Rating: 
Summary: A thought provoking Pitt novel
Review: Half Moon Street was a book I could not put down, but it was disturbing in its look at both sides of the censorship (and art vis-a-vis pornography)issues. Also the issue of women's total subjugation to men and their desire for freedom or at least for equality comes into play. The murder is almost a McGuffin to lead into these matters. Caroline Ellison Fielding, Charlotte Pitt's mother, plays a very prominent role, as does Mariah Ellison, her hateful mother-in-law. Charlotte and Gracie do not appear except in Charlotte's letters to her husband and in Sgt. Tellman's thoughts of Gracie, whom he has come to love. Lady Vespasia makes a brief but welcome appearance. Tellman, Caroline, and even Mariah learn some valuable lessons and continue to grow as human beings. And Cecily Antrim is a fascinating character. All in all, one of Perry's best.
Rating:
Summary: One of Perry's best
Review: His wife Charlotte accompanied by her sister and brother-in-law are vacationing in Paris and his children are at the shore with their nanny. Bow Street police Superintendent Thomas Pitt feels a bit empty and lonely.That changes when a murdered male corpse is found floating on the Thames. The victim's arms are chained to the boat's sides and he is wearing a dress. The case is difficult because the victim's name remains unknown. Eventually, Pitt learns the deceased is famous photographer Delbert Cathart, an artist known for capturing the essence of his subjects. The placement of the body, a parody of sexual fulfillment, suggests this is a crime of passion, the perpetrator one of the many individuals who have posed for Delbert or have been affected by his work. The diligent Pitt continues his investigation seeking a motive that hopefully will lead him to the perpetrator. Anne Perry is one of the giantesses of the mystery genre as her works constantly reach readers on different levels, many of which are emotionally charged. Victorian London is vigorously brought to life as a place where men struggle to keep the power that women want for themselves. The who-done-it of HALF MOON STREET is entertaining and puzzling as Ms. Perry continues to be the leading light of the Victorian mystery. Harriet Klausner
Rating: 
Summary: Not enough mystery
Review: I also thought this book was not one of Anne Perry's best. I love both series, Monk and Pitt, but this one was boring. Caroline took up way to much of the novel. If it was a side story, it might have work better, but it overtook the whole book and definitely overshadowed the mystery, which seemed to take a minor role in the plot. If Perry's book are to continue in this fashion, I will probably cease to read them.
Rating: 
Summary: Half Moon Winks Out
Review: I am a fan of Anne Perry and enjoy her because she does not have to beat me bloddy with the trials and tribulations of her characters [After all they are Victorians]. This one, however, was even a bit too "on the top" for me. The end was abrupt and motivations seemed an afterthought. The case is solved too quickly, in my opinion, and it was far too difficult to follow.
Rating:
Summary: Page Skipper
Review: I had the stack maintainance staff in our library search for 2 days to find this book for me and I wish I had not bothered. I used to enjoy the Thomas and Charlotte Pitt mysteries, but not this one. I found myself running into the soapbox obstacles constantly and skipping the pages trying to find the resumption of the mystery story. I missed the interplay between Thomas and Charlotte and I missed the mystery.
Rating:
Summary: Missed the bus on Half Moon Street
Review: I have enjoyed every one of Anne Perry's mysteries, both the Pitt and Monk series, until this one. I was sorely disappointed with the story line. It was weak and predictable. The women's rights thread was interesting and fitting, but the actual mystery was sparse. Not the usual intricately woven tale I'm accustomed to from Ms. Perry. I almost had the sense that the book was written to meet a publishing schedule rather than the natural continuation of a very interesting and entertaining series. Very often I'll think I know who the guilty party is only to find myself, as a result of a unexpected plot twist, to be mistaken in the end. I was disappointed to find out I was right this time. I would much prefer to have to wait longer for the next book to come out and have it be up to her usual standards than to repeat this experience again.
Rating:
Summary: Best Anne Perry Yet
Review: I have read every one of Anne Perry's books, and this is the best yet. Her thought-provoking subjects, such as censorship and women's rights add to the depth of her plots. In HALF MOON STREET she also delves further into the personalities of her continuing characters, particularly Caroline, Charlotte's mother; and Mariah, Charlotte's grandmother. In my opinion, one of the best things about a continuing series is getting to know the characters in depth, and Ms. Perry continues to deliver in this area.
Rating:
Summary: An OK read for Perry fans.
Review: I have read every one of Perry's mysteries, and was extremely disappointed in the previous two. Half-Moon Street is OK, but it lacks the punch of Perry's best work, and a plot twist at the end doesn't actually make too much sense. The bottom line: I just wasn't too interested in this mystery, and since Perry's stories ALWAYS have a modern-day moral, it's pretty easy to see the resolution coming.
Rating:
Summary: Great As Usual
Review: I have read every single one of Anne Perry's books. I love them. This is a good one, and it's different because Charlotte isn't it. She's away on vacation for the duration. If anybody wonders how dirty pictures started, this book will tell you that. It's a good mystery and it really proves that the fall-out from pornography is not limited to our times.
Rating: 
Summary: More of the Same
Review: I have vowed that I would never read another Anne Perry mystery again. Then in a moment of weakness and in the absence of anything more appealing, I bought and read Half Moon Street. And it was more of the same tired, worn-out explication of Victorian mores, discussed inthe same dreamy, wordy, uninteresting way that one expects from this author. While billed as a mystery novel, the mystery part takes up no more than 10% of the book. Next time I really will know better.
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