A Cold Treachery

Inspector Ian Rutledge #7

by Charles Todd

Called out by Scotland Yard into the teeth of a violent blizzard in the Lake District of England, Inspector Ian Rutledge finds himself confronted with one of the most savage murders he has ever encountered. Rutledge might have expected such unspeakable carnage on the World War I battlefields, but not in an otherwise peaceful farm kitchen in remote Urskdale.
Someone has murdered the Elcott family at their table without the least sign of struggle. Was the killer someone the young family knew and trusted? What had the Elcotts done to ignite their killer’s rage? Love, jealousy, greed, revenge—or was it some twisted combination of all of them?
When the victims are tallied the local police are in for another shock: One of the children is missing.Now the Inspector must race to uncover a murderer and save a child before he’s silenced by the merciless elements—or the even colder hands of a killer. With time running out, Rutledge knows all too well that such a cold-blooded murderer could be hiding somewhere in the blinding snow…preparing to strike again.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical Mystery, Historical, British Literature, Crime

416 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 25, 2005

About the author

Charles 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.

Reviews

[Heidi (can’t retire soon enough) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

From the beginning, there was tension and real-time suspense. Later, the reader learns what happens but compared to earlier books in this series, this one kept me guessing right up until the end.

The setting, a solitary village encased in blizzard conditions which both complicate and hinder the investigation (and subsequent search efforts for a missing young boy) also set the stark tone throughout the story. Lovely use of place as almost another character!

Still adore our main character(s) and love the unique premise as well as the humanity displayed toward others by our dogged detective.

Solid mystery and even better resolution— looking forward to the next installment in this excellent post-WW1 mystery series.

[Ingrid · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me longer than usual to read. The first half was so very slow. The story picked up in the second half of the book fortunately. But I didn't think it was as good as the other ones in the series.

[Joanne McCoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ian Rutledge breaks my heart. On the surface, he's an upper class British officer returned from the front after WWI to resume his position as an inspector at Scotland Yard. Underneath the handsome facade, he is the ultimate casualty of a terrible war-- tortured by his memories, haunted by a decision made in the heat of battle and abandoned by his fiancée, he throws himself full force into solving the cases he's assigned. Instead of a partner or a sidekick, Rutledge has only the ghostly specter of a dead colleague and brother-in-arms, Hamish McCleod, to help him sort out the details. Smart and original.

[Patsyann · Rating 5 out of 5]

No CSI, no DNA evidence, not even fingerprints and the detective doesn't even carry a gun. How crimes were solved without these conveniences.
Love these books. The mystery meanders along very slowly but the mystery does get solved and the journey is well worth it.
Lots of suspects.
No heroes
No heroines
No sex
Just a scarred, damaged detective and a murder to solve.
Love these books!!
This book had a great murder mystery with many suspects, each with a secret. (Make a movie of these mysteries, please) This book even had a little altercation at the end in a small kitchen no less. One of my favorites of this series.
BEST USE OF: sheep and barns
ALPHA MALE – many here – none of them the hero Ian Rutledge
SPUNKY HEROINE - only one – and she is a 7
CUTE KID 10
RUNNING THROUGH HILLS AND MOUNTAINS 6
NO SEX 10
HEA(HAPPILY EVER AFTER) Never in these books
PROLOGUE/EPILOGUE None
Rating System
10 - Perfect! -
Heat Level
0 – No sex, swearing or sexual thoughts – not annoying- but very unlikely in 1919
COVER COVERS IT: The cover does reflect the story.
HOLLYWOOD CALLING: This should be the book that is made into an episode in a TV series.

[Annie Oosterwyk · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know I said I wouldn't continue this series, but I couldn't stay away and ended up awarding 5 stars. Go figure. The characters are worth the occasional frustrating plot device. Ian Rutledge works to solve the brutal murder of an entire family in the kitchen of their farm, while a blizzard rages outside. The young boy (who is missing) is the only survivor and is under suspicion of killing his entire family. Once again, the disruption of the country by WWI plays a major role in the schemes and outcomes of the participants and it is not obvious who is guilty until the bitter end.

[Andree · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars, although to be fair, I think this one suffered for being read out of order.

The problem with this one for me is that nothing happens. Okay, that's not strictly true. Something absolutely, unbelievably terrible happens on the first few pages. Terrible even by the standards of murder mystery novels. An entire family is randomly slaughtered, and a child is on the run in a blizzard. So, something happens in the first few pages, which is then followed by a whole lot of nothing.

It's a remote valley. Communication is poor due to location and weather. All of the suspects and their possible motives are introduced early on. And its so remote, and sparse, there's no room for additional clues, because there's nothing to be found. So the middle of this is Ruttledge basically going around talking to people, hearing the same information over and over again, the same motives, the same uncertainties, always searching and finding nothing of substance. He doesn't even really find additional clues on which to build a case.

Seriously, there's so little to be found that solving the cases hinges on Ruttledge finding the boy - the only surviving witness - to tell him what happened. Only the boy is being hidden. Ruttledge comes near him a few times, but never realizes what happened.

For me, this was essentially a particularly hideous crime, coupled with an incredibly slow-moving mystery story. Some of the character stuff might have saved it for me, except for two things: 1) I knew it went nowhere going in, because I've read later books in the series, and 2) given how many times this books is referenced in later books in the series, I actually expected something far, far more significant to happen, character-wise. As a result, what little I did get was a let-down.

So yeah, not a favourite.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bought second-hand after seeing a review of another of Todd's novels. This is a bit of an unusual book - set in the UK post WWI, but written by Americans and for the US market, so it has a slight 'American' feel to it in places, though not enough to detract from the writing.

However, the descriptions of Urskdale and the area are beautifully written as is Rutledge. I loved the way he comes across as damaged and vulnerable and yet determined to bring the killer to justice. The writing flows, the historical details perfect as far as I could see - apart from one instance:

The book is set in 1919, and yet the detective refers to 'Edward the Eighth'. Edward VIII was born in 1894, and didn't succeed to the throne until January 1936. So in 1919, Rutledge would have referred to him as 'The Prince of Wales' - and although his name was Edward, he might well have used a different Christian name as King. (I am anal about numbers and stuff like that, so this was a bit of a niggle for me.) The actual book itself had some printing issues - pages with extra wide margins at the middle and the narrowest of outer margins that had the words going almost to the edge of the page. It was a little off-putting in places.

The story was pretty simple, but all the more readable for that; not overpopulated with unnecessary characters, a decent mystery that had me intrigued to the end, and a protagonist who is simply a delight to read ( I like angst ;) )

Definitely an 'author' to follow.

[Pamela · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gives me great hope for Inspector Rutledge in his journey to some level of recovery from the psychological trauma of WWI. I liked the story, which reveals anger and revenge at their worst. But it also reveals Rutledge at his best, as a man, as an Inspector in the Scotland Yard. He has the intuition he is slowly learning to trust again. He can be as much protector as Inspector. He instinctively knows that healing from trauma takes time, and he advocates for others.
The murder of all but one member of a farm family in the Lake District (NE England) sends local searchers out into a snowstorm to find the young boy who escaped. Different people are implicated as Rutledge continues his investigation. The story comes to a head just as Rutledge is being pulled off the case. The murderer is revealed, and people Rutledge cares for are seriously injured.
In the end, Rutledge is motivated to mend a self-assumed estrangement from an old friend. A sign that, even though Hamish still keeps him company, he is not letting the past control his life.

[Jan C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very readable, as are most of Todd's works. Great thing to read when its 11º and snowy out. Not sure why this book took me so long (other than my arthritic hands).

There's a blizzard going on and a family - mother, father, 2-3 kids - are killed and an older boy has disappeared into the snow and rough terrain of Urskdale. It is sheep country. No one knows what happened. Did the boy see it? Or did the boy do it? These are the questions that don't get resolved until close to the end. Meanwhile there aee plenty of other suspects. Rutledge was called in on the case. Nobody wants to talk to him, this cop sent from London. But it is beyond the capabilities of the local constables.

And Rutledge is still haunted by his experiences in the Great War, especially in the voice of Hamish.

[Mary Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book kept me reading, but left me a little dissatisfied.

Ian Rutledge is called in to a real horror: an In Cold Blood-like murder of 5 members of a family, in a remote village, in the middle of a snowstorm of historic proportions. The locals judge it too treacherous for Rutledge to trek the snow-obscured paths alone, so much of the time he is confined to the village's lone "hotel," with two other guests, each connected to the murdered mother.

Like all the books I've read in this series, this was atmospheric as all get-out (claustrophobically so). And I always come away from these books feeling that I understand the WWI and post-WWI era in Britain just a little bit better, which I really enjoy.

But, once again, Rutledge largely bumbles about and discovers whodunnit by chance. (He doesn't get fooled by another character's attempt to plant false evidence, so I give him credit for that.) But this was such a horrific crime that the motive seems pretty thin. Maybe early exposure to Agatha Christie books and Perry Mason on TV have made me unreasonably expect that every fictional murderer, once caught, will spill out his whole inner life and answer the Why? that is at the heart of the desire to solve the crime. The answer here just didn't hack it for me, but maybe that is more like real life...

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars rounded up to 5 Stars.

[Greg · Rating 3 out of 5]

It takes a very confident author, utilizing a fascinating but mentally challenged Inspector/detective, to get away with what amounts to an "In Cold Blood" sequel, although thankfully a fictional one. First, a family in the middle of nowhere is found, slaughtered, and one key to the mystery (like in Truman Capote's non-fiction masterpiece) is the order in which the victims are murdered. Second, like "In Cold Blood", we actually have two "villains/suspects," and their relationship/participation is also a key to the solution. (But there is, in essence, only one crime: taking something that doesn't belong to you. Therefore, all crime/mystery novels hinge on this singular element.) Third, like "In Cold Blood", Rutledge, much like Truman Capote himself, takes a vital interest in one of the "villians/suspects", but it is an emotional factor that is fitting to the crime itself, thus giving the end of this book a very good emotional resonance. Three stars: one for atmosphere, one for the fascinating Rutledge, and one for an extremely satisfying conclusion.

[Joel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second Charles Todd I read (first was A Fearsome Doubt, both downloaded from the NYPL and read on my Kindle) and I enjoyed it even more than the first one. I imagine this is in part because I'm more drawn in by the protagonist, Ian Rutlege, a shell-shocked policeman/detective from Scotland Yard in the years following WW1. He is haunted by the voice of Hamish in his head, a Scotts fellow soldier who he had to court martial for disobeying orders to take his men into battle and he was hung as a result.

The story is set in the dales/Lake Country of n. England in a small town named Urksdale where an entire family of sheep farmers has been murdered - except for the 10 yr old boy Josh who has disappeared. Search parties in the snow don't find him. His aunt, uncle and birth father show up at the hotel where Rutlege is staying and each of them becomes suspect, as does the missing boy. And each of them lies in their stories to Rutlege, sending him off in directions away from a solution.

The end is wonderfully done, and a surprise. A rich relationship between a woman in a wheelchair who cares for the hotel owners wife and Rutlege adds to the humanity of the story.

Though I'm not always thrilled with the writing, which can seem plodding at times and over-descriptive and repetitious in those descriptions, I'm impressed by the psychological portrayals of the characters and insights into how people in families and friendships behave. The writer is a mother-son team living in Virginia and Maryland, which adds to the impressiveness of the skill with which the world they have chosen for their stories is depicted and used to advantage in heightening the psychological obstacles Rutlege encounters in himself and others.

I recommend the book to readers who enjoy British detective mysteries, especially those set in earlier times. This is seventh in the series, of which there are 9 total, published in 2005. The latest Charles Todd is set in the same post-WW1 period with a different detective named Bess Crawford. I look forward to reading it, as well as the other Ian Rutlege novels.

[Jina Howell-Forbes · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is book #7 in the Inspector Ian Rutledge Mystery Series. The Inspector is a WWI veteran who is still suffering the effects of shell shock. (Now called PTSD, but back then it was called Shell Shock, so that is the terminology used in the series). The series is set in the years immediately following the war, when Rutledge is back to his pre-war job as an Inspector with Scotland Yard.

It is a good-but-not-great series. It is certainly not nearly as good as it could be with tighter writing and better editing. I really like Rutledge and his post war struggles. I love the 'outside the box' idea of a voice that only Rutledge hears in his head, and I especially love the actual character of Hamish, the man whose voice Rutledge hears. It is a wonderfully unique plot device, and it works great. I also love the setting and time-period of the story.

What I don't like as much is the murder mysteries themselves. They tend to be slow and plodding, with so many characters and suspects that it is difficult to care who did it by the end.

What I REALLY hate is the long standing total lack of support and credit that Rutledge gets from his superiors and colleagues. After continuously being set-up to fail and look bad, but always defying the odds and coming out on top, it is time for Rutledge to get the credit he deserves. His supervisors should man-up or be replaced. The "brilliant subordinate vs. bumbling jealous supervisor," is a tiresome, unbelievable, and unnecessary plot line.

[Gloria Piper · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the barren uplands of England, a family is murdered. The only survivor is a 10-year-old boy who escapes into the snow storm. After days of searching, many assume the boy has either perished from cold or been apprehended by the murderer and killed.

Sent from Scotland Yard, Rutledge, ever haunted by the ghost of Hamish, has only a limited time to solve the crime and hopefully find the boy or his body. Otherwise his career is ruined.

Rutledge doesn't win many friends in his quest to uncover secrets and possible motives for so horrendous a murder. He seems to be getting nowhere and must resort to a little creativity if he is to solve the case and save his career.

We seem to be reaching a predictable conclusion as tension builds and the story progresses, so we realize a surprise twist must be coming. Throughout, I'm hoping my favorite character is not the guilty party--Elizabeth who is so steady and understanding. I like Maggie, a tough sheep woman who has her own reasons for interfering with justice. And I like Hamish who always has his say in Rutledge's mind. The twist does come. It's a wonderful twist, which bring us to a conclusion that does not disappoint.

[Charlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good -- great atmosphere and description of the Lakes District countryside during a winter blizzard. I felt like I was there, in the little village and on the sheep farms, in 1919. WWI's horrors continue to play out here, both in the story and in Ian Rutledge's head. A bit different from the other Ian Rutledge stories -- more gruesome, modern murder. This was the first one of the Todd mysteries where my first guess of "who done it" was accurate. The plotting isn't as tight as in some other mysteries but the author's strengths are in characterization and setting. I'll keep reading this series.

[Madeline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm working my way through the Ian Rutledge series and enjoying each new book. This one was set in a cold winter blizzard in a remote village - the scene of a massacre of a young family. Possible motives emerge as the investigation progresses, jealousy, greed, fear of disclosure. Rutledge is driven to find the truth before he is pulled off the case by his superior who just wants an easy conviction with as little trouble as possible.
Rutledge continues to be haunted by Hamish, one of his dead army comrades. After a few books, I am used to Hamish's comments and would miss him if his ghost were laid to rest.

[Eleni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this as the temperatures were rising well into summer-like territory was a little weird since it takes place during a blizzard. After the winter we had in New York, I nearly put the book down, but of course, I can't resist this mystery series, so I trudged on along with the characters through the snow and the cold. It was worth it I think for the denouement of this one was pretty good in spite of the circuitous route the book takes to get there. An entertaining read for fans of the Inspector Rutledge series and mysteries/historical fiction.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm never disappointed by Ian Rutledge and his ghostly companion, Hamish McLeod. Ian is haunted by Hamish who he ordered executed when the sergeant wouldn't take his men "over the top" one more time in the WW I trenches. The mysteries always involve the wounds of this particular war either in the victims or more often the perpetrators who have returned from battle wounded in spirit if not in body and sometimes in both.

[Edward S. Foss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Good Read

The Inspector Ian Rutledge Series continues to please. A Cold Treachery explores the dark, bleak conditions of the north of England, both the physical and emotional human conditions and the harsh environmental conditions. The aftermath of the Great War lurks not far from every village and every family, leaving its scars and aftermath. Murder and darkness envelops an otherwise tranquil farming village and only Inspector Rutledge can solve the crime. Enjoy!

[Gina Mullen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good Charles Todd book! A very enjoyable read I had no idea who the killer was - as usual, there were a few suspects that I couldn't rule out. Although the endings are always quite quick with the "wrap up", it was well written. The discussion of the weather makes me not want to visit that area tho!

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read, as usual, but the nexus between the crime and the motive was weak. But, as usual, one can't wait to find out what will happen to Ian and Hamish next. Plus I can't help wondering if eventually Bowles gets a real comeuppance!

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this very much, although the opening stopped me at first (not for reading before bed!). The tight focus on the location made a very compact and powerful story. Some lovely scenes with Rutledge. More emotional than usual.

[Kiki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a bad installment in this series...I could use a little less snow and ice after this long, hard winter we've suffered through...but a mass murder happening during a blizzard is a great premise.

[Paula Dembeck · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this the seventh book in the series, Scotland Yard Inspector Ian Rutledge is once more sent away from London by his superior. Chief Inspector Bowles is jealous of Rutledge’s competence and hoping to find a way to disgrace him, often assigns him the most difficult cases, not because he is a good investigator but because if things do not go well, he has someone on whom to place the blame.

It is why Rutledge is now headed to the isolated village of Urksdale in the Lake District where a family has been brutally murdered. As Rutledge makes his way through a bad storm in hazardous conditions and on nearly impassable roads, he comes upon a horse and carriage which have gone off the road. The carriage has overturned, the horse is dead and a young woman lies huddled in the back, alive but badly injured. He rescues her, leaves her with a nearby farm family and continues on his journey.

When he arrives in Urksdale, he finds it a rough and lonely place, a land of farming and sheep where ordinary men and their families eke out an existence in the hard soil and under harsh conditions. It is in one of these farm kitchens that the Elcott family was executed, each shot with a single bullet from a high caliber revolver. There were no signs of violence, only the bloody bodies of Gerald Elcott, his wife Grace, her daughter Hazel and the couple’s young twins all sprawled lifeless on the kitchen floor. The only one who escaped the carnage was the oldest son, ten year old Josh, who is now missing. It is not clear if he saw the carnage and escaped or was the one who carried out the killings. Whatever happened, he is only a young boy and would never survive in this cold winter storm. The villagers are already out trying to find him, but it is hopeless. They have no idea how he was dressed or what direction he took. The tracks are already covered with snow and it is hard to see the few landmarks they routinely use. And they are not certain if they are hunting a young boy who has seen the massacre and is being hunted by the killer who fears being identified or if the boy is actually the killer.

The Elcotts were a blended family. Grace was married to Hugh Robinson who he went off to war. When he did not return, she married Gerald Elcott and the couple had twins. But Hugh was not dead. He had been captured and held in a German war camp and a mix-up of war records led to the loss of his whereabouts. When he eventually returned home, he found his wife had remarried, his son Josh and his daughter Hazel were now living with their mother and stepfather and Grace was pregnant with twins. Hugh graciously accepted the new situation and left the area to live in London.

Rutledge searches for a motive for the killings. Money was certainly not the issue. The family was neither richer nor poorer than their neighbours although the land and the farm were valuable. Grace’s sister Janet Ashton, who it turns out was the lady he rescued on the road from the overturned carriage, believes that Gerald’s brother Paul was jealous and wanted to take over the farm. Janet said he was a violent man and her sister feared him. The schoolmaster describes Josh as a distant boy with few friends who disliked his stepfather and wanted to return to London to live with his biological father Hugh Robinson.

Rutledge believes the murderer may be someone who lives in the village but they are aghast at his suggestion, not believing any among them could carry out such an evil deed. Inspector Greely reminds Rutledge he must live among these people once the investigation is over and in no way wants to be seen as considering one of his neighbours as the killer. He wants to be able to live in peace after this is all over and those who live in small towns often have long memories.

Inspector Rutledge stays at the local inn while on this assignment and meets more of the locals. Harry and Vera Cummings own the inn but Vera is a needy alcoholic wife who drifts between short periods of sobriety and longer periods of outright confusion. Wheelchair bound Elizabeth Fraser is Vera’s companion and the inn’s housekeeper and keeps the business running smoothly. It is not long before Rutledge finds himself surrounded by a cast of characters with secrets or something to hide, trying to misdirect his inquiry for their own ends. He compiles a long list of people with possible motives including a pretty but jealous sister, a man in financial straits desperate for an inheritance, a young boy ready to exact revenge and several others with long held grudges. As the villagers mourn the members of the dead family, Rutledge must manage his way through lies, obstruction, muddled evidence and finger pointing. He is making headway, but progress is slow.

Things come to a head when Rutledge receives a telegram from Bowles in London. Bowles, unhappy with the progress Rutledge has made in the case, is removing him and replacing him with Cassius Mickleson, an ambitious and dangerous man, known for his ingratiating behavior towards his superiors while at the same time ruthlessly promoting himself behind their backs. Time is running out. Rutledge must come to a conclusion about the investigation before his replacement arrives.

Todd continues to describe Rutledge as an emotionally scarred ex-soldier who still sees the blurred faces of the men he led into battle and feels responsible for their useless deaths. They lay heavy on his soul and refuse to fade with time. The ghost of Hamish Macleod, the man who preferred dying in shame on the bloody battlefield of the Somme to leading more men to their deaths, is permanently seared in his mind. MacLeod’s decision left an indelible mark on Rutledge who was forced to execute him. The fact that Rutledge survived the carnage of the war does not make him grateful, it makes him feel guilty and he is still trying to forgive himself for his actions.

Those reading the series chronologically may find Rutledge’s investigative style evolving and improving. He is now more comfortable being confrontational and asking difficult questions. Even Hamish appears more helpful with the investigative work, spending less time with his accusations and guilt ridden questions and more time making suggestions and communicating thoughtful observations.

It all ends on an interesting note as Rutledge, now a lonely man since his war experience and the broken engagement that followed, finds he has feelings for Elizabeth Fraser, the woman who helps run the inn. Those thoughts lie quietly ready to be picked up as an intriguing thread that leads to the next book. Readers feel sympathy for Rutledge and would like him to have a supportive and loving relationship in his life.

This is another solid addition to this rather unique series of historical fiction and I look forward to the next book.

[eyes.2c · Rating 5 out of 5]

The cold seeped into my bones! Set in an isolated sheep farming area in the north of England, the residents of this close knit community are shocked by the brutal slaying of a family, tiny children included. One boy is missing and it’s been snowing for days. Ian is the closest person his nemesis Chief Inspector Bowles can send to investigate. I did not see the end coming!

[Larraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a farmer and his family are found brutally murdered by the farmer's brother, everyone in the small village of Urksdale in northern England is horrified. The only one who seems to have escaped is the older son, Josh. A brutal blizzard makes it even harder to find him, and after a while it is assumed he is dead. He was only ten, so nobody thinks he could have been the murderer, but nobody knows what to think. The local police call in Scotland Yard, and Rutledge is sent because he is in the area. This is one of the earlier ones. Like other series, I read the first, then started reading newer ones. Now I'm catching up. This one is particularly interesting. There are so many twists and turns, more motives than would be obvious and several prime suspects. This is an excellent series.

[Shannon Causey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I randomly grabbed this off the library shelf and then returned to read everything I could find by this duo. The books take some work to settle into, but I love the characters and the carefully woven plots. Plus they're clean.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very enjoyable read. I managed to solve this one before the end, but just before!

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I. Need. An. Epilogue. Please.