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Inspector Ian Rutledge #9
A False Mirror
Rutledge is called on to prove the innocence of a man he dislikes and distrusts. But the deadly triangle also stirs up memories of the woman he himself loved and lost when he went to France to fight.
Hampton Regis, a small harbor town on the southern coast of England, is a most unlikely place for violence. Yet, one early spring morning in 1920, a man is found on the strand so severely beaten that he slips in and out of consciousness. The prime suspect? His wife's jilted lover, who served with Rutledge in the recently ended Great War—but who left the Front under a cloud. Badly wounded, yes, but did someone also cover up cowardice?
Rutledge is called on to prove the innocence of a man he dislikes and distrusts. But the deadly triangle also stirs up memories of the woman Rutledge himself loved and lost when he went to France to fight. His doubts about the accused and himself only deepen when the victim of the beating mysteriously disappears, with no body to be found.
As the brilliant yet tormented detective discovers that he's not the only person seeing a reflection of tumultuous emotions in this case, he must confront the demons that threaten to overwhelm him and search out the truth. For in Hampton Regis hides a vicious killer who intends to let nothing—and no one—stand in the way.
Hampton Regis, a small harbor town on the southern coast of England, is a most unlikely place for violence. Yet, one early spring morning in 1920, a man is found on the strand so severely beaten that he slips in and out of consciousness. The prime suspect? His wife's jilted lover, who served with Rutledge in the recently ended Great War—but who left the Front under a cloud. Badly wounded, yes, but did someone also cover up cowardice?
Rutledge is called on to prove the innocence of a man he dislikes and distrusts. But the deadly triangle also stirs up memories of the woman Rutledge himself loved and lost when he went to France to fight. His doubts about the accused and himself only deepen when the victim of the beating mysteriously disappears, with no body to be found.
As the brilliant yet tormented detective discovers that he's not the only person seeing a reflection of tumultuous emotions in this case, he must confront the demons that threaten to overwhelm him and search out the truth. For in Hampton Regis hides a vicious killer who intends to let nothing—and no one—stand in the way.
371 pages, Hardcover
First published January 9, 2007
413 people are currently reading
1431 people want to read
About the author
Charles Todd
105 books3,518 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 402 reviews
February 24, 2022
4.5 stars
I know, I know, but I can't help myself. I just thoroughly enjoy the Ian Rutledge and Hamish adventures!
I know, I know, but I can't help myself. I just thoroughly enjoy the Ian Rutledge and Hamish adventures!
January 22, 2024
Darn it Goodreads!! You did it again— threw me out of the app as I was finishing up my review. Ugh!! I’m almost afraid to try again— the suspense of whether I’ll finish this one before getting tossed out again is about equal to the tension that is a thread throughout this solid Rutledge installment.
To quickly re-review. Unique and human detective. Post-WW1 setting never stops reminding the reader of the way war has changed a generation of soldiers who returned (and those who did not) and the ones they left behind.
Not my favorite, mostly because there are too many characters, too much unhappiness, and several cliched motives. I didn’t see how it would all be tied up but I wasn’t shocked by the identity of the murderer.
Despite that— still an excellent few hours spent with Rutledge and company!!
(Reviewed 1/15/23)
To quickly re-review. Unique and human detective. Post-WW1 setting never stops reminding the reader of the way war has changed a generation of soldiers who returned (and those who did not) and the ones they left behind.
Not my favorite, mostly because there are too many characters, too much unhappiness, and several cliched motives. I didn’t see how it would all be tied up but I wasn’t shocked by the identity of the murderer.
Despite that— still an excellent few hours spent with Rutledge and company!!
(Reviewed 1/15/23)
September 11, 2019
This one I was less enthralled with. For a start, it's too dark, and I say that in the context of a series that is short on levity to begin with. Secondly, it hinges on two people making a really stupid decision in admittedly a panic and a bad situation. But honestly, "I know! Let's pretend this is a hostage situation!" is never a solution to a problem. Also, the Bowles-is-out-to-get-Rutledge subplot is dialed up to eleven in this one, rather tediously. I am definitely getting sick of it, especially given that this series has no other real sub-plots that are harped on with that level of consistency (beyond Rutledge's guilt over Hamish, which is hardly the same thing, given that its also about half of Rutledge's character development).
I've been thinking about the lack of consistent sub-plot. I gather this series did the aborted love interest in Book 7 (haven't read it yet), to demonstrate that Rutledge is in no place to be in a relationship. I agree, he isn't. But I also think that perhaps this series needs a slightly stronger cast of secondary characters. I think I'd like to see Rutledge develop a relationship with someone. And I do not necessarily mean a romantic one. But the only people who pop up with any regularity (apart from Bowles, who at this point is a essentially a cardboard cutout antagonist/foil and doesn't count) are Frances his sister, who has yet to really have a significant character arc or role beyond being a token person who cares about Rutledge, Melinda Crawford, who is entertaining as an elderly close friend of the family, but often keeps her appearances brief, and Sargent Gibson, who appears to be the one person at Scotland Yard Rutledge trusts, and is essentially a plot device to get Rutledge information. I wouldn't mind seeing Rutledge develop a friendship that lasts longer with one book, and with someone who didn't know him pre-war, so only knows him now, with his demons.
There have been interesting characters that have cropped up in earlier books and would be interesting possibilities.
I mean, I get that part of the point is for Rutledge to be fairly isolated, but he's starting to feel just a bit too isolated.
I've been thinking about the lack of consistent sub-plot. I gather this series did the aborted love interest in Book 7 (haven't read it yet), to demonstrate that Rutledge is in no place to be in a relationship. I agree, he isn't. But I also think that perhaps this series needs a slightly stronger cast of secondary characters. I think I'd like to see Rutledge develop a relationship with someone. And I do not necessarily mean a romantic one. But the only people who pop up with any regularity (apart from Bowles, who at this point is a essentially a cardboard cutout antagonist/foil and doesn't count) are Frances his sister, who has yet to really have a significant character arc or role beyond being a token person who cares about Rutledge, Melinda Crawford, who is entertaining as an elderly close friend of the family, but often keeps her appearances brief, and Sargent Gibson, who appears to be the one person at Scotland Yard Rutledge trusts, and is essentially a plot device to get Rutledge information. I wouldn't mind seeing Rutledge develop a friendship that lasts longer with one book, and with someone who didn't know him pre-war, so only knows him now, with his demons.
There have been interesting characters that have cropped up in earlier books and would be interesting possibilities.
I mean, I get that part of the point is for Rutledge to be fairly isolated, but he's starting to feel just a bit too isolated.
December 6, 2017
Onvan : A False Mirror (Inspector Ian Rutledge, #9) - Nevisande : Charles Todd - ISBN : 60786736 - ISBN13 : 9780060786731 - Dar 371 Safhe - Saal e Chap : 2007
March 6, 2022
Another tricky situation for Ian. He’s given the runaround once more by Bowles and his sycophants, shipped off to solve a disappearance and probable murder, comes face to face with someone from his past in the trenches. Complex and invigorating.
April 24, 2011
Perhaps it is just me. Or perhaps the mother and son duo Charles Todd are beginning to run out of steam with their Ian Rutledge series. Don't get me wrong. "A False Mirror" was a fair read. I was entertained. However, the darkness of the previous volumes in this series has been fueled by Rutledge's experiences in the trenches of World War One. Those issues are present in this latest outing. But those issues are much less present in "A False Mirror." Rutledge is still accompanied by his constant companion Hamish, whose voice is an ever present reminder of the horrors of World War One. But Hamish's contributions in the latest volume seem a mere plot device, a way of learning what is going through Rutledge's mind in the investigative process.
The Great War's connection to "A False Mirror" is a man with whom Rutledge served in France. He has returned from the war to find the woman he loved has married another man, one much more well off, and a man of high social position. When his former love's husband is found severely beaten and left to drown in the incoming tide, Rutledge's former comrade in arms is the prime suspect. Through a plot line that stretches credulity, the beaten man's wife urges her former love to appear as though he's holding her hostage, even giving him her husband's revolver which he obligingly brandishes to the local constable who comes to inform the lady that her husband is hovering at death's door in the local doctor's surgery.
Our poor suspect will not cooperate to any degree and demand that Ian Rutledge be summoned. Rutledge is the only man he will talk to.
When Rutledge arrives on the scene, the bodies begin to pile up. The maid in the "hostage" household is smothered with a pillow. The Doctor's wife is bludgeoned to death. And most mysteriously, the battered man who had apparently been comatose has disappeared from the Doctor's surgery.
The Todds roll out a substantial number of suspects. The plotting is less precise than the previous taut tales by this mother and son. There are too many loose ends here and the ultimate revelation of the killer is less than satisfying.
"A False Mirror" is a decent English Village mystery. However, that is all it is. Perhaps the Todds recognized the difficulty of crossing the bar they raised for themselves repeatedly. They wrote a stand alone mystery entitled "The Murder Stone" before returning to Rutledge's investigations.
This is Rutledge's ninth investigation. The tally stands at thirteen. With some misgiving I'm on to "The Pale Horse" and hope that I find the Ian Rutledge and Hamish I came to know so well in the earlier Rutledge novels.
The Great War's connection to "A False Mirror" is a man with whom Rutledge served in France. He has returned from the war to find the woman he loved has married another man, one much more well off, and a man of high social position. When his former love's husband is found severely beaten and left to drown in the incoming tide, Rutledge's former comrade in arms is the prime suspect. Through a plot line that stretches credulity, the beaten man's wife urges her former love to appear as though he's holding her hostage, even giving him her husband's revolver which he obligingly brandishes to the local constable who comes to inform the lady that her husband is hovering at death's door in the local doctor's surgery.
Our poor suspect will not cooperate to any degree and demand that Ian Rutledge be summoned. Rutledge is the only man he will talk to.
When Rutledge arrives on the scene, the bodies begin to pile up. The maid in the "hostage" household is smothered with a pillow. The Doctor's wife is bludgeoned to death. And most mysteriously, the battered man who had apparently been comatose has disappeared from the Doctor's surgery.
The Todds roll out a substantial number of suspects. The plotting is less precise than the previous taut tales by this mother and son. There are too many loose ends here and the ultimate revelation of the killer is less than satisfying.
"A False Mirror" is a decent English Village mystery. However, that is all it is. Perhaps the Todds recognized the difficulty of crossing the bar they raised for themselves repeatedly. They wrote a stand alone mystery entitled "The Murder Stone" before returning to Rutledge's investigations.
This is Rutledge's ninth investigation. The tally stands at thirteen. With some misgiving I'm on to "The Pale Horse" and hope that I find the Ian Rutledge and Hamish I came to know so well in the earlier Rutledge novels.
November 23, 2018
This one cements a whole and larger squared foundation between Rutledge and Hamish, IMHO. You know "all" before #9- but this one has Hamish conversations nearly every other page. And that page count is long, IMHO.
The entire eventual assault "problem" and then 2 further murders occur away from London in small town setting with Ian putting "up" at the local inn for the duration. And much is in consequence to associations of the past War in France trench locations of a shared memory. Parallels then and now.
There were too many red herrings and the "he said, she said" gossip inquiry went on too long with too much duplicitous wordage for me to give this a 4 or 5 star. Just my opinion, but others of this series are better. More in the present and much less word verbosity of the past. Ian is still 90% tilted backwards. That's the problem when you read out of order. You know the strengths eventually achieved- and they seem voids in the "now".
Regardless, the ending was film worthy. Lots of visuals and I didn't guess the baddie until about 50 pages away from the quick and ultimate finale.
Better plots are coming. This one seems rather far fetched. And the women also way too passive for their place and time, IMHO.
How could you possibly sit "hostage-like" in one bedroom and dining room with a maid and a old boyfriend so many days without doing anything yourself? Or how could Ian and his bosses just let that hostage "agreement" meld for many days? It just seems rule of order process and manpower incredulous. Then, now or anytime in between.
The entire eventual assault "problem" and then 2 further murders occur away from London in small town setting with Ian putting "up" at the local inn for the duration. And much is in consequence to associations of the past War in France trench locations of a shared memory. Parallels then and now.
There were too many red herrings and the "he said, she said" gossip inquiry went on too long with too much duplicitous wordage for me to give this a 4 or 5 star. Just my opinion, but others of this series are better. More in the present and much less word verbosity of the past. Ian is still 90% tilted backwards. That's the problem when you read out of order. You know the strengths eventually achieved- and they seem voids in the "now".
Regardless, the ending was film worthy. Lots of visuals and I didn't guess the baddie until about 50 pages away from the quick and ultimate finale.
Better plots are coming. This one seems rather far fetched. And the women also way too passive for their place and time, IMHO.
How could you possibly sit "hostage-like" in one bedroom and dining room with a maid and a old boyfriend so many days without doing anything yourself? Or how could Ian and his bosses just let that hostage "agreement" meld for many days? It just seems rule of order process and manpower incredulous. Then, now or anytime in between.
March 23, 2016
I enjoyed this book of Ian Rutledge as detective a bit more than others because the ultimate who of the who done it wasn't easy to guess and in actuality very unobvious. The pacing was slow but still enjoyable. I do find these books worth the read and will continue with the series.
January 12, 2026
Once again Inspector Rutledge finds his culprit. The setting in the story lies in Hampton Regis, a coastal town on the southern part of England.
Ian Rutledge is a veteran of the First World War; and bitter memories still haunt him and those he knew during the war.
Now a mysterious beating has occurred in Hampton Regis in early February, 1920; and Inspector Rutledge has been assigned to the case. But while there, the case takes on an entirely different course. Murders start to happen. Rutledge is bewildered. Do any of those murders have anything to do with the beating of Matthew Hamilton?
Mr. Todd has proven yet again that he is a master, mystery writer.
Ian Rutledge is a veteran of the First World War; and bitter memories still haunt him and those he knew during the war.
Now a mysterious beating has occurred in Hampton Regis in early February, 1920; and Inspector Rutledge has been assigned to the case. But while there, the case takes on an entirely different course. Murders start to happen. Rutledge is bewildered. Do any of those murders have anything to do with the beating of Matthew Hamilton?
Mr. Todd has proven yet again that he is a master, mystery writer.
March 17, 2015
I found this ninth in the Inspector Ian Rutledge series a bit of rough going. It was hard to work up much interest in the plot or in the main characters. The whole premise of the story just seemed rather unbelievable.
As always, the plot is tied to the experiences of World War I. In this instance, the connection is through a man with whom Ian Rutledge had served in the war. a man who returned from the war to find the woman that he had been in love with now married to another older, richer man of a higher social class. When that man is severely beaten and left for dead, suspicion falls upon Rutledge's former comrade in arms.
When the police go to question the man, he goes a bit off the tracks and runs over the constable's foot with his car as he makes his escape. Instead of leaving the area, he makes his way to the house of the victim where, in a strange encounter with the man's wife, she gives him her husband's gun and essentially invites him to hold her and the housekeeper hostage!
When the police inevitably come calling, he tells them that he will not talk to anyone except Inspector Ian Rutledge of Scotland Yard. Rutledge is involved in investigating another case at the time and is very reluctant to head out to the hinterlands to deal with this new crime, but his superiors do not give him a choice in the matter. He's instructed to go and sort it out.
As he goes, he is still accompanied by the presence of Hamish, the Scottish soldier whom he executed during the war for refusing to obey a command. Hamish is an ever-present reminder of the horrors of war, but his contribution to this story seems subdued at best.
After Rutledge arrives on the scene, things seem to go from bad to worse. The suspect, the grieving wife, and the housekeeper are still holed up in the house with the suspect brandishing his revolver. Soon another body is added to the death toll as the housekeeper is smothered in her bed. Then the victim, who had apparently been in a coma at the local doctor's surgery, mysteriously disappears. Did he leave on his own or was he spirited away?
In the contretemps caused by the missing patient, it isn't noticed at first that the doctor's wife has been bludgeoned to death, her body left behind a desk. So, the tally becomes three dead bodies and one missing, either dead or alive, body.
At this point, the tale seemed to be descending into parody. I could not work up any empathy or interest in the two main characters, the wife and the suspect. They both seemed utterly unsympathetic and undeserving of my time. I really didn't care what happened to either of them.
The list of possible suspects, once we had pretty well established that the man in the house was not guilty, was long and scattered. Moreover, the denouement, when it came, was particularly unsatisfying and didn't really wrap things up for me. Too many loose ends were left hanging.
In a long series like this, there are bound to be times when the writer(s) is/are not at his/their best. The mother and son duo that make up "Charles Todd" have maintained a high standard of quality and this book didn't meet that standard. It was not terrible and there were bits that were entertaining, but, overall, it certainly was not one of their best.
As always, the plot is tied to the experiences of World War I. In this instance, the connection is through a man with whom Ian Rutledge had served in the war. a man who returned from the war to find the woman that he had been in love with now married to another older, richer man of a higher social class. When that man is severely beaten and left for dead, suspicion falls upon Rutledge's former comrade in arms.
When the police go to question the man, he goes a bit off the tracks and runs over the constable's foot with his car as he makes his escape. Instead of leaving the area, he makes his way to the house of the victim where, in a strange encounter with the man's wife, she gives him her husband's gun and essentially invites him to hold her and the housekeeper hostage!
When the police inevitably come calling, he tells them that he will not talk to anyone except Inspector Ian Rutledge of Scotland Yard. Rutledge is involved in investigating another case at the time and is very reluctant to head out to the hinterlands to deal with this new crime, but his superiors do not give him a choice in the matter. He's instructed to go and sort it out.
As he goes, he is still accompanied by the presence of Hamish, the Scottish soldier whom he executed during the war for refusing to obey a command. Hamish is an ever-present reminder of the horrors of war, but his contribution to this story seems subdued at best.
After Rutledge arrives on the scene, things seem to go from bad to worse. The suspect, the grieving wife, and the housekeeper are still holed up in the house with the suspect brandishing his revolver. Soon another body is added to the death toll as the housekeeper is smothered in her bed. Then the victim, who had apparently been in a coma at the local doctor's surgery, mysteriously disappears. Did he leave on his own or was he spirited away?
In the contretemps caused by the missing patient, it isn't noticed at first that the doctor's wife has been bludgeoned to death, her body left behind a desk. So, the tally becomes three dead bodies and one missing, either dead or alive, body.
At this point, the tale seemed to be descending into parody. I could not work up any empathy or interest in the two main characters, the wife and the suspect. They both seemed utterly unsympathetic and undeserving of my time. I really didn't care what happened to either of them.
The list of possible suspects, once we had pretty well established that the man in the house was not guilty, was long and scattered. Moreover, the denouement, when it came, was particularly unsatisfying and didn't really wrap things up for me. Too many loose ends were left hanging.
In a long series like this, there are bound to be times when the writer(s) is/are not at his/their best. The mother and son duo that make up "Charles Todd" have maintained a high standard of quality and this book didn't meet that standard. It was not terrible and there were bits that were entertaining, but, overall, it certainly was not one of their best.
January 17, 2016
There is so much to love about Charles Todd's books. The extensive research provides such a palatable sense of time and place in post-war England. And they build such beautiful sentences. I especially liked this passage.
"Except for what he'd read or been told since, he knew nothing about the peace that had been fought over and turned into punishment for Germany, each participating nation stretching out greedy hands for what they wanted out of the shambles of dead men's suffering. He'd been locked in his own private hell while Wilson and Lloyd George and Clemenceau created the new world in their own images. The Kaiser was gone, shut in his tiny estate in Holland, and the Tsar, deposed and dragged around Russia like a trophy until he was no longer of any value to anyone, was dead."
A later scene showed the authors' attention to detail that illustrates a character's personality.
"There was a fresh pot of tea waiting for them, and a plate of biscuits that Putnam had found somewhere, set out on a pretty floral plate.
. . . Bennett refused the offer of a chair and leaned against the wall with his teacup balanced in one hand. Rutledge found himself thinking that Mrs. Granville wouldn't have cared for people making free with her fine china, and would have worried about the cup in Bennett's fist."
Like all the Ian Rutledge mysteries, there are plenty of suspects and red herrings and Agatha Christie-esque plots and only once have I ever figured out the identity of the villain before it is revealed. But there is so much more to the book than just the plot and I thoroughly enjoyed this one.
"Except for what he'd read or been told since, he knew nothing about the peace that had been fought over and turned into punishment for Germany, each participating nation stretching out greedy hands for what they wanted out of the shambles of dead men's suffering. He'd been locked in his own private hell while Wilson and Lloyd George and Clemenceau created the new world in their own images. The Kaiser was gone, shut in his tiny estate in Holland, and the Tsar, deposed and dragged around Russia like a trophy until he was no longer of any value to anyone, was dead."
A later scene showed the authors' attention to detail that illustrates a character's personality.
"There was a fresh pot of tea waiting for them, and a plate of biscuits that Putnam had found somewhere, set out on a pretty floral plate.
. . . Bennett refused the offer of a chair and leaned against the wall with his teacup balanced in one hand. Rutledge found himself thinking that Mrs. Granville wouldn't have cared for people making free with her fine china, and would have worried about the cup in Bennett's fist."
Like all the Ian Rutledge mysteries, there are plenty of suspects and red herrings and Agatha Christie-esque plots and only once have I ever figured out the identity of the villain before it is revealed. But there is so much more to the book than just the plot and I thoroughly enjoyed this one.
August 19, 2007
A rainy afternoon seemed the perfect time to read the newest entry in the moody Charles Todd mysteries about shell-shocked Scotland Yard detective Ian Rutledge. As a big fan of the time period, I have always liked series like this and the Maisie Dobbs books by Jacqueline Winspear, because they take you so vividly to a time and a place absolutely dominated by a shared experience, World War I. Rutledge is an interesting character, deeply scarred by his war experiences, but trying to move on with his career in Scotland Yard. His coping mechanism is an unusual one, in that he hears (in his head) the voice of one of the men who died under his command in the trenches. This distinctive inner voice is both an intense distraction, but also a second conscience. And strangely enough it makes him a better policeman. The plots of the series are not nearly as interesting as watching poor Rutledge battling his demons. Author Todd writes classic examples of what used to be called the "fair play" mystery, where all of the information that a reader might need to solve the mystery is provided, if hidden amongst red herrings. He cheats a bit here, and the story drags a little in the middle, but it contains a good climax and reveal, which manages to surprise due to the large number of possible suspects. If it had been a little tighter plotted, I would have happily given it more than a guarded 4 stars. As it is I still look forward to the next in this interesting series.
July 17, 2024
A mystery with no forensics, no CSI team and no cell phones or Ipads. And the mystery is solved - in a week!! Ian Rutledge solves the mystery by watching faces as he gives poeple information. He can tell exactly what they did or didn't do by how they react to the information. He does this all, while suffering from World War I's version of PTSD - shell shock !!
Love these books!! And the bad guy in this book - came out of nowhere and was a complete surprise. This book, however, is not one of my favorites - the mystery was just not interesting enough. I also love how the author(s) makes me feel like I am really in 1920 England, I smell it, hear it and feel it.
BEST USE OF: an English village by the sea, people who volunteer information and relatives that have information that you need to solve a crime!
ALPHA MALE: -none here
SPUNKY HEROINE: none here
RUNNING THROUGH ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE: 10+
NO SEX: 10+
HEA - 0
PROLOGUE/EPILOGUE: -none-
Rating
9 - a keeper
Heat Level
0 -the only heat in this book - Spring!!
HOLLYWOOD CALLING: Tom Hardy as Rutledge and still James McAvoy as Hamish
COVER COVERS IT: Great cover but just doesn't cover a scene or even set the scene!
Love these books!! And the bad guy in this book - came out of nowhere and was a complete surprise. This book, however, is not one of my favorites - the mystery was just not interesting enough. I also love how the author(s) makes me feel like I am really in 1920 England, I smell it, hear it and feel it.
BEST USE OF: an English village by the sea, people who volunteer information and relatives that have information that you need to solve a crime!
ALPHA MALE: -none here
SPUNKY HEROINE: none here
RUNNING THROUGH ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE: 10+
NO SEX: 10+
HEA - 0
PROLOGUE/EPILOGUE: -none-
Rating
9 - a keeper
Heat Level
0 -the only heat in this book - Spring!!
HOLLYWOOD CALLING: Tom Hardy as Rutledge and still James McAvoy as Hamish
COVER COVERS IT: Great cover but just doesn't cover a scene or even set the scene!
May 25, 2009
A bit of a bad spell for me and period mysteries. I normally enjoy Charles Todd's Inspector Rutledge series but this one left me pretty flat. The mystery itself was not unsatisfying, but two of the main characters affected by the plot were so completely unsympathetic to me that I just wanted to get through the story so I would not have to read about them anymore.
February 5, 2021
AROUND THE WORLD OF CRIME AND MYSTERY
North American (authors) amazingly create a sensational English countryside, post WW1. But for me there is a serious flaw.
CAST - 4 stars: Inspector Ian Rutledge, " a man alone, no home, no love..." is still haunted by the dead man Colonel Hamish MacLeod (living in Ian's head) and we learn a bit more about what happened to these men on the battle front: I suspect most of us would have never been able to cope afterwards. But Ian MUST cope, he must work to exhaustion, and so he does. Lieutenant Stephen Mallory leaves the war early when granted a compassionate leave and doesn't go back, thus a setup for conflict between Rutledge and Mallory. Given that Mallory is the chief suspect of the beating of Matthew Hamilton (and oh what a great twist is in store), Rutledge struggles to even suspect others. Felicity is married to Hamilton but attracted to the much younger and richer Mallory, so a love triangle (on the rocks) comes into play. Dr. Granville is the town doctor and has excellent skills,but why is he stuck in a small backwater of a town. Augusta Putman is the rector, Charlotte Trining is a member of the vestry along with Matthew. And what is it about Hamilton's diplomatic travels around the world and his collection of obscene (according to Mr. Reston), ancient relics? Very good central cast but as the number of characters increase well pass 25, I found myself asking if the count of people is used just to distract and confuse the reader so that the....
CRIME - 3 stars: the crime itself is not unusual. In fact it's rather bland. And then there are two more murders that are pointless, really, as the victims know nothing.
INVESTIGATION - 2 stars: As Rutledge plows ahead, it's sometimes interesting. But the author uses the cliche of a character about to answer a question but someone knocks at the door, or an investigator forgets to ask THE central question and has to return...and return. Most murder mysteries use this convention, certainly, but here it is overdone.
RESOLUTION - 1 star: Absolutely unbelievable. There isn't a hint of the identity of the villain until the last few pages, and I didn't believe the motives involved. No way! I can't fathom that any reader will even make a correct guess. And I didn't believe that Rutledge would have abided that servant Nan remain locked up in a basement room of a private residence for most of the story. Why? What did she do/know? (Nothing as it turns out.) Certainly this isn't a typical issue that Scotland Yard allows. And why didn't she just scream and scream until the neighbors heard, or the gardener heard, or someone?
ATMOSPHERE - 4 stars: Almost Pitch perfect. A town beside the sea, mudslides, mists, a young boy sees a 'monster'. A town still terrorized and recovering from WW1, almost an entire generation of young men gone, never to return. The horror of the women not knowing what happened to their men and facing a lifetime of suffering is painfully but perfectly done. I'd give this 5 stars, but sadly the author resorts to a cliched and lazy 'weather report opening.'
SUMMARY - 2.8 stars: The atmosphere is the star of the show along with the cast (or at least the first 20 or so people we meet). But I was baffled by the resolution as it comes out of nowhere. It's true I often don't get the solution right in murder mysteries, but I do like to have solid clues - along with red herrings - so that I did at least consider who the villain might be. I've read the first 9 in this series, I like it. Another problem is that the end of the previous novel in the series, "A Long Shadow" indicated that there was more to come. But this isn't a follow-up. So far, the best for me in this series is "The Watchers of Time." If you're going to just read one, read that.
North American (authors) amazingly create a sensational English countryside, post WW1. But for me there is a serious flaw.
CAST - 4 stars: Inspector Ian Rutledge, " a man alone, no home, no love..." is still haunted by the dead man Colonel Hamish MacLeod (living in Ian's head) and we learn a bit more about what happened to these men on the battle front: I suspect most of us would have never been able to cope afterwards. But Ian MUST cope, he must work to exhaustion, and so he does. Lieutenant Stephen Mallory leaves the war early when granted a compassionate leave and doesn't go back, thus a setup for conflict between Rutledge and Mallory. Given that Mallory is the chief suspect of the beating of Matthew Hamilton (and oh what a great twist is in store), Rutledge struggles to even suspect others. Felicity is married to Hamilton but attracted to the much younger and richer Mallory, so a love triangle (on the rocks) comes into play. Dr. Granville is the town doctor and has excellent skills,but why is he stuck in a small backwater of a town. Augusta Putman is the rector, Charlotte Trining is a member of the vestry along with Matthew. And what is it about Hamilton's diplomatic travels around the world and his collection of obscene (according to Mr. Reston), ancient relics? Very good central cast but as the number of characters increase well pass 25, I found myself asking if the count of people is used just to distract and confuse the reader so that the....
CRIME - 3 stars: the crime itself is not unusual. In fact it's rather bland. And then there are two more murders that are pointless, really, as the victims know nothing.
INVESTIGATION - 2 stars: As Rutledge plows ahead, it's sometimes interesting. But the author uses the cliche of a character about to answer a question but someone knocks at the door, or an investigator forgets to ask THE central question and has to return...and return. Most murder mysteries use this convention, certainly, but here it is overdone.
RESOLUTION - 1 star: Absolutely unbelievable. There isn't a hint of the identity of the villain until the last few pages, and I didn't believe the motives involved. No way! I can't fathom that any reader will even make a correct guess. And I didn't believe that Rutledge would have abided that servant Nan remain locked up in a basement room of a private residence for most of the story. Why? What did she do/know? (Nothing as it turns out.) Certainly this isn't a typical issue that Scotland Yard allows. And why didn't she just scream and scream until the neighbors heard, or the gardener heard, or someone?
ATMOSPHERE - 4 stars: Almost Pitch perfect. A town beside the sea, mudslides, mists, a young boy sees a 'monster'. A town still terrorized and recovering from WW1, almost an entire generation of young men gone, never to return. The horror of the women not knowing what happened to their men and facing a lifetime of suffering is painfully but perfectly done. I'd give this 5 stars, but sadly the author resorts to a cliched and lazy 'weather report opening.'
SUMMARY - 2.8 stars: The atmosphere is the star of the show along with the cast (or at least the first 20 or so people we meet). But I was baffled by the resolution as it comes out of nowhere. It's true I often don't get the solution right in murder mysteries, but I do like to have solid clues - along with red herrings - so that I did at least consider who the villain might be. I've read the first 9 in this series, I like it. Another problem is that the end of the previous novel in the series, "A Long Shadow" indicated that there was more to come. But this isn't a follow-up. So far, the best for me in this series is "The Watchers of Time." If you're going to just read one, read that.
May 8, 2019
It is the end of February in 1920's London. For the past six months Ian Rutledge has been successful in meeting every test Chief Superintendent Bowles has thrown his way. Bowles does not know how he does it. He had obtained Rutledge’s medical records, knows he was suicidal and that the medical staff had predicted he would not survive the rigors of his job for a month if he returned to his position at Scotland Yard. But Rutledge returned, months have gone by and he was still there. It rankles Bowles, who secretly wishes the Germans had cut Rutledge down in France but he must keep his feelings to himself. Bowles knows Rutledge’s competence is a threat to his own continued push up the career ladder at Scotland Yard. He is an ambitious man ready to get ahead at any cost and Rutledge’s competence could prove a distraction, taking admiring glances away from himself and shining them on someone more deserving. Rutledge however has no ambition for administrative work. He enjoys being out in the field and doing hands on police work, though he secretly wishes for a more trustworthy, sympathetic and supportive superior.
Rutledge is always careful in his dealings with Bowles. He knows he is a powerful man with little concern for anyone but himself. Whenever there is a crime to be solved far from London, Bowles usually chooses Rutledge for the assignment, warning him to close the criminal investigation quickly and not make any trouble for him back in London. He does not want to be stuck with uncomfortable questions about Rutledge’s behavior. Bowles demands frequent updates, each phone call demanding to know why he is making so little progress. His rant is ended before there are any of the common pleasantries which normally end a call to a colleague. After his usual tirade, Bowles just hangs up leaving Rutledge standing with the phone in his hand and a message he would like to deliver to his superior quietly left unspoken on his lips.
After completing his last assignment Rutledge asked Bowles for a leave. He is owed time back but Bowles refuses his request and assigns him to help a colleague named Phipps who is working on London’s Green Park Murders. Bowles is hoping that Rutledge may be on the verge of breaking and wants to encourage that process along by pushing him even further. Rutledge begins work on the investigation and comes up with an interesting lead when Bowles pulls him from that assignment and sends him to the small village of Hampton Regis on the southeast coast of England where Mathew Hamilton, who once worked for the Foreign Service, was found beaten and left for dead.
Hamilton had been taking an early morning walk on the shale breakwater near his home by the sea when he was attacked from behind, badly beaten about the head and left to die on the beach. No one saw the attack. When he was found, he was unconscious and about to drown in the rising tidewaters. He was immediately taken into care at Dr. Granville’s surgery where he is alive but still unconscious. Granville is monitoring him closely, seriously concerned about brain injury.
Inspector Bennett from the local constabulary believes that Stephen Mallory, a man he knows has feelings for Hamilton’s wife Felicity, is responsible for the beating and arrives at Mallory’s door to take him in for questioning. He finds Mallory looking rough, unshaven, smelling of whiskey with bloodshot eyes and a cut under his left eye. Instead of submitting to Bennett’s questions, Mallory, convinced Bennett will arrest him without any supporting evidence, pushes past him, flees his home and takes off in his car. Bennett follows in hot pursuit and in an ensuing scuffle, Mallory runs over Bennett’s foot. But he keeps going, leaving Bennett on the road and hurries to Mathew Hamilton’s home. He wants to make sure Felicity knows he had nothing to do with Mathew’s beating. There he holds Felicity and her maid Nan Weeks in the house at gunpoint, refusing to let them leave or allowing anyone to enter. Mallory refuses to give himself up and says he will only surrender to Ian Rutledge at Scotland Yard.
When Rutledge hears about Mallory’s request for his presence, he is puzzled. The two were in the same regiment in France during the war but did not like each other. Why would Mallory call on a man he didn’t like for help at a critical time such as this?
Rutledge tries to reconstruct the sequence of events that played out on the beach and determine a motive for the beating. There are few leads to follow as Mathew was well liked in the community. Two murders follow and things appear to get more complicated until Rutledge finally discovers a critical piece of evidence which helps him begin unraveling the mystery and identify the guilty party.
As with their other novels in the series, the mother and son team writing under the name Charles Todd create a complex plot with several interesting well drawn characters and a number of clues that are followed but result in dead ends. There is usually one character that stands out in each of their novels and in this one it is Charlotte Trining, an imperious, self important woman, accustomed to always having her own way. She is a significant force in the community, a lady with connections who is never shy about alluding to or using them. After a few short conversations with Rutledge, she concludes he is too young and inexperienced to handle the investigation and threatens to have a word with the Chief Constable when he comes to tea. Rutledge just listens to her comments. He has dealt with women like her before. There is one in every town.
The investigation leads Rutledge to look into Mathew Hamilton’s past, to the years he spent in the British Foreign Service and his past history of roaming through archeological dig sites and collecting rare artifacts. He also explores the past of others in the village, discovering a case of embezzlement, an arranged marriage and women from Mathews past, one who still lives in the village and the other a mysterious Miss Cole who no one knows much about. Meanwhile he must contend with Felicity Hamilton, Mathew’s very much younger wife, a pretty but fragile woman and her angry and belligerent maid Nan Weeks. He also begins to understand that Mallory has locked himself up with the two women because is convinced he will not be treated fairly if he surrenders to the authorities.
As always, Rutledge is not alone in this investigation, followed every step of the way by the ghost of Hamish MacLeod, the corporal he was forced to execute on the battlefield in France for refusing to obey orders. Hamish is always in his head, commenting on what is going on, warning Rutledge of imminent danger and criticizing his actions.
Rutledge continues to be portrayed as a man who is tired, weary and fearful others will find out about Hamish, a secret he has kept to himself. He is also lonely, struggling to resume his place at home after returning from the war when his fiancé broke their engagement, married another man and left Britain for Canada. He pushes the terrible memories of the war to the back of his head by throwing himself into his work and trying to do a good job. It keeps the demons at bay, although it seems he rarely gets a break and must always find the answers he seeks the hard way.
This is the ninth book in a series in which the authors give readers an interesting crime to think about, complete with the accurate historical details of the chosen setting. These novels are unlike the more stripped down, fast moving crime stories set in modern times. The Todd team provides a different experience, giving readers a multilayered story chronicled quietly over a longer period of time. The tone is darker and time moves more slowly with the absence of everything that makes life in today’s world a speedy affair, pushed with complex technology, on the spot communications and a variety of transportation systems. Instead these crimes are set in the tough, dreary period following the war when crippled men hobbled along the streets, those with lungs damaged by poisonous gas coughed endlessly and those with burns tried to hide their disfigured faces. It was also a time when the church was still the revered and acknowledged center of the community, when social standing, set at birth, determined a lifestyle and when good manners, social diplomacy and propriety were key to living happily in any small town.
These novels are an important reminder that war never ends with the last bullets fired. It continues to wreck damage for years afterwards, affecting the bodies and minds of those who fought and the lives of those who stayed at home to wait for their return.
Like most books in a series, this one can be read as a stand alone, but is much more appreciated when read in the order in which they were written.
Rutledge is always careful in his dealings with Bowles. He knows he is a powerful man with little concern for anyone but himself. Whenever there is a crime to be solved far from London, Bowles usually chooses Rutledge for the assignment, warning him to close the criminal investigation quickly and not make any trouble for him back in London. He does not want to be stuck with uncomfortable questions about Rutledge’s behavior. Bowles demands frequent updates, each phone call demanding to know why he is making so little progress. His rant is ended before there are any of the common pleasantries which normally end a call to a colleague. After his usual tirade, Bowles just hangs up leaving Rutledge standing with the phone in his hand and a message he would like to deliver to his superior quietly left unspoken on his lips.
After completing his last assignment Rutledge asked Bowles for a leave. He is owed time back but Bowles refuses his request and assigns him to help a colleague named Phipps who is working on London’s Green Park Murders. Bowles is hoping that Rutledge may be on the verge of breaking and wants to encourage that process along by pushing him even further. Rutledge begins work on the investigation and comes up with an interesting lead when Bowles pulls him from that assignment and sends him to the small village of Hampton Regis on the southeast coast of England where Mathew Hamilton, who once worked for the Foreign Service, was found beaten and left for dead.
Hamilton had been taking an early morning walk on the shale breakwater near his home by the sea when he was attacked from behind, badly beaten about the head and left to die on the beach. No one saw the attack. When he was found, he was unconscious and about to drown in the rising tidewaters. He was immediately taken into care at Dr. Granville’s surgery where he is alive but still unconscious. Granville is monitoring him closely, seriously concerned about brain injury.
Inspector Bennett from the local constabulary believes that Stephen Mallory, a man he knows has feelings for Hamilton’s wife Felicity, is responsible for the beating and arrives at Mallory’s door to take him in for questioning. He finds Mallory looking rough, unshaven, smelling of whiskey with bloodshot eyes and a cut under his left eye. Instead of submitting to Bennett’s questions, Mallory, convinced Bennett will arrest him without any supporting evidence, pushes past him, flees his home and takes off in his car. Bennett follows in hot pursuit and in an ensuing scuffle, Mallory runs over Bennett’s foot. But he keeps going, leaving Bennett on the road and hurries to Mathew Hamilton’s home. He wants to make sure Felicity knows he had nothing to do with Mathew’s beating. There he holds Felicity and her maid Nan Weeks in the house at gunpoint, refusing to let them leave or allowing anyone to enter. Mallory refuses to give himself up and says he will only surrender to Ian Rutledge at Scotland Yard.
When Rutledge hears about Mallory’s request for his presence, he is puzzled. The two were in the same regiment in France during the war but did not like each other. Why would Mallory call on a man he didn’t like for help at a critical time such as this?
Rutledge tries to reconstruct the sequence of events that played out on the beach and determine a motive for the beating. There are few leads to follow as Mathew was well liked in the community. Two murders follow and things appear to get more complicated until Rutledge finally discovers a critical piece of evidence which helps him begin unraveling the mystery and identify the guilty party.
As with their other novels in the series, the mother and son team writing under the name Charles Todd create a complex plot with several interesting well drawn characters and a number of clues that are followed but result in dead ends. There is usually one character that stands out in each of their novels and in this one it is Charlotte Trining, an imperious, self important woman, accustomed to always having her own way. She is a significant force in the community, a lady with connections who is never shy about alluding to or using them. After a few short conversations with Rutledge, she concludes he is too young and inexperienced to handle the investigation and threatens to have a word with the Chief Constable when he comes to tea. Rutledge just listens to her comments. He has dealt with women like her before. There is one in every town.
The investigation leads Rutledge to look into Mathew Hamilton’s past, to the years he spent in the British Foreign Service and his past history of roaming through archeological dig sites and collecting rare artifacts. He also explores the past of others in the village, discovering a case of embezzlement, an arranged marriage and women from Mathews past, one who still lives in the village and the other a mysterious Miss Cole who no one knows much about. Meanwhile he must contend with Felicity Hamilton, Mathew’s very much younger wife, a pretty but fragile woman and her angry and belligerent maid Nan Weeks. He also begins to understand that Mallory has locked himself up with the two women because is convinced he will not be treated fairly if he surrenders to the authorities.
As always, Rutledge is not alone in this investigation, followed every step of the way by the ghost of Hamish MacLeod, the corporal he was forced to execute on the battlefield in France for refusing to obey orders. Hamish is always in his head, commenting on what is going on, warning Rutledge of imminent danger and criticizing his actions.
Rutledge continues to be portrayed as a man who is tired, weary and fearful others will find out about Hamish, a secret he has kept to himself. He is also lonely, struggling to resume his place at home after returning from the war when his fiancé broke their engagement, married another man and left Britain for Canada. He pushes the terrible memories of the war to the back of his head by throwing himself into his work and trying to do a good job. It keeps the demons at bay, although it seems he rarely gets a break and must always find the answers he seeks the hard way.
This is the ninth book in a series in which the authors give readers an interesting crime to think about, complete with the accurate historical details of the chosen setting. These novels are unlike the more stripped down, fast moving crime stories set in modern times. The Todd team provides a different experience, giving readers a multilayered story chronicled quietly over a longer period of time. The tone is darker and time moves more slowly with the absence of everything that makes life in today’s world a speedy affair, pushed with complex technology, on the spot communications and a variety of transportation systems. Instead these crimes are set in the tough, dreary period following the war when crippled men hobbled along the streets, those with lungs damaged by poisonous gas coughed endlessly and those with burns tried to hide their disfigured faces. It was also a time when the church was still the revered and acknowledged center of the community, when social standing, set at birth, determined a lifestyle and when good manners, social diplomacy and propriety were key to living happily in any small town.
These novels are an important reminder that war never ends with the last bullets fired. It continues to wreck damage for years afterwards, affecting the bodies and minds of those who fought and the lives of those who stayed at home to wait for their return.
Like most books in a series, this one can be read as a stand alone, but is much more appreciated when read in the order in which they were written.
May 17, 2023
3 1/2 stars. Hamish seems to be retreating a bit. Not that I miss him all that much, as he occasionally get a bit tiring - maybe it's just a coincidence that this title isn't quite up to snuff as some of the rest.
Re-read, listened 5/23. DNF, one+ hour in of 13 - mix of boredom and scattered & stereotypical plotting. Maybe it was better read than heard, as this wasn't close to 3 stars, at least as far as I got.
Re-read, listened 5/23. DNF, one+ hour in of 13 - mix of boredom and scattered & stereotypical plotting. Maybe it was better read than heard, as this wasn't close to 3 stars, at least as far as I got.
April 5, 2020
The narrative seemed a bit too much for reality but the plot line was very fine indeed. Once again, I did not solve the mystery but on to the next one.
February 16, 2026
A False Mirror by Charles Todd is the 9th book of the Inspector Ian Rutledge mystery series set in February 1920 Cornwall. Rutledge is sent to Hampton Regis, where Matthew Hamilton's body was discovered near the tide line. He's still alive, barely.
Stephen Mallory fought in the WWI trenches, fled home after an injury. Ian Rutledge knew him and disrespected him for his lack of courage. Mallory is still in love with Felicity, although she married Hamilton (older and richer) before Mallory made it home from the war.
It was a bitterly cold night of frost, the stars sharp and piercingly bright overhead. He pulled the motorcar to the verge and settled to watch the house that lay directly across the black expanse of water. It stood out against the sky amazingly clear.
Mallory is the prime suspect in Hamilton's beating, which everyone expects will be fatal. Mallory rushes to Felicity, to convince her he didn't do the crime. Felicity's reaction as the police arrive is quite unbelievable; she makes a bad situation much worse.
Mallory insists the local police send for Rutledge, the only person he's willing to talk with. Despite his personal dislike of Mallory, Rutledge will carefully investigate until he knows the truth. If Hamilton recovers consciousness, Rutledge intends to ask if Hamilton remembers who attacked him.
The story is extended and enhanced by plot twists providing red herrings. The next two murders are surprising, hard to explain "why" they happened. Rutledge is thorough, determined and compassionate, haunted as always by Hamish just behind him.
Hamish, in the back of his mind, was a low familiar rumble, like the guns in France.
Stephen Mallory fought in the WWI trenches, fled home after an injury. Ian Rutledge knew him and disrespected him for his lack of courage. Mallory is still in love with Felicity, although she married Hamilton (older and richer) before Mallory made it home from the war.
It was a bitterly cold night of frost, the stars sharp and piercingly bright overhead. He pulled the motorcar to the verge and settled to watch the house that lay directly across the black expanse of water. It stood out against the sky amazingly clear.
Mallory is the prime suspect in Hamilton's beating, which everyone expects will be fatal. Mallory rushes to Felicity, to convince her he didn't do the crime. Felicity's reaction as the police arrive is quite unbelievable; she makes a bad situation much worse.
Mallory insists the local police send for Rutledge, the only person he's willing to talk with. Despite his personal dislike of Mallory, Rutledge will carefully investigate until he knows the truth. If Hamilton recovers consciousness, Rutledge intends to ask if Hamilton remembers who attacked him.
The story is extended and enhanced by plot twists providing red herrings. The next two murders are surprising, hard to explain "why" they happened. Rutledge is thorough, determined and compassionate, haunted as always by Hamish just behind him.
Hamish, in the back of his mind, was a low familiar rumble, like the guns in France.
January 3, 2022
This is number 9 in the Inspector Ian Rutledge series. I read it for the Popsugar 2022 category 41: a book with a reflected image on the cover or mirror in the title. I am a big fan of this series, and either read it so long ago I don't remember, or somehow missed it. In any case, it doesn't disappoint, although it is a bit dark. Rutledge is still very haunted by his wartime experiences, and coming face to face with one of his former men doesn't help. Still, with little help from either his own boss or the local police he has been sent to help, he eventually solves the mystery. The solution was a surprise to me, which doesn't happen all that happen, so I was happy to have chosen this one to read this year.
June 7, 2020
Continuing my journey through the tales of Ian Rutledge & feeling happy with this episode too. Ian still trying to face & come to terms with his past in the war & with Hamish's voice in his head, & in the meantime he brings a cold-blooded murderer to justice.
July 25, 2022
4.5⭐
February 19, 2023
Not my favorite in the series so far, but that won't keep me from sticking with it. This story was all over the place, and I could not get interested in any of the characters, except Rutledge, of course. On to the next.....
January 29, 2021
In the middle of a murder investigation, Chief Superintendent Bowles thinks he has a way to get rid of his bane, Inspector Ian Rutledge. Rutledge is sent to Hampton Rigis, a small town on the southern coast of England, where a suspected murderer has asked for him to come and investigate the case and prove him innocent. The victim hasn't died, yet, but it doesn't look good. And the suspect has taken hostage the victim's wife, and maid. It doesn't look good, especially since the suspect has a past relationship with the victim's wife. Lots of red herrings, and a local Inspector who has it in for the suspect. And others die.
Again, excellent. Slow moving. Others like this are Rennie Airth's John Madden mysteries, and Jacqueline Winspear's Masie Dobbs series.
Again, excellent. Slow moving. Others like this are Rennie Airth's John Madden mysteries, and Jacqueline Winspear's Masie Dobbs series.
January 24, 2023
This was a boring novel. It was way tooooo long then it needed to be. I didn't care for any of the characters and was wishing Rutledge would figure out who the muderer was so the book would end. It again takes place in a small English village where everone knows everyone's business and all there is to do is gossip about one another.
I'm hoping the next book is much more interesting.
I'm hoping the next book is much more interesting.
January 19, 2021
Mystery. Inspector Rutledge. These are enjoyable mysteries set Great Britain immediately after WWI. I sometimes laugh out loud at some of the writing. For instance, when a person in a small town haughtily tells Inspector Rutledge that in this village, no one need lock their doors because it is such a nice village filled with law-abiding citizens. Of course, this is while Rutledge is investigating two brutal murders within the same village.
October 27, 2023
Murder mystery set in 1920 in Hampton Regis in Dorset on the south coast of England. The killer came as a surprise twist. I liked the beginning, with nasty “Old Bowels” fulminating at how well Rutledge is doing, despite all his machinations. Good ending, too. The stuff in the middle is standard fare for this series, meaning it made me think about whodunnit and also seemed a little long. Some historical stuff focusing on 1919 Treaty of Versailles.
The Cast:
Ian Rutledge is 30 and his sister Frances is 28
Green Park murders in London investigation is led by Chief Inspector Phipps
Casa Miranda is the big house on the sea cliff in Hampton Regis. This is the home of beautiful Mrs Felicity Hamilton, and her besotted husband, Matthew Hamilton. He was viciously attacked and left for dead at the beginning of the story. Hamilton is retired from the Foreign Office, a rather high-level diplomat /officer. He tried to argue against heavy tolls on Germany as pushed through in Treaty of Versailles. His last overseas posting was at Malta. He collected archeological finds, exotic trinkets, and religious statuary, purchasing some of it from grave robbers.
Nan Weekes is cook and housemaid at Casa Miranda. Her cousin is Constable Coxe the grim-eyed.
Hampton Regis Police: Inspector Bennett, married to Mrs Bennett. Bennett is quick to accuse Steven Mallory from the get-go, and getting his foot driven over by said suspect cements his mindset. Bennett is determined that Mallory is the killer and thinks Rutledge is protecting Steven Mallory because they were officer-friends in the war.
Amiable young constable whose name I cannot recall. The older constable is Coxe, Nan’s cousin.
The Rector - Mr Putnam
Miss Cole. Hamilton respects her. She lives in Exeter with an aunt.
Steven Mallory -- was in love with Felicity (Hamilton) before war, but she married and didn’t wait for him. Mallory served in the Somme as an officer alongside Rutledge. His uncle is/ was a bishop.
Miss Trining, rich old snobby bitty
Doctor Granville, his wife Margaret. Local GP in Hampton Regis.
Doctor Hester, from neighboring village of Middlebury.
George Reston, a puritanical banker. Rude and aggressive. His wife is not much better. She knew Hamilton in youth. George Reston’s brother drowned not too long ago.
Miss Esterly walks with swan head cane, recovering from collision between her bike and Hamilton’s motorcar one rainy night some time ago. Dr Hamilton patched her broken leg.
Young boy Jeremy Cornelius saw hunchback in night mist from his window, giving him nightmares.
Robert Stratton shows up, saying he’s from the Foreign Office.
The Cast:
Ian Rutledge is 30 and his sister Frances is 28
Green Park murders in London investigation is led by Chief Inspector Phipps
Casa Miranda is the big house on the sea cliff in Hampton Regis. This is the home of beautiful Mrs Felicity Hamilton, and her besotted husband, Matthew Hamilton. He was viciously attacked and left for dead at the beginning of the story. Hamilton is retired from the Foreign Office, a rather high-level diplomat /officer. He tried to argue against heavy tolls on Germany as pushed through in Treaty of Versailles. His last overseas posting was at Malta. He collected archeological finds, exotic trinkets, and religious statuary, purchasing some of it from grave robbers.
Nan Weekes is cook and housemaid at Casa Miranda. Her cousin is Constable Coxe the grim-eyed.
Hampton Regis Police: Inspector Bennett, married to Mrs Bennett. Bennett is quick to accuse Steven Mallory from the get-go, and getting his foot driven over by said suspect cements his mindset. Bennett is determined that Mallory is the killer and thinks Rutledge is protecting Steven Mallory because they were officer-friends in the war.
Amiable young constable whose name I cannot recall. The older constable is Coxe, Nan’s cousin.
The Rector - Mr Putnam
Miss Cole. Hamilton respects her. She lives in Exeter with an aunt.
Steven Mallory -- was in love with Felicity (Hamilton) before war, but she married and didn’t wait for him. Mallory served in the Somme as an officer alongside Rutledge. His uncle is/ was a bishop.
Miss Trining, rich old snobby bitty
Doctor Granville, his wife Margaret. Local GP in Hampton Regis.
Doctor Hester, from neighboring village of Middlebury.
George Reston, a puritanical banker. Rude and aggressive. His wife is not much better. She knew Hamilton in youth. George Reston’s brother drowned not too long ago.
Miss Esterly walks with swan head cane, recovering from collision between her bike and Hamilton’s motorcar one rainy night some time ago. Dr Hamilton patched her broken leg.
Young boy Jeremy Cornelius saw hunchback in night mist from his window, giving him nightmares.
Robert Stratton shows up, saying he’s from the Foreign Office.
December 22, 2020
An implausible start of the book - Inspector Rutledge is asked to go to south western England where Mallory, who has been accused of savagely beating the husband of a woman he once loved and still loves. The suspect has taken the wife hostage as well as the household's maid. There are two murders that occur while Inspector Rutledge is there. The backdrop is England - post World War I and the scars that have occurred to the countryside and the people and principally to Inspector Rutledge.
Again another Inspector Rutledge book - quite good but an exhausting read as Inspector Rutledge is busy cracking the car (March 1920) to interview an assortment of people.
Again another Inspector Rutledge book - quite good but an exhausting read as Inspector Rutledge is busy cracking the car (March 1920) to interview an assortment of people.
November 25, 2020
This is the 8th mystery in the Ian Rutledge mystery series. I enjoyed it. I must say the ending seemed rush and I didn't see it coming. However, the insights and procedures followed by Rutledge still are fascinating. This time he is sent at the request of a fellow soldier from WWI to come solve a mystery that has made this soldier hold a woman hostage. There are missing bodies, all sorts of suspects and of course, Hamish, the voice of a deceased soldier that is very much alive in Rutledge's mind. Despite this being the 8th book in the series, it's just the start of 1920. So mere months have passed since he solved his last murder mystery.
This series doesn't disappoint and I look forward to reading #9!
This series doesn't disappoint and I look forward to reading #9!
January 24, 2012
This was one of the best Inspector Rutledge books yet. An influential diplomat has been attacked and left for dead and the main suspect is the diplomat's ex-fiance Stephen Mallory. Mallory served at the front with Rutledge, and despite their shared negative history, Mallory asks Rutledge to prove he's not the perpetrator. Once again, Rutledge battles his supervisor and his past, represented by Hamish. I especially liked this installment because I was misled as to the true perpetrator. I also liked how Rutledge was forced to deal with his past.
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