This mystery novel begins a new spin-off from a series Anne Perry has been writing for decades. Daniel Pitt is the son of an investigative husband-and-wife team that featured in the Thomas Pitt series. As this book opens, he is in his mid-twenties and just beginning a legal career. He's in the midst of one case in which the defendant seems headed for a guilty verdict, but Daniel gets him off thanks to some nimble deduction regarding fingerprints.
He is rushed to assist another lawyer on a case in which the head of his firm takes a special interest: a man on trial for the murder of his wife. When a guilty verdict is returned, the legal duo has 21 days to find cause for appeal, before the sentence of execution gets carried out.
This novel has well paced twists and turns and kept me quite interested. I have been a little annoyed by what I see as flaws in Anne Perry's writing in the past, but those tendencies are restrained in this book. Her characters tend to do so much introspection at every moment, and lace their dialogue with so much philosophizing and generalizing that the pace can get a bit sluggish. But in "Twenty-One Days," things kept moving pretty quickly to a satisfying conclusion.
The characters, some of which are likely being set up to become regulars in future installments, are likable and don't have unnecessary angst or manufactured conflict. Daniel Pitt's partnership with Kitteridge, a senior lawyer, has a few moments of tension between the older and younger man, but they manage to communicate fairly well, and overall it bodes well for a good partnership.
I will really look forward to the next book.

I was able to read this early thanks to NetGalley. ( )

I enjoyed this beginning of a series. Usual Anne Perry style book with new characters. ( )

TWENTY-ONE DAYS by Anne Perry
Daniel is a newly minted barrister out to prove himself to his famous parents, Thomas and Charlotte Pitt. His client is the arrogant and unlikeable biographer Russell Graves already found guilty of murdering his wife. Daniel’s task is to prove he is innocent before he is hung -- in twenty-one days. Every day finds Daniel getting closer to the real murderer and closer to bringing the crime to his own family and his father’s most loyal and trusted colleagues.
Will he find the truth in time? Is his family guilty? This thrilling novel will keep you guessing and fearing for Daniel’s family as the pages dwindle down. Well-paced and exciting, this one will keep you up at night.
5 of 5 stars ( )

Over the years I have enjoyed several of the Charlotte & Thomas Pitt books by Anne Perry. The author has now started a new series, featuring Charlotte & Thomas' son, Daniel Pitt. Daniel has just finished his education to be an attorney and he's glad his father is proud of him. One of his first cases involves assisting a senior attorney with a murder case. Russell Graves is accused of murdering his wife. Graves is to be executed in 21 days for the killing. Daniel has to pull out all the stops and use the investigation techniques he picked up from his father to try and find the real killer before time is up. Can he discover the truth before Graves is executed?

I enjoyed this book. At times things moved a little too slowly, but once action kicked in again it saved the plot from becoming boring. Daniel is a bit naive, but I imagine his character will develop nicely as the series moves along. I like the fact that she is aging her characters and starting Daniel out in a series of his own. Gives the books a dose of realism.

The ending had some sweet surprises that I did not expect. I like Daniel as a main character. He's just coming into his own and using the skills his parents taught him as well as his education. He is a bit too naive at times though. I'm sure he will mature as more books are written in this new series. I did find some places where the plot got a bit confusing because it referred back to events in Charlotte & Thomas Pitt novels that I haven't read. But it wasn't important enough facts to lessen my enjoyment of the story.

Can't wait for the next book in this series! I loved the first few Charlotte & Thomas books when I was a teenager. Reading this book makes me want to go back and re-read them and enjoy the books that I missed in the series over the years.

**I voluntarily read an advance readers copy of this book from Random House/Ballentine via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.** ( )

Fans of Anne Perry have no doubt thoroughly enjoyed her successful and long-running series with Charlotte and Thomas Pitt. In Twenty-One Days, she returns with the first in an exciting new generation of Pitt novels. In 1910 England, Daniel Pitt, junior barrister, is called upon to assist in the trial of Russell Graves, a well-known biographer accused of brutally murdering his wife. Although he vehemently declares his innocence, the case is lost and he is sentenced to be hung in twenty-one days time.

Daniel and the lead barrister are assigned separate tasks during the appeals process, while desperately striving for a stay of execution. Daniel’s new role is that of detective. Is Russell Graves really innocent, and, if so, who is the real killer? During his investigation, Daniel uncovers unsettling facts and is truly in for a race against time, not just for Graves, but for someone very close to Daniel.

Twenty-One Days has so much to offer. For example, how forensics played a huge role in solving this case, at a time when most of it was very new. Also, the person helping Daniel with that part of the investigation being a woman, Miriam, when they weren't treated equally in this field at the time. Along with Miriam, the groundwork was laid for other key players to be recurring characters in future books. I so look forward to diving deep into this series time and again. ( )