Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

An Echo of Murder
An Echo of Murder
An Echo of Murder
Audiobook11 hours

An Echo of Murder

Written by Anne Perry

Narrated by David Colacci

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

()

About this audiobook

A string of gruesome, ritualistic murders of Hungarian immigrants has the Thames River Police Commander stuck on solving the pattern in the latest installment of the New York Times bestselling William Monk series. When a Hungarian immigrant is dismembered near London's River Thames, Commander Monk is called to the eerie scene, where sixteen candles surround the corpse. As identical murders pop up around the city, Monk confronts the unsettling options: could it be the work of a secret society? A serial madman? Or is a xenophobic Brit targeting foreigners? A local doctor who speaks Hungarian from his days on the battlefield may be able to help, but his own struggles with post-traumatic stress have left his memory in shambles: could he have committed the crimes without remembering? Fighting both local prejudice and the weight of the past, Monk and his wife Hester-herself a battlefield nurse familiar with horror-are in a race to find the killer and stop the echo of these repeated murders for good.
LanguageEnglish
Release dateSep 19, 2017
ISBN9781501959813
An Echo of Murder
Author

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.  

More audiobooks from Anne Perry

Related to An Echo of Murder

Titles in the series (12)

View More

Related audiobooks

Historical Fiction For You

View More

Related articles

Related categories

Reviews for An Echo of Murder

Rating: 3.9166665750000003 out of 5 stars
4/5

96 ratings26 reviews

What did you think?

Tap to rate

Review must be at least 10 words

  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    "An Echo of Murder" begins with a gruesome murder of a man in his office. Blood is everywhere and the scent of it is staggering. The victim is Hungarian and that may be a clue as to why he was so brutally murdered. Candles and a bayonet just add to the confusion. Who wants this man dead in such a horrible way?Anne Perry writes such fascinating mysteries - her Pitt books are among the top of the genre. Her depictions of Victorian London are always intriguing and give a real sense of what it was like. William Monk moves slowly as he begins to solve this mystery and that allows the plot to unfold in an engaging manner. The clues are there and he'll need to prove that the doctor did not do this crime, if, in fact he is innocent. Although some things are never really explained, the story is intriguing and compelling, as are the characters. Especially interesting are Dr. Crow and the boy, Scuff - their teacher-student relationship is informative. Several other characters lend substance to the story.Highly recommended for readers that enjoy historical mysteries, Victorian London, and learning about one ethnicity and their struggles.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    I've read all of the William Monk series, and I have to say, this is by far the weakest book. Monk is trying to solve a series of murders of Hungarian immigrants to London, all killed in a ritualistic horrible manner. When a Crimean doctor with PTSD, also a friend of Hester's, is accused of the crimes, it's up to Monk and his usual associates to prove him innocent and find the real murderer.I'm used to Ms. Perry's repetitive style which doesn't usually bother me much, but here it seemed excessive. Her stories also never seem to get going until halfway through the books, but again, I like the Victorian detail she brings to her writing. There are occasionally holes in her plots, but this story seemed like one big plot hole. It was fairly easy to figure out the real murderer early in the story. Never explained was the rituals of the murders nor why after seventeen years the first murder occurred (no real backstory of the love triangle). It was just a means to the rest of the story, easily tossed aside after it served its purpose. Even the reason for the other murders seemed weak.The reasons to accuse Fitz, the Crimean doctor, was plausible, but since there was no proof he was the culprit, it seemed like the police could have held him in protective custody or the like. They never proved him a murderer nor seemed to try to prove his innocence ie Why was he covered in blood the second time?So I dithered between 2 and 3 stars, settling on 2 1/2. Hopefully, the next book will be back on track.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    An Echo of Murder is the twenty-third William Monk mystery. The year is 1870. William Monk, as Commander of the River Thames Police, is called in to the scene of a particularly gruesome murder. The victim is a widower, a respected member of the Hungarian community in London. His body was discovered by Antal Dobokai, a man who is more or less the leader of that community. It's a good thing that Mr. Dobokai speaks fluent English, because Monk and his right hand officer, Hooper, don't speak Hungarian. The investigation is getting nowhere when another Hungarian man is murdered in the same way. There will be more, all with the same ritualistic details. Ms. Perry takes the opportunity to educate readers about the way natives might look down on immigrants for being different, particularly in language and religion (the Hungarians are Roman Catholic). Our main characters are not so bigoted, although Hooper makes a comment about Catholics worshiping the Virgin Mary. We don't. We venerate her, but we worship only the Holy Trinity. Aside from the murder victims, I felt the most sympathy for a poor woman who inadvertently used a vulgar word while grocery shopping. Some English women in the same shop soon convinced themselves that she was a prostitute. What followed wasn't good.A man who becomes a suspect is Herbert Fitzherbert, a former Army surgeon who served with Hester Latterly Monk during the Crimean War. We learn why Hester thought her friend was dead. Fitz spent some years after the war in Hungary as is fluent in that language, but he's interpreting for and helping series regular Dr. Crow.Scuff, the one-time mudlark whom we met in book 14, The Shifting Tide, has come a long way. He didn't know his age then, but he's probably 18 now. He's been a son in all but blood to the Monks for years and now he's finally given a regular name: Will Monk. Will is studying with Dr. Crow, still determined to become a doctor. A harrowing experience of his own (probably in book 16, Execution Dock), allows Will to be sympathetic when Fitz displays 'waking nightmares' where he believes himself back on the battlefield in the Crimea. Today we would say that Fitz has PTSD, or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (sometimes the 'post traumatic' is hyphened). It's still a common problem among survivors of war.The first time Fitz is found wandering, covered in blood, there's an innocent reason. I don't recall that we ever found out whose blood and why it was on Fitz when a mob forms and chases him -- and Monk -- down. A nice subplot is Fitz talking Hester in seeing her surviving brother, Charles Latterly, again. Some of their backstory (and Monk's) mentioned in this book comes from book one, Face of a Stranger. The events in Charles' life that Hester learns here are from the 13th of Ms. Perry's short Christmas novels, A Christmas Escape. It's nice to see Charles' ward, Candace Finbar, again. She's a few years younger than Will/Scuff. Is there a future romance in the cards? There are some red herrings among the clues and I fell for one of them. The usual courtroom drama wasn't bad. It had a more dramatic climax than most of these books. (The misstep Sir Oliver Rathbone took was in book 19, Blind Justice. It was so stupid it's the only Monk novel I never finished.)This is a good entry in a good series.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    When I got this book I didn't realize I had already gotten an Anne Perry book before, and certainly didn't know that the two were related, but when I hit the point where the two crossed it was kind of cool!While Monk is the detective, his wife Hester and their ward Scruff, both seem to do what they can to help out. This one had some gruesome murders, all in the Hungarian area and all Hungarians. Monk has a hard time trying to find the murderer.I really enjoyed this book, it feels fairly authentic for late 1800's London. The characters have some depth and the world is rich in details. I enjoyed the book and plan to read more in the series.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I cannot believe I have never read a William Monk mystery before! There are over 50 Anne Perry books and An Echo of Murder is the 23rd book in the Monk series. A fact for which I am incredibly grateful now.

    Anne Perry’s William Monk series is set in Victorian London and really, reminds me of the BBC show, Ripper Street. (Or more accurately, Ripper Street reminds me of Anne Perry.) The central character is the sensitive and tough Commander Monk who is aided by his street-smart second-in-command, Hooper, and his brave wife, Hester, who worked with Florence Nightingale in the Crimean War. Monk is also surrounded by an eclectic collection of supporting characters ranging from a reformed shyster to an unlicensed doctor and, of course, a beloved street urchin.

    In this installment of the series, the Thames River Police, headed by Monk, must rely on the Hungarian community’s own people for access to and legitimacy in the immigrant neighborhood where a terrible murder has taken place. When it becomes obvious they are dealing with a serial killer, the Hungarians are equal parts suspects and victims.

    “We’re not taking people’s jobs. You’ve got to make them see that. We’re just taking care of ourselves, like everybody. We’ve got a right to do that. Englishmen have gone all over the world, where they had no business. Can’t they make room for us here?”

    Two themes emerge quickly after the discovery of the first victim: the plight of the immigrant and the home life of soldiers after wartime. Both of these topics are particularly relevant right now and it is both interesting and disheartening to realize how little we have learned throughout history when it comes to both subjects.

    “There are things you can’t share, except with those others who were part of it. The people at home don’t want to know. They can’t take it away from, they can only feel useless. There are not words created to describe the horror of some things. and why would you want to burden them with it anyway? They cannot help, and they cannot carry it for you.”

    I actually read a second book in the Monk series over the weekend and found it just as enjoyable. And, now I have a third Anne Perry book waiting for me on my shelf! If you are a fan of serial mysteries or just really good fiction, you should try this series.

    Rating: 89/100
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    This was the first William Monk mystery that I have read, and while I tried repeatedly to get interested, it was to no avail. Too many established characters with backstories that had to be told got in the way of the plot. Add to that many tangential tacks which seemed more like padding than story telling to me. I won't be back.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    London, England, mid-summer 1870. Commander William Monk of the Thames River Police is called to the scene of a grisly murder in a waterfront warehouse. A man has been run through by a bayonet and his body has been mutilated after his death. There are no obvious clues and many of potential witnesses are recent immigrants from Hungary who speak little English. Monk enlists a community leader to help him interview people because he is able to translate their Hungarian for Monk. Progress is slow and the tension grows as three other Hungarian men are murdered, one-by-one, in the identical fashion as the first one. The Hungarian community is fearful and there is a feeling that the police are not doing as much as they can to catch the killer. On the other hand there is an anti-immigrant backlash against the Hungarian community.The characters are mostly holdovers from previous books in the series, with a few new ones. Hester, Monk's wife, is reunited with her estranged older brother as well as with a doctor she served with in the Crimea war. These character additions help keep the series fresh and dynamic.This novel can be read on a standalone basis although having the backstory to Monk's situation would help appreciate Monk's struggles.It's a basic police procedural novel with a tense conclusion. A man is on trial for the murders and it's not looking good for his defence. The prosecutor is portrayed in an unfavourable light as opposed to the virtuous defence counsel. It is only on the last couple of pages that the murderer is unmasked through the efforts of Monk.I liked it. Recommended reading for historical crime fiction fans.
  • Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
    2/5
    I want to say that I've been a fan of Anne Perry's books for decades … but I think it's more that I've been a reader of her books for that long. I've always liked reading them – but I don't think I've ever loved them, except for maybe one. The characters have never become important enough to me that I'll cry if they're killed off. And actually, the first one I read after a hiatus of several years was very disappointing. This one … I wouldn't say that about it, but … I just don't have any strong feelings about it. Didn't hate it, didn't love it.It all begins when good old Monk is called in to a murder scene which is built up as absolutely horrific. The reactions of everyone he meets on the way in indicate that it's ghastly, without anyone ever giving him (or the reader) a detail. Which was clever … until we walk into the room with Monk and get the first description of the scene and the victim, and it's an anticlimax. "It's a bad one, sir", someone says, and then left me wondering what was so bad about it for a few more pages. I mean, once the full scope of what happened to the victim became clear, my response was "oh" – yes, it was indeed plenty awful – but might it not have been more effective to whack the reader with that all at once? Anne Perry's been writing for … forever (oh, only since 1990; not quite thirty years (as of now). For some reason I thought it was longer), so she obviously knows what she's doing; it just seemed an odd choice. Or maybe it's just me. And maybe it was just me being put off by the fact that despite a quite detailed description of the murder scene(s), I had to go back over and over to see if the many many candles placed around the room(s) were lit or not. I don't think I ever did find out. Those candles also had me yelling at the book for them to go check out chandlers in the area, which didn't seem to be something that occurred to anyone for ages. I don't really recommend reading this series the way I have. It looks like I missed about ten years' worth of books in this series (which I always liked more than the Charlotte & Thomas Pitt books), and obviously a lot happened in those five books, leaving me saying things like "Wait, who, now?" and "Oliver did what?" and "They were in America for the Civil War?" and so forth. Perry provided a decent amount of backstory, but I wouldn't say this worked well as a stand-alone (or stand-apart). Obviously the exploration of intolerance against immigrants is extremely topical today. Which is incredibly sad. The discussion of what we now call PTSD is quite timely as well. Both of these threads lead to possible answers to the mystery… What annoyed me a little was – well: "Monk was a brilliant detective; he could acknowledge that without immodesty." Okay. The story doesn't really bear that out, but … okay. (And no, you can't say that about yourself without being immodest. You really can't.) It was an interesting mystery, this; lots of red herrings that led to interesting passages, but with a final solution I just didn't find as interesting. Like that first murder scene description, it was somewhat anti-climactic.The main reason I never loved Anne Perry's books as much as others is simply the writing. It's perfectly serviceable, although sometimes awkward; it's workmanlike. See Spot run. I never feel the connection, not only to the characters but to the author, that I do when reading – say, Robin McKinley, or Barbara Hambly. It makes for - what was that word again? interesting reads – but not really fun.The usual disclaimer: I received this book via Netgalley for review.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    'An Echo of Murder' is another terrific read from a terrific writer. Good writers like Anne Perry use their skills not just to tell a great story but to make readers think. These writers use their craft to highlight things we should all be thinking about today. She does this without being too obvious or 'in your face' with the ideas, ideals and important thoughts which are current to 2017-18. Thank goodness for writers like Anne Perry who can use their skills to point readers to modern problems. They have a gift with words and use it for good.The story begins with a horrific murder, a well respected Hungarian immigrant is killed in a terrifying manner. The Hungarians are immigrants. The local community wants them out, they, of course, have never been violent. Racism, intolerance, violence and prejudice rear their ugly heads. Sound familiar?An ex-army surgeon, who has found his way home to England 11 years after he was left for dead on a Crimean battle field, is struggling to make his life make sense. He has moments of terror when he doesn't know what he does. He gave his health and sanity for the country and do they reward him? Sound familiar?Dr Fitz worked with Hester during the Crimean war and of course when he is accused of the murders she is going to save him. The ending in the courtroom is quite something. Sir Oliver at his best.It's a pleasure to see how the characters change and grow in each novel. Scuff is now nearly qualified as a doctor, Hester has to face her buried past, William Monk faces his own nightmares.Fans of the series will be delighted. Readers who like historical mysteries should try Anne Perry's novels and any one who enjoys a good story, well written and well told will enjoy this novel.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    There are ritualistic murders happening in the Hungarian community in London and Monk is asked to investigate. Meanwhile Scruff is interning with Crow when a Man comes in with gangrene but only speaks Hungarian and Scruff goes to find someone who can speak to him in his own language. He finds Dr Fitzherbert who is suffering from PTSD from the Crimean War and who happens to know Hester. Everyone is suspicious of the immigrants for all the reasons that still exist today. Hester goes to see her brother after years of separation before she, Monk and Rathbone clear Fitzherbert
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Anne Perry is consistent, consistently excellent in this outstanding Victorian Series. Horrific deaths among the close knit Hungarian immigrant community, in London, threatens to generate a fearful and violent response. A Crimean War medic suffering still from its trauma is convinced he is guilty. His war colleague, Hester, works frantically to find the real killer. His trial provides an excellent platform for a very dramatic finale..
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    In this latest William Monk mystery, Monk is taken to a warehouse in the Hungarian district where a body has been found gruesomely disfigured and stabbed through the heart. Having difficulty interviewing the residents of the area, Monk enlists the aid of a local who can translate for him. Things get even more complicated as the ritualistic murders continue and the Hungarian population becomes an angry mob.At the same time as Monk is trying to solve these murders, Scuff and Crow need a Hungarian translator and they come across Herbert Fitzherbet (Fitz) who had been a doctor in the Crimea with Hester Monk. We see how PTSD affected him with blackouts and nightmares, not know what his actions were or weren't. When the Hungarian mob see him covered in blood, they jump to the conclusion that he is the murderer and unless Monk arrests him, the mob would kill him.Hester and Monk together with Oliver Rathbone must find the real killer before the subsequent trial comes to an end.It absolutely amazes me how after 23 books with many of the same characters, I still see character growth as well as a tremendous mystery.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This 23rd William Monk book is masterfully writtten, and very compelling. The ending blew me away, even though I had figured out who actually was the murderer about 2/3 of the way through. Anne Perry's dialogue and character development are second to none. Not only that, but we find out some really wonderful nuggets of information about Hester's earlier life and about her family. Monk has been called into a particularly brutal murder in London's dock area and in an area where Hungarian immigrants live. The murder is particularly gruesome. And before they Monk and Hooper get very far, another identical murder takes place in the same area. They are trying to catch a particularly sadistic killer and put a stop to the senseless killings. Before the murderer is unmasked Monk, with the help of the intrepid Hester, have to plumb the depths of the murderer's mind and the unresolved past that drives him now, and while doing this, it brings up past unhappy memories for both of them. I loved the pace of the book, and as usual, loved the courtroom scene with Rathbone, but mostly I love Monk and Hester. They are two of the most complex fictional characters that I've encountered.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Absorbing!As always a masterful rendition of murder inquiry, doubt, and the machinations of the human mind under stress. Once again Perry brings a reality check to murder most foul. Commander Monk of the Thames River Police is confronted by a murder unlike any he's seen before. A Hungarian man has been killed in what appears to be some sort of ritualistic endeavour. The body is surrounded by seventeen candles, two of them a dark, purplish-blue color.As more killings occur fear spreads throughout the Hungarian community. Are these sacrificial murders, a secret society run amok, evidence of extreme ethnic prejudice, or the product of a deranged mind? Is the perpetrator English or Hungarian? The community wants answers and a scapegoat is needed.The person of possibility turns out to be a friend of Hester's, part of her painful past in the Crimea. A man she knows must be innocent and yet the horrors of the war are all too near to lie peacefully. Is her friend unhinged or innocent?The struggles for Hester and her friend are laid bare. Struggles Scruff has some idea of although his experiences have been different.Scruff is coming into his own as he practices medicine under the tutelage of Crow. We see him emerge as a young man more confident his own abilities. It's a pleasure to watch his growth.There are more questions than answers for Monk and Hooper and many theories to entertain.A NetGalley ARC
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    William Monk is called to the scene of a gruesome murder of a Hungarian immigrant in the office of a warehouse on the river. Despite the best efforts of his men, no suspects are identified, and within a short time a second, equally gruesome, murder occurs, then a third, and a fourth. All are identical and yet there seems to be no connection between the four men and everyone who is suspected appears to be in the clear.In the meantime, Scuff is pursuing his dream of becoming a doctor by studying with Crow. One of their patients is a Hungarian who speaks no English, and Scuff sets out to find Herbert Fitzherbert, an English doctor living in the area who is rumored to speak Hungarian. The doctor turns out to be an old friend of Hester Monk's with whom she served in the Crimean War. He also turns out to be suffering from nightmares during which he appears to be back in the war; when he wakes up, he has no idea where he is and it takes him several minutes to regain his faculties. When the doctor is found covered in blood twice, the Hungarians in the neighborhood rise up and threaten to become a lynch mob. The doctor is saved only through being arrested by Monk--and then he is put on trial for the murders. Working with Oliver Rathbone, the Monks finally discover the truth behind the murders and Dr. Fitzherbert is set free. This was an interesting entry, as usual, and brought further insight into Hester's life in the war as well as what happened within her family during and just after. One positive aspect of the story is that Hester is reunited with her brother Charles, and I hope this will be given more attention in future books. Scuff is also shown in a more mature light, which is good. However, I was a bit disappointed with the ending, which seemed very abrupt and did not deal with an issue raised by the solution to the first murder, and leaves the question of whether or not a murderer went free.Overall this was a good book and I would recommend it to those who like historical mysteries.I received this book through LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program in exchange for a fair and honest review of the book.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I received this book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program, in exchange for an honest review. This is the latest in the William Monk series, set in 1870's London, and focuses on what appears to be a serial killer (though that term is never used) preying on a small community of Hungarian immigrants. Like all of Perry's Victorian novels, there's a strong message about honor and propriety, and how the characters must consider their actions in light of those values, which seems strikingly different from modern society, but I won't veer into the political here. While the mystery itself was rather easy to solve, though the motive wasn't quite so simple, I liked how this book linked back to Hester's time in the Crimean war, and the impacts of PTSD (again, not a term the novel uses) on the survivors of war, as well as the links to one of Perry's recent Christmas novels, which I won't get into to avoid spoilers. I prefer the Monk series to the Pitt series, and this novel did not disappoint. While I do think it holds more value for readers familiar with the characters, it could still stand alone for newcomers to the series, as Perry provides sufficient background (sometimes too much for those familiar with the backstories).
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I had read quite a few of the early works in this series, but missed the last 6 or 7. Luckily, I don't think I missed anything crucial to the story by jumping back in. Overall, I enjoyed this book, and was learned something about the Hungarian immigrant community in London and what they had to deal with. The murders were truly a mystery, which is not always the case. I did find that Monk and Hester were almost peripheral characters this time around. There also seemed to be a bit of repetition - for example, we were told at least 4 times that the officer working with Monk knew about his memory loss. Telling us once was enough. A reasonable entry in the series.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Terrible murders are happening in the Hungarian immigrant community in Monk's Victorian London and he is baffled. The subject gives Anne Perry an opportunity to delve into why people hate other groups -- people who look or speak or worship differently from them. But this is well-worn territory and we get way too much of it. More interesting is the terrible aftermath of war on those who experience it up close, as Monk's wife Hester did, nursing in the Crimea. A new character, a doctor whom Hester served with, has PTSD from his work there. He is a suspect, for some, in the horrible murders.The murderer is revealed at the doctor's trial -- but it's a denouement from left field.More promising for future Monk books, we meet Hester's brother Charles and his ward, a strong girl who might be a younger Hester.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The 23rd installment in an impressive series that is set in London. The series features Commander Monk Thames River Police and his wife Hester, a battlefield nurse that served in the Crimean War. A particularly gruesome murder of a Hungarian immigrant brings Hester back into contact with a Doctor Fitzherbert, whom she had left for dead on a Crimean battlefield. He has returned to England via years spent in Hungary. He knows the language and he knows medicine so he can help Hester's friend, Crow and her adopted son Scruff in the doctor's office, and perhaps help Monk solve this murder.The murders continue and the blame begins to fall on Dr Fitz, who can not defend himself as he deals with the horror of battlefield remembrance .Very good addition to this series.Read as an ARC from LibraryThing
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Anne Perry beautifully executes another William Monk story of social awareness and the changing times. In this tale, males in a small Hungarian community in England meet violent death as the blame for this serial killer runs the gamut to someone with a grievance against the Hungarians to doubt as to the actual killer and the motives. A doctor who served with Hester during the Crimea War appears and becomes the prime suspect. Monk races to find a maniacal killer as the unrest boils over in London. Into all this chaos, Scuff changes his name to Will, as he trains to be a doctor. Anne Perry uncovers the misconception and discovery in the field of medicine as the doctors attempt to save the poor. And of course, Oliver Rathbone leaps to the defense in the end of the novel. Hester’s old loves appear everywhere.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Although not unfamiliar with Anne Perry's writing, this was my first foray into her William Monk series. This was the 23rd installment of this series, yet there was sufficient background material provided that I was not at a loss. Yet, it was such an enjoyable book, that I do plan to go back and read the earlier stories in the series. Ms. Perry has created a rather realistic setting for a Victorian period historical mystery. It's post-Crimean London. Hungarians have fled their homeland and sought work and safety in this new land teeming with opportunity, or so one would hope. Folks who served on the front lines in war are dealing with survivors guilt, severe PTSD, and a hope for peace and solace from the unbidden nightmares. This police procedural, for the most part, flows as one might expect for the period. There were two jarring moments where the deductions of Commander Monk seemed to leap to a conclusion with inadequate evidence. Just call me "cynical". But for the most part, it was an engrossing read about an interesting period in time.I am grateful to author Anne Perry, publisher Random House and LibraryThing Early Reviewers program for having provided an Advance Uncorrected Proof of the is book. Their generosity, however, did not influence this review - the words of which are mine alone. Synopsis (from ARC's intro page):In this riveting new William Monk novel, Anne Perry delves into the diverse population of Victorian London, whose disparate communities force Monk to rethink his investigative techniques--lest he be caught in the cross hairs of violent bigotry.In the course of his tenure with the Thames River Police, Commander Monk has yet to see a more gruesome crime scene: a Hungarian warehouse owner lies in the middle of his blood-sodden office, pierced through the chest with a bayonet and eerily surrounded by seventeen candles, their wicks dipped in blood. Suspecting the murder may be rooted in ethnic prejudice, Monk turns to London's Hungarian community in search of clues but finds his inquiries stymied by its wary citizens and a language he doesn't speak. Only with the help of a local pharmacist acting as translator can Monk hope to penetrate this tightly knit enclave, even as more of its members fall victim to identical brutal murders. But whoever the killer, or killers, may be--a secret society practicing ritual sacrifice, a madman on a spree, a British native targeting foreigners--they are well hidden among the city's ever-growing populace.With the able assistance of his wife--former battlefield nurse Hester, who herself is dealing with a traumatized war veteran who may be tangled up in the murders--Monk must combat distrust, hostility, and threats from the very people he seeks to protect. But as the body count grows, stirring ever greater fear and anger among the Hungarian emigres, resistance to the police also increases. Racing time and the rising tide of terror all around him, Monk must be even more relentless than the mysterious killer, or the echoes of malice and murder will resound through London's streets like a clarion of doom.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I was thrilled to receive an ER copy of An Echo of Murder. Anne Perry is one of my favorite writers. Her books aren’t ‘read-as-catch can’. (Like eating at a fast food outlet.) Rather, they are to be savored slowly and with care. (Like dining at a five-star restaurant.)An Echo of Murder continued in this tradition. This installment in the Monk series, however, seemed, to me, more a story of the effect of war and prejudice of foreigners in which our characters take part, than a mystery of murder. Indeed, in order the story of prejudice to play out, Monk and his investigation took a back seat. It was frustrating to watch days go by when he could find no clue to link the murders, when a basic part of the investigation (carefully searching a victim’s home) wasn’t done until almost the end. In fact, lack of progress in the investigation made it painfully clear, early in the story, to everyone but the characters, who would turn out to be the guilty party.For someone unfamiliar with the series, enough backstory was given to provide insight into the characters of Monk, Hester, Scruff and Rathbone, but there wasn’t a lot that was new to faithful followers of the series.I love this series, and I loved this episode, even though it wasn’t the strongest and I eagerly await the next.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Reading an Anne Perry book is like revisiting an old friend. Her characters are so well developed and the story flows so easily. It doesn't matter if you've never read one of her books because Ms. Perry is so adapt at including updates for the new readers but she doesn't make it boring for those of us who have been fans for years.An Echo of Murder is part of the William Monk series and it dept me guessing to the end. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a good mysteries.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Workmanlike entry in the William Monk Victorian mystery series. A man is bizarrely murdered among London's Hungarian community: in a warehouse stabbed with a bayonet, surrounded by 17 candles, 2 of them purple, all dipped in the man's blood and a religious figurine smashed. With the help of a bilingual Hungarian, Monk sets out doggedly to solve the crime. The novel portrays the theme of prejudice and bigotry between the English and a minority community. Monk is faced with 3 more identical murders of Hungarians. What is the common thread among them? Monk seeks to prove the innocence of an English doctor who had spent years in Hungary and is a veteran of the Crimean War, suffering PSTD and who had worked with his wife Hester, a nurse in that conflict. Is there only one culprit or are there more than one? [Hence "Echoes" in the title.] A courtroom scene and the doctor's knowledge of Hungarian lay bare whodunit and any motivations. A linearly constructed mystery which could be read as a standalone although this is #23 in the series; much backstory was given, especially of the running characters. I felt the solution logical, but I wish the significance of every element of the gruesome deaths had been explained. I thought Monk rather bland but I did like that he was not omnipotent.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    The murder of a Hungarian man whose shop faces the river brings Monk and his Thames River force to the scene. The crime is horrific--extremely violent, an act of hate--and accompanied by 17 candles, two of which are purple, and the smashing of Roman Catholic icons. A man, aspiring to be the leader of the Hungarian community in London, is first on the scene. His alibi is airtight. The man is very observant. Communicating with the Hungarian population is problematic.Monk and Hester's adopted son "Scuff" is apprenticed to a doctor, coming in contact with Fitz, a doctor who served with Hester in Crimea. As the body count grows, the pressure to locate the perpetrator increases due to the growing unrest of the Hungarian community. I do not read every installment of the Monk series, but I enjoyed this one very much. While any experienced mystery reader will be able to predict some of the action, certain aspects of this installment will keep readers interested. It held my attention--something most books failed to do recently.I received an advance review copy from the publisher through NetGalley with the expectation of an honest review.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    This is the first book I've read by Anne Perry, and it's the 23rd in the series, so I come into this at a disadvantage. While the story itself reads fine as a stand-alone, I felt a disconnect with the characters. Monk's character is stiff and distant and mostly one-dimensional. Given that this is his series, I expected - wanted - more flair from him. Hester, Monk's wife, comes off as restrained to the point of being dull. In contrast, Fitz's part is particularly well done. I felt his emotional turmoil in coping with the trauma he'd experienced during the war. Scuff, the young man Monk and Hester took in, also has more of a spark and feels better developed. I wound up liking Fitz and Scuff much more than I liked Monk and Hester, mainly because I got to know them better.The plot takes on some compelling issues, including the trauma of war, prejudice, language barriers, and poverty. These aspects are well portrayed and thought-provoking.The pace is a little slow for my taste. We spend a whole lot of time on the intricacies of medical care. Granted, the research here is impeccable and, in small doses, the content is interesting. But the long passages became repetitious and read a little like a historical medical text. I wasn't particularly surprised by any of the twists or the resulting conclusion. For the most part, I enjoyed the setting and getting to know all the minor characters more than I did Monk's investigation.Overall, this is one of those stories where the broad content left more of an impression than the individual characters or their personal stories did.*I received an advance copy from the publisher, via Amazon Vine, in exchange for my honest review.*