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Inspector Ian Rutledge #20
The Gate Keeper
On a deserted road, late at night, Scotland Yard’s Ian Rutledge encounters a frightened woman standing over a body, launching an inquiry that leads him into the lair of a stealthy killer and the dangerous recesses of his own memories in this twentieth installment of the acclaimed New York Times bestselling series.
Hours after his sister’s wedding, a restless Ian Rutledge drives aimlessly, haunted by the past, and narrowly misses a motorcar stopped in the middle of a desolate road. Standing beside the vehicle is a woman with blood on her hands and a dead man at her feet.
She swears she didn’t kill Stephen Wentworth. A stranger stepped out in front of their motorcar, and without warning, fired a single shot before vanishing into the night. But there is no trace of him. And the shaken woman insists it all happened so quickly, she never saw the man’s face.
Although he is a witness after the fact, Rutledge persuades the Yard to give him the inquiry, since he’s on the scene. But is he seeking justice—or fleeing painful memories in London?
Wentworth was well-liked, yet his bitter family paint a malevolent portrait, calling him a murderer. But who did Wentworth kill? Is his death retribution? Or has his companion lied? Wolf Pit, his village, has a notorious in Medieval times, the last wolf in England was killed there. When a second suspicious death occurs, the evidence suggests that a dangerous predator is on the loose, and that death is closer than Rutledge knows.
Hours after his sister’s wedding, a restless Ian Rutledge drives aimlessly, haunted by the past, and narrowly misses a motorcar stopped in the middle of a desolate road. Standing beside the vehicle is a woman with blood on her hands and a dead man at her feet.
She swears she didn’t kill Stephen Wentworth. A stranger stepped out in front of their motorcar, and without warning, fired a single shot before vanishing into the night. But there is no trace of him. And the shaken woman insists it all happened so quickly, she never saw the man’s face.
Although he is a witness after the fact, Rutledge persuades the Yard to give him the inquiry, since he’s on the scene. But is he seeking justice—or fleeing painful memories in London?
Wentworth was well-liked, yet his bitter family paint a malevolent portrait, calling him a murderer. But who did Wentworth kill? Is his death retribution? Or has his companion lied? Wolf Pit, his village, has a notorious in Medieval times, the last wolf in England was killed there. When a second suspicious death occurs, the evidence suggests that a dangerous predator is on the loose, and that death is closer than Rutledge knows.
313 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 6, 2018
1907 people are currently reading
4915 people want to read
About the author
Charles Todd
112 books3,501 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 693 reviews
May 15, 2018
The war has been over for two years, but for Rutledge he remains in the grip of an action he had to take as an officer. He carries his guilt with him, with the voice of Hamish forever in his ear. Upon leaving the wedding of his sister he encounters a woman in a car on the road. Ahead in the road lies the body of a dead man. Soon it will be up to Rutledge to piece together the strange specific of the murder.
This is another long running series I have read from the beginning. It is atmospheric, and Rutledge is a character, the voice of Hamish adding an imperative voice from the background. Despite that, I think it is time to let Rutledge grow, embrace life more fully or at least getting help to do so. Like Evanovich, and Stephanie Plum his character seems stuck in place. Additionally there was so much going back and forth between witnesses which caused this story to not only be repetitious, but the plot to drag.
By no means will I stop reading this series, but it suffers from its long run. It has stalled, as some do, and needs a push, a surprise, something to propel it forward. Maybe give Rutledge something to smile about.
ARC from Edelweiss.
This is another long running series I have read from the beginning. It is atmospheric, and Rutledge is a character, the voice of Hamish adding an imperative voice from the background. Despite that, I think it is time to let Rutledge grow, embrace life more fully or at least getting help to do so. Like Evanovich, and Stephanie Plum his character seems stuck in place. Additionally there was so much going back and forth between witnesses which caused this story to not only be repetitious, but the plot to drag.
By no means will I stop reading this series, but it suffers from its long run. It has stalled, as some do, and needs a push, a surprise, something to propel it forward. Maybe give Rutledge something to smile about.
ARC from Edelweiss.
February 1, 2018
I found The Gate Keeper to be a more enjoyable book to read than Racing the Devil, the previous book in the series. The story is definitely more compelling in this book and the mystery of the man killed by a stranger in the night on a desolated road is perplexing. It's the kind of mystery where much of the investigation hangs on interviews of those around the dead man. Which to be honest, can be a bit of a problem when a book's story isn't that engaging. This book handles that in a good way, although there are moments in the book when I felt that the investigation didn't move along especially fast. When it felt like nothing really happened other than Ian Rutledge trying to figure out what to do next.
Besides the case are Ian Rutledge dealing with his sister's wedding. He's both happy for her and sad that this will bring a change in their lives. He's still dealing with the haunting of Hamish and meeting some really awful characters in this book isn't brightening his mood. Thankfully Melinda Crawford shows up to lend him some support. Although I'm still waiting for Bess Crawford to make an appearance...
The Gate Keeper's best part is the end when a little hint leads Ian Rutledge the right way and finally to the killer. It's an interesting case and the ending, the reason for the killing felt genuinely surprising. Without Ian Rutledge's tenacity would the killer probably have managed to get away with it...
I want to thank William Morrow for providing me with a free copy through Edelweiss for an honest review!
Besides the case are Ian Rutledge dealing with his sister's wedding. He's both happy for her and sad that this will bring a change in their lives. He's still dealing with the haunting of Hamish and meeting some really awful characters in this book isn't brightening his mood. Thankfully Melinda Crawford shows up to lend him some support. Although I'm still waiting for Bess Crawford to make an appearance...
The Gate Keeper's best part is the end when a little hint leads Ian Rutledge the right way and finally to the killer. It's an interesting case and the ending, the reason for the killing felt genuinely surprising. Without Ian Rutledge's tenacity would the killer probably have managed to get away with it...
I want to thank William Morrow for providing me with a free copy through Edelweiss for an honest review!
March 5, 2018
This book is one of the better reads, in this most excellent(and one of my favorite) series. Rutledge not only wrestles with his own demons, but has a real stumper of a case, that he actually stumbles upon. I was pretty much stumped, as well, which keeps me reading longer. I know, first world problem. Both this series, and the Todd's terrific "Bess Crawford" series, are highly recommended. Also, kudos to my cousin(and Goodreads friend) Janet for recommending them to me.
February 15, 2018
It's hard to believe this is book twenty in this most excellent series about a Scotland Yard Inspector struggling to maintain his career while secretly suffering from shell shock. What happened on the battlefield in World War I literally haunts Ian Rutledge. At times it seems the character hasn't made many advances in recovering from his mental trauma and yet when I look back on the series it is surprising to find that only a few years have passed since Rutledge returned from France and began to pick up the pieces of his life. In this story Rutledge has just seen his sister Frances married and off on her wedding trip. Even though he is happy for her he also knows the stability he has found in relying on her will change when Frances and her husband return to London. All the changes soon to take place in his life keep him from settling for the night so he puts some clothes in a bag and begins to drive through the night with no destination in mind. What he comes upon in the dark hours is a mystery that will demand his full attention so he can keep other deaths from happening.
The Todd writing team have developed the Rutledge character to such a degree that I find myself thinking of him as a person, not simply as a fictional character. Maybe that is why the seemingly slow progress Rutledge is making in dealing with his shell shock doesn't bother me so much any more. In the past I've wanted him to be mentally healthy quickly. But that would mean that the character would be totally changed and that's not really what I want. In December 1920, with Christmas just around the corner, this addition to the series shows the residents of small English towns and villages making their slow progress toward what is now normal, working out how life can be lived without all the men who never came back from the fighting. These are stories I enjoy for the mystery set down by the authors. I enjoy the way they build this story from Rutledge having absolutely no clue about what is happening to him finding tiny crumbs of information and building the picture up over time. This story can definitely be read as a standalone novel because a generous portion of the backstory is given to help readers new to the series understand a lot of what has happened previously. There is a generously portioned appearance by Melinda Crawford which readers of the second Charles Todd series (Bess Crawford) will enjoy. The mystery in this story is not solved until almost the final pages. The twist in the story was quite enjoyable and had me fooled. Another top-notch addition to the series.
The Todd writing team have developed the Rutledge character to such a degree that I find myself thinking of him as a person, not simply as a fictional character. Maybe that is why the seemingly slow progress Rutledge is making in dealing with his shell shock doesn't bother me so much any more. In the past I've wanted him to be mentally healthy quickly. But that would mean that the character would be totally changed and that's not really what I want. In December 1920, with Christmas just around the corner, this addition to the series shows the residents of small English towns and villages making their slow progress toward what is now normal, working out how life can be lived without all the men who never came back from the fighting. These are stories I enjoy for the mystery set down by the authors. I enjoy the way they build this story from Rutledge having absolutely no clue about what is happening to him finding tiny crumbs of information and building the picture up over time. This story can definitely be read as a standalone novel because a generous portion of the backstory is given to help readers new to the series understand a lot of what has happened previously. There is a generously portioned appearance by Melinda Crawford which readers of the second Charles Todd series (Bess Crawford) will enjoy. The mystery in this story is not solved until almost the final pages. The twist in the story was quite enjoyable and had me fooled. Another top-notch addition to the series.
February 14, 2018
Usually enjoy every plot device in the Ian Rutledge series, but this one went a few hiccups too far. Still a fan, but am unable to endorse the nonsense Ian got up to in order to bring to justice the murderer of three men.
Anyway...it starts with his sister's wedding and then Ian's unconscious driving away from London without direction, though directly into a freshly done murder along the road. To say more would ruin it for another. Others may enjoy this one more than I.
Anyway...it starts with his sister's wedding and then Ian's unconscious driving away from London without direction, though directly into a freshly done murder along the road. To say more would ruin it for another. Others may enjoy this one more than I.
March 15, 2022
This was twisted! One of the more wretched, despicable mothers I’ve come across. Ian’s manoeuvres to avoid the politics of the Yard are ever present.
March 13, 2018
This is 3.5 stars, but I can't round it up because it becomes redundant. And not only to Ian's mental states either. It tends to repeat witness or interviewee questioning/answers over and over and over again. Sometimes with the very same hostile characters who instead of helping the police find their son's or their friend's murderer, feel the need to berate Ian instead. In point of fact, he gets called out and insulted to his purpose, placement, results, associations- all of those. And not just by a handful of people in the Suffolk village in which 2 murders take place. There are numerous short tempered and conceited with a vicious streak people in this book. Unlike a lot of other English villages for this genre, IMHO.
Once in a former Ian Rutledge book- I noted in my review that they better come up with some appropriate women candidates for an Ian girlfriend soon. I double that down now after this one. He barely remembers that Kate even exists until he gets a dinner invitation during the last paragraph of the book from her. And you still hear about Jean again. Come on, she's been dead in Canada for going on 4 years already. I warned that Ian was getting monk-like and rather scowling. Well, he's gone past both of those and all the way to Hamish's best friend now, IMHO.
Yes, he talks to Hamish nearly continually throughout this entire book. And also investigates two or three other men's "war" experiences. Some from their own memories and some from their survivors' memories. But of course, all are extremely grime and usually have to do with hanging or shooting their own privates who will not follow orders and "breech the wall" or "go over the top".
The case is super, super obscure. And the murderer would not be 1 out of 100 on any guess. And the connection of the murdered men isn't made until just about the 250 page mark of a just over 300 page book. It's quite the opposite of most Ian's former and Agatha's majority. Most of those have the murderer somewhere in the room.
But it certainly does carve out the Ian mindset of 1920. War and flu not forgotten here yet, although the first Christmas market is back. But it seems, if anything, that Ian is worse for his sister being happy.
This writing team does what they do fairly well in clear writing. But they better get Ian with more than a once a year smile on his face soon, or I'm out of the series. Not even his sister's wedding has cheered him up to any ion an extent.
Once in a former Ian Rutledge book- I noted in my review that they better come up with some appropriate women candidates for an Ian girlfriend soon. I double that down now after this one. He barely remembers that Kate even exists until he gets a dinner invitation during the last paragraph of the book from her. And you still hear about Jean again. Come on, she's been dead in Canada for going on 4 years already. I warned that Ian was getting monk-like and rather scowling. Well, he's gone past both of those and all the way to Hamish's best friend now, IMHO.
Yes, he talks to Hamish nearly continually throughout this entire book. And also investigates two or three other men's "war" experiences. Some from their own memories and some from their survivors' memories. But of course, all are extremely grime and usually have to do with hanging or shooting their own privates who will not follow orders and "breech the wall" or "go over the top".
The case is super, super obscure. And the murderer would not be 1 out of 100 on any guess. And the connection of the murdered men isn't made until just about the 250 page mark of a just over 300 page book. It's quite the opposite of most Ian's former and Agatha's majority. Most of those have the murderer somewhere in the room.
But it certainly does carve out the Ian mindset of 1920. War and flu not forgotten here yet, although the first Christmas market is back. But it seems, if anything, that Ian is worse for his sister being happy.
This writing team does what they do fairly well in clear writing. But they better get Ian with more than a once a year smile on his face soon, or I'm out of the series. Not even his sister's wedding has cheered him up to any ion an extent.
February 15, 2018
The latest Ian Rutledge novel does not disappoint those who follow his cases. I became fond of the series several years and haven't got bored by any of the stories yet. Again, the intrigue is interesting and I guess it's one of the best so far.
March 2, 2018
First Sentence: Ian Rutledge drove through the night, his mind only partly on the road unwinding before him.
After leaving his sister’s wedding, restlessness sends Inspector Ian Rutledge driving on deserted roads in the middle of the night. It doesn’t expect to come across a stopped motorcar, a dead man, and a woman with blood on her hands who claims an unknown man suddenly appeared in front of their car and shot her companion, Stephen Wentworth. Rutledge takes on the investigation for Scotland Yard and learns of a man liked by most but labeled a murderer by his own family. And how does a second death tie in?
What an excellent beginning. While the essentials of setting, situation, and characters are there, one also feels vulnerability and loneliness. Those who have followed the series, there have been glimpses, but here we truly see the man behind the policemen, and the dead he carries in his mind as he comes upon someone who is truly dead.
Todd is very good at creating an environment—“The next morning was dismally wet. It had warmed in the night enough to bring an early fog with it. Nothing like the London fogs,… Still, this one was enough to keep anyone by his hearth who had no particularly pressing business elsewhere.” Part of what makes Rutledge such an interesting character is his introspection and insightfulness—“The bereaved often saw their dead a someone more than human, above reproach, possessor of all the virtues.” We are also reminded of how cruel parents can be to their children, even without physical violence.
Although set after WWI, Todd uses the theme of the war to exemplify the idiocy of those “senior officers, who make plans” and the cost on human lives, both of those who were killed, and often of those who survive. The issue of shell shock (PTSD) plays a significant role through the story and the series and in the makeup of Rutledge.
With mysteries, one tends to think of the classic motives; money, jealousy, revenge, etc. Todd has added to that list with one we are very much in evidence today—“Anger. …A fury so deep he’s already lived with it long enough that it has burned cold.”
“The Gatekeeper” is so well done. Its multifaceted plot is equaled only by the excellent, multifaceted protagonist, and the quality of the writing. This may well be the best book in the series to date.
THE GATE KEEPER (Hist Pol Proc-Insp. Ian Rutledge-England-1920s) - Ex
Todd, Charles – 20th in series
William Morrow – Feb 2018
After leaving his sister’s wedding, restlessness sends Inspector Ian Rutledge driving on deserted roads in the middle of the night. It doesn’t expect to come across a stopped motorcar, a dead man, and a woman with blood on her hands who claims an unknown man suddenly appeared in front of their car and shot her companion, Stephen Wentworth. Rutledge takes on the investigation for Scotland Yard and learns of a man liked by most but labeled a murderer by his own family. And how does a second death tie in?
What an excellent beginning. While the essentials of setting, situation, and characters are there, one also feels vulnerability and loneliness. Those who have followed the series, there have been glimpses, but here we truly see the man behind the policemen, and the dead he carries in his mind as he comes upon someone who is truly dead.
Todd is very good at creating an environment—“The next morning was dismally wet. It had warmed in the night enough to bring an early fog with it. Nothing like the London fogs,… Still, this one was enough to keep anyone by his hearth who had no particularly pressing business elsewhere.” Part of what makes Rutledge such an interesting character is his introspection and insightfulness—“The bereaved often saw their dead a someone more than human, above reproach, possessor of all the virtues.” We are also reminded of how cruel parents can be to their children, even without physical violence.
Although set after WWI, Todd uses the theme of the war to exemplify the idiocy of those “senior officers, who make plans” and the cost on human lives, both of those who were killed, and often of those who survive. The issue of shell shock (PTSD) plays a significant role through the story and the series and in the makeup of Rutledge.
With mysteries, one tends to think of the classic motives; money, jealousy, revenge, etc. Todd has added to that list with one we are very much in evidence today—“Anger. …A fury so deep he’s already lived with it long enough that it has burned cold.”
“The Gatekeeper” is so well done. Its multifaceted plot is equaled only by the excellent, multifaceted protagonist, and the quality of the writing. This may well be the best book in the series to date.
THE GATE KEEPER (Hist Pol Proc-Insp. Ian Rutledge-England-1920s) - Ex
Todd, Charles – 20th in series
William Morrow – Feb 2018
June 11, 2018
I won this book in a goodreads drawing.
Ian Rutledge, a WWI veteran with PTSD attends a wedding. On his way home, he encounters a stalled automobile, with a dead man alongside, and woman who swears she didn't kill him. Rutledge is attached to the Yard, and investigates, finding small town secrets.
A very good British mystery.
Ian Rutledge, a WWI veteran with PTSD attends a wedding. On his way home, he encounters a stalled automobile, with a dead man alongside, and woman who swears she didn't kill him. Rutledge is attached to the Yard, and investigates, finding small town secrets.
A very good British mystery.
January 2, 2019
The Gate Keeper (Inspector Rutledge #20) by Charles Todd.
This story is my favorite in this series.
Inspector Rutledge is driving away after attending his sister's wedding when he narrowly avoids hitting a car at the side of the road. An hysterical woman with blood on her hands stands over a body.
The Inspector learns the victim,Stephen Wentworth, was shot by an unknown assailant. The identity of the victim does not reveal the whole person as Inspector Rutledge is to uncover in meeting the parents.
There's more to unearth in Wentworth's background that brings Rutledge to a cemetery and a small grave. Then another man is shot without warning by an unknown assailant. It's up to the Inspector to find how these two murders were related, if they were.
The Inspector's life is still tormented by shell shock from the war. Hamish, a soldier killed during the war, continues to haunt him adding his thoughts from the grave.
This story was involved and the Inspector was relentless. I enjoyed every word. Excellently written and clearly performed by Simon Prebble.
This story is my favorite in this series.
Inspector Rutledge is driving away after attending his sister's wedding when he narrowly avoids hitting a car at the side of the road. An hysterical woman with blood on her hands stands over a body.
The Inspector learns the victim,Stephen Wentworth, was shot by an unknown assailant. The identity of the victim does not reveal the whole person as Inspector Rutledge is to uncover in meeting the parents.
There's more to unearth in Wentworth's background that brings Rutledge to a cemetery and a small grave. Then another man is shot without warning by an unknown assailant. It's up to the Inspector to find how these two murders were related, if they were.
The Inspector's life is still tormented by shell shock from the war. Hamish, a soldier killed during the war, continues to haunt him adding his thoughts from the grave.
This story was involved and the Inspector was relentless. I enjoyed every word. Excellently written and clearly performed by Simon Prebble.
February 11, 2018
One of the best entries in this good series. It really becomes a page-turner at the end. The author(s) take(s) the reader through every step that Rutledge takes as an investigator, so everything is foreshadowed and there are plenty of red herrings and places for the reader's imagination to go as Rutledge works to solve the mystery. As things come together, nothing seems like too much of a coincidence, because the author(s) show(s) all the detective's work along the way, but things only rarely seem bogged down. Rutledge is great at pursuing every lead to the last possible place it could go. The descriptions of relationships between children fortunate and unfortunate in their parents, and how that affects those children as adults, are well done without waxing didactic. And the insights into Rutledge's life and relationships, with his sister Frances, with Melinda Crawford, and potentially with a new love, make me look forward to additional books in the series.
January 21, 2019
It is soon-to-be Christmas 1920, two years after the end of the Great War. Ian Rutledge has spent the day fulfilling social obligations. It was his beloved sister Frances' wedding day and his duty, since both their parents are dead, was to walk her down the aisle and give her hand to the husband-to-be. He is happy for his sister but cannot help feeling melancholy about how her marriage will change his relationship with her. She has been the rock on which he has anchored his life after coming home from the war shell-shocked, wounded in spirit.
After the wedding, he makes it through the reception, socializing with the guests, but once the happy couple leaves on their wedding trip, his PTSD closes in and he must escape. He leaves London, driving aimlessly with no destination in mind.
Somewhere on the dark and lonely road between London and Suffolk, he encounters a car stopped in the middle of the road with an open door. Rutledge stops to give assistance and finds a woman standing beside the car and at her feet lies the body of a man. He had been shot once and was dead.
The woman swears that she did not kill the victim. He was driving her home from a party when they saw a figure in the middle of the road and the driver stopped to see if help was needed. As he approached the figure, he was shot through the heart and the figure retreated into the darkness.
Rutledge makes a cursory search for the killer or for the gun but finds no trace of either. He sends the woman in his car to the nearby village of Wolfpit to get the constable, while he stays with the body and the car.
Inspector Rutledge, having stumbled upon the murder scene, is determined to investigate the case and he manages to persuade Scotland Yard to let him be in charge, even though the local constabulary are less than enthused about his participation.
His investigation reveals that the victim, Stephen Wentworth, was hated by his family but loved and respected by everyone else. What could be the source of such hatred?
Well, it seems that Stephen was a twin. He was the second-born twin. The first-born was a beautiful baby and his mother fell in love with him at first sight and lavished all her love on him. When Stephen was born a bit later, he was at first not a pretty baby and his mother disdained him. Her attitude toward the children was passed on to the father. The only one who gave Stephen any love was his nanny.
Then a few months later, tragedy struck. Stephen's brother was found dead in the crib. Stephen was cuddled up beside him. The mother irrationally called baby Stephen a murderer! She was sure that he was jealous of his perfect brother and so killed him to get him out of the way. The doctor said it was likely a heart defect, but no autopsy was allowed on the perfect child, and Stephen was forever branded in his family's eyes as a murderer.
Were people really that ignorant in 1920? Well, maybe. After all, there are still some pretty weird ideas given credence in 2018; e.g., the vaccinations cause autism crowd.
Oh, well, soon the investigation's waters are muddied by a second killing. Same m.o. as the first - one shot to the chest. There's no immediate obvious connection between the two men, but Rutledge instinctively knows there must be one.
Then, in a nearby village, a third man with no apparent connection to the other two is killed in the same way and the waters get muddier still.
It's a complicated case and Rutledge struggles to find the thread that will lead him out of the maze and into the light, while at the same time continuing to struggle with his old demons from the war. I'm sure other long-time readers of this series, like myself, are longing for Rutledge to finally conquer those demons and get on with his life, but looking back over the last several books, one can see that some progress has been made, even as England itself begins to make some progress in coming to terms with the loss of so many of a generation of its young men and is moving on. These books do a good job, in my opinion, in conveying that atmosphere.
After the wedding, he makes it through the reception, socializing with the guests, but once the happy couple leaves on their wedding trip, his PTSD closes in and he must escape. He leaves London, driving aimlessly with no destination in mind.
Somewhere on the dark and lonely road between London and Suffolk, he encounters a car stopped in the middle of the road with an open door. Rutledge stops to give assistance and finds a woman standing beside the car and at her feet lies the body of a man. He had been shot once and was dead.
The woman swears that she did not kill the victim. He was driving her home from a party when they saw a figure in the middle of the road and the driver stopped to see if help was needed. As he approached the figure, he was shot through the heart and the figure retreated into the darkness.
Rutledge makes a cursory search for the killer or for the gun but finds no trace of either. He sends the woman in his car to the nearby village of Wolfpit to get the constable, while he stays with the body and the car.
Inspector Rutledge, having stumbled upon the murder scene, is determined to investigate the case and he manages to persuade Scotland Yard to let him be in charge, even though the local constabulary are less than enthused about his participation.
His investigation reveals that the victim, Stephen Wentworth, was hated by his family but loved and respected by everyone else. What could be the source of such hatred?
Well, it seems that Stephen was a twin. He was the second-born twin. The first-born was a beautiful baby and his mother fell in love with him at first sight and lavished all her love on him. When Stephen was born a bit later, he was at first not a pretty baby and his mother disdained him. Her attitude toward the children was passed on to the father. The only one who gave Stephen any love was his nanny.
Then a few months later, tragedy struck. Stephen's brother was found dead in the crib. Stephen was cuddled up beside him. The mother irrationally called baby Stephen a murderer! She was sure that he was jealous of his perfect brother and so killed him to get him out of the way. The doctor said it was likely a heart defect, but no autopsy was allowed on the perfect child, and Stephen was forever branded in his family's eyes as a murderer.
Were people really that ignorant in 1920? Well, maybe. After all, there are still some pretty weird ideas given credence in 2018; e.g., the vaccinations cause autism crowd.
Oh, well, soon the investigation's waters are muddied by a second killing. Same m.o. as the first - one shot to the chest. There's no immediate obvious connection between the two men, but Rutledge instinctively knows there must be one.
Then, in a nearby village, a third man with no apparent connection to the other two is killed in the same way and the waters get muddier still.
It's a complicated case and Rutledge struggles to find the thread that will lead him out of the maze and into the light, while at the same time continuing to struggle with his old demons from the war. I'm sure other long-time readers of this series, like myself, are longing for Rutledge to finally conquer those demons and get on with his life, but looking back over the last several books, one can see that some progress has been made, even as England itself begins to make some progress in coming to terms with the loss of so many of a generation of its young men and is moving on. These books do a good job, in my opinion, in conveying that atmosphere.
Read
October 4, 2021DNF
October 4, 2017
The Gate Keeper
By
Charles Todd
What it's all about...
I think that this was my very first Ian Rutledge mystery. Ian is a Scotland Yard investigator recovering from a very damaging war experience. This book took place in the 1920’s...there were still fires warming old English houses and cottages and cars that had to be cranked. Telephones were rare...no cell phone service? Teasing...of course. This book begins as Ian is driving away from his sister’s wedding...taking a break...when he sees a woman in the middle of the road holding a dead man. Of course he can’t get away from this and becomes the investigator of the case. And of course the case just gets worse and worse. More murders, family secrets and lots of interesting suspicious townspeople.
Why I wanted to read it...
I loved the cover and the description and once I read the first few pages...I was in. The writing is gorge, the plot excellent and the pace was perfect for a complex cozy mystery.
What made me truly enjoy this book...
Everything about it was delicious. Ian is so damaged that he fights his demons constantly. He is the consummate professional Scotland Yarder. Loved all of the tea that everyone drank in this book!
Why you should read it, too...
Readers who love complex cozy mysteries should love this book. The ending was a surprise...a total surprise to me and I loved that!
Thank you Edelweiss and publishers for this book!
By
Charles Todd
What it's all about...
I think that this was my very first Ian Rutledge mystery. Ian is a Scotland Yard investigator recovering from a very damaging war experience. This book took place in the 1920’s...there were still fires warming old English houses and cottages and cars that had to be cranked. Telephones were rare...no cell phone service? Teasing...of course. This book begins as Ian is driving away from his sister’s wedding...taking a break...when he sees a woman in the middle of the road holding a dead man. Of course he can’t get away from this and becomes the investigator of the case. And of course the case just gets worse and worse. More murders, family secrets and lots of interesting suspicious townspeople.
Why I wanted to read it...
I loved the cover and the description and once I read the first few pages...I was in. The writing is gorge, the plot excellent and the pace was perfect for a complex cozy mystery.
What made me truly enjoy this book...
Everything about it was delicious. Ian is so damaged that he fights his demons constantly. He is the consummate professional Scotland Yarder. Loved all of the tea that everyone drank in this book!
Why you should read it, too...
Readers who love complex cozy mysteries should love this book. The ending was a surprise...a total surprise to me and I loved that!
Thank you Edelweiss and publishers for this book!
November 24, 2018
Inspector Ian Rutledge of Scotland Yard is a character whose stories I anticipate reading. Realistic timing for his investigations has allowed me as a reader to get to know his personal foibles and appreciate his character.
I certainly enjoyed this book themed newest addition #20 to the series.
#iSpy Reading Challenge
I certainly enjoyed this book themed newest addition #20 to the series.
#iSpy Reading Challenge
July 22, 2018
I listened to this on Audible - Simon Prebble narrated the story wonderfully, bringing all the characters to life with distinction and flavor, giving each a voice and depth. The mystery itself is worthwhile and well structured, which I've come to expect with every Ian Rutledge story I've read this far.
November 2, 2017
Another compelling outing for war damaged Inspector Rutledge who happens upon the murder of beloved bookseller. The deadman's hateful mother and a hostile locall copper wish Rutledge ill. The solution will really please book people .
July 31, 2018
I actually really enjoyed reading this book. It was wonderful!! My kind of book for sure. From the first chapter I was hooked. Highly recommend!!
April 8, 2018
Twentieth in the Inspector Ian Rutledge historical mystery series set in England just after World War I, December 1920 to be more accurate, and revolving around a shellshocked Scotland Yard inspector.
My Take
The Gate Keeper was compelling with the questions it raised, the bitterness, and the mystery of how all these dead men connect. A reveal that is heartbreaking in its simplicity and meanness.
We read the story from Rutledge’s perspective in single third person point-of-view, so we know about Rutledge’s interactions with Hamish as well as his thoughts on the case. Bitter thoughts for it's a two-sided bitterness. One is the greed for money and the other is the greed to hurt. And the weakness that allows this bitter greed to continue.
It’s a rare mix of the horrible with the truly decent, and through it all, Todd takes us back to the England of 1920 with its dress, mores, lifestyle, social interactions, and the technology. They definitely make me feel the period, and it makes me mourn for it. Although, I’m damned grateful for cellphones, let alone a landline in every house!
I do find these post-World War I novels fascinating to read, as they reflect the changes that occured in the traditional pre-war lifestyle that led to what we experience now. That women's lib, y'know. So few men returned from the battlefields, and so many women had had to do a man’s work while the soldiers were gone.
What's truly sad is that Stephen’s death is actually easier than his life had been. Then there’s Robin, and as his character is revealed, you can’t help but pity him. Todd did a beautiful job on the psyches of these people. Wrenching, but very well done.
The Story
A man admired with hardly an enemy in the world is killed. Murdered in the night. On a lonely road. A body Inspector Ian Rutledge almost stumbles across.
He's desperate to stay out of London now that Frances is married, and this body is a godsend. Until he begins to uncover the bitter hatred and absolute love in which Stephen Wentworth is held. Until the next man is murdered...and the next.
The Characters
Detective Ian Rutledge came home from the war a broken man who struggles to survive from day to day, solving the problems of others in his job with Scotland Yard. Frances is the beloved sister who married Peter that afternoon. Corporal Hamish MacLeod is the resolute soldier whom Rutledge shot on the battlefield in 1916, and his ghost now follows Ian everywhere.
Scotland Yard, London
Chief Superintendent Markham, a Yorkshireman of few words, is Rutledge’s boss. Sergeants Gibson and Williams run interference for Rutledge. Inspector Vernon was suggested to head up the investigation. Inspector Stevenson is sent to Surrey.
Mallard is a friend of Melinda’s with the Home Office. Mr Haldane, who claims to be a member of the Foot Police, knows far too much. Matthew Williamson is a book dealer. Garamond is a bookbinding firm.
Wolfpit, Suffolk
A twin and former captain in the Royal Navy, Stephen Wentworth appalled his family when he bought the local bookshop from Mrs Delaney when her husband, Tom, died. (Tom’s first wife had been Josephine.) Dickens is Mrs Delaney’s King Charles spaniel. And the story behind that love of books is also heartbreaking. Nanny, a.k.a., Hazel Charing, had been Stephen’s only solace; she now lives in Primrose Cottage in Winthrop with Sally. Lydie Butterworth is the protective housekeeper — with a bit of the foretelling — for the family home in Wolfpit. Howard and Margaret Wentworth had been the grandparents. Robbie was the twin who died.
Elizabeth MacRae is the friend Stephen was driving home. Audrey Blackburn is Elizabeth’s aunt and quite intelligent. Lily is the maid. Will Holden (Matilda is his wife) and Geoff Marshall (his wife, Betty, left him) had been Stephen’s childhood friends. Miss Frost and Miss Dennis are the local schoolteachers who live in Mr Grady’s house; both their fiancés were killed in the war.
Constable Penny is in charge at Wolfpit, who he knuckles under. Dr. Brent is the local physician. Blake is a solicitor for Wentworth and Templeton; Danby is his clerk. Oliver Pace is the mysterious church sexton. Miss Goodwin is one of the older ladies in town and plays the church organ. Thomas Abbot is the rector of St. Mary’s. I’m not sure where Constable Burke fits in.
The lively Hardys are local gentry. The reckless Robin Hardy is the younger son. His cousin Evelyn Hardy lives with her widowed mother in the dower house. Harry, Evelyn’s brother, had been great friends with Stephen. Mark Quinton is the wrong fiancé for Evelyn.
Edgar and Mrs Peterson and George and Mrs Farrow were guests at the dinner party. Another dinner party was hosted by FitzSimmons in Kent with the Drysdales and Desmond and Prue Montgomery (they have a son, Julian).
Frederick Templeton, a former major in a Devon regiment, is a gentleman farmer who takes an intense interest in improving his farm and has a reputation for better farming practices. His wife, Rose, died of the flu while he was over there. Mrs Cox is the housekeeper. Sally Beddoes is the head housemaid. Mr Martin is a farmer. George Davies was a contemporary. Bill is Davies’ steward. Harold Young requested aid of Templeton. The gossipy Wilma Smythe was one of Templeton’s neighbors; Tom had been her husband. Private Andrew Watts was temporarily Templeton’s batman in the war. Mrs Gentry, Rose’s sister, is Templeton’s heir.
Stowmarket is…
…a larger town with a bigger police force. The insecure and controlling Inspector Larry Reed, who shouldn’t be a cop, took over in 1919. He was married two weeks ago to Carrie. And if that ain’t scary! Alice. Georgine ran a milliner’s shop. Constables Talley and Neal are grudgingly lent out.
Norwich is…
…a city where Patricia, Stephen's widowed sheep of a sister, lives; Jocelyn Courtney had been her husband. Laurie is one of their two children. Mr and the very disappointed Mrs Wentworth are the parents. Constable Brown is part of the Norwich police force.
Singleton, Surrey, is…
…a small village where Harvey Mitchell was a solicitor. Broughton was his clerk. Vivian Moss had been a governess for a family but left when it was learned she was pregnant. Her son, Eric, is at Oxford. Lawrence had been the father.
Oxford is…
…where Dorothea Mowbray lives, the woman Stephen was to have married. Jane. Arthur is Dorothea’s brother who finally died.
Little Tilton, Essex
Constable Wiggins is the local copper. Teddy and his wife run the local pub. Mr Warren is the local solicitor.
Kent
The brilliant Melinda Crawford (she also appears in Todd’s Bess Crawford series) is a widow who knows everyone who’s anyone and is a very good friend of the family. Shanta is Melinda's Indian housekeeper; Ram is her chauffeur. Winston.
Kate Gordon is a young woman, Jean’s cousin, whom Ian first encountered in A Fine Summer's Day , 0.5 (pub.17).
Dr. Fleming is the doctor who has counseled Ian through his PTSD. Jean Gordon is the woman who jilted Ian. Sergeant Scott and MacDougal were also under Rutledge’s command. O A Manning is a woman poet whom Rutledge revered. Fiona was the beloved to whom Hamish wanted to go home. David Trevor, Ian’s godfather, is a well-known architect. Ross had been David’s son, killed in the war, and David is raising Ross’ son, Ian.
The Cover and Title
The cover suits the darkness and is a metaphor for events within. The black wrought iron gates ajar with the truth spilling out, a car’s headlights beaming back along the private and straight drive lined with trees revealing that which had been hidden in that dark and cloud-ridden night of a past. Most of the text is in white: the info blurb at the top, the author’s name below that, and the series information at the bottom with the publisher’s name in the bottom right. The red is in the title just below the author’s name and above the gate.
The title is where it all began, with The Gate Keeper.
My Take
The Gate Keeper was compelling with the questions it raised, the bitterness, and the mystery of how all these dead men connect. A reveal that is heartbreaking in its simplicity and meanness.
We read the story from Rutledge’s perspective in single third person point-of-view, so we know about Rutledge’s interactions with Hamish as well as his thoughts on the case. Bitter thoughts for it's a two-sided bitterness. One is the greed for money and the other is the greed to hurt. And the weakness that allows this bitter greed to continue.
It’s a rare mix of the horrible with the truly decent, and through it all, Todd takes us back to the England of 1920 with its dress, mores, lifestyle, social interactions, and the technology. They definitely make me feel the period, and it makes me mourn for it. Although, I’m damned grateful for cellphones, let alone a landline in every house!
I do find these post-World War I novels fascinating to read, as they reflect the changes that occured in the traditional pre-war lifestyle that led to what we experience now. That women's lib, y'know. So few men returned from the battlefields, and so many women had had to do a man’s work while the soldiers were gone.
What's truly sad is that Stephen’s death is actually easier than his life had been. Then there’s Robin, and as his character is revealed, you can’t help but pity him. Todd did a beautiful job on the psyches of these people. Wrenching, but very well done.
The Story
A man admired with hardly an enemy in the world is killed. Murdered in the night. On a lonely road. A body Inspector Ian Rutledge almost stumbles across.
He's desperate to stay out of London now that Frances is married, and this body is a godsend. Until he begins to uncover the bitter hatred and absolute love in which Stephen Wentworth is held. Until the next man is murdered...and the next.
The Characters
Detective Ian Rutledge came home from the war a broken man who struggles to survive from day to day, solving the problems of others in his job with Scotland Yard. Frances is the beloved sister who married Peter that afternoon. Corporal Hamish MacLeod is the resolute soldier whom Rutledge shot on the battlefield in 1916, and his ghost now follows Ian everywhere.
Scotland Yard, London
Chief Superintendent Markham, a Yorkshireman of few words, is Rutledge’s boss. Sergeants Gibson and Williams run interference for Rutledge. Inspector Vernon was suggested to head up the investigation. Inspector Stevenson is sent to Surrey.
Mallard is a friend of Melinda’s with the Home Office. Mr Haldane, who claims to be a member of the Foot Police, knows far too much. Matthew Williamson is a book dealer. Garamond is a bookbinding firm.
Wolfpit, Suffolk
A twin and former captain in the Royal Navy, Stephen Wentworth appalled his family when he bought the local bookshop from Mrs Delaney when her husband, Tom, died. (Tom’s first wife had been Josephine.) Dickens is Mrs Delaney’s King Charles spaniel. And the story behind that love of books is also heartbreaking. Nanny, a.k.a., Hazel Charing, had been Stephen’s only solace; she now lives in Primrose Cottage in Winthrop with Sally. Lydie Butterworth is the protective housekeeper — with a bit of the foretelling — for the family home in Wolfpit. Howard and Margaret Wentworth had been the grandparents. Robbie was the twin who died.
Elizabeth MacRae is the friend Stephen was driving home. Audrey Blackburn is Elizabeth’s aunt and quite intelligent. Lily is the maid. Will Holden (Matilda is his wife) and Geoff Marshall (his wife, Betty, left him) had been Stephen’s childhood friends. Miss Frost and Miss Dennis are the local schoolteachers who live in Mr Grady’s house; both their fiancés were killed in the war.
Constable Penny is in charge at Wolfpit, who he knuckles under. Dr. Brent is the local physician. Blake is a solicitor for Wentworth and Templeton; Danby is his clerk. Oliver Pace is the mysterious church sexton. Miss Goodwin is one of the older ladies in town and plays the church organ. Thomas Abbot is the rector of St. Mary’s. I’m not sure where Constable Burke fits in.
The lively Hardys are local gentry. The reckless Robin Hardy is the younger son. His cousin Evelyn Hardy lives with her widowed mother in the dower house. Harry, Evelyn’s brother, had been great friends with Stephen. Mark Quinton is the wrong fiancé for Evelyn.
Edgar and Mrs Peterson and George and Mrs Farrow were guests at the dinner party. Another dinner party was hosted by FitzSimmons in Kent with the Drysdales and Desmond and Prue Montgomery (they have a son, Julian).
Frederick Templeton, a former major in a Devon regiment, is a gentleman farmer who takes an intense interest in improving his farm and has a reputation for better farming practices. His wife, Rose, died of the flu while he was over there. Mrs Cox is the housekeeper. Sally Beddoes is the head housemaid. Mr Martin is a farmer. George Davies was a contemporary. Bill is Davies’ steward. Harold Young requested aid of Templeton. The gossipy Wilma Smythe was one of Templeton’s neighbors; Tom had been her husband. Private Andrew Watts was temporarily Templeton’s batman in the war. Mrs Gentry, Rose’s sister, is Templeton’s heir.
Stowmarket is…
…a larger town with a bigger police force. The insecure and controlling Inspector Larry Reed, who shouldn’t be a cop, took over in 1919. He was married two weeks ago to Carrie. And if that ain’t scary! Alice. Georgine ran a milliner’s shop. Constables Talley and Neal are grudgingly lent out.
Norwich is…
…a city where Patricia, Stephen's widowed sheep of a sister, lives; Jocelyn Courtney had been her husband. Laurie is one of their two children. Mr and the very disappointed Mrs Wentworth are the parents. Constable Brown is part of the Norwich police force.
Singleton, Surrey, is…
…a small village where Harvey Mitchell was a solicitor. Broughton was his clerk. Vivian Moss had been a governess for a family but left when it was learned she was pregnant. Her son, Eric, is at Oxford. Lawrence had been the father.
Oxford is…
…where Dorothea Mowbray lives, the woman Stephen was to have married. Jane. Arthur is Dorothea’s brother who finally died.
Little Tilton, Essex
Constable Wiggins is the local copper. Teddy and his wife run the local pub. Mr Warren is the local solicitor.
Kent
The brilliant Melinda Crawford (she also appears in Todd’s Bess Crawford series) is a widow who knows everyone who’s anyone and is a very good friend of the family. Shanta is Melinda's Indian housekeeper; Ram is her chauffeur. Winston.
Kate Gordon is a young woman, Jean’s cousin, whom Ian first encountered in A Fine Summer's Day , 0.5 (pub.17).
Dr. Fleming is the doctor who has counseled Ian through his PTSD. Jean Gordon is the woman who jilted Ian. Sergeant Scott and MacDougal were also under Rutledge’s command. O A Manning is a woman poet whom Rutledge revered. Fiona was the beloved to whom Hamish wanted to go home. David Trevor, Ian’s godfather, is a well-known architect. Ross had been David’s son, killed in the war, and David is raising Ross’ son, Ian.
The Cover and Title
The cover suits the darkness and is a metaphor for events within. The black wrought iron gates ajar with the truth spilling out, a car’s headlights beaming back along the private and straight drive lined with trees revealing that which had been hidden in that dark and cloud-ridden night of a past. Most of the text is in white: the info blurb at the top, the author’s name below that, and the series information at the bottom with the publisher’s name in the bottom right. The red is in the title just below the author’s name and above the gate.
The title is where it all began, with The Gate Keeper.
December 5, 2018
4+ stars! This was so fantastic! My first Inspector Rutledge mystery, but I will certainly be going back to read others and will continue reading (the next in the series comes out in 2019) and in audio because Simon Prebble's narration is EXCELLENT! I have found my narrator to fill my deep Ralph Cosham (Louise Penny's Gamache series narrator) void!! I'm so happy. While he may not be as perfectly perfect as Cosham was, Prebble certainly gives that warmth and tone to Rutledge and the other characters that has been sorely missing from my life.
And this was a great mystery too! I couldn't quite figure it out, but oh the lengths people will go to over money - including murder! There is also a fantastically despicable mother character in here that makes your lip curl at her nonsense and cruel weirdness. Even Rutledge had great disdain for her!
And this was a great mystery too! I couldn't quite figure it out, but oh the lengths people will go to over money - including murder! There is also a fantastically despicable mother character in here that makes your lip curl at her nonsense and cruel weirdness. Even Rutledge had great disdain for her!
December 6, 2019
This was my first Rutledge book, clearly I'm late to the game since this is #20. Luckily, you can jump right in and enjoy it without knowing a lot of the backstory. I really loved it! I did as an audio, just an impulse download from the library audio site and off I was going.
I was sad and touched by the idea of Hamish (I hope that's how you spell his name. Since I listened to it, I'm not sure) and his trauma and shell-shock since coming back from the war. I liked that each character had interesting nuances and were well defined as both people and suspects (even that horrible mother). The story was engaging and, even when it went a little slow as it filled in the details, the narrator did a great job of keeping it engaging. I hope to definitely read more from this author.
I was sad and touched by the idea of Hamish (I hope that's how you spell his name. Since I listened to it, I'm not sure) and his trauma and shell-shock since coming back from the war. I liked that each character had interesting nuances and were well defined as both people and suspects (even that horrible mother). The story was engaging and, even when it went a little slow as it filled in the details, the narrator did a great job of keeping it engaging. I hope to definitely read more from this author.
February 16, 2018
Ian Rutledge again pulled me right into the story & held my attention until the final resolution. Perhaps the vilest bad mother of all time figures in this story, the mother of the 1st murder victim. Ian himself is wonderful as usual & so is Melinda Crawford. A suggestion of a romantic possibility for Ian at the very end.
November 30, 2017
I really had no idea where this mystery was going. I enjoy Ian Rutledge's character and "character"... I did miss Hamish a bit as I felt his presence wasn't as much in this story. I wish we could get Ian a love interest.
January 9, 2019
This is really only a 3.5. The Ian Rutledge mysteries by Charles Todd are consistently good reading and this one was enjoyable too. The plot was a little wonkier than usual, but I won't discuss it lest it ruin it for you.
July 29, 2018
Actual rating 3.5 stars.
February 25, 2022
3.5 stars
This series is painfully heavy with regular revisiting of the unthinkable tragedy of Hamish, the unique ghost-demon of the detective. The oddity of his interrupting presence grew on me over the first few books. Now, while his story, and Rutledge relationship to him, weighs on me rather seriously, he’s an interesting character, moreso than Rutledge. Though I’m not given to prefer magical realism or fantasy, I sometimes wonder if Hamish could carry a novel on his own as a ghostly detective and give the fusty Routledge some time off.
The series does reliably push my buttons about how women are written about and portrayed, even given fair leeway for the culture of the time. What differentiates each novel for me is the amount of grippy-ness of each plot. Some are winners, while with some I sort of plod through to the end.
What keeps me coming back is the skillful writing and the generally reliable sweet spot that is a British detective series. This plot took off for me in the last 25% of the story when I sort of sat up and took notice and started caring about whodunnit and why.
This series is painfully heavy with regular revisiting of the unthinkable tragedy of Hamish, the unique ghost-demon of the detective. The oddity of his interrupting presence grew on me over the first few books. Now, while his story, and Rutledge relationship to him, weighs on me rather seriously, he’s an interesting character, moreso than Rutledge. Though I’m not given to prefer magical realism or fantasy, I sometimes wonder if Hamish could carry a novel on his own as a ghostly detective and give the fusty Routledge some time off.
The series does reliably push my buttons about how women are written about and portrayed, even given fair leeway for the culture of the time. What differentiates each novel for me is the amount of grippy-ness of each plot. Some are winners, while with some I sort of plod through to the end.
What keeps me coming back is the skillful writing and the generally reliable sweet spot that is a British detective series. This plot took off for me in the last 25% of the story when I sort of sat up and took notice and started caring about whodunnit and why.
February 4, 2025
1920 England
Another engaging historical mystery in this series. I seem to love "Hamish" more with each novel. Rutledge suffers from shell shock and "Hamish" is a former soldier that speaks in Rutledge's mind regularly.
In The Gate Keeper, the reason behind the murder was twisted and one I wouldn't have figured out on my own. I look forward to the next in the series.
Another engaging historical mystery in this series. I seem to love "Hamish" more with each novel. Rutledge suffers from shell shock and "Hamish" is a former soldier that speaks in Rutledge's mind regularly.
In The Gate Keeper, the reason behind the murder was twisted and one I wouldn't have figured out on my own. I look forward to the next in the series.
January 31, 2018
Series: Inspector Ian Rutledge #20
Publication Date: 2/6/18
How in the world did I manage to miss this series until it was up to the twentieth book in the series? I thoroughly enjoyed my visit with our damaged WWI hero. It is two years after the war is over and he’s still struggling with his shell shock and has to constantly fight to stay in control. You have to admire him for his valiant fight and his way of dealing with his issues. I’m not sure how Hamish was explained in earlier books, so my explanation probably isn’t a good one – but – I think Hamish is Ian’s way of dealing with the shell shock. Ian carries on a constant dialogue with Hamish – in his head – and Hamish’s comments often save Ian from injury. It wouldn’t take much, even two years later, to push Ian over the edge.
I love mysteries, but usually only like them long-term if there is a romance involved, so I’m not sure if it is a series I’d stick with for very long. The series is twenty books in, and there is no love interest and doesn’t appear to be headed in that direction. This book also made me sad because the victims were genuinely nice people whose lives were cut short.
The writer’s descriptions of the time and people just transports you to that era – lovely cottages still heated with wood fires, motor cars that had to be hand cranked, telephones were almost non-existent, ladies wearing lovely feathered hats – just a gentler time in a country that had been devastated by war.
Ian Rutledge’s much-adored sister has just married and Ian is having a bit of a panic attack, so he flees London. No destination in mind – just mindless driving – somewhat lost and reliving scenes from the war – he ends up much farther afield than he had intended. He doesn’t actually even know where he is and then he spots a car stopped in the middle of the road and a woman, covered in blood, standing over the lifeless body of a man.
Knowing that he can’t face returning to London at the moment, he finagles around to take over the investigation. As he learns more and more about the young man who has died, Ian comes to like and respect him and can’t imagine that he’d have an enemy in the world. He was a very nice, generous and caring young man – who in the world could have wanted him dead. As he investigates, he finds some intriguing clues, but can’t find anything to which they actually relate.
Then – a few days later – a second murder committed in the same way and with the same intriguing clues left behind. Again, the victim is a war hero, widower, nice, generous and not an enemy in the world. Again, as Ian investigates and gets to know the man, he comes to like and respect him.
As the investigation continues there is no link that Ian can find between the two men – yet they had the same enemy. Then – Ian hears of another death, assigned to another investigator, that sounds the same as Ian’s case.
Ian does good solid police work and continues to investigate until he has all the answers. You won’t like some of those answers, but I’d say that it is probably a very true-to-life investigation and case. The writing is excellent, the plot well laid out, the pacing was good and you come to like and be invested in the characters.
I recommend the book.
Please check out my reviews at:
Blog: https://flippinpages.blog/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/flippinpages...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FlippinPagesRev
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BarbBookReview
"I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher."
Publication Date: 2/6/18
How in the world did I manage to miss this series until it was up to the twentieth book in the series? I thoroughly enjoyed my visit with our damaged WWI hero. It is two years after the war is over and he’s still struggling with his shell shock and has to constantly fight to stay in control. You have to admire him for his valiant fight and his way of dealing with his issues. I’m not sure how Hamish was explained in earlier books, so my explanation probably isn’t a good one – but – I think Hamish is Ian’s way of dealing with the shell shock. Ian carries on a constant dialogue with Hamish – in his head – and Hamish’s comments often save Ian from injury. It wouldn’t take much, even two years later, to push Ian over the edge.
I love mysteries, but usually only like them long-term if there is a romance involved, so I’m not sure if it is a series I’d stick with for very long. The series is twenty books in, and there is no love interest and doesn’t appear to be headed in that direction. This book also made me sad because the victims were genuinely nice people whose lives were cut short.
The writer’s descriptions of the time and people just transports you to that era – lovely cottages still heated with wood fires, motor cars that had to be hand cranked, telephones were almost non-existent, ladies wearing lovely feathered hats – just a gentler time in a country that had been devastated by war.
Ian Rutledge’s much-adored sister has just married and Ian is having a bit of a panic attack, so he flees London. No destination in mind – just mindless driving – somewhat lost and reliving scenes from the war – he ends up much farther afield than he had intended. He doesn’t actually even know where he is and then he spots a car stopped in the middle of the road and a woman, covered in blood, standing over the lifeless body of a man.
Knowing that he can’t face returning to London at the moment, he finagles around to take over the investigation. As he learns more and more about the young man who has died, Ian comes to like and respect him and can’t imagine that he’d have an enemy in the world. He was a very nice, generous and caring young man – who in the world could have wanted him dead. As he investigates, he finds some intriguing clues, but can’t find anything to which they actually relate.
Then – a few days later – a second murder committed in the same way and with the same intriguing clues left behind. Again, the victim is a war hero, widower, nice, generous and not an enemy in the world. Again, as Ian investigates and gets to know the man, he comes to like and respect him.
As the investigation continues there is no link that Ian can find between the two men – yet they had the same enemy. Then – Ian hears of another death, assigned to another investigator, that sounds the same as Ian’s case.
Ian does good solid police work and continues to investigate until he has all the answers. You won’t like some of those answers, but I’d say that it is probably a very true-to-life investigation and case. The writing is excellent, the plot well laid out, the pacing was good and you come to like and be invested in the characters.
I recommend the book.
Please check out my reviews at:
Blog: https://flippinpages.blog/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/flippinpages...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FlippinPagesRev
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BarbBookReview
"I requested and received this e-book at no cost to me and volunteered to read it; my review is my honest opinion and given without any influence by the author or publisher."
February 15, 2018
It's beginning to seem that in most of these books, the culprit isn't introduced until the final chapters. All of the people in the majority of the story are never the guilty ones. Anyway, just a perception.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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