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 st ...

in a series of detective novels by

Anne Perry Anne Perry (born Juliet Marion Hulme; 28 October 1938) was convicted of murder in New Zealand when a teenager, later moved to England and became an author. In 1954, at the age of fifteen, she and her 16-year-old friend Pauline Parker were tried ...

. Pitt is from a working-class background in Victorian 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. In many countries a viscount, and its historical equivalents, was a non-hereditary, administrative or judicial ...

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'', is a largely historical British social class of landowners who could live entirely from rental income, or at least had a country estate. While distinct from, and socially below, the British peerage, th ...

and

aristocracy Aristocracy (, ) is a form of government that places strength in the hands of a small, privileged ruling class, the aristocracy (class), aristocrats. The term derives from the el, αριστοκρατία (), meaning 'rule of the best'. At t ...

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 Inspector Thomas Pitt an ...

'', 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 Brother Cadfael is the main fictional character in a seri ...

as Pitt and

Keeley Hawes Claire Julia Hawes (born 10 February 1976), known professionally as Keeley Hawes, is an English actress. After beginning her career in a number of literary adaptations, including ''Our Mutual Friend'' (1998) and '' Tipping the Velvet'' (2002), Ha ...

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 actress and singer. She is an original member of the pop group S Club 7. Spearritt is also known fo ...

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) 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 male detectives Fictional historical detectives Fictional British police detectives Characters in British novels of the 20th century Characters in British novels of the 21st century

Thomas Pitt Thomas Pitt (5 July 1653 – 28 April 1726) of Blandford St Mary in Dorset, later of Stratford in Wiltshire and of Boconnoc in Cornwall, known during life commonly as ''Governor Pitt'', as ''Captain Pitt'', or posthumously, as ''"Diamond" ...

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