A Day of Judgment

Inspector Ian Rutledge #25

by Charles Todd

Inspector Ian Rutledge of Scotland Yard travels to England’s windswept coastline to investigate a murder in a place where, several years after the end of WWI, the memory of the war still runs strong . . .

July, 1921: England is suffering a heatwave and the coast of Northumberland, just across the border from Scotland, is filled with holiday-makers bird watching and enjoying the beaches. Pilgrims also come to visit the home of Saints Cuthbert and Aiden—the founders of Christianity in England—located on the “Holy Island” of Lindisfarne, accessible by a causeway at low tide. When the murdered body of a local man washes ashore just south of Lindisfarne, the government and the Church of England are concerned about protecting both the reputation of the Church and the sacred sites that are a destination for hundreds of pilgrims at this time of year.

With his ability to move in the highest social and political circles, Rutledge is sent by Scotland Yard to solve this crime and dispel any association with the Church. Upon arrival, Rutledge finds himself pulled between two coastal fishing villages, scarred by home front battles and coastal bombardment from the German Navy, where animosity towards Germany still runs high even years after the war. This, combined with a constabulary in the process of being consolidated to form a countywide police force, with local militias still wielding a great deal of power, means Rutledge must tread with care. Facing a puzzling case and a cast of locals that don’t take kindly to outsiders, the newly promoted Rutledge meets one of the most challenging cases of his career. To solve it, he’ll also have to confront his own demons left over from his time in the war.

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Crime, Historical Mystery, World War I, Fiction

360 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 17, 2026

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

[The Library Lady · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author used to be two people, now it is just one, and while he can keep cranking these out, I'm not sure how much longer I will be reading them.


I am tired of Hamish,and why does every
meal Rutledge eats have to be cataloged?

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
The latest offering from Charles Todd is an enjoyable installment of Chief Inspector Rutledge of Scotland Yard. I’ve always enjoyed Rutledge, and learning more about him and the trauma he deals with from WWI, but felt the character had kind of stalled a bit. This time I was happy to see more development in his situation and perhaps in perspective a bit. I’m always looking for characters who behave more like humans, not robots, if in multiple books. This helps me to want to continue to read about them. It didn’t catch my attention as much as some books have, but I ended up enjoying it over several weeks time.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

[Holly]

I felt like I was reading a novel written specifically for elderly women. It was just a little tedious. I enjoyed this book because I liked the mystery and found the characters interesting, but there was just too much extraneous information about settings, architectural details and foods which the English are inclined to somehow eat. I mean seriously, I didn't need to know what the inspector had for breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday! Too many details all around. The mystery was a good one, just mired down in the unnecessary details which did not add to the story.

[Barbara Marks · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read all the Charles Todd books and thoroughly enjoyed them. This will be my last one. Two pages into this book and I wondered what happened to the editor? There are punctuation and grammatical mistakes throughout, even taking into consideration the times Todd was perhaps trying to convey regional accents. That didn't work either. Too many characters, too many towns, too many descriptions of too many meals. Very disappointing.

[Robert B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

First Class Historical Police Procedural

A great way to understand the geography of the area in England just under the Scottish Border and to feel the presence of the Anglican Church in ordinary affairs.
The devil is in the details and this narrative never slows down.
A continuation of a very , very interesting part of fictional history, well told.

[Literary Redhead · Rating 4 out of 5]

My second read in this beloved series kept me rapt and made me admire author Charles Todd even more. I love their Bess Crawford series and am new to the Ian Rutledge stories, but plan to go back and read them all. Recommended!

[Barbara Markusic · Rating 2 out of 5]

it is obvious from this book that Caroline wrote and developed the characters, while Charles did the historical research.
Rutledge and all the rest were FLAT on the page, and completely one dimensional.
The book read like a guidebook or roadmap...turn left, then right, go here, then there. The eternal descriptions of what he had to eat and please and thank yous, we're endless.
I have LOVED THESE BOOKS, but alas, I can't read anymore. So sad, Caroline, passed away...she was Ian's soul.

[Kacey/Kris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic next installment of Inspector Rutledge. Each book gets closer and closer to his true self and how he conducts his job. I love how Charles Todd brings to life the Inspector and his “relationship “ with Hamish.

[Donna Huber · Rating 5 out of 5]

The narrator does a wonderful job with all the different accents. I can't get them right in my head when I read the book myself so this really enhanced the reading experience. I really like Ian Rutledge. In this book, I also loved all the secondary characters and hated knowing that at least one of them was involved with the murder. Read my full review at Girl Who Reads.

[Deanna Milford · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting historical fiction mystery. This book is part of the Inspector Ian Rutledge series but could be read as a standalone. Inspector Rutledge travels to the coast of Northumberland to investigate a murder. He is met with many obstacles as he tries to solve a case post war in communities that trust no one. Lots of twists and turns with a satisfying conclusion.

Thank you Mysterious Press for my ARC.

[Homerun2 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Any long running series waxes and wanes. This was a worthwhile read, but felt a bit off to me. The series premise is that (newly-promoted) Chief Inspector Ian Rutledge of Scotland Yard is sent out on a potentially touchy death in Northumbria that might bring the wrath of the Church. This thread is not fleshed out and the possible awkwardness is a dead end plot element.

Rutledge is Great War veteran with a lot of baggage. The voice of a man he had shot for refusing to carry out an order is constantly with him as a potent symbol of his guilt and shell shock. Hamish's voice is very present in this one, as the local murder has tie-ins to World War I and brings back Rutledge's nightmares.

The plot started out to be interesting but sort of petered out in the end. Some of the writing feels repetitive -- we are told and shown dozens of times that the locals don't appreciate the Yard's presence or strangers in their midst. The long narrative descriptions sometimes ramble a bit.

There are some interactions with the local clergy that are nicely drawn and reflective. And there's a bit of hope in the ending that Rutledge will someday be able to have normal relationships and move away from his war trauma. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

EXCELLENT!!

I received this book free from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Written by Charles Todd and published by Mysterious Press, an imprint of Penzler Publishers in 2026, this is the latest in the series about a Scotland Yard detective in the era of World War I.

Charles Todd is the pen name of a mother & son writing team based in the United States. Sadly, the mother passed away several years ago, so the son has continued the writing tradition. The stories by this author are characterized by intense and accurate research that makes the stories very realistic, not to mention a brilliant degree of creativity. They wrote primarily about two different protagonists. The first of these is Detective Inspector (now Detective Chief Inspector) Ian Rutledge. Although this book is set in 1921, the very first time period described in one of the novels is 1914, at the start of the War. Rutledge has a brilliant, but troubled, mind, and he drives a 1914 Rolls Royce, making him a unique policeman. The second protagonist is Bess Crawford, a British army nurse, who is aboard the HMHS (His Majesty’s Hospital Ship) Brittanic, sister ship of the RMS Olympic and the RMS Titanic of historical and movie fame. The Brittanic was struck by a German U-Boat torpedo near Greece after dropping off wounded British soldiers, and Bess survives with an injury, even though the ship sank. Both the Ian Rutledge and the Bess Crawford novels are excellent reads, and I highly recommend them.

In this story, Ian Rutledge, now a Detective Chief Inspector, is dispatched by his new boss, a man named Markum (a new Chief Superintendent who disrespects Rutledge just as much as his predecessor) to Northumbria, an area of Northeast England that was comprised of Northumberland, Durham, and Tyne and Wear. A body has washed ashore on the Ross Sands near the Hamlet of Ross near Lindisfarne, also known as Holy Island. A monk had founded the seat of English Christianity there in 634 AD and had achieved sainthood because of it. Scotland Yard is very concerned about the reaction of the death on pilgrimage to the island by worshipers and Rutledge was instructed to keep the local Archdeacon of Lindisfarne well informed so that he, in turn, could keep the Diocese of Newcastle informed. It was clear to Rutledge that his bosses cared more about the attitude of the Church than to the solution to a potential crime of murder.

Rutledge stays at The Ship Inn in a village called Seahouses, and then he moves to another village called Beadston, nearer to where the body had been found, and where the victim had lived. He hires a fisherman to take him out to the islands where the murdered body might have been put into the water. There he finds a gravesite that appeared to have a German Cross made with stones at its head. This fisherman is later found murdered, probably by the same hand that murdered the first body that had washed ashore. While in Seahouses, Rutledge finds access to a telephone across the street from the Ship Inn at another, larger Inn called the Bamburgh Castle Inn. He uses this telephone regularly to maintain his communication with Scotland Yard, and his very good friend Melinda Crawford.

Rutledge soon determines that the murders are somehow related to the hidden gravesite he had found, and to the torpedo sinking of the HMS Ascot by a German submarine the day before the armistice that had ended World War I had been signed. His investigation is very thorough, and it has apparently made a few of the locals, members of an unofficial militia, very nervous. It is clear to him that his presence there is resented by most of the local populace. That populace is made up primarily of fishermen and workers at a local lime kiln, where quick lime is produced. Universally, they hate Germans, whom they refer to as “The Hun.”

Rutledge takes care to try to work as closely as possible with the local police forces, including an over-enthusiastic Inspector named Taylor, and a Constable who had served in the War. The Inspector has his own vehicle, a small Crossley, but the Constable rides a bicycle. While staying at the inn in Beadston, Rutledge takes a nighttime opportunity to overhear a conversation between two of the local militiamen, and it greatly advances his investigation. He does, of course, solve the murders, and the killer will probably come as a surprise to readers. The story is relatively fast paced. This author’s works seems to always be historically and geographically accurate, and I found the facts that he shares to be quite interesting. He also is careful to accurately portray the accented speech of the locals whenever he is near Scotland.

There are very few loose ends left dangling at the end of this story, although I did wonder why the local inspector did not follow Rutledge’s instructions and remain hidden from the man he was assigned to follow. All in all, this is an excellent detective story set in 1921. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and recommend it highly to others. I award all five of the five available stars.

[Ray Palen · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are not many crime series more beloved or complex than the Inspector Ian Rutledge recurring collection of novels from Charles Todd. The biggest change in the latest entry, A DAY OF JUDGMENT, is the fact that our favorite WWI veteran has now been promoted to the role of Chief Inspector.

It is July 1921, and the newly promoted Rutledge is assigned a difficult and high-profile murder case from his Scotland Yard superiour, Markham --- who has no fondness for Ian --- which sends him to the coast of Northumberland across the border from Scotland. It is in that territory that Chief Inspector Rutledge needs to look into the situation where a local man’s body washed ashore south of Lindisrfarne.

What makes the case so high profile, despite the small-town location, is that the area comes with a long history of religious involvement and Scotland Yard wants to ensure that the Church of England and their reputation are protected in this case. The opening chapter speaks directly to the religious superstition that consumes the area as we see a boatload of men who had just dumped a body overboard and then swore they saw what appeared to be short creatures wearing cowls on the shore, characters that look similar to the legendary St. Cuthbert Devils purported to haunt the area.
Rutledge never travels alone wherever he goes, especially on a case. The main plot element that consistently makes this series unique is the fact that Rutledge’s deep case of PTSD from WWI has resulted in a bout of constant schizophrenia where he is always in the company of Corporal Hamish MacLeod, whom he had executed with a firing squad for an act of treason. Rutledge has never been able to come to terms with the circumstances behind this act and the conversations he and his ghostly companion have are always quite telling.

The victim whom Rutledge is investigating was named Oswin Dunn, a man with few friends who kept mostly to himself. The doctor who examined Dunn’s body tells Rutledge that he did not drown and was a murder victim as evidenced by the blunt trauma to his skull. The rumor among the locals is that Dunn was a ‘Hun lover,’ something that was not easily forgiven in the face of the recent World War.

Adding to the complexity of this case is the fact that Dunn’s sister moved to Germany where she married a Hun, another clue as to why the Dunn’s were so universally disliked in the area. The investigation leads to the sinking of a boat named the HMS Ascot in 1918, a case where many men died. Dunn has allegedly been at this sinking and was rumored to have saved a German soldier who also washed up after the battle, a fact that fairly well sealed his fate in the area.

For some perspective, Rutledge speaks with a handful of religious leaders in the area as well as keeping his contact with the Church of England updated on the case. This is the only thing that keeps his own superiour Markham off of his back to let him do his job. The residents of all the area towns Rutledge travels to are highly suspicious of outsiders, especially those from Scotland Yard who threaten traditions and secrets that may sometimes be violent and murderous.

When Dunn’s only friend, a man named Berrisford, turns up with his throat cut not long after being questioned by Rutledge it becomes obvious that whoever is behind Dunn’s murder will stop at nothing to keep things secret at all costs. Rutledge is persistent and determined to find out the truth, even though this dangerous branch of an ancient sect of local mariners are working against him. A DAY OF JUDGMENT is taut and immensely satisfying with the complicated Ian Rutledge always a protagonist I enjoy spending time with.

Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter

[Carole Barker · Rating 4 out of 5]

A murder case is made difficult by locals who don't care for outsiders

Scotland Yard's Ian Rutledge, recently promoted to Chief Inspector, is tapped to investigate the death of a man that washed up on a shore in Northumberland. The spot is very near the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, and neither the Church nor the locals want those who visit the area as pilgrims, vacationers or bird watchers to be put off by a murder. The two small towns in which he finds himself are not welcoming of outsiders and. do not seem overly fond of the dead man, who was a local. There is a great deal of anti-German sentiment present still, as the area had been targeted during the recent war, and it is no help to Rutledge that the local police are in the midst of a consolidation process. Rutledge can sympathize with the ill feelings present due to the war....he still grapples with his own personal version of PTSD by way of "hearing" the voice of one of the soldiers in his regiment whom he had been forced to execute...but he has a job to do. He will need to be very careful, as he can not afford to alienate the powers that be...and he can't be completely sure who he can trust as he digs deeper into the murder.
This is the 25th book in this long running series, being penned now by one half of the mother/son duo who were Charles Todd after the passing of the mother. Rutledge is a fascinating protagonist, a man who bears terrible emotional scars from the war that he does his best to keep hidden (it would not do much for his job prospects were his bosses to realize that he "hears" the voice of a dead man throughout each day). He is smart, is able to mix easily with the upper classes given his own background, and despite his issues with his previous supervisor has been promoted to a new job. This case proves to be one of his most puzzling ones, and difficult as well given the hostility present in the local residents directed both at the Germans in the abstract and at outsiders like Rutledge who come to meddle in their business. The author does an excellent job of describing the area and its history, specifically as it relates to WWI. Characters are well-developed and nuanced, and the mystery at the core of the novel is an intriguing one. The pace sometimes drags a bit, and although it can be read as a standalone I think that having read others in the series will deepen the appreciation of the book overall for the reader. I found the voice of Hamish seemed to be to be both more pronounced and more negative, but that perception may not be shared by others. All in all, an excellent read and a good addition to the series, one likely to be enjoyed by readers of Charles Finch, Jacqueline Winspear and Susan Elia MacNeal. My thanks to NetGalley and Penzler Publishers/Mysterious Press for allowing me access to the novel in exchange for my honest review.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

"A Day of Judgment" is the twenty-ninth (counting one novella) book in the Inspector Rutledge series, written over the course of three decades. The author Charles Todd was actually a writing pair--a mother-son team of Charles Todd and his mother, Caroline. Unfortunately, Caroline died in 2021, and the novella "A Christmas Wish" and this new novel have been written solo by Charles.

I mention this for a reason, as all of the earlier Ian Rutledge stories, as well as the sixteen Bess Crawford stories, had been written by the duo. Now, son Charles is on his own, without his mother, Caroline, to use as his sounding board and collaborator. Here's an interesting look at the writing pair, as well as Charles's efforts to continue writing both series.

https://historicalnovelsociety.org/th...

I had high hopes for "A Day of Judgment," as I'd been waiting for what seemed like forever for it to be available. In some ways, I was disappointed; in other ways, I'm thrilled to be reading about Ian Rutledge again. It's a good story, although the pace of the story is different.

Although the story itself is a stand-alone novel, it is better taken as part of the long series of stories. Todd touches on the broader background story in this novel, but understanding who DCI Rutledge is and what has created the man he is today takes a lot of background information.

Newly promoted to Detective Chief Inspector, Rutledge is once again sent off to the hinterlands to help locals solve a particularly challenging crime. As is often the case, this crime is murder, and the location is the far northeast of England near Seahouses and Holy Island. A body has washed ashore, and some people assume, and others hope, that the very unpopular man drowned. The Church of England fears disruptions to the summer pilgrims who come to the area because of its importance to the Church's history. The Church and DCI Rutledge's superiors just want the problem to vanish.

Rutledge has the simultaneous challenges of solving the crime, as it proves to have been murder, and keeping the Church and his boss in London happy. Adding to Rutledge's difficulty is the remote seacoast location and the hostile locals who don't like a London copper in their midst.

What unfolds is a tale of jealousy and hatred dating back to The Great War. As Rutledge puts all of the pieces together, he uncovers a disappointing and dangerous truth, but you'll have to read the story to learn it. I enjoyed the story, as I have all of the Charles Todd books, and I'm looking forward to the next one, whether it's about DCI Ian Rutledge or Bess Crawford.

[Bookreporter.com Historical Fiction · Rating 4 out of 5]

There aren’t many crime novels more beloved or complex than Charles Todd’s Inspector Ian Rutledge series. The biggest change in this 25th entry, A DAY OF JUDGMENT, is that our favorite World War I veteran has been promoted to the role of Chief Inspector.

It is July 1921, and Ian Rutledge is assigned a difficult and high-profile murder case from his Scotland Yard superior, Chief Superintendent Markham, which sends him to the coast of Northumberland across the border from Scotland. A local man’s body has washed ashore south of Lindisfarne. The region comes with a long history of religious involvement, and Scotland Yard wants to ensure that the Church of England and their reputation are protected.

Rutledge never travels alone. The main plot element that consistently makes this series unique is that his PTSD from WWI has resulted in a bout of schizophrenia where he is accompanied by Corporal Hamish MacLeod, whom he had executed with a firing squad for an act of treason. Rutledge has never been able to come to terms with the circumstances behind the killing, and the conversations that he and his ghostly companion have are always quite telling.

The victim whom Rutledge is investigating is Oswin Dunn, a pilot with few friends who kept mostly to himself. The doctor who examined Dunn’s body tells Rutledge that he did not drown and was murdered as evidenced by the blunt trauma to his skull. The rumor among the locals is that Dunn was a “Hun lover,” which is not easily forgiven in the face of the recent war.

Adding to the complexity of this case is that Dunn’s sister moved to Germany where she married a Hun, which is another reason why the Dunns have been so universally disliked. The investigation zeroes in on the sinking of a boat in 1918, where many men died. Dunn allegedly was there and was rumored to have saved a German soldier who washed up after the battle, which pretty much sealed his fate.

For some perspective, Rutledge speaks with a handful of religious leaders in the area and keeps his contact with the Church of England updated on his progress. The residents of the towns Rutledge visits are highly suspicious of outsiders, especially those from Scotland Yard who threaten traditions and secrets that sometimes may be violent and murderous.

Rutledge is persistent and determined to find out the truth, even though a dangerous branch of an ancient sect of local mariners are working against him. A DAY OF JUDGMENT is taut and immensely satisfying, and I always enjoy spending time with such a complicated protagonist as Ian Rutledge.

Reviewed by Ray Palen

[Bookreporter.com Mystery & Thriller · Rating 4 out of 5]

There aren’t many crime novels more beloved or complex than Charles Todd’s Inspector Ian Rutledge series. The biggest change in this 25th entry, A DAY OF JUDGMENT, is that our favorite World War I veteran has been promoted to the role of Chief Inspector.

It is July 1921, and Ian Rutledge is assigned a difficult and high-profile murder case from his Scotland Yard superior, Chief Superintendent Markham, which sends him to the coast of Northumberland across the border from Scotland. A local man’s body has washed ashore south of Lindisfarne. The region comes with a long history of religious involvement, and Scotland Yard wants to ensure that the Church of England and their reputation are protected.

Rutledge never travels alone. The main plot element that consistently makes this series unique is that his PTSD from WWI has resulted in a bout of schizophrenia where he is accompanied by Corporal Hamish MacLeod, whom he had executed with a firing squad for an act of treason. Rutledge has never been able to come to terms with the circumstances behind the killing, and the conversations that he and his ghostly companion have are always quite telling.

The victim whom Rutledge is investigating is Oswin Dunn, a pilot with few friends who kept mostly to himself. The doctor who examined Dunn’s body tells Rutledge that he did not drown and was murdered as evidenced by the blunt trauma to his skull. The rumor among the locals is that Dunn was a “Hun lover,” which is not easily forgiven in the face of the recent war.

Adding to the complexity of this case is that Dunn’s sister moved to Germany where she married a Hun, which is another reason why the Dunns have been so universally disliked. The investigation zeroes in on the sinking of a boat in 1918, where many men died. Dunn allegedly was there and was rumored to have saved a German soldier who washed up after the battle, which pretty much sealed his fate.

For some perspective, Rutledge speaks with a handful of religious leaders in the area and keeps his contact with the Church of England updated on his progress. The residents of the towns Rutledge visits are highly suspicious of outsiders, especially those from Scotland Yard who threaten traditions and secrets that sometimes may be violent and murderous.

Rutledge is persistent and determined to find out the truth, even though a dangerous branch of an ancient sect of local mariners are working against him. A DAY OF JUDGMENT is taut and immensely satisfying, and I always enjoy spending time with such a complicated protagonist as Ian Rutledge.

Reviewed by Ray Palen

[Lata · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have not spent time with Ian Rutledge since book two of his series, and this book was such a nice way to get back into the tortured headspace of this quiet, sad Scotland Yard detective.

It's July 1921 in this 25th entry of this series, it's blazing hot. Rutledge has just been promoted, and his first new case takes him to the coast of Northumberland, just across the border from Scotland. It's the home of the founders of Christianity in England, and when a local man washes up on the beach, murdered, both the government and the Church of England are concerned that this death will tarnish the reputation of the Church and affect tourism to the sacred sites.

Rutledge arrives to an area where no one really wants him. He finds himself moving between two coastal fishing villages, both affected by home front battles and coastal bombardment by the German Navy during WWI. There is still a lot of anti-German sentiment in these towns.

Rutledge also finds a constabulary that has a wide area to patrol, not enough men to do it, and a consolidation underway of the police force, while local militias still wield a lot of power in the area. Rutledge knows he has to tread carefully as he begins to get to know the locals and ask questions. No one seems eager to answer them, there is anger towards a nosy outsider, and many secrets.

Rutledge still has Hamish chattering in his head, keeping him awake at nights, and affecting his moods. Rutledge begins noticing strange nighttime activities afoot, and after conversations with the vicar, and other locals, begins to piece together a picture of the dead man, and why he was murdered.

I listened to this and enjoyed Simon Vance's portrayal of Rutledge and Hamish. Rutledge is still suffering from his wartime experiences. The case is complicated, and I liked the measured pace of this novel, with the author giving us a sense of pride and anger amongst the locals, and what could have prompted someone to commit murder.

Rutledge keeps digging away, and his quiet, respectful manner toward everyone is welcome, and is what gets him results, which his awful boss clearly still resents him for.

I was happy to see Rutledge starting a new stage of his life, with some possible happiness coming in his next outing, one which I hope there will be.

Thank you to Netgalley and to HighBridge for this ARC in exchange for my review.

[Darius Ostrowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspector Ian Rutledge of Scotland Yard is back for his 24th outing in Charles Todd’s “A Day of Judgment”, another mystery set in post -WWI England.

We are in the midst of a heatwave in July, 1921. Rutledge, newly promoted but still disliked by his boss, is sent on a mission to Northumberland to investigate the murder of a local fisherman that was found washed up on the shore. He needs to solve the murder to assure the Church of England that the pilgrims visiting the “Holy Island” of Lindisfarne nearby, along with all of the tourists in the area, are safe and that the murder has nothing to do with the Church. It seems that the authorities are more concerned with reputation than actually finding the real culprit, putting Rutledge in a pressured no-win situation.

The scars from the war are still strong here. This coast was harassed by German U-boats during the war, with the locals dealing with the bodies washing up on the shore. It becomes clear that the victim was viewed as a “Kraut lover”, someone with German sympathies, scorned by the villagers, but was that the reason for his murder all of these years later? And is there a connection between the victim and the last sinking of a British vessel at the end of the war? Rutledge must navigate between two villages, both of them with secrets and a hatred of outsiders. A local constable and an overeager inspector seem to be his only two allies in pursuing the murder. And Rutledge also must struggle with his own demons from the war and his feelings about the Germans as he follows his leads. When someone who helped Rutledge is also violently killed, he must now go on the offensive against the town militia, prejudiced locals, and the indifferent officials to stop a killer before he can strike again.

Another fine outing from Charles Todd, although the local geographies, histories, and especially the food descriptions all took away from the pace and storytelling at times.

I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from Penzler Publishers, Mysterious Press via NetGalley. Thank you!

[Vicki · Rating 4 out of 5]

“A Day of Judgment,” by Charles Todd, The Mysterious Press, 312 pages, March 17, 2026.

It is July of 1921. Chief Inspector Ian Rutledge of Scotland Yard, who was recently promoted to that post, is sent to the coast of Northumberland, just across the border from Scotland. A body has washed up on shore.

Because of his ability to move in the highest social and political circles, Rutledge has been assigned to go. Pilgrims come to visit the home of Saints Cuthbert and Aiden—the founders of Christianity in England—located on the “Holy Island” of Lindisfarne, accessible by a causeway at low tide. The government and the Church of England are concerned about protecting both the reputation of the Church and the sacred sites.

Rutledge suffers from shell shock and survivor’s guilt. The voice of Corporal Hamish MacLeod has been in his head since 1916 and the Battle of Somme. The murdered man was Oswin Dunn, who lived in Beadston where he was a boat pilot and chart maker. When Rutledge arrives at Dunn’s house, he finds that it was ransacked. People didn’t like Dunn because they thought he was sympathetic to Germans.

Constable Jack Carr is the officer in Dunn’s home village. The constabulary in the process of being consolidated to form a countywide police force, with local militias still wielding a great deal of power. Local people don’t like outsiders. Then there’s another murder.

Charles Todd’s novels are intriguing, intricately-woven stories. There is a strong sense of place. While I figured out why Oswin Dunn was killed, the identity of the murderer came as a surprise. While Rutledge still has PTSD, he is improving and is connecting more with people. This is the 25th in the series and can be read without first reading the others.

I rate it four out of five stars.

In accordance with FTC guidelines, the advance reader's edition of this book was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for a review.

[Bee · Rating 3 out of 5]

When the body of a local man is found off the coast of Northumberland, Chief Inspector Ian Rutledge (newly promoted) is dispatched to investigate, mostly due to the proximity to the ‘Holy Island’ of Lindesfarne and the determination of both the authorities and the Church to avoid any controversy.

Assisted by both the ‘voice’ of Hamish and the too-eager, ingratiating local inspector, Taylor, Ian finds himself, as usual, looked on with suspicion and dislike by the locals after they discover who he is. This is not only because he is an outsider, but because of the overwhelming loathing of the victim, condemned by many as a ‘Hun lover.’ Freshly scarred from WWI and the battering the northern English coast received from the Germans, emotions run high.

This is the 24th in the series and I’ve been a fan since the very first. I must say this wasn’t my favorite. I know Charles Todd is a pseudonym for a mother-son writing duo and sadly the mother passed away, and perhaps this changed the overall feel of the writing somewhat. As a rule I don’t mind all the details, even down to the pub food Ian was served, but there were a lot of details in this book. At times it felt like most of the plot involved Ian driving his Rolls Royce between the villages, using the telephone at the Bamburgh Castle Inn, and having countless cups of tea or breakfasts at one of the two inns he was staying at. Over and over. It also seemed that Hamish, while never my favorite ‘character,’ was much harsher and more mocking in this book. Granted, he is simply an aspect of Ian’s PTSD from the war so he would be less than kind due to the circumstances, but I don’t know - he just seemed such a mean voice. Maybe he’ll fade away as time goes by and Ian finds a bit of peace.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Day of Judgement, digital and Audio, by Charles Todd is an Ian Rutledge novel, which I throughly enjoyed. Ian is a good man plagued by his experiences during the Great War. He carries with him a man called Hamish, who he was forced to put before a firing squad just before the war ended. Hamish talks to him, gives him advice, and mocks him. He is a strong character, as is Rutledge. Rutledge has just been promoted and has been sent into the wilds of rural England to solve a murder, uncommon for the area. Along the way he makes friends, as he is a genial and polite man. It must be said that many of the friends are women who would not be adverse to more.

The murder seems to circle around the death of a German sailor who fell off his submarine as they had finished sinking a British boat. Someone had seen to it that he was given a Christian burial and a great many folks objected to that, the wounds of the war still open. The first man to be killed had, what some saw as German ties, as his sister had married a German. There was more to it than that. Rutledge is a clever investigator, masking much of his detecting as everyday conversation. The plot was good, but very sad, as I guess most murders are. Only after the second on did Rutledge hone in on the perpetrator. Slow moving, but engaging. Plenty of surprises.

Simon Vance is the reader and does a perfect job. He is Ian Rutledge. His accents leads to the ambiance of the entire process. He is one of my favorite readers.

I was invited to read A Day of Judgement by Penzler Publishers and to listen by Highbridge. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #PenzlerPublishers #HighbridgeAudio #SimonVance #CharlesTodd #ADayOfJudgement

[Diane L. · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have always enjoyed the Todds' Inspector Rutledge series, but I was disappointed in this one. The quality of the writing has clearly deteriorated since Caroline's passing. The conversations are stilted. There are too many characters, who are not clearly distinguished from one another. Rutledge travels to so many different places that I sometimes couldn't keep track of whether he was in Seahouses, Berwick, Beadston, Newcastle, or wherever. And all the different Inspectors and Constables in each town. And I don't think that the story was enhanced by the endless descriptions of the architecture and decor of every inn, church, pub, room, etc. And I certainly didn't need to know what Rutledge ate for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every single day.

The plot was fairly good, following Rutledge as he doggedly pursued and compiled small clues to solve the case. But the writing was flat, lacking passion - I didn't feel Rutledge as a living, breathing human being. He supposedly has nightmares of the horrors he experienced in the War; but we don't see him awakening in panic, trembling, sweating - there is just a statement that he didn't sleep well, then he gets up and goes about his day. I would have liked more description of Rutledge's thoughts and feelings, and fewer descriptions of buildings and meals.

I used to look forward to a new Charles Todd novel; but I don't think I will be reading them in the future.

I read a review copy supplied by Edelweiss+.

[Lynn Horton · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've enjoyed Charles Todd novels since the very first ones in both series (A Test of Wills in 1996 and A Duty to the Dead in 2006, Ian Rutledge and Bess Crawford protagonists, respectively). I've been looking forward to A Day of Judgement, so it's been a pleasure to "meet" familiar characters again. The story is reliable, the settings detailed (perhaps a little TOO detailed), and the ever-present Hamish is as annoying as ever.

But ... two dramatic changes haven't done the Ian Rutledge series any favors. First, Charles Todd was a mother-son writing duo. Caroline Todd died several years ago, so Charles Todd is going it alone. The loss of a parent can be devastating, and I expected Caroline's death to destabilize the story telling a little (and it did). The writing in A Day of Judgement lacks some of the verve of previous books, and a good bit of the dialogue is stilted and repetitive. Clumsy, even.

The second event is that William Morrow isn't publishing Charles Todd anymore, and these stories are being released by a new publisher (Mysterious). The editing and pacing in A Day of Judgement is very spotty, and the lack of some punctuation makes for challenging reading; l blame the new publisher for this distracting drop in quality.

I hope that A Day of Judgement is just a bobble on the road of the Ian Rutledge series, and that everything will be up to speed before the next Maisie Dobbs is released.

Recommended, with hopeful reservations.

[Viccy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ian Rutledge is a newly installed Detective Inspector. He is glad to receive a promotion because it means his haunting by Hamish MacLeod has not interfered too much with his work for Scotland Yard; at least, his boss seems unaware. Rutledge travels north to Northumbria for a puzzling case involving a dead man who has washed ashore. The government is worried it might be a problem for the local religious site, the Abbey of Lindisfarne, the site of the founding of Christianity in England. Two fishing villages are involved, both bearing the scars of the war. Too many young men did not come home and the villagers spent the war worried about U-boats and invading Germans. Rutledge has to uncover who the deceased man was without antagonizing the locals too much. He was not a popular man; he spent most of his time afloat on a boat tracking the tides and currents for the maritime business. There is also the burden of a reorganization of the constabulary, which is wreaking havoc with the local bobbies. Who can Rutledge trust? Can he determine if the murdered man was actually a German sympathizer? Who would want him dead? Another well-plotted and interesting book from Todd. Always recommended.

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid historical mystery. I really enjoyed the setting for the book in northern England Northumberland, right next to the Scottish border. I thought this book showed how small communities can be tight knit and are not always loving and caring to all members, some are forgotten or ostracized. Todd does a good job shining a light on the after effects of war, many soldiers upon returning home struggle to find jobs and return to "normal life" after suffering mental and physical trauma. There’s a good and interesting look into English military ranks and divisions which as an American was very interesting to me. That being said Todd tends to get into the weeds and the book's pace is quite slow, but I found myself very invested in the characters.

I have read a few books from this series but not all of them. I’m still never sure how I feel about Rutledge hearing/seeing Hamish. It’s just kind of an odd element to this series for me. Rutledge can be a sad and morose main character. I must confess that I prefer Todd's the Bess Crawford series to this series.

Thanks for the advance audiobook copy Netgalley and High Bridge Audio
Pub date: March 10 2026

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been reading this series since the first book which was published in 1998 (28 years!) and have enjoyed them.

In the last few books it seems like there is great detail regarding Ian driving back and forth over the British countryside. To be fair, I imagine in the days before phones were readily available this may have been necessary. The descriptions of the architecture, the detailed history of the Fusiliers and Hussars and every meal Ian had were too much and dragged the story progression.

I did enjoy the mystery, although it did seem that one man’s murder was a bit of a stretch in getting a Bishop concerned enough that it was a necessity to call in Scotland Yard.

It’s time for there to be some kind of reckoning with Hamish. He seemed to be simultaneously less present but more malevolent when he spoke. And I’m glad that FINALLY there is some positive forward motion in Ian’s relationship with Kate. In Ian’s time it’s only been a couple of years since the end of the war, but for long term readers of the series like me, it’s past time for some development in Ian’s life.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the next book in the Inspector Ian Rutledge series, A DAY OF JUDGMENT by Charles Todd, Ian is now a Chief Inspector. He is happy about his promotion but is still suffering guilt about surviving the battle of the Somme in WWI. The voice of his corporal at that time, Hamish, still haunts him. Chief Inspector Rutledge is called to a town near a port where the dead body of a fisherman has been found. I am already interested in this book and read on.

This is the 25th book in the Inspector Ian Rutledge series, and I think the Rutledge character is still as fresh and interesting as ever. I like the addition of Hamish’s voice in Rutledge’s head. The post WWI time period is well established, and the dose of history adds to the realism of the story. I appreciate the pacing of this mystery, and there is a good blend of mystery and backstory. I look forward to reading future books in the Inspector Ian Rutledge series. Thank you, Penzler Publishers and NetGalley, for the chance to read and review an advance reader copy of A DAY OF JUDGMENT.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is July 1921 and this is the 25th book in the Inspector Ian Rutledge series. Rutledge is now a chief inspector. He still suffers from what we could call PTSD today. Scotland Yard sends him to investigate a body that was found near a holy island pilgrimage site. Both the government and the church are concerned about the church's reputation and safety of tourists. Rutledge is not welcomed by the locals and has to appease a superintendent who does not hold him in high regard as well as church officials, and must handle an interfering local detective.

While this book can be read as a standalone there are a number of incidental references to continuing characters mentioned in earlier books reading those earlier books could provide a better understanding of the wartime demons that haunt Rutledge. I thought the book dragged in places, and overplayed the inner voice plaguing Rutledge. Caroline Todd, one of the series' co-authors, died a few years ago. That may have affected the style and emphasis to some extent. I give it four stars, but it probably only deserves 3.5.

[Ronald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having waited almost three years, this latest episode did not disappoint! I know reading several comments reflected disappointment with the frequent descriptions of what Rutledge ate for each meal seemed over the top, but I have to disagree. It showed the wide range of simple fare available in England at the time. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and the descriptions made my mouth water.

And of course, there was the constant driving across the area in his red 1914 RR Ghost. Not your average Chief Inspector for sure!

The plot was interesting and connected to the recent war, which most of the episodes have done.

And on the subject of Hamish, which many thought was getting old, I disagree! This is a major part of the entire series. Actually, I felt there was less Hamish than in recent books.

And finally, without giving away too much, I especially enjoyed the ending.

My only question now is that since there is only one writer, will Ian alternate years with Bess?