Weighed in the Balance, Anne Perry

 

The Book

    Oliver Rathbone irrationally agrees to defend Countess Zorah Rostova from the accusation of defamation. The countess publicly told many people, that Princess Gisela, the wife of the last Prince Fredrich of Felzburg murdered her husband. 

    The political back home have changed, and there was a considerable faction that wanted Fredrich back. It looks like Prussia will succeed in unifying the German principalities, and tiny Felzburg will be gobbled up. Those who want Prince Fredrich to return and lead the country into independence arrived in England to convince the exiled prince to set aside his wife and come home. That was the price of his crown. But before Fredrich could make his decision, he had a horrible accident. He survived, and it looked like he was getting better, only to have his condition worsen rapidly and he died. 

    The countess is adamant, Gisela did it, but she doesn't have a shred of proof. Gisela, sues her to get back her good name, since Gisela was the reason Fredrich gave up the crown of Felzburg to begin with. 

    Monk agrees to investigate the case, and he travels all over England and Europe, on the countess's money, having a grand time and indulging in some selfish behavior. However, he still tries very hard to find the proof for Rathbone that was needed. And when he does find it, he doesn't realize it. 

    Meanwhile, Hester takes on a new client, the teenage son of other Felzburg exiles. The son is recovering from a bad fever, but looses the use of his legs. Together with her friend, Lady Callandra Daviot, they form a plan to for the boy to meet the disabled daughter from one of Monk's previous cases. The two young people get along splendidly, but the boy's parents do not see it that way. 

   It is finally Hester who figures out how Fredrich was murdered, but can Rathbone prove it in time to keep the countess from facing murder charges of her own? 

My Thoughts

    I could not put this book down. Although I did not remember reading the book when I read the cover synopsis, and there were several parts of the story I had forgotten, I got to a particular description in the book and I remember that I solved the case the first time and I knew who the murder was this time. 

    I admit, I had totally forgotten how selfishly Monk had behaved in this book and the previous book. Monk is a terrible judge of women, his acute ability to read men is rivaled by his colossal ineptitude at understanding women. And he's still in deep denial about his feelings for Hester, again. I found it both fun, and more than a little annoying, despite the fact that I know how the plot twists here in just a few more books. It took me just two days to read this book. Which, puts me ahead for the year, even if it is just by a couple of days. 

How Much My Library Card Saved Me

    This book was sent to me from Park Ridge Public Library. Seeing as how it is a first edition, I can see that it entered their library in October of 1996. It still has the circulation pocket card pasted into the back page, something my children have never used. Given the age of the book, it is in extremely good condition, but it has been well read and there is just a couch of damage on the edges of the hardback cover. The inside of the book says it was $23.00, and that matches when I add this book and Pentecost Alley together. That is the number I will use. 

This Book                                                     $23.00

Items Reviewed This Year                           $38.00

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