What a delight to meet the next generation of the Pitt family, grown and working in the world. Daniel, Thomas and Charlotte Pitt’s son, is now a lawyer, and beginning his practice. We can already see him starting to build a network that will be in every way as formidable as the network built by Thomas (now *Sir* Thomas). This is an exciting launch to a new era.

What does one do when much of what you believe about someone very close to you may be false? That’s only one of the dilemmas facing Daniel Pitt, the young lawyer in “Twenty-One Days,” the first of a new mystery series from Anne Perry. Readers will soon find that young Mr. Pitt is the son of Thomas and Charlotte Pitt, the main characters of the long-running series Ms. Perry began in 1979. Here the son is the protagonist, who is thrust from the get-go into the middle of defending a client for murder -- one who looks positively guilty. With a bit of fast and fortuitous thinking by our diligent Mr. Pitt, that case is quickly resolved. However, he has no time to rest on his laurels; another murder case looms, and it is this one that rapidly begins to cause the young man more trouble than he is (almost) prepared to handle, as the circumstances soon come uncomfortably close to home.

Besides the family connections, Mr. Pitt is lucky in that he has the help of several friends and acquaintances that assist him in figuring out the mystery on top of mystery that takes place within this book. With their help, the plot twists and turns are unraveled and the story is carried forward. Indeed, this cast of secondary characters come alive under the author’s deft hand. I hope to see many of these interesting people in future books.

Finally, with dogged persistence, coupled with his determination to see that the law is well served despite his personal feelings about many of the circumstances, Mr. Pitt fils carries the day. He proves he is a very good lawyer – and his parents should be proud.

Ms. Perry’s familiarity with her chosen time frame and settings are as usual spot-on. Within this time frame things are changing -- there are automobiles in the London streets; fingerprints and x-rays make an appearance; and the causes that women will soon take up in droves are mentioned. What hasn’t changed is the author’s ability to ensure that readers understand why her characters make the choices they do, and those same readers will know that these fictional people conduct themselves and respond to situations posed in the book in a credible fashion. That is the essence of good writing, and as Ms. Perry conducts herself admirably.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the copy of this book, in exchange for this review.