, but quite a few do. Writing an amnesiac can be tricky, but she manages to pull it off quite well. Monk is both likable and sympathetic and the mystery is compelling and not too obvious. And of course Hester is still awesome. If you like historical mysteries, I'd recommend it.
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LibraryThing member yearningtoread
William Monk doesn’t remember his name. He doesn’t remember his life, his past, who he is and what he’s like. Those who know him tell him he’s a detective with the police, but Monk can’t remember having anything to do with the police. In fact, he doesn’t even remember his family, or his
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I’m utterly impressed. What a story – what characters – what a murder and a way to solve it. I’ve read one other Anne Perry novel (Buckingham Palace Gardens) and was completely engrossed. I expected to love this one….and boy, did I!
I’ll start with the characters. You know those characters that you love from the moment you meet them? Well, here’s one that I loved from page one…literally. I loved him when he was waking in darkness, all alone, with no memory. I wanted to be his friend, to see him well, to watch him build success after such an accident – such a downfall. His name is William Monk. All of Anne Perry’s characters are very humanized, to say the least. They all feel - love, hate. They cry and laugh. They all struggle with something deeper than the surface. And while it is fascinating to see this in her other characters, with William Monk, it was a treat, a desert to be savored. We watch him as he is seeing himself – as though for the first time, with no recollection of the past. We are a part, from the very beginning, of his self-discovery. We see what he sees, understand what he understands. We are kept in the dark and we are captivated by the newness of Monk’s life as it is to him, however old or young he may be. The rest of Anne Perry’s characters, while not seen from this angle and depth, are all so well drawn out that within a few sentences about them, you feel as though you know them, and yet you have a fascination to learn evern more.
I really enjoyed Evan’s character as well, and the part he plays in the story. He’s a young, new detective who looks up to the brilliant William Monk with an innocence that makes him human. As you watch Monk and the story unfolding, you also see what it’s like to be a newbie detective in Victorian England. Evan affected Monk’s character in ways that I loved – but you’ll have to read the book to see for yourself!
The story line here is interesting and quite original. (There have been books about lost memories before, and there will be more, I’m sure, but this had something unique to it.) While it fluctuates from being a page-turner to just your average mystery novel, it never lost my interest…not once. And I never felt lost about what was going on. Even with twists in the story and new additions of suspects and characters, I felt on top of the case and ready to kick some murderer-butt.
And then there is the writing…. It’s smooth, like melted chocolate – and it tastes just as good. She writes simply, elegantly, and with a class and style that is a God-given gift. The quote that I posted last week is an example of her perfect and realistic descriptions. I read this and I immediately cared for the woman she was describing – and I didn’t even know her name. (Her dialogue is also realistic and very intriguing. It’s very right for the time period.)
Oh, and the end… Don’t even get me started on how shocked and excited and nervous I got.
So would I recommend this book? Yes: to anyone (probably older teen to adult) who can read. It’s captivating, realistic (that’s another thing – Anne Perry doesn’t hold back on her crimes, which is also the reason I recommend it to older teens), and intense. And there’s Monk – need I say more? I think we’ve established this, by now, that he’s my favorite character. And one word I would use to describe this book: exquisite. (Like melted chocolate.) This book is especially wonderful if you’re looking for a mystery with the feel of Sherlock Holmes – except one that’s longer and has more depth. You’ll get that…and a story that relies deeply on the patterns of human nature to solve crimes, which makes for a very interesting case.
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childhood. When he looks in the mirror, he sees a stranger, not his own face. But he must hide his lack of memory if he’s to discover who he is. Life as a detective may give him some insight as to who he is. But then he is put on the most difficult case – the case of Major Joscelin Grey, who has been beaten to death in his own appartment, and then further beaten after he was dead. As Monk tries to hide his loss of memory, he must solve the two cases thrust upon him – Major Grey’s as well as his own – at the cost of much more than anyone can fathom. ____________________________________________
I’m utterly impressed. What a story – what characters – what a murder and a way to solve it. I’ve read one other Anne Perry novel (Buckingham Palace Gardens) and was completely engrossed. I expected to love this one….and boy, did I!
I’ll start with the characters. You know those characters that you love from the moment you meet them? Well, here’s one that I loved from page one…literally. I loved him when he was waking in darkness, all alone, with no memory. I wanted to be his friend, to see him well, to watch him build success after such an accident – such a downfall. His name is William Monk. All of Anne Perry’s characters are very humanized, to say the least. They all feel - love, hate. They cry and laugh. They all struggle with something deeper than the surface. And while it is fascinating to see this in her other characters, with William Monk, it was a treat, a desert to be savored. We watch him as he is seeing himself – as though for the first time, with no recollection of the past. We are a part, from the very beginning, of his self-discovery. We see what he sees, understand what he understands. We are kept in the dark and we are captivated by the newness of Monk’s life as it is to him, however old or young he may be. The rest of Anne Perry’s characters, while not seen from this angle and depth, are all so well drawn out that within a few sentences about them, you feel as though you know them, and yet you have a fascination to learn evern more.
I really enjoyed Evan’s character as well, and the part he plays in the story. He’s a young, new detective who looks up to the brilliant William Monk with an innocence that makes him human. As you watch Monk and the story unfolding, you also see what it’s like to be a newbie detective in Victorian England. Evan affected Monk’s character in ways that I loved – but you’ll have to read the book to see for yourself!
The story line here is interesting and quite original. (There have been books about lost memories before, and there will be more, I’m sure, but this had something unique to it.) While it fluctuates from being a page-turner to just your average mystery novel, it never lost my interest…not once. And I never felt lost about what was going on. Even with twists in the story and new additions of suspects and characters, I felt on top of the case and ready to kick some murderer-butt.
And then there is the writing…. It’s smooth, like melted chocolate – and it tastes just as good. She writes simply, elegantly, and with a class and style that is a God-given gift. The quote that I posted last week is an example of her perfect and realistic descriptions. I read this and I immediately cared for the woman she was describing – and I didn’t even know her name. (Her dialogue is also realistic and very intriguing. It’s very right for the time period.)
Oh, and the end… Don’t even get me started on how shocked and excited and nervous I got.
So would I recommend this book? Yes: to anyone (probably older teen to adult) who can read. It’s captivating, realistic (that’s another thing – Anne Perry doesn’t hold back on her crimes, which is also the reason I recommend it to older teens), and intense. And there’s Monk – need I say more? I think we’ve established this, by now, that he’s my favorite character. And one word I would use to describe this book: exquisite. (Like melted chocolate.) This book is especially wonderful if you’re looking for a mystery with the feel of Sherlock Holmes – except one that’s longer and has more depth. You’ll get that…and a story that relies deeply on the patterns of human nature to solve crimes, which makes for a very interesting case.
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LibraryThing member BooksForDinner
Good introduction to Perry's second detective. A bit of an abrupt ending, no real wrap up and lead in for the next book... will probably read another in this series, but I lik the Pitt series better so far.
LibraryThing member elwyne
Great mystery, interesting characters, twists and turns, beautiful descriptive language. I look forward to reading more of these!!
LibraryThing member teawithducks
This is the volume that first introduces the character Detective William Monk in Anne Perry's second mystery series. This story begins with an intriguing concept: William Monk wakes up in the first chapter from an accident with, not only no memory of himself, but no memory of the case he's
I suppose this makes the book a duel mystery.
As time passes, the case becomes progressively more dangerous-- a danger that's amped further by Monk's wide knowledge gaps.
Monk is not a likable character; he's rude, insensitive and abrasive to the point that everyone he meets seems to hate him. Yet at the same time, there's something to his intensity and dogged search for truth, despite the things he discovers about himself, that makes me give him a grudging sort of respect that eventually became admiration. He's a worthy anti-hero sort of character, and I found him intensely intriguing. (And as he is pretty much the exact opposite of Thomas Pitt, the starring detective from Perry's other Victorian series, I was chewing for a crossover of some sort-- which, alas, never happened. Even though Monk, or was it Pitt, does pass by the old precinct of the other other detective at some point.)
This story was an intense and entertaining read.
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supposedly working on. He must solve the case even as he tries to find out who he is-- all without letting his superiors know what has happened to him.I suppose this makes the book a duel mystery.
As time passes, the case becomes progressively more dangerous-- a danger that's amped further by Monk's wide knowledge gaps.
Monk is not a likable character; he's rude, insensitive and abrasive to the point that everyone he meets seems to hate him. Yet at the same time, there's something to his intensity and dogged search for truth, despite the things he discovers about himself, that makes me give him a grudging sort of respect that eventually became admiration. He's a worthy anti-hero sort of character, and I found him intensely intriguing. (And as he is pretty much the exact opposite of Thomas Pitt, the starring detective from Perry's other Victorian series, I was chewing for a crossover of some sort-- which, alas, never happened. Even though Monk, or was it Pitt, does pass by the old precinct of the other other detective at some point.)
This story was an intense and entertaining read.
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LibraryThing member tloeffler
William Monk wakes up in a hospital with no memory. Little by little, he tries to piece his life back together, and goes back to work in the police department as soon as he can to make some money. He is put on a case, and the more he investigates the case, the closer it seems to come to him
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personally. The story takes place in the mid-late 1800s. It was a great mystery story--I didn't catch on until near the end, and it made sense (not your silly off-the-wall solutions). Show Less
LibraryThing member ejj1955
The book starts with a great premise: a man wakes up in a hospital after an accident and has lost his memory. He discovers that he is a (Victorian-era) policeman, and, worried that if his loss of memory is discovered he'll lose his job and end up in the workhouse, he hides his condition and goes
I read Perry's first book, which is also the first book in the Charlotte and Thomas Pitt series, and this later book shows the improvement that practice brought her. I'm looking forward to reading more in both series.
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back to work. Handed a murder case, he tries to discover the killer at the same time he attempts to discover who he is himself.I read Perry's first book, which is also the first book in the Charlotte and Thomas Pitt series, and this later book shows the improvement that practice brought her. I'm looking forward to reading more in both series.
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LibraryThing member krisiti
The first William Monk, and the story of how he lost his memory. It's a credit to Anne Perry that I read others without knowing the backstory, and they didn't suffer for it.The mystery itself was a sidelight - not enough attention paid to it for me to care much. But it would have been difficult for
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there to be a mystery that was not overshadowed by the story of Monk discovering himself. Show Less
LibraryThing member corglacier7
A great series debut. I've always liked the thoughtful and hard-hitting aspects of the Monk mysteries from Perry as opposed to the lighter Pitts. The mystery is well written and affecting, with the consequences and emotional damage of the crimes clearly spelled out. Monk's a great character, asking
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hard questions about his past as a man he discovers was capable, clever, and something of an abrasive, cold jerk, his present as he struggles to find his feet again, and his future as the man he realizes that he hopes to become. Hester is an excellent heroine and a great companion/foil to Monk, with courage and adventures of her own. Their romance starts here on a sharp note, and the concluding lines to their mutually acid-tongued first meeting are still among some of my favorite lines in fiction. Show Less
LibraryThing member neferset
The first book of the William Monk detective series had an interesting plot device. The hero wakes up in a hospital with no memory of his past life at all. So he gets to solve a murder while at the same time trying to piece together his past.
I was never really sure why Monk felt compelled to keep
I was never really sure why Monk felt compelled to keep
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silent about his amnesia to everyone except his sister's family. It must be related to the male trait of not asking for directions. Show Less
LibraryThing member hailelib
[The Face of a Stranger] takes place in Victorian London and is the first book in the William Monk Series of detective novels. Monk wakes up in a hospital ward with no memory of who he is after an accident. Sensing that his continued employment as a police detective may depend on hiding the extent
Since I'm interested in Monk's future and whether he does change and become less driven and judgmental and I rather liked the way this mystery was constructed I'll be reading more of this series.
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of the memory loss Monk returns to work and is assigned to the murder of a Crimean war veteran, the Honorable Joscelin Grey. With his new assistant, Mr. Evan, Monk attempts to investigate while slowly rediscovering himself and not much liking the kind of person he seems to have been. With the help of Evan and also Miss Hester Latterly, Monk does eventually learn enough about Joscelin Grey to discover what really happened on the night of the murder. Along the way he also remembers enough of his past to function as a police inspector againSince I'm interested in Monk's future and whether he does change and become less driven and judgmental and I rather liked the way this mystery was constructed I'll be reading more of this series.
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LibraryThing member RBeffa
I've enjoyed Anne Perry's Victorian era mysteries over the years, but don't recall ever having read the early books in her Wiliam Monk series. I've decided to rememdy that and started with the first one, "The Face of a Stranger". This turned out to be a very good read. The story begins in a London
Anne Perry completely brings the city, estates, the countryside and the era to life. The story is very well crafted. There is some great dialogue in here as well. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and whatever quibbles I might have are minor. This is my favorite Anne Perry novel so far. I am going to be reading the follow-up novels in this series sooner rather than later.
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hospital in July 1956. William Monk awakens after apparently being unconscious for nearly three weeks. He has no memory of who he is. Remarkably, it seems that all his other mental facilities are intact. He is a police detective who was very badly injured in a crashed hansom cab, with the driver dead. As Monk recovers he tries to rediscover his life, who he was, and his initial findings lead him to believe he was not a very likeable person. He goes to visit his sister in Northumberland and finds he had not seen her in 8 years, despite his having a stack of affectionate letters from her. He does not remember her, nor any other person, nor places or things. Somehow he forces himself to go back to work (well, the need for income would be a strong driver). He must bluff his way through things, since he knows no one. He suceeds - his instinctual analytic skills seem unimpaired. He must solve a murder mystery assigned to him as a detective as well as his own mystery. The murder he must solve is a case grown cold, which happened about the time of his own accident 6 weeks before. His newly assigned assistant, John Evan, luckily is very supportive and Monk values his companionship and good help. The woman who will become his wife in the future, Hester Latterly, also makes her debut as an integral part of the novel.Anne Perry completely brings the city, estates, the countryside and the era to life. The story is very well crafted. There is some great dialogue in here as well. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and whatever quibbles I might have are minor. This is my favorite Anne Perry novel so far. I am going to be reading the follow-up novels in this series sooner rather than later.
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LibraryThing member LARA335
A man wakes in hospital with no memory. He is told that he is a detective and must solve the murder of one of the gentry.
And so William Monk sets out, not only trying to solve a case in class-ridden Victorian England, but to discover what sort of a man he himself is, while trying to keep his secret
Great idea for a novel, giving us at least 3 mysteries for the price of one. And allowing Perry to reveal through Monk’s fresh eyes, the constraints of a society following the Crimean war. Class & sexism & the difficulties of a police-force, considered tradesmen, trying to open the doors to reveal the secrets of their ‘betters’.
An entertaining read with memorable characters & interesting period detail.
And so William Monk sets out, not only trying to solve a case in class-ridden Victorian England, but to discover what sort of a man he himself is, while trying to keep his secret
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hidden from others for fear of losing his livelihood.Great idea for a novel, giving us at least 3 mysteries for the price of one. And allowing Perry to reveal through Monk’s fresh eyes, the constraints of a society following the Crimean war. Class & sexism & the difficulties of a police-force, considered tradesmen, trying to open the doors to reveal the secrets of their ‘betters’.
An entertaining read with memorable characters & interesting period detail.
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Subjects
Awards
Agatha Award (Nominee — Novel — 1990)
Language
Original publication date
1990-09
ISBN
0804108587 / 9780804108584