This was a darker, sadder story than some of the others. Monk and Hester and Oliver are stretched to the limits of friendship as they battle low life Phillips who is always a step ahead of them. He has rich and powerful men on his side, and they have good and faithful friends who place their lives on the line to bring justice and an end to the terrible crimes happening to young boys.
Claudine does her part too as does Squeaky, Scuff, Orme and Sutton. ( )

El inspector William Monk, ahora miembro de la Policía Fluvial del Támesis, se enfrenta a un enemigo muy peligroso: Jericho Phillips, sospechoso de dirigir una extensa red de prostitución infantil. Sin embargo, tras el juicio, Phillips es liberado. Decidido a probar su culpabilidad, Monk reabre el caso; pero a medida que se sumerge en los bajos fondos de Londres se percata de que el misterioso apoyo que recibe Phillips proviene de altas esferas de la sociedad. Con el apoyo de su esposa Hester, William Monk se enfrenta al más peligroso y escurridizo criminal de toda su carrera.

This was very good, well-written, although the subject matter was very disturbing. It was not my favorite because of it, but I still liked it. ( )

Great read. Anne Perry is one of my favorite authors and this book is typical of her writing. I find her writing vivid, detailed and the pace varies with the events as they unfold. Her writing reminds me a little of Dickens (maybe it's because of the settings. I reach a point in her books where I don't want to put it down till I've finished. ( )

The 16th book in the William Monk series is set up slightly different than the previous books which usually have a crime followed by a trial. Here we start with the trial followed by the investigation.
I really like some of the newer characters that have been introduced into the series: Sutton, Scruff, Claudine, and Squeaky. They add a lot of color and authenticity to Monk's world. I also like the setting of the Thames and the River Police. They provide a new and interesting aspect to Victorian London.
I especially liked the story arc for Sir Oliver Rathbone and I was happy to see how it ended. I'm curious to see how Margaret deals with the revelations in the next books. She did not fare so well in this book.
As always, Monk and Hester are the heroes, but they had a lot of others to share their fame with. Jericho Phillips was an evil and disgusting villain. It was a book that kept me on the edge of my seat and I can't wait for the next one. ( )