From Publishers Weekly The 18th case for turn-of-the-century London policeman Thomas Pitt offers Perry's guaranteed entertainment， although without the full depth of last year's Ashworth Hall. Now in command of the Bow Street station， Pitt is sent to the home of prominent vicar and scholar Ramsay Parmenter， where a young woman has died in a suspicious fall down the stairs. Unity Bellwood was as adept at irritating others as she was at her work of translating ancient texts with the reverend. Pitt faces the awkward possibility that the dead woman was pushed by Parmenter himself; by Parmenter's intense son， Mallory， who is annoying his Anglican father by studying to become a Catholic priest; or by Dominic Corde， a curate who lives in the house. Complicating issues is the fact that Dominic， the widowed husband of Pitt's wife Charlotte's dead sister， is an elegant former wastrel with whom Charlotte was once infatuated. As Pitt probes "all the little sins" of the household， he discovers secrets that several of his suspects have failed to confess about themselves and about Unity. Meanwhile Charlotte， drawn to visit Dominic， witnesses social interactions among the family group that her husband， in his official capacity， could not observe. Within this clearly drawn cast， the face of the villain begins to emerge even before Pitt is called in on a second death in the household and closes in on the crimes' solution. Author tour. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information， Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. From School Library Journal YA-Perry continues to reveal the intricacies of women's rights in Victorian society in this murder mystery. When Inspector Thomas Pitt investigates the murder of Unity Bellwood， he is forced to admit that his former brother-in-law， Dominic， is one of the key suspects. Or did her employer， Reverend Parmenter， push her down the stairs? Unity was antagonistic and flaunted women's rights and Darwin's ideas in Parmenter's very traditional home. Pitt's wife is appalled that Dominic could be a suspect and helps with the detective work. Even though there is a limited number of possible perpetrators， readers will still be surprised as clues are found to reveal the answers. This is more of a character study than a novel of action， but it will appeal to Perry's fans.Claudia Moore， W. T. Woodson High School， Fairfax， VACopyright 1998 Reed Business Information， Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. See all Editorial Reviews