Inspector Thomas Pitt is on the witness stand as Anne Perry opens her latest Victorian mystery novel, "The Whitechapel Conspiracy" (Ballantine, 368 pages, $25).
A distinguished soldier is on trial for murdering his friend, and the absence of a motive has everyone on edge. Pitt's testimony sends the soldier (and his secrets) to the gallows. When Pitt is subsequently removed from his command and reassigned a dangerous beat, his concerns quickly turn to suspicion of a larger, darker conspiracy.
This well-scripted page-turner is the 21st in Perry's popular series featuring the inspector and his wife, Charlotte.
As the plot unfolds, Perry introduces the charming cast of characters: the well-born Charlotte; Gracie, the Pitts' outspoken housemaid; Sergeant Tellman, Pitt's dedicated colleague; and Vespasia, Charlotte's aristocratic aunt.
In Pitt's absence, this squad applies their combined talents to uncover the motive behind the murder and bring Pitt home.
Jack the Ripper's grisly unsolved murders form a gripping, atmospheric subplot that alone would make the book worthwhile.
Perry's sweeping social and political panorama of Victorian-era anarchists, republicans and monarchists makes this suspenseful story a richly descriptive and entertaining read.
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