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DEATH WITH A DOUBLE EDGE is Anne Perry's fourth novel featuring junior barrister Daniel Pitt, son of Sir Thomas and Charlotte Pitt, who have been featured in their own wildly successful series of thirty-two books. All three characters are important in this new book, although the focus in on Daniel. When he is called to the mortuary to identify a body, he discovers it is the mutilated corpse of Jonah Drake, a highly respected senior partner in his firm. He must now, with the help of his colleague and friend Toby Kitteridge, discover what cases the highly respected lawyer may have been working on that could have led to his death. What secrets did he harbor? What truths did he stumble upon? Who was he investigating? While trying to find out the answers to these questions, they are hampered by the nervous behavior of Marcus fford Croft, the head of their firm. He seems to be losing his memory, but it also may be that he is covering up some sorts of illegalities that the firm and the dead man may have been involved with.
Drake had recently defended Evan Faber, the son of wealthy ship building magnate Erasmus Faber. The young man had been accused of beating to death a woman of less than upstanding character with whom he had been involved. Although he was found not guilty, the true murderer was never discovered. Drake's body was found in the part of town frequented by lowlifes, by prostitutes and thieves. Why was he there? Was it something to do with this recent case? Daniel seeks out Evan, allegedly to inform him about Drake's death. Soon, however, the two young men become friends. Evan is then murdered, a stabbing victim like Drake, and seemingly in the same part of town—but this time the killing knife has been used in a quick and professional manner. This awful killing, which seems related to the other, renews Daniel's commitment to finding the culprit.
The suspense grows as crimes, including murder and kidnapping, follow in rapid succession. Are the police protecting someone? Is this bribery, or something far worse?
Sir Thomas Pitt cautions his son to stay away from certain individuals, and he himself is warned by his superiors not to get involved, but neither father nor son will stand down when the truth needs to be found. And in the end, their courage and perseverance pay off. Even wealth and influence will not protect a murderer.
§ Anne Corey is a writer, poet, teacher and botanical artist in New York's Hudson Valley.
Reviewed by Anne Corey, May 2021
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