I had never heard Anne Perry, so I was lucky enough to see her at The Poisoned Pen when I was in Arizona. I really liked her latest Thomas and Charlotte Pitt book, Murder on the Serpentine. Here’s the recap of the program.
It was a free-flowing conversation when Anne
Perry appeared at The Poisoned Pen to discuss her thirty-second Thomas &
Charlotte Pitt mystery, Murder on the
Serpentine. Poisoned Pen Bookstore owner Barbara Peters interviewed her,
and the conversation wandered to a number of related subjects.
Perry appeared at The Poisoned Pen to discuss her thirty-second Thomas &
Charlotte Pitt mystery, Murder on the
Serpentine. Poisoned Pen Bookstore owner Barbara Peters interviewed her,
and the conversation wandered to a number of related subjects.
Thomas Pitt, who is now commander of Special Branch, is asked to
take a special assignment by Queen Victoria, who is in the last years of her
reign. The assignment puts Thomas in a difficult position. He can’t go home and
talk to Charlotte about the case now that he’s head of the anti-terrorist
force. Charlotte has to do a work around with Emily in order to find out
information. Perry said Emily is made for deviousness. Lady Vespasia is
currently on her honeymoon with Victor, so they are not available for advice or
assistance. Perry deliberately sent Victor out of the country so Pitt had to
work on the investigation by himself.
take a special assignment by Queen Victoria, who is in the last years of her
reign. The assignment puts Thomas in a difficult position. He can’t go home and
talk to Charlotte about the case now that he’s head of the anti-terrorist
force. Charlotte has to do a work around with Emily in order to find out
information. Perry said Emily is made for deviousness. Lady Vespasia is
currently on her honeymoon with Victor, so they are not available for advice or
assistance. Perry deliberately sent Victor out of the country so Pitt had to
work on the investigation by himself.
Perry said this book poses a moral question, whether you will do
something repugnant to you to fulfill a duty – your job – going against your
better nature to save the country. It’s something Thomas would rather not do,
but must. The danger is very real.
something repugnant to you to fulfill a duty – your job – going against your
better nature to save the country. It’s something Thomas would rather not do,
but must. The danger is very real.
After Prince Albert’s death, there was a great deal of tension
between Queen Victoria and the Prince of Wales. Victoria has always been fun,
but Albert was a prude. While at Cambridge, Bertie had a fling with an actress.
Although Albert was sick, he went to scold him despite the terrible weather,
and he died soon after. Victoria blamed Edward for his father’s death. She
wouldn’t let him participate in government until just before she died. However,
the Germans were fond of him and his libertine behavior.
between Queen Victoria and the Prince of Wales. Victoria has always been fun,
but Albert was a prude. While at Cambridge, Bertie had a fling with an actress.
Although Albert was sick, he went to scold him despite the terrible weather,
and he died soon after. Victoria blamed Edward for his father’s death. She
wouldn’t let him participate in government until just before she died. However,
the Germans were fond of him and his libertine behavior.
Edward had a penchant for friends who were not quite appropriate,not just women. In Murder on the
Serpentine, Victoria was concerned about one of Bertie’s new friends. She
asked a trusted friend to look into the man’s background, and her friend ended
up dead. She was concerned she had sent him to his death. Was it an accident or
murder? Here’s a woman who has outlived most of her the people she loved. She’s
fragile. She’s been the Queen since she was nineteen. Can Thomas tell her the
truth? She asks to see him, and personally asks him to investigate.
The book also deals with armaments, and the fear of a second Boer
War.
War.
And, there’s some of the bitchiest dialogue between women in some of
Perry’s scenes. It’s cruel, but said with a smile. Perry said there’s elegance
in the façade of British society.
Perry’s scenes. It’s cruel, but said with a smile. Perry said there’s elegance
in the façade of British society.
Asked if she was writing anything else, Perry said she wants to
write an international thriller set in the 1930s in Berlin. There’s so many
things she’d like to do. She’s doing the final edit of the Daniel story. Daniel
is the son of Thomas and Charlotte Pitt. The book is set in 1910. Perry said
she can only work all the time. She can’t do any more. She does her best work
in the morning when she’s sharpest. Afternoon work isn’t as good.
write an international thriller set in the 1930s in Berlin. There’s so many
things she’d like to do. She’s doing the final edit of the Daniel story. Daniel
is the son of Thomas and Charlotte Pitt. The book is set in 1910. Perry said
she can only work all the time. She can’t do any more. She does her best work
in the morning when she’s sharpest. Afternoon work isn’t as good.
Perry and Peters discussed Anne Perry’s recent move from Scotland to
West Hollywood. She said she couldn’t take her all of her books. She only took
thirty, most of them poetry. She loves Dante’s Inferno. He said, “You’re not punished for your sins, but by your
sins.” There was a lengthy discussion of the alphabet when she mentioned a
history of the alphabet book. If language isn’t written, that civilization is
lost.
West Hollywood. She said she couldn’t take her all of her books. She only took
thirty, most of them poetry. She loves Dante’s Inferno. He said, “You’re not punished for your sins, but by your
sins.” There was a lengthy discussion of the alphabet when she mentioned a
history of the alphabet book. If language isn’t written, that civilization is
lost.
There were conversations about World War II, language, laundry,
Princess Margaret, war memorials, the RAF and British pilots in the United
States. Barbara Peters said the conversations at The Poisoned Pen often contain
lengthy digressions because they can’t talk about the books for more than five
or ten minutes because people haven’t yet read it. Anne Perry said she loves to
talk with the readers, though, and take their questions. She likes to know what
readers are thinking. She writes to communicate stories to the readers.
Princess Margaret, war memorials, the RAF and British pilots in the United
States. Barbara Peters said the conversations at The Poisoned Pen often contain
lengthy digressions because they can’t talk about the books for more than five
or ten minutes because people haven’t yet read it. Anne Perry said she loves to
talk with the readers, though, and take their questions. She likes to know what
readers are thinking. She writes to communicate stories to the readers.
Peters said she often asks authors who their readers are. Who is
their audience? When she said Anne Perry knows her readers, Perry said, “A lot
of retired English teachers and librarians.” Also clergy and nuns.
their audience? When she said Anne Perry knows her readers, Perry said, “A lot
of retired English teachers and librarians.” Also clergy and nuns.
Anne Perry said she’s editing an anthology for Mystery Writers of
America. She picked the topic of odd couples – detectives who pair up with
someone in an unlikely pairing. For instance, Charles Todd wrote about Ian
Rutledge and his ghost.
America. She picked the topic of odd couples – detectives who pair up with
someone in an unlikely pairing. For instance, Charles Todd wrote about Ian
Rutledge and his ghost.
