[Thomas Pitt 14] • The Hyde Park Headsman

Not since the bloody deeds of Jack the Ripper have Londoners felt such terror as that aroused by the gruesome beheadings in Hyde Park. And if newly promoted Police Superintendent Thomas Pitt does not quickly apprehend the perpetrator, he is likely to lose his own head, professionally speaking.Yet even with the help of Charlotte Pitt's subtle investigation, the sinister violence continues unchecked. And in a shocking turn of events that nearly convinces the pair of sleuths that they have met their match, the case proves to be Pitt's toughest ever . . . ."Very satisfying, a lovely way to spend a rainy spring weekend." -- USA Today"Thrilling . . . [Perry's] understanding of the historically rich period enables her to devise a plot true to its time yet timeless in its approach to human nature." -- The Orlando Sentinel

From the Back CoverSLAUGHTER ON THE SERPENTINE

London, 1890, and Thomas Pitt's promotion to Superintendent of Bow Street is as bad as he's feared. He must delegate to resentful colleagues as the most horrific killings since the Whitechapel Murders terrorise the city, beginning with the discovery of a headless body on the serpentine. Is there a madman on the rampage?

Meanwhile, the Assistant Commissioner is rampaging around Pitt's office, demanding results, or else more heads will roll. Pitt's instincts tell him that there is more to it than a lunatic at large. Yet, despite his unmatchable detective skills, there is no evidence.

For once, Charlotte Pitt is too busy to help her husband. Her brother-in-law is standing for parliament; her mother is unsuitably fond of a young actor; and, most important, the Pitts are to move house. But in the panic of packing, it is Charlotte who happens upon a startling solution…

"The author distributes delicacies like sweetmeats at a funeral – best savoured for their morbid aftertaste"NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW

About the AuthorAnne Perry has established a reputation for murder mysteries of the highest quality. She was born in London and lived abroad before settling in her present home, Portmahomack in the Scottish Highlands. She is a full-time writer.