So many changes have been introduced in this sixth installment of the Daniel Pitt novel series. Marcus fford Croft has retired from the law firm where Daniel is employed. Daniel has married Marcus' daughter Miriam. Miriam is confidently executing her pathologist duties at the city morgue and Marcus' final act at the firm was the hiring of a hot shot barrister, a "silk" by the name of Gideon Hunter. When a risky and severely challenging fraud case arises, Gideon jumps at the chance to prosecute and relegates Daniel as his second. Bodies start piling up as the case seems to be unraveling. Will it all come out right in the end? Only time will tell.

Ms. Perry has done a spectacular job of building the tension of this complex case and carrying the reader along for the ride. The first half of the book focuses on setting the evidentiary details and then the pace accelerates and the tension builds to a frenzy as lives hang in the balance.

Although this is the sixth installment in the Daniel Pitt mystery series, the book stands well enough on its own. The characters are well developed and the reader quickly gets a strong sense of each character's nature, knowledge and passion. The story is a police procedural and courtroom drama with sweet family relations thrown in for that personal touch. We find Daniel and Miriam navigating their new marriage and all the tenderness which that entails. Each ardently loves the other. Yet, more importantly, they admire and respect one another. A rather fresh approach to marriage in 1912.

If this is your first foray into the Daniel Pitt mystery series, fear not, Ms. Perry's character development and setting of place is so well done that the reader is not asea without having read the prior installments in this series. However, I caution you, once you've read this one, you'll most likely want to go back and read the rest of the series. It is too good to be missed.

I am grateful to #Ballantine Books for having provided a complimentary copy of this book through #NetGalley. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.

Publisher: Ballantine Books
Publication Date: April 11, 2023
ISBN: 978-0593359129
No. of pages: 352

Anne Perry has not disappointed. This next book in the series is wonderful. She is fantastic in creating new characters and keeping the old ones kicking. I would however suggest reading the series in order to be able to get the complete feel of the story and characters. I love how she has blended an old series into a new one. Highly recommend.

Love Anne Perry and the Daniel Pitt series. The Fourth Enemy is a stand alone best in my opinion. This has strong female characters and the political theme mirrors today's current politics. Does not start out exciting, however, the plot is more exciting as the characters use their skills

I love this series. I loved the Monk and Pitt series, but it was getting to be time for something new. This is it. The Daniel Pitts series is engaging and exciting. This one was even better than the earlier books. Now we are at book 6, the characters have been well and clearly drawn. Anne Perry improves with every new addition to this series. It moves forward in time from the old series. It's exciting to see a female character that has brains and intellect, breaking out of the stereotypical role of Victorian women... Thanks Net Galley!

Fifth in this excellent series Daniel and Miriam are married we follow Daniel as he handles a legal case for a friend.Anne Perry always weaves an interesting thriller and her characters come alive and drew me in to the story.#netgalley #the fourth enemy

Many thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this Advanced Reader Copy and the opportunity to review “The Fourth Enemy.” All opinions and comments are my own.

The arrest and trial for fraud of a powerful newspaper publisher and philanthropist consumes the lives of Daniel Pitt, his friend Inspector Ian Frobisher, and the new leader of the law firm fford Croft and Gibbon in this latest in the historical mystery series by Anne Perry. But that’s not the focus -- this possible “crime of the decade” serves as the backdrop for, not the crime, although it is interesting enough, but for a complete study of the characters in “The Fourth Enemy.”

Certainly, by this time in a well-established series (this is the sixth book), a reader should know a lot about the main participants; but “The Fourth Enemy” is testimony to Anne Perry’s ability to take fictional people of Edwardian England and make them real to the point that they are relatable to events of our modern world. Whether she intended that comparison or not, it is difficult not to see some comparisons to current events and current public figures and legal proceedings.

Be that as it may, “The Fourth Enemy” will have readers experiencing the emotions that occur when much is at stake, when reputations are on the line and it will be easy to lose everything (and not just a court case). It is an intense journey, but once again Daniel Pitt, his colleagues and his family are up to the task.

Malcolm Vayne was known as a wealthy philanthropist who supported women’s suffrage. In the newspapers that he owned, he was frequently pictured with important politicians. Behind the facade was a figure of pure evil. Daniel Pitt is approached by his friend Ian Frobisher, a police official, when rumors reach him about a pyramid scheme headed by Vayne. A number o people have lost their savings but the evidence is not sufficient to charge him. Despite the lack of solid evidence, the police bring charges and it falls to Daniel’s law firm to prosecute the case. There have been some recent changes in the law firm. Daniel’s father-in-law has retired as the head of chambers. Before leaving he hired Gideon Hunter as a new barrister. Hunter has a reputation for being aggressive in court and has selected Daniel as his second on the case. Vayne’s long time bookkeeper is willing to testify even after being pushed into oncoming traffic. Other members of Vayne’s organization are reluctant to betray their employer or are just too afraid to speak. When another witness is found dead the case threatens to fall apart. Daniel’s wife. Miriam is a pathologist and it falls to her lab to prove that it was murder, placing her in danger.

Anne Perry presents a tale of fraud, shady deals, a quest for power and murder. Vayne manipulates the media and has developed a following that denies his wrongdoings. His goal is to achieve a political position of power, which is also a concern to Daniel’s father Thomas Pitt, who is head of Intelligence. Vayne’s transactions included loans from foreign investors who could influence him if he reaches his goal.

The Fourth Enemy is beautifully plotted, with courtroom drama that shows how far Daniel has come in his career. Beside Thomas Pitt there is also an appearance by Lucas Standish, an Intelligence official from the Elena Standish series. Her character Vayne is smug as he sits through his trial, making him a character that you love to hate. Gideon Hunter and his wife Rose are a welcome addition to her cast of characters, providing a look at the British justice system and women’s suffrage. This is an excellent addition to the series and I look forward to Daniel’s next case. I would like to thank NetGalley and Random House - Ballantine for providing this book for my review.

The Fourth Enemy is the sixth book in Anne Perry's captivating Daniel Pitt series. The story stands alone, so if you haven't read the previous books you won't be lost; you can figure out the relationships among the lead characters easily enough. This started a bit slow for me, as financial schemes don't really hold my interest. I am so glad that I stuck with it, though. Once things really got moving and exciting, it was hard to pry myself away from my Kindle! Anne Perry continues to be one hell of a writer, never becoming stale.

Daniel Pitt is busily earning a reputation in the London law firm of fford Croft and Gibson. Marcus fford Croft, founder of the law firm, has retired, and now Toby Kitteridge is head of chambers. There's also a new member of the firm: Gideon Hunter, a Silk (King's Counsel), a senior trial lawyer. Daniel is named second prosecutor to Gideon in the fraud trial of Malcolm Vayne. Vayne's philanthropic deeds make him a well-respected businessman, but Daniel's best friend Ian, a police officer, believes he has evidence of fraud. Daniel is under intense pressure to prove that Vane is guilty. His new bride, Miriam fford Croft, a forensic scientist, becomes friends with Hunter's wife Rose and both are interested in the women's suffrage movement. When a crucial witness against Vayne dies, Miriam must determine whether the man was murdered in connection with Vayne's trial. And when another witness is kidnapped in an act that hits close to home, Daniel goes on a rescue mission that puts his life and the outcome of his case in danger.

I've really grown to love these characters over the progression of the series. We've seen the growth of all of the main characters, but especially Daniel in this book. He's beginning to come into his own as an attorney. At the beginning of this book Daniel seems overwhelmed by being named as second prosecutor by such an important attorney as Gideon Hunter. By the story's conclusion, it's quite obvious Daniel will soon be taking the lead in some cases. Daniel and Miriam realized their love for each other in the previous book, and I really enjoyed seeing them navigate being newlyweds. Miriam is 15 years older than Daniel, which wasn't common in the early 1900's. However, she is not an ordinary woman! She is a forensic scientist; she could not be taught in London, as women couldn't even vote yet, never mind earn a college degree, especially in such a field! She studied in the Netherlands under Dr. Eve, who I was happy to see return in this story. Miriam and Daniel truly respect each other, plus they are very protective of one another. New characters Gideon Hunter and his wife Rose are a welcome addition to the series. It feels to me they are an older version of Daniel and Miriam. They are both extremely likable, especially Rose, and I'm interested to see how their relationships grow with the other characters. I was thrilled to see Daniel's parents, Thomas and Charlotte Pitt, once again become a part of the story. Thomas knew just how dangerous Malcolm Vayne was, yet he couldn't share that information with his son. It's always a pleasure to see Toby and Ian. Toby is a sometimes awkward man, but has the smarts to be a successful head of chambers. Ian and Daniel have been friends since they were children, and I enjoy hearing about their shared history. I was absolutely thrilled with a guest appearance from a young Lucas Standish, who is one of the main characters in Perry's Elena Standish series, another favorite of mine! Vayne is a great villain, one that you will love to hate! He seems like such a good man with helping the poor and the women's suffrage movement, but those good deeds hide a dark and dangerous ambition. The story moved a bit too slowly for me when the trial first started, but I was rewarded for sticking with it. When it took off I could not tear myself away! I hope we're blessed with many more stories in this wonderful series.

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Normally, I love Anne Perry's books, but I did not love this one, mainly because it has a slow start. At first I thought that was due to the fact that I hadn't read the rest of the series, but that wasn't the case. Once I got to chapter 11, my interest was piqued as events began to move more quickly. It took me 5 days to read the first 10 chapters (kept falling asleep or just avoiding it) and 2 days to read the remaining 19 chapters.

I enjoyed reading about Thomas and Charlotte Pitt again. That series and _The Cater Street Hangman_ was my introduction to Perry's books. The Pitts and the Monks are among my favorite characters.

I hate leaving a less than stellar review for one of my favorite authors, but it reflects my honest opinion. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The Fourth Enemy is the sixth book in the Daniel Pitt series. This is the second book I have read in the series. This can be a stand-alone read; in fact I didn't realize I had read the fifth book. There is plenty of back history told throughout that helps you to understand what has happened previously. But as wish most series they are worth starting at the beginning in order to appreciate the book.

Daniel and Miriam have recently married and have invited her father to come for dinner. He has an announcement to make to them. He has decided to retire so there will be a few changes at the law firm going forward. Gideon Hunter will be coming aboard as the lead.

Ian Frobisher is an acquaintance of Daniel's and wants to discuss an investigation with him. Malcolm Vayne is being investigated for running "a Ponzi scheme" in a fund called The Big Ben. He has deep pockets, and even deeper connections. Vayne is a charismatic man as well as being known for being philanthropic. Because of these, the people being swindled believe him to be a hero in the eyes of the public, but Ian has evidence to suggest otherwise. Daniel will be under pressure to prove that Vayne is guilty as he is asked to be second chair.

The trial of Vayne begins but doesn't seem to be able to prove that Vayne is guilty. Witnesses are changing their testimony, and another is found murdered. Miriam and Eve will have to do the autopsy in order to reveal if it was a suicide or murder. Both of these women will find themselves in grave danger.

This book is not a fast-paced or an action-packed mystery. There is a lot of description about the characters which can be tough to get past. Once the trial begins, the pace picks up and it was more interesting. Since this book takes place in England the courtroom drama is very different to read about as compared to other courtroom dramas based in the US. The ending felt rushed as compared to other parts of the book. It left me wanting more. Don't get me wrong the story is good but the writing style takes a little getting used to.

Another terrific entry in the series- which will also be fine as a standalone. Perry has created indelible characters in Daniel and Miriam and she continues to add to her cast. These mysteries are complex and demand your attention. Even when things might seem to be slowing down, there are clues afoot. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Great read and I'm looking forward to the next one.

Anne Perry’s latest entry in the Daniel Pitt series is her usual well-plotted, well-crafted suspenseful novel with an antihero who connects to our present day politicians. The story twists and turns with the plot hinging on a make or break case. Daniel and Miriam Pitt continue to be strong characters each in their own right, while their relationship grows ever stronger. The addition of two new characters, a new King’s Counsel is added to the fFord Croft chambers with a wife who is a suffragist, readers can anticipate a continuing plot line in the next book. I certainly hope so. As usual, I had a hard time putting down this mystery. The pace was not fast, but the story built in intensity until the denouement. It was fun to meet Lucas Standish from Perry’s Elena Standish series. Perry’s series just gets better and better.

Gosh – what can I say? The book is every bit as exciting and nail-biting as the blurb implies and it may be my favorite of all of the books I’ve read so far this year. I have loved his author’s writing style since I read the first William Monk book and have read each book and series since. I love that this series features Daniel Pitt who is the son of Thomas and Charlotte Pitt, whose series was named after them.

The opening of this book has your mouth dropping open because of all of the changes that have happened between the last book and this one. I mean – we knew it would happen, but I thought we’d read it on-page rather than learning it happened three months prior to the beginning of this book. What happened? Well, Daniel and Miriam are married! YES! However, that isn’t the only change. Marcus fford Croft announces his retirement right at the beginning of the book, so there is a huge shake-up at the fford Croft and Gibson Law firm. You’ll be a bit surprised – I think – I was. Of course, someone is named as the new head of chambers to replace Marcus, but the replacement who is brought in to fill the vacancy left when the new head of chambers is named certainly stirs up some angst. Yes, Gideon Hunter, is a King's Counsel who is brilliant, erratic, and can now choose which cases to accept. So, big changes for Daniel at work and at home.

Gideon calls in some favors on his very first day with the firm and manages to get the firm assigned as the prosecutor in a very controversial case involving a charismatic man. Malcolm Vayne is one of the most popular men in England. He supports the women’s suffrage movement as well as most of the worthy charities. Not to mention, he owns most of the newspapers in England as well. Yes, everybody absolutely loves Vayne, so how could he be charged with running a ponsy scheme that defrauds thousands of hardworking, simple citizens? With his riches, and close ties to many of the most powerful men in the country – and on the continent – how will they ever manage to prove their case against him?

Danger lurks around every corner because Vayne’s supporters are vocal and rabid. Is Vayne maybe a bit dangerous as well? Everybody from the witnesses to the prosecutors and their families are in danger. Will they manage to survive? Will the law firm survive? In the end, is Vayne really innocent? Will the jury really understand all of the dull financial details?

Oh! What an exciting read. I couldn’t put it down once I started reading, so I definitely recommend it! Happy reading!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Fourth Enemy is the latest in the continuing saga of the Pitt family. In this , the fourth entry into the books following the career of Daniel Pitt we see him embarking on marriage (at last!) and taking on his first really big case--a murder which has implications far beyond the case itself. His father, now chief of Special Branch enters the scene and , in a small cameo we meet Lucas Standish, the grandfather of the young woman who features in Perry's other new series which takes place just before WW2.
Anne Perry has found the secret to keeping her writing fresh. She is one of the most prolific authors I read, and amazingly , I can say that her most recent books indicate that her skills are improving as she writes! She never forgets that her readers like "just enough" detail on the setting/era for the mystery, that we like fast-paced action but with meticulous drawing and depth for the characters, especially the main characters.
While you do not have to read the books in order, each series does build one book upon the other and although it will increase your enjoyment if you start with the first in this series and then read on, you will certainly find enough excitement and entertainment here without feeling left behind. Another Five Star effort
I look forward to reading another in this series!

My thanks for the personal invite I received for this book, Net Galley and Random House Ballantine for allowing me to review this book, but unfortunately I dnf and gave up at 50%. I can't figure out full reason but I was not wowed and was forcing myself to pick it up to continue. Was not a page turner or held my interest to keep going. The fraud case and the suffrage portion was coming together and it made focus hard.

This is my second Anne Perry novel. The first was "A Christmas Deliverance." I had enjoyed the characters in that story well enough to want to see more of them, and I recognized some of the names in the description for "The Fourth Enemy," I thought. So I was hoping to encounter Scuff, Ellie and Mattie again, even if only tangentially.

So, in reading this book, I started with the wrong idea in mind. There were characters in it who reminded me of Ellie and her father, but who were completely different people (I think...). So I found myself confused for a good deal of the story, trying to figure out why connections between people were different now than they had been.

Setting that aside, I still felt like the story fell a bit flat, as another reviewer put it. The issue was handily solved after a lot of questioning whether it could be or not. And there are characters (again) who I would like to get to know better. But with so much time spent in a court of law, following procedures, questioning the approach, etc., I found my mind wandering at times.

Thank you to Anne Perry, Random House Publishing Group, and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

"The Fourth Enemy" was the third book I've read in Anne Perry's Daniel Pitt series, and while I like this series, this latest outing fell a bit flat for me. My main problem was the plot: Daniel's childhood friend, Detective Ian Frobisher, stops by the Pitt house one summer evening (Daniel is now married to forensic pathologist Miriam fford Croft) to sound them out on a case he's pursuing against Malcolm Vayne, a well-known newspaper publisher and philanthropist who Frobisher believes is guilty of defrauding his investors by running a Ponzi scheme. Frobisher's visit comes shortly after Miriam's father, Marcus fford Croft, has announced his retirement from the law firm that bears his name, having promoted Toby Kitteridge to head of chambers and hired a prominent lawyer, Gideon Hunter, as King's Counsel. And although Daniel has advised Ian to proceed with caution in the Vayne matter, it soon transpires that Vayne is arrested--and Gideon Hunter has agreed to be lead prosecutor, with Daniel as his second chair. So far, so good--I was intrigued by this more unusual, civil case, and I was interested to see how Perry presented it as well as how she teased out the parallels to contemporary events. The problem, however, was the pacing--there was so much repetitive rumination ("This is about so much more than money! It's about power!" over and over), probably because making the financial case against Vayne provides less opportunity for building suspense than, say, pursuing a murderer. Perry clearly realizes this as well, because she throws some murders and near-murders into the second half of the book, and brings in Thomas Pitt, Daniel's father and the head of Britain's domestic security agency, to lend added gravity to the situation, but for me the whole thing just didn't hold together as tightly as I would have liked. And although Perry's endings always seem a bit rushed and abrupt, this one felt particularly so. There are things to like in "The Fourth Enemy," and Daniel's marriage and the new characters of Gideon Hunter and his wife, Rose, are promising and will hopefully put future episodes back on track.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Ballantine Books for providing me with an ARC of this title in return for my honest review.

Daniel Pitt has married Miriam fford Croft, the daughter of the head of chambers at the law office where he works. Marcus, her father, has decided to retire and has made the selection for his replacement as both head of chambers and chief Barrister. Gideon Hunter has come to the law office and the first case that he accepts is representing the Crown as prosecutor in a fraud case against a wealthy, influential financier. Daniel is second seat and works to gather the evidence and testimony for the conviction, however, one witness is hit by a car and another found murder. Witnesses are also disappearing or changing their testimony.

Will Gideon with Daniel's assistance be able to convict the accused especially after Miriam is kidnapped?

Best one in the series so far, great new characters!

This is book 6 in the Daniel Pitt series. Daniel Pitt is named junior counsel on a fraud case that could make or break his career. He is presented with evidence from his friend, a police officer, that shows the guilt of his client. Can he prove it and still keep his career? Meanwhile, his wife has her own path. When she meets and make friends with a new woman, they become involved in the women's suffrage movement. Can they both stay above the fray and make it through to the next day?

I thought this was a good legal thriller. It was a little slow moving for me at times. I do like Daniel and Miriam together and look forward to more with them
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy