Despite being a historical work, Long Spoon Lane has some very topical themes, terrorism and police corruption, as well as political debate over the arming of police and restrictions of civil liberties. Nevertheless, it carries all the atmosphere of Victorian London to which we are accustomed in Anne Perry's Thomas Pitt novels.
Now working in Special Branch, Pitt is summoned to attend an early morning explosion in Long Spoon Lane. In the ensuing struggle, two of the anarchists are arrested and the leader shot. This proves just the beginning of a complex mystery as the anarchists hotly deny responsibility for the shooting. Not only do they accuse the police but they show genuine fear while in custody, something which shocks and distresses Pitt. He is prompted to pull threads which lead to a tangle of corruption, potentially reaching high into the ranks. Afraid even to confide in wife Charlotte because of the danger to which she will be exposed, Pitt finds himself in the ironic position of not daring to trust colleagues, while making an uneasy alliance with a personal enemy to expose the problem.
Terry Wale does an excellent job of reading this work, conveying the personalities, fears and atmosphere. He injects exactly the right tone, giving a flavour of the period and the variations of characters' circumstances. The sinister background and
chilling threats simmer through Anne Perry's writing and Terry Wale's rendition. A well crafted and enjoyable book, with a relevant, interesting plot.
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Mary Andrea Clark