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Inspector Ian Rutledge #15
Proof of Guilt
Excellent Book
343 pages, Hardcover
First published January 29, 2013
621 people are currently reading
1921 people want to read
About the author
Charles Todd
112 books3,503 followersCharles Todd was the pen name used by the mother-and-son writing team, Caroline Todd and Charles Todd. Now, Charles writes the Ian Rutledge and Bess Crawford Series. Charles Todd ha spublished three standalone mystery novels and many short stories.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 572 reviews
January 17, 2025
In this 15th 'Inspector Ian Rutledge' mystery, the detective investigates several murders. The book can be read as a standalone.
*****
There are no shortage of potential crimes in this Inspector Rutledge mystery.
An unidentified body washes ashore in Sussex.
Another unidentified body is found on a Chelsea street.
Lewis French - a London wine merchant with the company French, French, and Traynor- is missing; and his partner Matthew Traynor - based on the Portuguese island of Madeira - can't be located.
Inspector Rutledge, tasked with looking into these incidents, interviews the wine company's chief clerk, Lewis's sister, Lewis's ex-fiance, Lewis's current fiance, a Portuguese national who hates the French family and was recently released from an asylum, and other witnesses as necessary.
One problem with this book is too many suspects who are hard to keep track of. Another problem is Inspector Rutledge driving back and forth, here and there - it seems like a thousand times - to interview the same people over and over again. This results in a very slow moving story.
And it bothered me that Acting Chief Superintendent Markham insists that Rutledge arrest a couple of suspects though there is no actual proof they are guilty (I think this is a common occurrence in books set in a certain era). And most unfortunately all this rigmarole does not lead to a believable and satisfying conclusion. I usually like Charles Todd's books but this one is a miss.
You can follow my reviews at http://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com/
March 25, 2013
Charles Todd, we are through. While your fictional police detective Ian Rutledge fits my requirements for police detective heroes (troubled, depressed, lonely, borderline psychotic, etc), you haven't given him a good story in a long time. I have given up on a few of your previous novels but persisted with this one because the initial premise was intriguing -- missing persons, unidentifiable corpses, English villages -- but what a mess it turned out to be. Too many characters whose names begin with B popping up from nowhere -- a confusing plot that led in a dizzying number of directions (literally) and that so very unsatisfying ending, which left a major character unaccounted for (at least I think so). No more. I give up on (both of) you.
October 20, 2013
This is my third Ian Rutledge book and as usual, now that I am finished the book, I feel exhausted. I had no problem with all the characters and how they all fit together but the ending if the story is indeed ended, left a lot of strings dangling. The authors better be writing a sequel! Very unsatisfying after all the turmoil of following poor Rutledge all over Essex, London and Surrey in his motor car.
March 30, 2013
I'm a longtime fan of Ian Rutledge, the soulful Scotland Yard inspector dealing with PTSD after serving as an officer in France during WWI. Rather than creating a partner for Rutledge to work with on his cases, the talented mother/son team writing under the nom de plume of "Charles Todd" have employed a clever device that works even better: Rutledge persistently and maddeningly hears the voice of Hamish, the young Scottish soldier he had to have shot for failing to obey a direct order during the Battle of the Somme, and whose dead body ironically saved Rutledge from being crushed during an explosion moments later. Although his physical body was spared injury, his mind is forever damaged...and now --under stress, when concerned, confused or frightened--Rutledge talks to Hamish. And Hamish answers. These unconventional conversations move the story lines along in a most interesting way-- enough to hold my attention through all 14 previous books in the series. Number 15, Proof of Guilt-- unfortunately-- is where the magic stopped for me. Charles Todd seemed to have phoned this one in...the first half is slow as cold molasses, and the last half is dappled with so many characters with such similar names and circumstances that even a careful reader gets lost. It's time for the author to do something fresh-- a love interest for Rutledge that helps him heal, perhaps? (Anyone else know and enjoy the Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear? It's set in the same time period, and Maisie has some similar demons as has our man Rutledge. I find myself wishing they would connect somehow in print. Now that would be novel!
June 7, 2013
The typical Inspector Ian Rutledge mystery is so filled with details, as the Scotland Yard policeman ferrets out clues, that often the reader can become confused or engulfed with too much information or too many characters. This novel is no exception. It is a painstaking investigation begun when the body of a man, apparently a hit-and-run victim, is found lying in a London Street.
A valuable watch is found on the body, linking him to a well-know wine merchant who was reported missing. Has he now been found? Or was the body that of someone else? Rutledge then begins a long, slow investigation, motoring back and forth from London to Dedham, St. Hilary and Sussex in an attempt to discover the facts, while fending off his new boss who is prodding him to accept incorrect conclusions to arrest innocent people. In fact, I found myself wondering whether, after all the miles he puts on his car in this novel, it might be time to trade it in for a new model.
This mother-and-son writing team has two excellent series going: the Ian Rutledge and Bess Crawford mysteries. They are always enjoyable. This one, however, was overburdened with an iffy premise and too much verbiage. Nevertheless, it is worth reading, and is recommended.
A valuable watch is found on the body, linking him to a well-know wine merchant who was reported missing. Has he now been found? Or was the body that of someone else? Rutledge then begins a long, slow investigation, motoring back and forth from London to Dedham, St. Hilary and Sussex in an attempt to discover the facts, while fending off his new boss who is prodding him to accept incorrect conclusions to arrest innocent people. In fact, I found myself wondering whether, after all the miles he puts on his car in this novel, it might be time to trade it in for a new model.
This mother-and-son writing team has two excellent series going: the Ian Rutledge and Bess Crawford mysteries. They are always enjoyable. This one, however, was overburdened with an iffy premise and too much verbiage. Nevertheless, it is worth reading, and is recommended.
February 20, 2013
Sadly, I am disappointed in this latest Ian Rutledge mystery. It reads like an outline of a clever plot, not like the unfolding of his story.
Choppy, not succinct, dialogue. Confusing plot revelations. Too little depth to Rutledge's inner drama, or the drama of the confused principals of this mystery. Plot advancement of his sister, Frances, thrown in as a "by the way, try this on for size, Ian."
Basic instruction for good writing: show, don't tell.
This Rutledge book is told, not shown.
Note to editor and publisher's bottom line "bean counter": let the team off the hook for the annual deadline. Give each new title time to drip into perfection.
I am a reader of every Ian Rutledge mystery. So, there is my two cents for his 2013 story.
I am a currently sad reader of Todd and Company. I like them a lot, from the videos of author interviews on their Facebook page, and written transcripts of interviews.
I'll give Rutledge another chance, when he is ready.
Choppy, not succinct, dialogue. Confusing plot revelations. Too little depth to Rutledge's inner drama, or the drama of the confused principals of this mystery. Plot advancement of his sister, Frances, thrown in as a "by the way, try this on for size, Ian."
Basic instruction for good writing: show, don't tell.
This Rutledge book is told, not shown.
Note to editor and publisher's bottom line "bean counter": let the team off the hook for the annual deadline. Give each new title time to drip into perfection.
I am a reader of every Ian Rutledge mystery. So, there is my two cents for his 2013 story.
I am a currently sad reader of Todd and Company. I like them a lot, from the videos of author interviews on their Facebook page, and written transcripts of interviews.
I'll give Rutledge another chance, when he is ready.
February 1, 2018
As much as I love this series, I was disappointed with Proof of Guilt. After wading through all of the characters and the subplots, the ending was very unsatisfying. It was as though the authors decided they had run out of alloted time to tell the story, so lines were patched together rather than expertly woven to finish the tapestry of the tale. Come on, Charles Todd, you can do better!
March 6, 2022
Complex! And who is the mysterious Mr. Belford? Hamish calls him the devil. Ian says he’ll sup with a long spoon.
April 3, 2015
Fifteenth in the Inspector Ian Rutledge historical mystery series revolving around a Scotland Yard inspector battling his own demons from World War I.
My Take
For the most part, I was dissatisfied with this story's events. The clues that Rutledge pulled together seemed bogus, as if invented to fit the story. And part of me wonders if I'm feeling this way simply because I can't stand the new character's, Markham's, approach. Otherwise, I enjoyed Todd's usual descriptive expertise in setting the manners and scenery of a 1920s England.
I don't understand the point of chapter one in this. Okay, it introduces us to Matthew Traynor, but how does it relate to the story otherwise? Teasers about Meredith Channing with a quick encounter with former Chief Inspector Cummins. Bowles is still out from his heart attack; too bad, it wasn't fatal.
For the artists, most of the story takes place in Constable country. Makes me want to visit...
It's a lot of back-and-forth and twisty turns with no one---especially that sister!---wanting to give one scrap more information than necessary. Combine that with that tidy-up-by-yesterday attitude, and it's a disaster.
I have to wonder why Rutledge didn't check out the new garden beds… I also wonder if Belford is part of Rutledge's future.
Rutledge does a very fine balancing act of following Markham's orders and his own conscience; he kept me wondering at times.
Oh, at last, a proper pedaling! I was beginning to wonder when I kept finding the curate peddling along.
The Story
A body is dumped on a nice street in London. One for which no identification can be established, although he looks suspiciously like a missing person no one has yet missed.
The Characters
Inspector Ian Rutledge is with Scotland Yard and using the work to keep his own demons at bay. Hamish MacLeod is one of them. A ghost of the man Ian ordered shot on the battlefield. Frances Rutledge is the sister who worries over him. Peter Lockwood was an airman in the war and at school with Ian before that. She's considering saying yes to his marriage proposal. Dr. Fleming is the man who treated Ian when he got back from the war.
Scotland Yard
Sergeant Gibson used to connive with Rutledge, but now seems to be hunkering down under the rules. Sergeant Fielding is quite good at ferreting out information. Acting Chief Superintendent Joel Markham is an import from Yorkshire. Doesn't seem the right choice for so many reasons. Not the least of which is he's much too interested in closing cases, but not closing them with accuracy. He's the type of cop who gives people reason to not cooperate. Edgar Billings is hunting for someone.
The French family
Howard French is the late grandfather and notable for the watches he gave his son, Laurence, and son-in-law, David Traynor, as well as his dipping his wick outside his marriage. Laurence's oldest, Michael, was killed in the war; Lewis, the younger son, now runs the London branch and switches between their country home in Essex and the London house. Agnes French is the bitchy sister and she lives at the house in Stratford St. Hilary in Essex. Nan is the maid who has been with her forever. Matthew Traynor, a grandson, runs the Madeira end of the firm.
Frederick Gooding is the senior clerk at the London Branch of French, French, and Traynor, Exporters. Simmons is the junior clerk.
Williams is the curate in Dedham. Mary Ellen Townsend is Lewis' fiancée;. Dr. Townsend is her pleased papa. Valerie Whitman is a previous fiancée...at secondhand; Gooding is her grandfather. Constable Brooks is the local man while retired Sergeant Terrill was on scene that night of the attack. Mr. Hayes---of Hayes and Hayes---is the French lawyer.
Galloway is the jeweler who feels he owes Rutledge. Belford is a bit too quick to deduce; Rutledge thinks he's MI5. Mr. MacFarland was the French family tutor back when Afonso Diaz stormed the house, angry over being cheated. Billy Harden is a nearsighted witness. Gerald Standish is one of those missing.
Mrs. Bennett and her husband believe they are doing ex-cons a favor by taking them in as servants on their estate. They can't afford staff anymore, and this is a much cheaper alternative. Dr. Burgess is a drunk, using alcohol to escape his own war demons, and no longer practices, except on the ex-cons. The ex-cons include Bob Rawlings working as a gardener with Diaz.
Baxter and Benjamin R. Waggoner are men in London with whom Rawlings is communicating.
The Cover
The cover is shades of brown, up close and underneath a wooden bridge with a stone tower at one end as the rain is pouring down. I'm guessing it's that confirming scene toward the end.
The title is Rutledge's biggest problem, finding that Proof of Guilt.
My Take
For the most part, I was dissatisfied with this story's events. The clues that Rutledge pulled together seemed bogus, as if invented to fit the story. And part of me wonders if I'm feeling this way simply because I can't stand the new character's, Markham's, approach. Otherwise, I enjoyed Todd's usual descriptive expertise in setting the manners and scenery of a 1920s England.
I don't understand the point of chapter one in this. Okay, it introduces us to Matthew Traynor, but how does it relate to the story otherwise? Teasers about Meredith Channing with a quick encounter with former Chief Inspector Cummins. Bowles is still out from his heart attack; too bad, it wasn't fatal.
For the artists, most of the story takes place in Constable country. Makes me want to visit...
It's a lot of back-and-forth and twisty turns with no one---especially that sister!---wanting to give one scrap more information than necessary. Combine that with that tidy-up-by-yesterday attitude, and it's a disaster.
I have to wonder why Rutledge didn't check out the new garden beds… I also wonder if Belford is part of Rutledge's future.
Rutledge does a very fine balancing act of following Markham's orders and his own conscience; he kept me wondering at times.
Oh, at last, a proper pedaling! I was beginning to wonder when I kept finding the curate peddling along.
The Story
A body is dumped on a nice street in London. One for which no identification can be established, although he looks suspiciously like a missing person no one has yet missed.
The Characters
Inspector Ian Rutledge is with Scotland Yard and using the work to keep his own demons at bay. Hamish MacLeod is one of them. A ghost of the man Ian ordered shot on the battlefield. Frances Rutledge is the sister who worries over him. Peter Lockwood was an airman in the war and at school with Ian before that. She's considering saying yes to his marriage proposal. Dr. Fleming is the man who treated Ian when he got back from the war.
Scotland Yard
Sergeant Gibson used to connive with Rutledge, but now seems to be hunkering down under the rules. Sergeant Fielding is quite good at ferreting out information. Acting Chief Superintendent Joel Markham is an import from Yorkshire. Doesn't seem the right choice for so many reasons. Not the least of which is he's much too interested in closing cases, but not closing them with accuracy. He's the type of cop who gives people reason to not cooperate. Edgar Billings is hunting for someone.
The French family
Howard French is the late grandfather and notable for the watches he gave his son, Laurence, and son-in-law, David Traynor, as well as his dipping his wick outside his marriage. Laurence's oldest, Michael, was killed in the war; Lewis, the younger son, now runs the London branch and switches between their country home in Essex and the London house. Agnes French is the bitchy sister and she lives at the house in Stratford St. Hilary in Essex. Nan is the maid who has been with her forever. Matthew Traynor, a grandson, runs the Madeira end of the firm.
Frederick Gooding is the senior clerk at the London Branch of French, French, and Traynor, Exporters. Simmons is the junior clerk.
Williams is the curate in Dedham. Mary Ellen Townsend is Lewis' fiancée;. Dr. Townsend is her pleased papa. Valerie Whitman is a previous fiancée...at secondhand; Gooding is her grandfather. Constable Brooks is the local man while retired Sergeant Terrill was on scene that night of the attack. Mr. Hayes---of Hayes and Hayes---is the French lawyer.
Galloway is the jeweler who feels he owes Rutledge. Belford is a bit too quick to deduce; Rutledge thinks he's MI5. Mr. MacFarland was the French family tutor back when Afonso Diaz stormed the house, angry over being cheated. Billy Harden is a nearsighted witness. Gerald Standish is one of those missing.
Mrs. Bennett and her husband believe they are doing ex-cons a favor by taking them in as servants on their estate. They can't afford staff anymore, and this is a much cheaper alternative. Dr. Burgess is a drunk, using alcohol to escape his own war demons, and no longer practices, except on the ex-cons. The ex-cons include Bob Rawlings working as a gardener with Diaz.
Baxter and Benjamin R. Waggoner are men in London with whom Rawlings is communicating.
The Cover
The cover is shades of brown, up close and underneath a wooden bridge with a stone tower at one end as the rain is pouring down. I'm guessing it's that confirming scene toward the end.
The title is Rutledge's biggest problem, finding that Proof of Guilt.
May 27, 2013
I have enjoyed the Rutledge series for years, but this entry in the series has hit a new low. It made me wonder if the team was rushed to publish before the book was ready?
Many parts of the book show their talent is still there.ex. The first chapter was a good read. Too bad it does not connect to the rest of the book.
In the twisted plot, three would be killers wind up dead -- I think three. One body was not really identified clearly. He could have been a random stranger. An estate is discovered to be entailed and the nearest male heir is a distant cousin [Brits do this all the time apparently?? :) ], a key character is found hiding from the police -- although he is a victim not a criminal. Rutledge spends too much time driving here to there and back again. He stumbles on a curiously helpful retired military policeman -- who is willing to join the investigation just because ... ?
The most unforgivable flaw is the absurd ending sequence which leaves many questions unanswered.
Hey Charles Todd this one needs more work.
Many parts of the book show their talent is still there.ex. The first chapter was a good read. Too bad it does not connect to the rest of the book.
In the twisted plot, three would be killers wind up dead -- I think three. One body was not really identified clearly. He could have been a random stranger. An estate is discovered to be entailed and the nearest male heir is a distant cousin [Brits do this all the time apparently?? :) ], a key character is found hiding from the police -- although he is a victim not a criminal. Rutledge spends too much time driving here to there and back again. He stumbles on a curiously helpful retired military policeman -- who is willing to join the investigation just because ... ?
The most unforgivable flaw is the absurd ending sequence which leaves many questions unanswered.
Hey Charles Todd this one needs more work.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 7, 2013
Not my favorite in the Ian Rutledge series and I've read them all.
The first chapter is irrelevant to the rest of the book. The ending is unsatisfactory. Rutledge spends the entire book driving from one part of England to another. Markham is not fleshed out - last book he was better than Bowles, this book, he's almost as bad. Makes me wonder if this mother-son writing team has a bit of a tug of war over the characters and plots.
In the end, the bad guy is who you expect. Except for, where, exactly is the character who set all these things in motion? Either I missed it or they didn't tie it up.
The first chapter is irrelevant to the rest of the book. The ending is unsatisfactory. Rutledge spends the entire book driving from one part of England to another. Markham is not fleshed out - last book he was better than Bowles, this book, he's almost as bad. Makes me wonder if this mother-son writing team has a bit of a tug of war over the characters and plots.
In the end, the bad guy is who you expect. Except for, where, exactly is the character who set all these things in motion? Either I missed it or they didn't tie it up.
October 9, 2019
This one was better than the last. I almost rounded up half a start, but I felt that the case was sort of needlessly convoluted, and poorly explained. Still confused about what happened to one of the victims. Presumed dead, but no body found? IDK.
I did like the subplot with Frances, although am vaguely sad that she's
Also, if we're going to get random references to Mrs. Channing every so often that never go anywhere, I'd prefer not to get them.
I did enjoy Mr. Belford as a side character, and potential sounding board/ally for Rutledge, but I know better than to hope that he ever shows up again. Because obviously Rutledge can have no friends linked to his work. That would be an absurdity.
Also, while Markham is a vast improvement over Bowles as Rutledge's boss, I do wish their relationship had gone a bit more smoothly. If only as a contrast to Bowles. Don't get me wrong, any change in the direction of sensible is an improvement, but I was hoping for more.
I did like the subplot with Frances, although am vaguely sad that she's
Also, if we're going to get random references to Mrs. Channing every so often that never go anywhere, I'd prefer not to get them.
I did enjoy Mr. Belford as a side character, and potential sounding board/ally for Rutledge, but I know better than to hope that he ever shows up again. Because obviously Rutledge can have no friends linked to his work. That would be an absurdity.
Also, while Markham is a vast improvement over Bowles as Rutledge's boss, I do wish their relationship had gone a bit more smoothly. If only as a contrast to Bowles. Don't get me wrong, any change in the direction of sensible is an improvement, but I was hoping for more.
February 15, 2013
One of the wonderful things about reading Charles Todd is the complexity of the story. Charles Todd, the nom de plume of a mother and son team, writes in the fashion of the old fashioned British murder mystery with a tad more blood and violence, but not much. This is the 15th in the series which features Inspector Rutledge, a WWI veteran, who lives with the voice of one of his men in his head. Despite that he functions well and is outstanding at his job. He has never fully recovered from the horrors of the war. In this book, Louis French, a wealthy partner in a Madeira wine enterprise with locations in both Portugal and London, is missing. A body was found on a London residential street which was, at first, thought to be French's body. There are a lot of suspects: a jilted fiance, his missing cousin who worked in the Portugese location and was expected for a visit, but has not arrived, French's bitter sister not to mention the head clerk who runs the London office. Then there's the man who called in the body when it was discovered on his street. He is a shadowy figure and Rutledge has his own questions about exactly who he is. As always, I am NEVER disappointed by a Charles Todd book. The authors also have a wonderful series that takes place during WWI featuring Bess Crawford, a nurse. No matter which character the next book features, I know I'll be lining up to reserve it at the library.
August 9, 2022
Very unsatisfying ending for a Rutledge novel.
March 1, 2013
Normally it's an automatic five stars for any Charles Todd book, but the first half of the book would have warranted 3 stars. Fortunately it gained speed over the last half and I'm happy to give it four stars. The problem? Too many characters, and I was lost. Truly lost. If there had been some minor identifiers along the way, I could have kept characters straight perhaps, but all those last names with no 'identifier' made them all run together. Inspector Rutledge is always aces as a character, and Hamish (unlike another review I read) is nicely present. It's a powerful combo, having Hamish at Rutledge's back ... and Ian's sister made a nice appearance. I'm glad things are rounding into shape for her, even at the cost of more loneliness for Rutledge. I care about the characters. I always will. And I look forward to the next story.
I expected chapter one to have much more significance - almost as a prologue - and it's my fault I suppose that I just KNEW there'd be a clue there. So much so, that I went back and reread it a couple of times as the story progressed. It did definitely find its footing plot-wise, halfway through. And I sailed nicely along.
If I'd taken the time to jot character names and occupations down, as I read, I'd have enjoyed it more. Maybe that was my failing.
Looking forward to the next Charles Todd book - I wouldn't dream of not grabbing one as soon as it's available!
I expected chapter one to have much more significance - almost as a prologue - and it's my fault I suppose that I just KNEW there'd be a clue there. So much so, that I went back and reread it a couple of times as the story progressed. It did definitely find its footing plot-wise, halfway through. And I sailed nicely along.
If I'd taken the time to jot character names and occupations down, as I read, I'd have enjoyed it more. Maybe that was my failing.
Looking forward to the next Charles Todd book - I wouldn't dream of not grabbing one as soon as it's available!
December 29, 2018
Proof of Guilt (Inspector Ian Rutledge, #15) by Charles Todd.
A overly complicated story. The main character, Inspector Rutledge, I found quite interesting and not following the usual trend of inspectors. Sorry to say the list of suspects is unending and not easy to keep track of throughout. Also the ending left me hanging as one particular loose end was never brought to a conclusion.
So I may try another Inspector Rutledge book, but this one was a bit of a disappointment.
A overly complicated story. The main character, Inspector Rutledge, I found quite interesting and not following the usual trend of inspectors. Sorry to say the list of suspects is unending and not easy to keep track of throughout. Also the ending left me hanging as one particular loose end was never brought to a conclusion.
So I may try another Inspector Rutledge book, but this one was a bit of a disappointment.
January 23, 2013
How did they solve mysteries before we had the tool kits any good CSI agent had? Without DNA, Google, finger prints and fax machines? When no one was caught on a traffic cam dragging a body behind their car? Well apparently you had super stars like Inspector Ian Rutledge because after his fifteenth case documented in this wonderful mystery and all the evidence pointing in several different directions, including a signed confession, he is still able to catch the bad guy.Identifying one body is difficult enough in early 20th century England. But when it points to another persons disappearance and several other seemingly unrelated deaths? This mystery begins with just one unidentified body and the next thing you know, there is another which seems to be attached to another mystery which spans back generations. Proof of Guilt is a murder mystery set in post WWI England with our veteran Scotland Yard Inspector, Ian Rutledge leading the way and finding out just who really did it!
I adore mystery novels such as these. How I missed this series is beyond me. No. 15, Proof of Guilt, was the first exposure to the Inspector Ian Rutledge Mysteries. This was presented as a stand-alone however I really would have preferred having the experience and background of reading the prior books. Even if you are an avid reader of pre-scientific crime solving, this one takes paying very close attention. I had to start over again, with a notebook.
There were so many twists and turns I was lost several times. I kept thinking I knew who had done it, especially when I am given the obvious and suspicious freshly dug “flower bed” in the rose garden of a particularly cranky sister of a mysteriously missing man, smack in walks another character, clue or turn in the road and I could not have been more wrong. And than we have the very smarmy to smart for his own shirt former military inspector whose house the dead body, which started this crazy carnival ride, was found in front of.. our first person of interest.. wait than there was each of the fiancés, oh and the missing cousin… oh of course the lawyers, we can always count on the lawyers to be guilty of something right? Did I expect who it was to be who it was? Did I expect any of this? Oh god no I was so confused even with my scratched out list of names, my myriad of charts and arrows and clues .. and chewed on pencils (yes I was doing it old school.) And do not forget the watch, leave it to a bloody high-end time piece to make things go, excuse my stumble into pop-culture, wibbldy-wobbily and than some!
In the end I was un-knotting my fingers and uncrossing my eyes and drooling a bit… in other words I had a blast! I will be making time to read all of the prior 14 before because I believe knowing this inspector is going to be a reason to keep coming back for more.
I recommend this to anyone who likes a big mystery challenge, who thinks they cannot be beat? Oh bring it and try to figure this one out. The clues were there, it is making sure you can “weed” them out to find the answers!
I adore mystery novels such as these. How I missed this series is beyond me. No. 15, Proof of Guilt, was the first exposure to the Inspector Ian Rutledge Mysteries. This was presented as a stand-alone however I really would have preferred having the experience and background of reading the prior books. Even if you are an avid reader of pre-scientific crime solving, this one takes paying very close attention. I had to start over again, with a notebook.
There were so many twists and turns I was lost several times. I kept thinking I knew who had done it, especially when I am given the obvious and suspicious freshly dug “flower bed” in the rose garden of a particularly cranky sister of a mysteriously missing man, smack in walks another character, clue or turn in the road and I could not have been more wrong. And than we have the very smarmy to smart for his own shirt former military inspector whose house the dead body, which started this crazy carnival ride, was found in front of.. our first person of interest.. wait than there was each of the fiancés, oh and the missing cousin… oh of course the lawyers, we can always count on the lawyers to be guilty of something right? Did I expect who it was to be who it was? Did I expect any of this? Oh god no I was so confused even with my scratched out list of names, my myriad of charts and arrows and clues .. and chewed on pencils (yes I was doing it old school.) And do not forget the watch, leave it to a bloody high-end time piece to make things go, excuse my stumble into pop-culture, wibbldy-wobbily and than some!
In the end I was un-knotting my fingers and uncrossing my eyes and drooling a bit… in other words I had a blast! I will be making time to read all of the prior 14 before because I believe knowing this inspector is going to be a reason to keep coming back for more.
I recommend this to anyone who likes a big mystery challenge, who thinks they cannot be beat? Oh bring it and try to figure this one out. The clues were there, it is making sure you can “weed” them out to find the answers!
January 12, 2013
Ian Rutledge is back....solving another murder, and what a murder it is. Rutledge is left with nothing but a body in the middle of the street, questions about how the body got there, and no identification but a gold watch inside a coat pocket...a gold watch that could only belong to a gentleman.
The gold watch did give Rutledge some leads, but he kept finding dead ends with each investigation....the criminal was quite clever. Who could this body be? Without any identification and only a gold watch that lead to the prominent French family, this was going to be a difficult case. Thankfully good old Hamish was there to help.
And, of course, who could have done it? Was it self-staged, was it Lewis French 's jilted fiancée, was it Mr Belford a retired military man who gave his own ideas too perfectly of what he thought happened, or was it Lewis's sister who wasn't too happy with her brother? No answer could be found, and the search continued in London, St. Hilary, and Dedham.
Scotland Yard only had small bits of evidence besides the body and a missing Lewis French and then a missing cousin, Matthew Traynor, along with a handkerchief with pansies, a picture, a piece of cloth that matched the jacket of the dead man, two women close to Lewis, and a family who kept released prisoners as its household staff.
There wasn't enough evidence to convict anyone because there wasn't enough "proof of guilt" for any suspect, but the search and investigation moved on with increasing danger to Rutledge himself.
PROOF OF GUILT is another marvelous mystery that Charles Todd always packs with splendid descriptions of landscapes and characters, appealing characters, and a thorny mystery to solve. Mr. Todd's books are habitually filled with twists and turns that make you ponder, that keep you guessing, and that are always perfectly planned mysteries featuring Mr. Todd's favorite Inspector who makes it all happen. 5/5
This book was given to me free of charge without compensation in exchange for an honest review.
The gold watch did give Rutledge some leads, but he kept finding dead ends with each investigation....the criminal was quite clever. Who could this body be? Without any identification and only a gold watch that lead to the prominent French family, this was going to be a difficult case. Thankfully good old Hamish was there to help.
And, of course, who could have done it? Was it self-staged, was it Lewis French 's jilted fiancée, was it Mr Belford a retired military man who gave his own ideas too perfectly of what he thought happened, or was it Lewis's sister who wasn't too happy with her brother? No answer could be found, and the search continued in London, St. Hilary, and Dedham.
Scotland Yard only had small bits of evidence besides the body and a missing Lewis French and then a missing cousin, Matthew Traynor, along with a handkerchief with pansies, a picture, a piece of cloth that matched the jacket of the dead man, two women close to Lewis, and a family who kept released prisoners as its household staff.
There wasn't enough evidence to convict anyone because there wasn't enough "proof of guilt" for any suspect, but the search and investigation moved on with increasing danger to Rutledge himself.
PROOF OF GUILT is another marvelous mystery that Charles Todd always packs with splendid descriptions of landscapes and characters, appealing characters, and a thorny mystery to solve. Mr. Todd's books are habitually filled with twists and turns that make you ponder, that keep you guessing, and that are always perfectly planned mysteries featuring Mr. Todd's favorite Inspector who makes it all happen. 5/5
This book was given to me free of charge without compensation in exchange for an honest review.
November 14, 2013
It took me a bit to get into it but when I was a third of the way through I managed to go through it quickly. I was rather disappointed with the ending. This being the only book I've read of the series I'm guessing what the author does is continue the story or the ending to the previous story in the next book but there was nothing conclusive for me to feel satisfied. Someone was still missing and then there was the household he suspected was involved. I guess that could be part of the next book but I don't feel compelled to complete the series or continue. I've read other books that are part of a series and they at least leave more of a conclusion in that book with the possibility of something more to happen. So a good read but rather disappointing ending.
April 7, 2013
I have really enjoyed the previous books in Todd's Ian Rutledge series. This one--not so much. It seemed the author(s) were trying to throw every plot device into the book that they could. The result was an uncomfortable and at times embarrassing jumble that left far too many questions unanswered. The main two being
I was so looking forward to this, and so disappointed. Sorry to say, but the Todds are now on my probation list. One more strike, and they're off.
I was so looking forward to this, and so disappointed. Sorry to say, but the Todds are now on my probation list. One more strike, and they're off.
January 27, 2013
3.5 One of the most unique and atmospheric series, Rutledge and his ghost from the war Hamish are wonderful characters. Always well written, this story has ties to the past and Madeira wine of all things. Would have given this a higher rating but I feel that Rutledge is a bit stuck in his character development, needs to find a little inner peace and a personal life. Will as always wait for the next in series. ARC from publisher.
February 5, 2013
I love this series so I was disappointed with this latest installment. At some point Ian really has to move on and have a breakthrough with Hamish. The plot points with Portugal were also confusing and I never got a good feel for any of the dead. I hope the next one is more enjoyable.
April 30, 2013
I'm not sure what went wrong with this book. It might be an editing issue. But the result was a completely unsatisfactory ending. This isn't a spoiler alert. There's no resolution to a primary part of the plot. Oversight? Copy dropped in production? Hard to guess, but definitely a problem.
January 11, 2019
So sadly disappointed in this installment. The Rutledge series tends to have abrupt endings, but this one was the worse! It certainly left more than a few strings untied at the end, but there was just a general disconnect throughout the book. Charles Todd has a way of pulling the reader within the story, making it a fair breeze to get through a 350 page book, but this felt like a slog.
The only bright spot was Rutledge's sister, Frances, and her brief appearance. What's funny is that I usually find her shallow and inane because Ian is usually sorting through some deep mystery and dealing with his own anxieties. However, this time I fully welcomed her cheery interlude to break up the tediousness of the plot.
What's worse is that there was so much potential for this (for crying out loud, the Yard couldn't let Rutledge just go to Portugal to get to the bottom of this thing faster?), but in the end, I just felt cheated!
I hope no reader dares to delve into the Rutledge series with Proof of Guilt because the book simply doesn't do the character or the author(s) any favors.
The only bright spot was Rutledge's sister, Frances, and her brief appearance. What's funny is that I usually find her shallow and inane because Ian is usually sorting through some deep mystery and dealing with his own anxieties. However, this time I fully welcomed her cheery interlude to break up the tediousness of the plot.
What's worse is that there was so much potential for this (for crying out loud, the Yard couldn't let Rutledge just go to Portugal to get to the bottom of this thing faster?), but in the end, I just felt cheated!
I hope no reader dares to delve into the Rutledge series with Proof of Guilt because the book simply doesn't do the character or the author(s) any favors.
February 6, 2022
Is this series losing its punch?
Hard to say — I have some more to get through. But this one, which features Detective Ian Rutledge’s motorcar as much as Rutledge’s imaginary sidekick, Hamish, doesn’t have much comprehensible plot in the first half of the book, and no discernible mystery in the second half.
Rutledge is assigned to a hit and run case (an odd thing in 1920) which soon has Our Hero running all over England in his motorcar, saving damsels in distress from the obvious solutions the folks in Scotland Yard think close the case. Fortunately, Rutledge knows who the villain is, even if the Yard does not, and, through the power of the always correct assumption, brings it all to a close.
Hard to say — I have some more to get through. But this one, which features Detective Ian Rutledge’s motorcar as much as Rutledge’s imaginary sidekick, Hamish, doesn’t have much comprehensible plot in the first half of the book, and no discernible mystery in the second half.
Rutledge is assigned to a hit and run case (an odd thing in 1920) which soon has Our Hero running all over England in his motorcar, saving damsels in distress from the obvious solutions the folks in Scotland Yard think close the case. Fortunately, Rutledge knows who the villain is, even if the Yard does not, and, through the power of the always correct assumption, brings it all to a close.
October 28, 2018
For the sake of the business
Another pleasing adventure with Inspector Ian Rutledge. A body left in the road, victim of a hit and run and a missing brother lead Rutledge on a merry chase. Throw in a current and an ex fiancé along with an accusing sister, plus an estate habited by ex-cons and a diabolical plan of revenge we end up with Rutledge having to watch his back as his investigation has sorely pissed someone off. Charles Todd always delivers a riveting tale and his Ian Rutledge is simply the best.
Another pleasing adventure with Inspector Ian Rutledge. A body left in the road, victim of a hit and run and a missing brother lead Rutledge on a merry chase. Throw in a current and an ex fiancé along with an accusing sister, plus an estate habited by ex-cons and a diabolical plan of revenge we end up with Rutledge having to watch his back as his investigation has sorely pissed someone off. Charles Todd always delivers a riveting tale and his Ian Rutledge is simply the best.
February 19, 2018
Once you get into a series like this, the fun is puzzling out where the clues will lead and how Ian Rutledge will find the criminal. The plots are always involved, and this one is no exception. Some parts seemed a bit slow, but overall this was a good read.
December 9, 2019
The story was a little too complex in this one, & the ending wasn't as solid as usual. Certainly didn't put me off the series. I enjoy Ian & his world.
June 24, 2020
Book 15 in the Rutledge series leaves him with an unidentified dead body and a missing person and nothing to connect the two but a gold presentation watch and chain. As usual there’s little help from those one suspects know more than they’re telling and a new chief who is as impatient as the last one.
This book was not properly edited.
This book was not properly edited.
February 19, 2013
So I'm just going to say it: I really love Charles Todd! Todd is the pseudonym for a mother-son writing duo. Recently, I reviewed the latest book in their Bess Crawford series, a thoughtful, entertaining, compelling work. And now, we have Proof of Guilt, the fifteenth in their Ian Rutledge series. I ask you, where has Charles Todd been hiding all my life?
One of my very favorite reads is the murder mystery / period piece hybrid. I'm searching for a term for this very specific sub-genre. It works in the tradition of the cozy mystery but also is feels much like the costume drama of Masterpiece Theater. One acquaintance suggest I use the term "historical homicide," and maybe I'll go with that. Truly, I'm a sucker for Agatha Christie, but this is something else. Christie, for the most part, represents her own time period. I'm currently drawn to the contemporary writer who sets his detective character in an era of the past. In this case, Rutledge is working for Scotland Yard in 1920, in the wake of World War I, or simply "The War," for Rutledge.
Proof of Guilt Indeed, one compelling thing about Rutledge as a character is the way that his psyche and even his abilities as an Inspector are directly affected by his experiences in the war. The male detective figure is almost required by the genre to be emotionally or psychologically troubled. Sherlock Holmes certainly serves as the archetype for this--he must resort to controlled substances when his mind is not occupied by a case; he seems incapable of healthy interpersonal relationships; he is oddly self-absorbed. These characteristics seem definitive of the archetype of the male detective figure--three of my favorites are Colin Dexter's Inspector Morse, P.D. Jame's Inspector Dalgleish and Iain Rankin's Rebus. And Rutledge seems to fit within the boundaries and expectations of the archetype: his mind is troubled by his experiences of the war, so much so that he too seems incapable of healthy emotional connections with other humans; further, Rutledge hears the voice of Hamish in his head, the voice of a man he was forced to kill during the war. In these ways, Rutledge as a psychological and character study is just as interesting, maybe even more so, than watching the mystery itself unfold.
And this is the very thing that appeals to me about the world that Todd creates: we are given a picture into the person who has lived through the War and is very much shaped by these experiences. This, then, becomes, at least in part, a study of the effects of warfare on the human psyche and even on the entire culture of England. This is what makes this "historical homicide" work as a period piece, what makes it compelling and interesting and more than just a beach blanket read.
I do find Todd's writing style to be elegantly spare in this work. While the style is not necessarily poetic in nature, it feels almost minimalist, as though each word is carefully selected and nothing goes to waste. This lends a kind of elegance to the work an elevates it towards something more than just popular fiction.
I know that I will certainly pick up more of Todd's novels, and if you have an interest in the murder mystery, particularly when it's oriented towards the period piece, I cannot recommend Todd more highly!
tlc logo Thank you to TLC Book Tours for inviting me to host a stop on the tour! Check out the rest of the tour here.
NOTE: A free review copy of this work was provided by the publisher. No monetary or other compensation was received.
This review originally posted at Speaking of Books, a site devoted to book reviews and conversations about literature and culture. Visit us online at www.drennanspitzer.com
One of my very favorite reads is the murder mystery / period piece hybrid. I'm searching for a term for this very specific sub-genre. It works in the tradition of the cozy mystery but also is feels much like the costume drama of Masterpiece Theater. One acquaintance suggest I use the term "historical homicide," and maybe I'll go with that. Truly, I'm a sucker for Agatha Christie, but this is something else. Christie, for the most part, represents her own time period. I'm currently drawn to the contemporary writer who sets his detective character in an era of the past. In this case, Rutledge is working for Scotland Yard in 1920, in the wake of World War I, or simply "The War," for Rutledge.
Proof of Guilt Indeed, one compelling thing about Rutledge as a character is the way that his psyche and even his abilities as an Inspector are directly affected by his experiences in the war. The male detective figure is almost required by the genre to be emotionally or psychologically troubled. Sherlock Holmes certainly serves as the archetype for this--he must resort to controlled substances when his mind is not occupied by a case; he seems incapable of healthy interpersonal relationships; he is oddly self-absorbed. These characteristics seem definitive of the archetype of the male detective figure--three of my favorites are Colin Dexter's Inspector Morse, P.D. Jame's Inspector Dalgleish and Iain Rankin's Rebus. And Rutledge seems to fit within the boundaries and expectations of the archetype: his mind is troubled by his experiences of the war, so much so that he too seems incapable of healthy emotional connections with other humans; further, Rutledge hears the voice of Hamish in his head, the voice of a man he was forced to kill during the war. In these ways, Rutledge as a psychological and character study is just as interesting, maybe even more so, than watching the mystery itself unfold.
And this is the very thing that appeals to me about the world that Todd creates: we are given a picture into the person who has lived through the War and is very much shaped by these experiences. This, then, becomes, at least in part, a study of the effects of warfare on the human psyche and even on the entire culture of England. This is what makes this "historical homicide" work as a period piece, what makes it compelling and interesting and more than just a beach blanket read.
I do find Todd's writing style to be elegantly spare in this work. While the style is not necessarily poetic in nature, it feels almost minimalist, as though each word is carefully selected and nothing goes to waste. This lends a kind of elegance to the work an elevates it towards something more than just popular fiction.
I know that I will certainly pick up more of Todd's novels, and if you have an interest in the murder mystery, particularly when it's oriented towards the period piece, I cannot recommend Todd more highly!
tlc logo Thank you to TLC Book Tours for inviting me to host a stop on the tour! Check out the rest of the tour here.
NOTE: A free review copy of this work was provided by the publisher. No monetary or other compensation was received.
This review originally posted at Speaking of Books, a site devoted to book reviews and conversations about literature and culture. Visit us online at www.drennanspitzer.com
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