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What does a Scotland Yard Inspector do when he is presented with a confession to a murder yet has no other concrete details? Well, if he is Inspector Ian Rutledge he worries over it like a bone until slowly the pieces begin to come together to present a picture of murder. But who was murdered? Who confessed? What happens once the body of the supposed murderer turns up himself a murder victim?
This latest in the Ian Rutledge series of mysteries set in Britain after the close of World War I is slow to start simply because there is nothing for Rutledge to use as evidence to get an investigation going. Evidently Scotland Yard could not launch an investigation simply because someone confessed to a crime. Rutledge, however, is nothing if not determined and he knows there is a crime from the past which needs to be resolved. While doing that, he finds the hand of the murderer extending into the present. This tiny fishing village in Essex had secrets stretching back through the years which the inhabitants willingly kept covered. Now Rutledge finds himself targeted because his investigation might reveal the very past and present the villagers are all in collusion to hide.
As I have found with each Charles Todd mystery I have read, this one is a definite step above most period mysteries written today. The plot for this one continued to change and grow with almost every passing chapter so that I could never get completely comfortable thinking all the links between characters and situations had been totally established. I enjoyed that aspect of the story even though it made for a very evolving story. Don't think you will be able to settle in with this one after reading the first several chapters because it keeps adding information to make significant plot leaps throughout the book. I had to read one chapter twice to make sure I knew exactly who that character was. Part of that is because these authors succumbed to one of my pet peeves and named too many of their principal characters with names beginning with the same letter of the alphabet. Why do authors do that? They have twenty-six letters to chose from and yet two principals here have similar names and it turns out to be extremely important. This story might present some small problems for readers new to the series. There have been two women in Rutledge's life, both are mentioned in the novel, but neither is explained in any detail. Having read all the books I understand the references, new readers will not have a clue! Hamish MacLeod, the voice of a soldier killed in the war who speaks in Rutledge's mind, is not nearly as much of a factor in this novel as in most others. If it sounds like that might add a paranormal element to the story, don't worry, it does not. Rutledge suffered from a severe case of shell-shock and Hamish is the residue of the battle Rutledge fights every moment with his mental disorder. I will say though, to new readers, Hamish and that entire situation can take a while for you to become comfortable with. Readers either accept him as the authors write him or he ruins the series for them.
I have always been more than willing to recommend the Charles Todd novels to other mystery readers. For me this was another very good, satisfying entry in this series.
This latest in the Ian Rutledge series of mysteries set in Britain after the close of World War I is slow to start simply because there is nothing for Rutledge to use as evidence to get an investigation going. Evidently Scotland Yard could not launch an investigation simply because someone confessed to a crime. Rutledge, however, is nothing if not determined and he knows there is a crime from the past which needs to be resolved. While doing that, he finds the hand of the murderer extending into the present. This tiny fishing village in Essex had secrets stretching back through the years which the inhabitants willingly kept covered. Now Rutledge finds himself targeted because his investigation might reveal the very past and present the villagers are all in collusion to hide.
As I have found with each Charles Todd mystery I have read, this one is a definite step above most period mysteries written today. The plot for this one continued to change and grow with almost every passing chapter so that I could never get completely comfortable thinking all the links between characters and situations had been totally established. I enjoyed that aspect of the story even though it made for a very evolving story. Don't think you will be able to settle in with this one after reading the first several chapters because it keeps adding information to make significant plot leaps throughout the book. I had to read one chapter twice to make sure I knew exactly who that character was. Part of that is because these authors succumbed to one of my pet peeves and named too many of their principal characters with names beginning with the same letter of the alphabet. Why do authors do that? They have twenty-six letters to chose from and yet two principals here have similar names and it turns out to be extremely important. This story might present some small problems for readers new to the series. There have been two women in Rutledge's life, both are mentioned in the novel, but neither is explained in any detail. Having read all the books I understand the references, new readers will not have a clue! Hamish MacLeod, the voice of a soldier killed in the war who speaks in Rutledge's mind, is not nearly as much of a factor in this novel as in most others. If it sounds like that might add a paranormal element to the story, don't worry, it does not. Rutledge suffered from a severe case of shell-shock and Hamish is the residue of the battle Rutledge fights every moment with his mental disorder. I will say though, to new readers, Hamish and that entire situation can take a while for you to become comfortable with. Readers either accept him as the authors write him or he ruins the series for them.
I have always been more than willing to recommend the Charles Todd novels to other mystery readers. For me this was another very good, satisfying entry in this series.
