The Victorian Era is an intriguing time period in which to set a historical mystery series, and there is no better tour guide to lead you through it than the great Anne Perry. To categorize her novels as historical mysteries does not do them justice. There are equal parts political, psychological and sociological elements at play in all her work.

TREACHERY AT LANCASTER GATE is the latest in the long-running Charlotte and Thomas Pitt series and may be one of the finest entries to date. What I found morbidly ironic about the novel and its release date is that it has as its centerpiece a brutal bombing that may have been set by anarchistic terrorists. In light of the recent events in Belgium, I felt a chill down my spine as I tore through the pages of this intense tale.

"As always, Anne Perry has spiced up what could be a standard mystery/thriller with enough emotional subtext and complex moral issues that it is impossible to put down and is continuously surprising."

Thomas Pitt, commander of the Special Branch, is depicted at the beginning of the book standing amidst the burnt-out ruins of a home at Lancaster Gate. It appears that it was a bomb blast that caused the damage. There were five people in the house at the time of the explosion, all of whom were police officers. Two were killed and the others badly injured, one possibly mortally.

Pitt is not the least bit surprised that he was called first to investigate this tragedy. Special Branch is known for dealing with cases involving sabotage, assassinations, bombings and any form of terrorism. When Pitt is able to interview one of the surviving officers, he is told that they were at that location in pursuit of an opium den that was illegally supplying the pain-relieving drug. This information provides Pitt and his team with a valuable lead, and their focus shifts to an obvious suspect.

Alexander Duncannon is the son of one of London's wealthiest men, Sir Godfrey Duncannon.  He is an art lover and a highly intelligent young man, but also an opium addict. The motive for his being involved in the bombing is revenge. In this case, revenge upon an allegedly corrupt group of officers who set up both himself and his dear friend, Dylan Lezant, following a murder investigation. Lezant was found guilty and hung for the crime --- a crime for which Alexander feels responsible.

Pitt is approached by his brother-in-law, Jack Radley, and urged to drop any investigation into Alexander. The reason for his plea is the fact that negotiations with China to stop the flow of opium into London are being led by Godfrey. How long can Pitt wait to apprehend a suspect he knows is guilty just to satisfy the political machinations that are in motion against the illegal opium trade?

As always, Anne Perry has spiced up what could be a standard mystery/thriller with enough emotional subtext and complex moral issues that it is impossible to put down and is continuously surprising. One thing she excels at is bringing to life controversial courtroom dramas, and TREACHERY AT LANCASTER GATE has a whopper of a trial at its conclusion. Readers will be surprised at and quite satisfied with the electric ending, which features instances that will continue to resonate long after the final page is turned.