In his family life Angus Stonefield had been gentle and loving, in business a man of probity, and in his relationship with his twin brother, Caleb, a virtual saint. Now Angus is missing, and it appears more than possible that CalebΠ²Πβa creature long since abandoned to depravityΠ²Πβhas murdered him. Hired to solve the mystery, William Monk puts himself in AngusΠ²Πβ’s shoes, searching for clues to the missing manΠ²Πβ’s fate and his vicious brotherΠ²Πβ’s whereabouts. Slowly Monk inches toward the truthΠ²Πβand also, unwittingly, toward the destruction of his good name and livelihood.
From Publishers Weekly
In her sixth William Monk mystery, Perry evokes early Victorian London with her usual skill, although the novel is somewhat hampered by an awkward plot element. Genevieve Stonefield comes to Monk for help, believing that her missing husband, the upright Angus Stonefield, has been murdered by his depraved twin brother, Caleb. When Monk finds evidence of Angus's death, he also comes upon a makeshift typhoid hospital staffed by his two friends, Lady Callandra Daviot and Hester Latterly. The relationship between Hester and Monk seems excessively turbulent this time out, marked by an antagonism that is unexpectedly harsh after the moments of closeness they shared in the previous book (The Sins of the Wolf). More interesting than the resolution of Angus's death is a subplot involving a woman from Monk's past whom the amnesiac investigator can't recall. The fate of their friendship and his investigation into her past make up the best parts of a story which, while written with care and intelligence, suffers from a predictable ending.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Perry's lingering fame from the murder she committed as an adolescent won't hurt her latest book's popularity, but there's no doubt that her historical mysteries would be critical and popular successes no matter what her background. Victorian detective William Monk returns, this time in one of the most challenging cases he's ever faced. Genevieve Stonefield begs Monk to find her missing husband, Angus, whom she fears has been killed by his twin brother, Caleb. Angus, a respected businessman, loyal husband and father, and pillar of the community, has disappeared after a visit to Caleb, who's as different from Angus as it's possible to be; he's a violent thief, ruffian, and blackguard who lives in one of London's most dangerous slums. Genevieve's fears that Angus is dead at Caleb's hand seem well founded; all Monk has to do is find the means, the motive, the opportunity--and the body. But the more he investigates, the more bizarre twists and frustrating dead ends he encounters, until his persistence finally breaks the case wide open in a stunning climax that surprises even the unflappable Monk. This one deserves high marks for superb plotting, fine writing, intriguing characters, and outstanding historical detail. Buy multiple copies. Emily Melton