Anne Perry's latest Charlotte and Thomas Pitt mystery, The Angel Court Affair (#489) fittingly enough, concerns Thomas Pitt's assignment to provide security for a visiting Spanish religious cult leader when she visits London to speak. Her views make her a target for protests from the established religions, but the volatile political atmosphere could create an international incident if she is harmed on British soil. Add to that Charlotte and his daughter Jemima's interest in hearing her speak, and Thomas has his hands full.
When Sofia Delacruz goes missing, and two of her associates are murdered in a gruesome fashion, the pressure to find her alive is enormous, especially after her connection to wealthy banker Barton Hall is revealed. Sofia's purpose in coming home to England is expressly to meet with him, but why? No one seems to know, but celebrity cricket player Dalton Teague very publicly announces his intention to join in the hunt for Sofia. Does he simply want to make Special Branch look bad before running for Parliament, or does he have a more personal reason himself?
In addition to being an excellent whodunit, this book also offers a meditation on the meaning of religion, the nature of faith and tolerance which adds another entire dimension to The Angel Court Affair. It made me stop and consider these issues, and how the events portrayed might precipitate the kind of uproar and negative reactions depicted in the novel. They certainly made Thomas Pitt question his own beliefs. In fact, I brought this book to my EfM class as a recommendation for recreational reading. You can certainly read The Angel Court Affair without having read any other books in this series, but once you've read one, it might be like eating peanuts...
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