Inspector Rutledge left a brilliant career in Scotland Yard to fight in the Great War. It is now 1919, shell shocked and trying to salvage his sanity and fight off the colleagues jealous of his prewar successes he is drawn into the investigation of the murdered Colonel Harris, in a small Warwickshire village. A debut novel.
A Test of Wills
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"You're going to love Todd."--Stephen King, "Entertainment Weekly"
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By G. J. Weeks
Format:Mass Market Paperback
A fascinating period who dunnit which is impossible to fathom because of in incredible twist in the tail. I loved this unique troubled detective battling with the post traumatic stress of WWI as he comes into contact with former soldiers and civilians scarred for life by this terrible conflict.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By bernie
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Hardcover
This is the firs in a series of Inspector Ian Rutledge Mysteries. It does not take us long to know the man and the burden he carries. It is this side of him and the descriptions of the world after the Great War that adds a unique value to the writing and our lives also.
A week ago headstrong Colonel Harris was unceremoniously dispatched. All signs point to the dispatcher being a war hero with friends in high places. Who ever takes the case needs to be expendable. Rutledge's superior Bowls suspected Rutledge's secret and decided he would make the perfect scapegoat.
It is interesting as the story unfolds we see mysteries within mysteries, maybe a few red herrings and many unwell people that can usually be detected by Rutledge but not always. As there is a race with time Rutledge's trying to regain his uncanny detective skills we also but figure out who did the deed and who. To some the answer will be obvious to others it will feel that he pulled a clue out of the closet at the last moment. In any case you will be intrigued to the conclusion.
A week ago headstrong Colonel Harris was unceremoniously dispatched. All signs point to the dispatcher being a war hero with friends in high places. Who ever takes the case needs to be expendable. Rutledge's superior Bowls suspected Rutledge's secret and decided he would make the perfect scapegoat.
It is interesting as the story unfolds we see mysteries within mysteries, maybe a few red herrings and many unwell people that can usually be detected by Rutledge but not always. As there is a race with time Rutledge's trying to regain his uncanny detective skills we also but figure out who did the deed and who. To some the answer will be obvious to others it will feel that he pulled a clue out of the closet at the last moment. In any case you will be intrigued to the conclusion.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
The first Inspector Ian Rutledge Mystery featuring a detective recently returned from the battlefields of WW1 and suffering from Post Traumatic Stress, not that this was recognised in those days.
Written by an American pair of authors (mother and son I think) it is surprising how well they capture England in the period just after the first World War. The formality and pace of life is well defined as is a complex lead character that you don't necessarily 'like' but you admire his approach as he deals with the murder he is assigned to, and his own demons. The murder is that of a respected ex-officer and the prime suspect is a hero of the war, a potentially embarrassing outcome in the post war period. As Rutledge gently peels away the life and relationships in a small English village the outcome is hard to guess and is satisfying when it comes.
The pace may be too slow for some, but this is thoughtful and engaging stuff.
Written by an American pair of authors (mother and son I think) it is surprising how well they capture England in the period just after the first World War. The formality and pace of life is well defined as is a complex lead character that you don't necessarily 'like' but you admire his approach as he deals with the murder he is assigned to, and his own demons. The murder is that of a respected ex-officer and the prime suspect is a hero of the war, a potentially embarrassing outcome in the post war period. As Rutledge gently peels away the life and relationships in a small English village the outcome is hard to guess and is satisfying when it comes.
The pace may be too slow for some, but this is thoughtful and engaging stuff.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I found this book by accident,as it does not seem to be published in the u.k.
I really enjoyed reading this book and have read the next two in sequence,it's a good idea to read them in sequence,as it explains a number of things that are pertinent to the stories.
These stories are not Hollywood and are very slow-paced,but very intriginuing and you get the clues with the character,so you sem to be in the plot with them.
A small point:the stories take place just after the first world war and the author has the characters drinking a lot of coffee,which was almost unheard of in English life at the time,except among the aristocracy,and a number of characters take ;;cream ::with their tea,whereas the English only take:::milk::.
Having said that,the author must know England and English history,very well.They evoke the period very well and there description of English country villages and countryside is exceedingly accurate.
These books,so far,are a really good read and intend reading the whole series.
I really enjoyed reading this book and have read the next two in sequence,it's a good idea to read them in sequence,as it explains a number of things that are pertinent to the stories.
These stories are not Hollywood and are very slow-paced,but very intriginuing and you get the clues with the character,so you sem to be in the plot with them.
A small point:the stories take place just after the first world war and the author has the characters drinking a lot of coffee,which was almost unheard of in English life at the time,except among the aristocracy,and a number of characters take ;;cream ::with their tea,whereas the English only take:::milk::.
Having said that,the author must know England and English history,very well.They evoke the period very well and there description of English country villages and countryside is exceedingly accurate.
These books,so far,are a really good read and intend reading the whole series.
By Fiona Turner
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
Really enjoyed this book. A very clever plot with complex and believable characters. Quite a dark atmosphere in the aftermath of the first world war but I really want to know what happens to Inspector Rutledge next.
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
I enjoyed this book because itwas not in the usual genre,. To have a police inspector who is so flawed emotionally and yet battling to overcome it and sucessfully solving the mystery I really enjoyed it.
By May Webb
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
Good, I enjoyed it and will look for others by Charles Todd and hope he does a series about Inspector Ian Rutledge
By Kath Page
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
I expected to enjoy this more than I did. Rutledge was an interesting character with problems of his own and the ideas about shell-shock were also interesting but somewhere in the middle I started to lose interest. The plot seems stuck for quite a while before suddenly rounding up with a surprise ending.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good Read
Quite intriguing. Good development of the characters. I haven't finished it yet but looking forward to an interesting twist at the end
Published 11 days ago by Mr. J. Walker
4.0 out of 5 stars
my type of book
enjoyed the book from start to finish it held my attention all the way through looking forward to reading anotherof his books a long shadow
Published 14 days ago by bob
4.0 out of 5 stars
good read
I enjoyed reading this book. It showed the life of soldiers returning from the war and how some of them suffered. The story has a nice twist in it .
Published 16 days ago by sue500
4.0 out of 5 stars
Surprisingly engaging
I bought this as it was reduced. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. The only thing that I found off putting was the American spelling as it took me away from the English... Read more
Published 21 days ago by Jayne Davies
2.0 out of 5 stars
Old plodder
Good final phase but very dull plod round Olde England in the middle so hard to stay engaged. Characters not very convincing. But good for fans of Downton Abbey.
Published 24 days ago by G. TAYLOR
4.0 out of 5 stars
Well written and enjoyable read
Overall this was an enjoyable book to read with many twists and turns to the storyline. The reader is taken down various paths leading to the potential perpetrator of the crime yet... Read more
Published 26 days ago by oscarsmum
4.0 out of 5 stars
intriguing
this is a marvellously written mystery story, it holds your attention from start to finish and the ending is truly a surprise
Published 27 days ago by E. J. Fain
4.0 out of 5 stars
An interesting inspector
After having read three of the Bess Crawford mysteries I am now starting on the inspector Ian Rutledge novels. Read more
Published 1 month ago by H. Lacroix
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