Thomas Pitt (fictional character)

Thomas Pitt is the protagonist in a series of detective novels by Anne Perry.

The stories are set in Victorian London. Pitt is from a working class background: his father was a gamekeeper on a landed estate and Pitt was permitted to share the lessons with the son of the house. He was prompted to enter the police force after his father was wrongly accused of poaching game and was transported to Australia.

At the beginning of the series, Pitt is a Police Inspector, but was promoted to superintendent. Later he is removed from his job as a result of investigating the "wrong people" i.e. those with sufficient influence and power and joins the Special Branch, in which he becomes an inspector.

His wife, Charlotte (née Ellison), is from an upper class family. Her sister Emily's first husband was a viscount and her second husband is a rising politician. Charlotte frequently uses Emily's connections to the landed gentry and aristocracy to assist Pitt in his investigations. Charlotte also relies on her maid of all work, Gracie, to care for her two children, Jemima and Daniel, when she is investigating a mystery. Charlotte's well-intentioned interference in his investigations gives Pitt access to information which often enables the couple to solve the case together.

Vespasia Cumming-Gould, the elderly aunt of Emily's first husband, becomes a friend to both Emily and Charlotte and eases their way into society.

The first novel, "The Cater Street Hangman", was adapted for TV in 1998; it starred Eoin McCarthy and Keeley Hawes and featured Hannah Spearritt in her acting debut.

Novels

Series is listed in internal chronological order, according to the author's website [http://www.anneperry.net/15.html] .

* The Cater Street Hangman (1979)
* Callander Square (1980)
* Paragon Walk (1981)
* Resurrection Row (1981)
* Bluegate Fields (1984)
* Rutland Place (1983)
* Death in Devil's Acre (1985)
* Cardington Crescent (1987)
* Silence in Hanover Close (1988)
* Bethlehem Road (1990)
* Highgate Rise (1991)
* Belgrave Square (1992)
* Farrier's Lane (1993)
* The Hyde Park Headsman (1994)
* Traitors Gate (1995)
* Pentecost Alley (1996)
* Ashworth Hall (1997)
* Brunswick Gardens (1998)
* Bedford Square (1999)
* Half Moon Street (1998)
* The Whitechapel Conspiracy (2001)
* Southampton Row (2002)
* Seven Dials (2003)
* Long Spoon Lane (2005)
* African Passage (due April 7, 2008)

Rutland Place was published in 1983 but based on internal chronology should be read "after" Bluegate Fields, which was published in 1984.

Half Moon Street was published in 1998 but based on internal chronology should be read "after" Bedford Square, which was published in 1999.

Publishing dates confirmed from Fantastic Fiction website.

External links

* [http://www.anneperry.net/ Anne Perry's official website]
*
* [http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/p/anne-perry/ Fantastic Fiction's Anne Perry page]