When a ransom exchange turns deadly in this thrilling mystery from bestselling author Anne Perry, Commander William Monk faces an unthinkable possibility: betrayal by his own men. NAMED ONE OF THE BEST CRIME NOVELS OF THE YEAR BY THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW • “Riveting . . . one of the series’ more powerful recent entries.”—Publishers Weekly When kidnappers choose a broken-down waterside slum … Weekly
When kidnappers choose a broken-down waterside slum as the site of a ransom exchange for the wife of wealthy real estate developer Harry Exeter, the Thames River Police and Commander William Monk shadow Harry to the spot to ensure that no harm comes to him or his captive wife. But on arrival, Monk and five of his best men are attacked from all sides. Certain that one of his colleagues has betrayed him, Monk delves into each of their pasts, one of which hides a dreadful secret. Soon facing a series of deadly obstructions, Monk must choose between his own safety and the chance to solve the mystery—and to figure out where his men’s loyalty really lies.
Praise for Dark Tide Rising
“Perry makes cunning work of the plot, which raises issues of trust and loyalty while driving home a grim message about the vulnerability of women who entrust their fortunes to unscrupulous men.”—The New York Times Book Review
“One of the most successful of prolific Perry’s recent Victorian melodramas. The opening chapters are appropriately portentous, the mystification is authentic, and if the final surprise isn’t exactly a shock, it’s so well-prepared that even readers who don’t gasp will nod in satisfaction.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Another deftly crafted gem of a suspense thriller by a master of the mystery genre . . . a ‘must read.’ “—Midwest Book Review
“Superb . . . [a] brilliant piece of historical fiction . . . No one writes Victorian-era stories quite like Perry.”—BookReporter
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4 and 1 / 2 stars
It is Victorian England and Commander William Monk of the Thames River Police has received a visit from Attorney Oliver Rathbone. Harry Exeter’s wife Kate has been kidnapped and a request for ransom has been received. She was with her cousin Celia Darwin when it happened. Celia is very distraught. The ransom is quite a bit of money, but Mr. Exeter can raise the funds. He wants someone to go with him for he does not know the area of Jacob’s Island. Monk feels for Exeter as his own wife Hester was kidnapped not long ago. He chooses his second-in-command Hooper and four other trusted men to go with him.
Jacob’s Island is a swampy area of London, universally hated – and perhaps feared – by the police. But when they arrive at the exchange place, the plan goes wrong. The men are attacked and violence ensues. Monk had picked out his best and most promising officers for the meet. Kate Exeter is killed. What had gone wrong? Did someone tip off the kidnappers to their plans?
The kidnappers seem to know who Exeter was. They knew he could raise the money. Did they also know Kate? The police chased the kidnappers after they killed Kate. One man in particular named Lister was captured, but got away during another altercation that took place.
Monk and Hooper spot Lister in a pub. They take up a position to watch but are surprise attacked again. The men get away. While searching for the men, they find Lister. He is dead with his throat cut. Lister couldn’t have been the mastermind of the kidnapping plan. He was too unstable and impulsive. Hooper takes Celia to view Lister’s body to ascertain if he was the one who kidnapped Kate. She identifies him as the man who took Kate. Dare I say that Hooper has become rather smitten with Celia?
The bookkeeper at the bank where Mrs. Exeter had her trust comes in to Monk and shows him evidence that someone has been fiddling the books. The only people with access to the account were the bank manager Roger Doyle and attorney Maurice Latham. When Harry Exeter is arrested for the murders, it is clear that someone has framed him.
In a surprise twist, the reader learns the identity of the murders of three people.
This is a very well written and plotted novel, as are all of Anne Perry’s books. It is filled with descriptions of the life and times of Victorian England. One can smell the river, see the people and follow the police as they track the killer of Kate Exeter and the others. We can hear the attorneys arguing at the bar as to determine whether Harry Exeter is guilty or not. I truly enjoy Ms. Perry’s books. They have transported me on many a day to other places, and sometimes, to other times. I await the next in the series.
I want to thank NetGalley and Random House Publishing – Ballantine/Ballantine Books for forwarding to me a copy of this wonderful book for me to read, enjoy and review.
This is a new to me author. I really liked this story and the characters were great. I liked the mystery and the early police procedures. Very interesting. I will be looking for more books by this author. Monk expects to help a man get his wife back from kidnappers. What he doesn’t expect is to get ambushed and then to find the poor woman dead. He knows that someone on the team had to betray them. There was no other way it could have happened. So, while trying to figure out which of his men betrayed them all, he has to figure out who the kidnappers are and why they killed Kate. As the investigation progresses, two more people end up dead and there is no answer as to who is responsible. Monk knows how it feels to have your wife kidnapped and maybe he isn’t thinking rationally. Are his emotions getting in the way on this investigation?
William Monk has changed his profession several times since I began reading the series many, many years ago. Police detective, private detective, investigator for attorneys, etc. His position with the River Police, though, seems to have become his permanent berth. He’s settled into the role, assumed the mantle of authority, and formed ties to his men, a change from the alienation he experienced in the early books. Those ties will be challenged in this novel.
Oliver Rathbone contacts Monk on behalf of Harry Exeter. His wife, Kate, has been kidnapped and is being held for ransom. Exeter is willing to pay the ransom, but it requires that he go to a very dangerous area along the river and he wants protection against robbery (en route) and double-crossing during the transfer. Monk accompanies Exeter personally and stations his men in nearby locations to try catching the kidnappers after the safe return of Kate. Instead, the double-cross does happen, and the police are ambushed in their locations.
Kate Exeter is dead, and clearly the kidnappers knew where Monk’s men were going to be. Someone has provided the information to the bad guys, and it could only be someone involved in the exchange. Monk must investigate his own men to clear or condemn them. They all have secrets, and they all have weaknesses… did one knuckle under to blackmail? Worse…bribery?
One of Monk’s men, John Hooper, often takes center stage during this novel. Like Monk, he is agonizing over the idea that they were all betrayed… and, as the secrets of his fellow officers are revealed, it becomes clear that he has one of his own, and it could cost him everything.
As Monk pursues his leads, the trail of crime enters Superintendent Runcorn’s patch. Runcorn, Monk’s old boss and former enemy, develops his own opinions on the case, which don’t always agree with Monk’s. Runcorn charges the husband with murder, and Monk, with Rathbone, work to prove Harry Exeter innocent.
The case ends with a twist I didn’t expect the author to make. It keeps the story from entirely sinking into the tawdry background of Monk’s many cases (since this is the twenty-fourth Monk novel).
I was pleased to see Monk’s men fleshed out further, even under the unpleasant circumstances, and I enjoyed Runcorn’s bold entry into the investigation. Monk’s wife, Hester, does appear in this book, though not frequently enough for my tastes. Scuff, their adopted son, is maturing nicely and has developed ambitions for his future. Beata, Oliver’s new wife, also makes a brief appearance.
Perry often ends the book shortly after revealing the killer; this is one of those occasions. I like a little more denoument, personally, but it wasn’t too abrupt. It did remind me a little of a Perry Mason ending, where all is revealed on the stand.
Reading this reminded me why I fell in love with Anne Perry. And in turn find myself watching tv dramas set during this period. I got hooked on Ripper Street because it reminded me of Monk and Thomas Pitt. I also realize I need to catch up on the Monk series because I am very behind. That said, I still loved this book. Monk is exactly as I remembered and I love how Perry evokes London of that time. I also love the twists and turns she is so good at giving us. I may need to reread to completely appreciate all the nuances! I received an advance copy. I voluntarily am providing an honest review.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4
This mystery was filled with twists, turns, betrayals, and gruesome murders. The writing is excellent, as always, but the story seemed to drag a bit at times with repetitions of various aspects of the story. I enjoyed the story, but I missed the old Monk, this one seemed a bit old, tired and melancholy and not nearly as sharp as he used to be. I really love the stories when Hester and Scuff help Monk, but this time Scuff didn’t get more than an honorable mention and Hester’s input was to be home cooking dinner when Monk finally arrived home. From Monk’s demeanor throughout the entire book, it would not have surprised me to read Monk’s announcement that he was retiring and moving to the Cotswolds at the end of the book.
Sir Oliver Rathbone is an attorney and a good friend to William Monk – probably his best friend. When Rathbone arrives at Monk’s house one evening and tells him the story of Harry Exeter and his missing wife, Kate, Monk immediately agrees to help. Kate has been kidnapped and the kidnappers have demanded a huge ransom to be delivered to a very dangerous place – Jacob’s Island. Jacob’s Island is not really an island, but a place that the river is reclaiming – it is filled with buildings that are being sucked down into the mud and muck of the river and pathways are constantly changing as walls collapse, etc. Exeter asks Monk and the River Police to help him drop the ransom because he has no idea how to get through the island to the drop point. Monk immediately identifies with Exeter’s terror for his wife because Monk’s wife Hester was once kidnapped.
Kate Exeter was out for a walk with her cousin, Celia Darwin, who is also her best friend. They are having a lovely walk along the shore of the river when Kate is approached by a gentleman Celia doesn’t know. Celia doesn’t want to seem to be eavesdropping on the conversation, so she moves away slightly – then a group of people walks between them – and then – Kate is gone.
Monk, Exeter and five of Monk’s best River Policemen plan to deliver the ransom – exactly according to the instructions. Exeter is adamant – he doesn’t care about the money, he wants his wife back. Then, everything goes horribly, horribly wrong. The team is attacked and Kate is viciously murdered. What happened? They were doing exactly as asked – why murder Kate? Is there a traitor among the team who provided details of their movements to the kidnappers? Monk absolutely can’t believe that – but it must be true – how else would the kidnappers have known where each one of the team was stationed? Add two more murders into the mix and you have a really dastardly villain.
I was sure about who the villain was early on, but I also knew the author would throw some kinks into the story to make me doubt myself. There were a number of leads to follow and a few red herrings along the way. I loved that Runcorn took on a part of the investigation, but hated that he was more astute and less wrung out than Monk was.
The end seemed a little contrived and a bit abrupt, but finally, justice was served.
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“I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher.”
Wow! Seeing justice served in the trial of a husband accused of his kidnapped wife’s murder has Monk and his men gathering evidence down to the wire. Dark Tide Rising is a tightly paced mystery leading up to an intense trial which will have you holding your breath!
Most unusual story, compelling characters different for Perry but very good
Anything Anne Perry writes is always a good read.
Love Anne Perry’s books, and this one had lots of interesting plot twists and turns.
Another clever plot , by the author. Guessing the end will ensue you read all the pages.
This book continues the Hester and William Monk series. The character of William Monk is well-developed in this mystery. His own vulnerabilities lead to some mistaken judgments that almost lead to a miscarriage of justice. Well worth reading.
It has been quite a while since I read one of Anne Perry’s books and I really enjoyed getting reacquainted with her work.
The historical atmosphere places you back in the second half of the eighteen hundreds. Bringing to live the various classes in society from wealthy to extreme poor. The operational side of the police force in that time period. The not wanting to believe that one of your coworkers has betrayed you but at the same time the distrust of each other hangs in the air constantly when you need to depend on each other.
The book keeps you in suspense till the end. Once you realize who the bad guy is you don’t find out till the last couple of pages if he is going to get away with it all and destroy a lot of people lives by doing so.
I’m a fan – enjoy each book and the birth of a new character
Murder Most Foul
Character matters, and the strength of ties of trust is tested fully in this latest William Monk novel. I’ve not read the whole series but find myself wanting to as they are all so wonderfully wrought and, although any relevant information from previous tales is properly glossed, it cannot contain the richness of detail from the full story. Although a secondary character, Monk’s wife Hester is a very strong woman who served with “Miss Nightingale” in the Crimea. Like the American Civil War, huge advances in medical practice were made among the bloodshed, disease, and appalling conditions of the battlefields, and the men and especially the women, many of whom were gently reared, all came home with horrific memories and varying levels of PTSD. They were also left to cope with it pretty much on their own because one simply did not discuss such topics. This book, as do the others, reflects the depth and breadth of research on any number of topics from river geography and slum conditions to police and court procedures. And against this background our current story is set in all its intricacy of plot and character development. Although you may think you’ve figured out “whodunnit,” the final twists will keep you guessing until the end. Another better-than-five-star achievement!
Sir Oliver Rathbone comes to Monk’s home and asks for help with a problematic situation. A man’s wife has been kidnapped for ransom. The man, Harry Exeter, is willing to pay it, but he wants no police involvement. He simply wants Monk to accompany him to ensure the trade is made. Of course Monk agrees and with a few of his most trusted men set up a plan to safely ensure the exchange first, and once Kate Exeter is safely with her husband, attempt to capture the kidnappers. But their plan results in deadly circumstances and Monk is left with the gut-wrenching thought that they were betrayed by one of their own. Determined to find the perpetrators and ferret out who betrayed them, Monk throws his all into this case. But can he live with the truth! I have only read a few of the earlier Monk novels, but it was easy to pick up on the character and his current circumstances. I enjoyed the flavor of the late 1800’s as well as his loving relationship with his wife…who is also a strong female character of her own. My main complaint was the handwringing and “who do I trust” went on a bit much. But in the end, Monk redeemed himself and helped lay bare the truth, regardless of any personal consequences. Disclosure: I am voluntarily reviewing this book received through NetGalley.
This book kept me guessing from beginning to end, great twist.
Dark Tide Rising by Anne Perry is the 24th installment in her William Monk series. Sir Oliver Rathbone, Monk’s good friend, arrives at Monk and Hester’s home one evening to request that Monk come and meet a man whose wife has been kidnapped. The man requires assistance in delivering the ransom and obtaining the safe release of his wife from the hands of the kidnappers. Monk is involved immediately and his whole crew gets involved. It all goes horribly awry. This is how the story begins.
Dark Tide Rising is a tale of betrayal and suspicion. The idea that one’s closest companions may have betrayed their jobs and those they work with casts a pall over the entire investigation and all those involved. In many ways it is more important than the mystery. The way the words absorbed the doubt was masterful. Everyone questioning everyone and everyone they knew. Monk’s story never grows old. The cast of characters changes and flows from book to book but the core remains solid. It is wonderful to immerse myself in the world of William Monk despite the fact it is a dark one.
I love this series; this book. I highly recommend it. It is not necessary to read the entire series as Perry does a good job of filling us in on the important details from the past, but starting at the beginning will be more pleasurable for the reader.
I received a free ARC of this book in exchange foe a fair and honest review.
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