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Chief Inspector Woodend #10
A Death Left Hanging
A miscarriage of justice for DCI Woodend Though it is thirty years since Margaret Dodds was tried and executed for the brutal murder of her second husband, many troubling questions raised during the trial are still left unanswered. Why would she choose to commit the crime in such a way that the finger of suspicion would almost inevitably point at her? Why did she insist, even when all hope of reprieve had gone, that she was not guilty? Her daughter, an influential lawyer, wants her name cleared. The investigating officer, now a powerful politician with a seat in the House of Lords, is determined to ensure that the verdict stands. And Chief Inspector Charlie Woodend, charged with stripping away three decades of lies and deceit, finds that - once again - his superiors have presented him with a poisoned chalice.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2003
About the author
Sally Spencer
123 books155 followersA pseudonym used by Alan Rustage.
Sally Spencer is a pen name, first adopted when the author (actually called Alan Rustage) was writing sagas and it was almost obligatory that a woman's name appeared on the cover (other authors like Emma Blair and Mary Jane Staples are also men).
Before becoming a full-time writer, he was a teacher. In 1978-79 he was working in Iran and witnessed the fall of the Shah (see the Blog for what it was like to live through a revolution). He got used to having rifles - and, one occasion, a rocket launcher - pointed at him by both soldiers and revolutionaries, but he was never entirely comfortable with it.
He lived in Madrid for over twenty years, and still considers it the most interesting and exciting city he has ever visited, but for the last few years he has opted for a quieter life in the seaside town of Calpe, on the Costa Blanca.
His first series of books were historical sagas set in Cheshire (where he grew up) and London. They were very popular with his English readers, but his American readers find the dialect something of a strain.
He has written twenty books featuring DCI Woodend (a character based partly on a furniture dealer he used to play dominoes with) and ten (so far!) about Woodend's protegé Monika Paniatowski.
His DI Sam Blackstone books are set in Victorian/Edwardian London, New York and Russia, and the Inspector Paco Ruiz books have as their backdrop the Spanish Civil War.
Alan is a competitive games player who likes bridge and pub quizzes. It is only by enforcing iron discipline that he doesn't play video games all the time.
He now lives on Spain's Costa Blanca.
Sally Spencer is a pen name, first adopted when the author (actually called Alan Rustage) was writing sagas and it was almost obligatory that a woman's name appeared on the cover (other authors like Emma Blair and Mary Jane Staples are also men).
Before becoming a full-time writer, he was a teacher. In 1978-79 he was working in Iran and witnessed the fall of the Shah (see the Blog for what it was like to live through a revolution). He got used to having rifles - and, one occasion, a rocket launcher - pointed at him by both soldiers and revolutionaries, but he was never entirely comfortable with it.
He lived in Madrid for over twenty years, and still considers it the most interesting and exciting city he has ever visited, but for the last few years he has opted for a quieter life in the seaside town of Calpe, on the Costa Blanca.
His first series of books were historical sagas set in Cheshire (where he grew up) and London. They were very popular with his English readers, but his American readers find the dialect something of a strain.
He has written twenty books featuring DCI Woodend (a character based partly on a furniture dealer he used to play dominoes with) and ten (so far!) about Woodend's protegé Monika Paniatowski.
His DI Sam Blackstone books are set in Victorian/Edwardian London, New York and Russia, and the Inspector Paco Ruiz books have as their backdrop the Spanish Civil War.
Alan is a competitive games player who likes bridge and pub quizzes. It is only by enforcing iron discipline that he doesn't play video games all the time.
He now lives on Spain's Costa Blanca.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 12, 2014
I really like the Chief Inspector Woodend series. I would recommend it to mystery readers. I like it better than the Monika P. series, although I do like Sgt. Monika P in the Woodend series.
December 6, 2012
First Sentence: The woman in the condemned cell was unaware of any of the technical intricacies involved in her imminent execution.
Margaret Dobbs was tried and executed for murdering her husband. Although all the evidence pointed to her, she maintained her innocence until the end. Thirty years on, her daughter, a member of the Queen’s Council, wants her mother’s name cleared. A powerful politician, who was the original investigating officer, wants the verdict to stand. CI Charlie Woodend needs to find the truth.
The prologue, set in 1934, is a unique and compelling opening drawing you in from the very first page. It also provides the background as to the lasting impression the murder trial and execution had on young Woodend, causing him to become a policeman.
It is character that drives the story. Woodend the type of detective I really like. He follows the clues and digs into the details. It was also interesting that there was another officer for whom the case became very personal. The characters aren’t just there to propel the story; you become involved and care about them.
The main portion of the story is set in the 1950’s and really shows the classic ignorance and prejudice toward homosexuals. While that’s not a major element of the story, it does add veracity to the plot. And it is a good plot. To solve one case, they need to solve a second and there is a very good twist.
“A Death Left Hanging” is only the second Woodend book I’ve read but it shan’t be my last.
A DEATH LEFT HANGING (Pol. Proc-CI Charlie Woodend-England-Contemp)-VG
Spencer, Sally – 10th in series
Severn House - ©2003
Margaret Dobbs was tried and executed for murdering her husband. Although all the evidence pointed to her, she maintained her innocence until the end. Thirty years on, her daughter, a member of the Queen’s Council, wants her mother’s name cleared. A powerful politician, who was the original investigating officer, wants the verdict to stand. CI Charlie Woodend needs to find the truth.
The prologue, set in 1934, is a unique and compelling opening drawing you in from the very first page. It also provides the background as to the lasting impression the murder trial and execution had on young Woodend, causing him to become a policeman.
It is character that drives the story. Woodend the type of detective I really like. He follows the clues and digs into the details. It was also interesting that there was another officer for whom the case became very personal. The characters aren’t just there to propel the story; you become involved and care about them.
The main portion of the story is set in the 1950’s and really shows the classic ignorance and prejudice toward homosexuals. While that’s not a major element of the story, it does add veracity to the plot. And it is a good plot. To solve one case, they need to solve a second and there is a very good twist.
“A Death Left Hanging” is only the second Woodend book I’ve read but it shan’t be my last.
A DEATH LEFT HANGING (Pol. Proc-CI Charlie Woodend-England-Contemp)-VG
Spencer, Sally – 10th in series
Severn House - ©2003
December 16, 2018
Another good read in this series!
March 21, 2020
This is book 9 in the series, not 10. Read this BEFORE you read The Enemy Within if you are going in order!
October 26, 2021
Stunned
Holy crap. Talk about getting the rug pulled out from under you. No, I’m not saying how or why. 😵💫
Holy crap. Talk about getting the rug pulled out from under you. No, I’m not saying how or why. 😵💫
April 17, 2013
Chief Inspector Charie Woodend is in the doghouse because of he was too thorough in his last investigation and discovered political and police corruption. Since he did not "let it slide" he was now stuck on committees that do just about nothing all day long. He wanted to be a real bobby again. When an influential lawyer insists on the reopening of a 30 year old case, Woodend's supervisor sees the perfect way to give Woodend more busy work.
Woodend and his team must find clues in the past and discover if there was police incompetency involved in the initial investigation. As they dig deeper, they discover new facts that lead them in some deep dark secrets that have been hidden for a long time.
Woodend and his team must find clues in the past and discover if there was police incompetency involved in the initial investigation. As they dig deeper, they discover new facts that lead them in some deep dark secrets that have been hidden for a long time.
September 18, 2016
I was somewhat u certain Woodend in the first two novels I read. This novel has definitely placed me into the fan group,
Woodend's goal is to be a good bobby. He is determined, stubborn, and does not give in under pressure from superior officers, politicians, or the media, which is why I admire him. He is also very humane, and tries to solve murders in a way that supports people, if that makes sense.
Woodend's goal is to be a good bobby. He is determined, stubborn, and does not give in under pressure from superior officers, politicians, or the media, which is why I admire him. He is also very humane, and tries to solve murders in a way that supports people, if that makes sense.
March 21, 2010
Ok, I just finished this one. Intense story about a woman being hanged 30 years before because of killing her husband with a hammer. Now her daughter who is a lawyer wants to find out who really killed her step-father. Her mother had always proclaimed her innocence. Good story thru the very last paragraph.
December 14, 2010
Love these books. The mystery is secondary to the character development. I'm not reading the series in order - makes what happens to the characters even more interesting when you know what happened in a previous book or in the future. *Just a note - were there tv's in 1934 in England???
September 2, 2013
Chief Inspector Charlie Woodend is given a seemingly impossible task of finding a killer twenty years after the fact. The daughter of the woman hanged for killing her stepfather. Twists and turns lead to a surprise ending.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews