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In this short story, the New York Times–bestselling author delves into the private lives and personal histories of her "extremely congenial characters" (The Philadelphia Inquirer). It is 1912, and Peter Naylor calls at the home of Lady Vespasia Cumming-Gould, longtime friend of Thomas Pitt and his wife, Charlotte. Clouds are gathering in Europe, and the prime minister is considering Thomas to head up the country's intelligence services—the king is not as enthusiastic about the idea. Thus it is Naylor's responsibility to investigate the investigator—not only his career as a renowned police detective, but his humble family origins, his relationship with his wellborn wife, his likes, dislikes, strengths, and weaknesses. And the highly observant and mischievously candid Lady Vespasia is the ideal woman to ask . . . "Pitt's compassion and Charlotte's cleverness make them compatible sleuths." —The Philadelphia Inquirer
Anne Perry
Anne Perry (1938–2023) was a bestselling author of historical detective fiction, most notably the Thomas and Charlotte Pitt series and the William Monk series, both set in Victorian England. Her first book, The Cater Street Hangman (1979), launched both the Pitt series and her career as a premier writer of Victorian mysteries. Other novels in the series include Resurrection Row, Death in the Devil’s Acre, and Silence in Hanover Close, as well as more than twenty others. The William Monk series of novels, featuring a Victorian police officer turned private investigator, includes Funeral in Blue, The Twisted Root, and The Silent Cry. In addition to these series, Perry also authored the World War I novels No Graves as Yet, Shoulder the Sky, Angels in the Gloom, and others, as well as several collections of short stories. Perry’s novels have appeared on bestseller lists around the world and have sold more than twenty-five million books in print worldwide.
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