The Cater Street Hangman

I will admit it’s been a while since I read this, the first Charlotte and Thomas Pitt mystery.

The fact that I still remember it and include it on this list says something. The mystery is convoluted enough to keep readers interested and the story of the lead characters going against societal norms (young woman from a good family attracted to a “lowly” police inspector) is intriguing. 

Throw in the foggy atmosphere of Victorian London and you’ve got a real winner. Be aware, though, Hangman is the first of 32 Charlotte and Thomas Pitt novels.

Still Perry’s best, in my opinion. Charlotte Ellison is the plain, outspoken daughter of a wealthy Victorian family. A series of murders, that includes Ellison’s maid, brings a lower-class policeman into the house. Thomas Pitt is the son of a gamekeeper and therefore not marriage material. The growing affection between the too-clever Charlotte and the compassionate Thomas is a scandal in this class-ridden society.

A great mystery that highlights the repressive mores of that time, and wonderful appealing characters.

I’m a woman. I have been successful in my profession, but even in today’s world, I have had to endure patronizing and sometimes obstructive men, who clearly showed that women were not welcome. The maxim that to succeed in a man’s world you had to be twice as smart and work twice as hard, still holds true. So, I am drawn to stories of strong women, like Charlotte Pitt in The Cater Street Hangman, who overcame the obstacles created by the beliefs and rules of the society in 1800s England. I am also the great-granddaughter of the protagonist of… show more.