Thomas Pitt is the

protagonist A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a ...

in a series of detective novels by

Anne Perry Anne Perry (born Juliet Marion Hulme; 28 October 1938 – 10 April 2023) was a British writer and murderer. She was the author of the Thomas and Charlotte Pitt and William Monk series of historical detective fiction. In 1994 it became pub ...

in the first of which he meets his future wife, Charlotte Ellison. They are both involved in the investigation and solving of cases in the series. Pitt is from a working-class background in

Victorian Victorian or Victorians may refer to: 19th century * Victorian era, British history during Queen Victoria's 19th-century reign ** Victorian architecture ** Victorian house ** Victorian decorative arts ** Victorian fashion ** Victorian literatur ...

London. His father was a gamekeeper on a landed estate and Pitt was educated alongside the son of the house. He was prompted to enter the police force after his father was wrongly accused of poaching game and 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. Later he is promoted to commander as Head of Special Branch. His wife, Charlotte (née Ellison), is from an upper-class family. Her sister Emily's first husband was a

viscount A viscount ( , for male) or viscountess (, for female) is a title used in certain European countries for a noble of varying status. The status and any domain held by a viscount is a viscounty. In the case of French viscounts, the title is ...

and Emily's second husband is a rising politician. Charlotte frequently uses Emily's connections to the

landed gentry The landed gentry, or the gentry (sometimes collectively known as the squirearchy), is a largely historical Irish and British social class of landowners who could live entirely from rental income, or at least had a country estate. It is t ...

and

aristocracy Aristocracy (; ) is a form of government that places power in the hands of a small, privileged ruling class, the aristocracy (class), aristocrats. Across Europe, the aristocracy exercised immense Economy, economic, Politics, political, and soc ...

to assist Pitt in his investigations. Charlotte relies on her maid, Gracie, to take care for her children, Jemima and Daniel, when she is investigating a mystery. Charlotte's well-intentioned interference in her husband's investigations gives Pitt access to information which enables him to solve the case. 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 ''The Cater Street Hangman'' is a crime novel by Anne Perry. It is the first in a series which features the husband-and-wife team of Thomas and Charlotte Pitt. Plot introduction ''The Cater Street Hangman'' introduces Thomas Pitt (fictional ch ...

'', was adapted for TV in 1998; it starred

Eoin McCarthy Eoin McCarthy (born 1963, Dún Laoghaire, County Dublin, Ireland) is an Irish actor. He appeared in films such as '' Alien vs. Predator'' and television programmes such as '' Cadfael'' , ''Lovejoy ''Lovejoy'' is a British television comed ...

as Pitt and

Keeley Hawes Clare Julia Keeley Hawes (born 10 February 1976) is an English actress. After beginning her career in a number of literary adaptations, including '' Our Mutual Friend'' (1998) and '' Tipping the Velvet'' (2002), Hawes rose to fame for her portray ...

as Charlotte and featured

Hannah Spearritt Hannah Louise Spearritt (born 1 April 1981)Gregory, Andy (2002) ''International Who's Who in Popular Music 2002'', Europa, , p. 478 is an English singer and actress. She is an original member of the pop group S Club. Spearritt is known for play ...

in her acting debut.

Novels

Series is listed in internal chronological order. # ''

'' (1979) # ''Callander Square'' (1980) # ''Paragon Walk'' (1981) # ''Resurrection Row'' (1981) # ''Rutland Place'' (1983) # ''Bluegate Fields'' (1984) # ''Death in the 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) # ''Buckingham Palace Gardens'' (2008) # ''Betrayal at Lisson Grove'' (US title: ''Treason at Lisson Grove'') (2011) # ''Dorchester Terrace'' (2012) # ''Midnight at Marble Arch'' (2013) # ''Death on Blackheath'' (2014) # ''The Angel Court Affair'' (2015) # ''Treachery at Lancaster Gate'' (2016) # ''Murder on the Serpentine'' (2016) A new series features Daniel Pitt, son of Thomas and Charlotte. # ''Twenty-One Days'' (2018) # ''Triple Jeopardy'' (2019) # ''One Fatal Flaw'' (2020) # ''Death with a Double Edge'' (2021) # ''Three Debts Paid'' (2022) # ''The Fourth Enemy'' (2023) Publishing dates obtained from author's website.

References

External links

Anne Perry's current official website (December 2019)

Anne Perry's former official website (archive)
* Literary characters introduced in 1979 Fictional British police detectives Characters in British novels of the 20th century Characters in British novels of the 21st century Anne Perry characters

Thomas Pitt Thomas Pitt (5 July 1653 – 28 April 1726) was an English merchant, colonial administrator and politician who served as the president of Fort St. George from 1698 to 1709. Born in Blandford Forum, Dorset, he eventually went to the Indian ...

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