Corridors of the Night

by Anne Perry

I have been reading Perry's William and Hester Monk series from the beginning.  I love this series but I think this is my favorite.  Each book fleshes out the characters and their relationships which makes them seem like dear friends.  And it's always nice to check in and find out what's going on in their lives.

William is Commander of the Thames River Police, a job which is difficult at best but with the amnesia he suffered years ago, the job has some unusual stresses.  He is never sure what is relationship is with certain people that become involved in his cases - people that act like they have a history with Monk.

In this episode Hester is kidnapped because of her outstanding record as a nurse.  She is needed to care for 3 children who have also been kidnapped and her help is required to help save a wealthy, but arrogant man.  The man is dying from a blood disease and must have transfusions of blood that has been taken from the children.  Even though blood transfusions had been tried in the past they were never successful.

As a retired biology teacher I was interested in the antiquated machine and methods involved in the transfusions.  Questions of morality were raised as to the extent science or medicine can take to make progress.  At what cost does the advancement take?

This is the 21st book in this series but I think it would be just as enjoyable as a stand alone.  The feelings for the characters may not be quite as strong but they will develop quickly.  Hester and William Monk are very likable.  The historical aspects of the book are interesting as the book is set in Victorian England.

If I was to rate this book, which I am always hesitant to do, I'd give it a 4.75 out of 5. 

I received this book free from the publisher through NetGalley. I thank them for their generousity. In exchange, I was simply asked to write an honest review, and post it. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising