Bluegate Fields by Anne Perry

 The Book 

This is the fourth book in Anne Perry's Charlotte and Thomas Pitt novels. 

When a tosher discovers the mostly nude body of an upper class teenage boy, he does his duty and reports it to the police. Pitt is called to investigate the perplexing set of circumstances that led a young man of wealth and privilege to wash up against one of the underground sewer gates, in nothing but his boots. An autopsy reveals the boy to have the beginning stages of syphilis, likely the result of a homosexual liaison, which may or may not have had any part in the reason he was drowned in a bathtub. With a lack of defensive wounds, it seems the poor boy never saw his death coming. 

After a few days, Pitt discovers Arthur Waybourne was the son of a wealthy man, and Pitt must break the unbearable news to the boy's father. Sir Anstey Waybourne reacts with anger, denial, and revulsion at what has happened to his son, but he holds out no hope that the boy's murder can be solved. It is Anstey's opinion that Arthur was attacked by strangers. 

After a long and circuitous investigation, which puts Pitt at odds with his boss, Chief Superintendent Athelstan, and much to Pitt's dissatisfaction the boy's tutor Maurice Jerome for the crime. Despite Jerome's lack of syphilis, he is none-the-less convicted of Arthur's murder. Athelstan nearly fires Pitt for his ongoing belief that Jerome is innocent. Charlotte, is not deterred, having formed a liking for Jerome's wife. She enlists Emily and Aunt Vespasia to help her get to the truth. They decide to campaign against child prostitution, since one of the witnesses is a seventeen year old male prostitute. This applies the pressure to Waybourne and his friends and family, one of whom is deeply afraid the truth will come out. When it finally does, it is to the social ruin of a wealthy family, but will it be in time for Jerome to be set free?

 My Thoughts

This is the 6th book in the Charlotte and Thomas Pitt series. Interestingly, if you read the books in the order they are listed at the front of the books, this book is ahead of Rutland Place. It seems the publisher, for whatever reason, just cannot process that she would write two back to back books starting with an R. Weird. Anyway, I'm lucky to have run across a website that listed the books in the correct order. And it is clearly the correct order. Charlotte is pregnant with Daniel in the previous book and he is a baby in this one. 

This book finally sees Perry extend Pitt's work environment. His subordinate, Gilvary is hostile, argumentative, smart, and cowed by the aristocracy. His superior, Athelstan is jealous of Pitt's wife, and disapproving of Pitt's willingness to tread on "Quality's" toes to get answers. 

While the world is more developed, as are the characters, the story is slowed by passages of narration instead of action. Not the best in this series so far. Callander Square holds that distinction. Nevertheless, it is a good read. 

How Much My Library Card Saved Me

This is yet another book from the Ballantine Books Trade Paperback series. It entered into my library on April 06, 2018. It is in extremely good condition with no fold, stains or markings.

This Book                               $16.00

This Summer                        $218.02