Anne Perry’s new Christmas novel is an irresistible tale of love, betrayal, greed, murder, and selfless devotion. For the first time, Perry’s annual yuletide offering is set in New York City—a sparkling young metropolis bursting with life, promise, and subtle menace. The year is 1904. Twenty-three-year-old Jemima Pitt, the daughter of Thomas Pitt, head of the Special Branch of the Metropolitan Police, is crossing the Atlantic as companion to Delphinia Cardew, who is to marry the aristocratic Brent Albright in a high-society New York wedding—a grand affair that will join together two fabulously wealthy families, titans of the international financial world. But Jemima senses a mysterious shadow darkening the occasion. Missing from the festivities is Delphinia’s mother, Maria, who is marked by disgrace. Nearly sixteen years ago, Maria abandoned young Delphinia and disappeared—and now the Albrights refuse to mention her name. But when Harley, the groom’s charismatic brother, asks Jemima to help him search for Maria and forestall the scandal that would surely follow if the prodigal parent turned up at the wedding, she agrees to assist him. From Hell’s Kitchen to Fifth Avenue, the Lower East Side to Central Park, Jemima trudges through strange, snowy streets, asking questions but getting few answers—and never suspecting that she is walking into mortal danger, from which not even a handsome young police officer named Patrick Flannery may be able to protect her. Once more, Anne Perry delivers a suspenseful, deeply moving novel that captures the essence of the holiday spirit.

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A New York Christmas is the first book I’ve read of Anne Perry and I’m am so thrilled with this story. I have several other of her books on my shelf that I have yet to get to but now I’m more than eager to do so having read this story! Perry is a very talented writer and tells a marvelous story.

First I’d like to say that I really admire Perry’s style of writing and found it refreshing for the period her story takes place in. I’ve read a few books that was set in the early 1900’s and found the writing awkward and not well plotted. The story line flows beautifully and I enjoyed reading the mystery aspects to it. Not only that I enjoyed the character development and their interaction with each other was entertaining. I was thoroughly engrossed in the story and when I was finished. I wanted more.

This is the perfect book to read for the season and I highly recommend you do! When you sit down to read, wrap yourself up in a warm blanket, have a nice fire perhaps and a hot cup of your favorite coffee or tea. Be prepared to not want to get up from your rest until you are done reading this exciting story.

Stephanie Moore Hopkins