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The Murder Stone
The Great War is still raging in the autumn of 1916, when Francesca Hatton’s beloved grandfather dies on the family estate in
England’s isolated Exe Valley. Grieving for the man who raised her, Francesca is stunned to find an unsigned letter among his effects, cursing the Hattons and their descendants. Now a stranger has shown up on her doorstep, accusing her grandfather of being a murderer.
Ex-soldier Richard Leighton blames Francis Hatton for the death of his mother, who vanished nearly a quarter of a century earlier. Her body was never found, only a shawl stained with her blood. And Leighton is not the only one with a claim on Francesca’s grandfather. On the day of his funeral, unexpected visitors arrive with the mourners, and Francesca is besieged by charges of Hatton’s vicious dealings. Yet there is also a shy young woman who praises his secret generosity.
At the center of the intrigue is an unusual white stone that lies hidden in a secluded garden where Francesca once played with her five male cousins, all of them dead now on the battlefields of France. According to the terms of Hatton’s will, the Murder Stone must be dug up and transported to Scotland, where it is to be buried forever. But before Francesca can begin the journey, a series of ominous “accidents” occur, culminating in the discovery of a bleeding body on the Murder Stone itself.
Was Hatton the loving, caring protector his granddaughter always believed him to be?
Or a vindictive, secretive man who cultivated dangerous enemies? Francesca sets out in pursuit of the truth—and into the sights of someone determined to exact a revenge long overdue.
From the Hardcover edition.
England’s isolated Exe Valley. Grieving for the man who raised her, Francesca is stunned to find an unsigned letter among his effects, cursing the Hattons and their descendants. Now a stranger has shown up on her doorstep, accusing her grandfather of being a murderer.
Ex-soldier Richard Leighton blames Francis Hatton for the death of his mother, who vanished nearly a quarter of a century earlier. Her body was never found, only a shawl stained with her blood. And Leighton is not the only one with a claim on Francesca’s grandfather. On the day of his funeral, unexpected visitors arrive with the mourners, and Francesca is besieged by charges of Hatton’s vicious dealings. Yet there is also a shy young woman who praises his secret generosity.
At the center of the intrigue is an unusual white stone that lies hidden in a secluded garden where Francesca once played with her five male cousins, all of them dead now on the battlefields of France. According to the terms of Hatton’s will, the Murder Stone must be dug up and transported to Scotland, where it is to be buried forever. But before Francesca can begin the journey, a series of ominous “accidents” occur, culminating in the discovery of a bleeding body on the Murder Stone itself.
Was Hatton the loving, caring protector his granddaughter always believed him to be?
Or a vindictive, secretive man who cultivated dangerous enemies? Francesca sets out in pursuit of the truth—and into the sights of someone determined to exact a revenge long overdue.
From the Hardcover edition.
Audiobook
First published November 4, 2003
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About the author
Charles Todd
112 books3,496 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 315 reviews
August 21, 2012
This was my first Charles Todd book (I'd gone to a local bookstore in search of the first book in either of Todd's two series, but this was all I could find), and I have a bit of a mental split in what I thought of this book.
On the one hand, I found it really enjoyable to read -- nicely paced plotting, crisp writing, and pretty gripping as I struggled to figure out the truth behind all the secrets exposed by Frances Hatton's death. I also loved the air of good old-fashioned Gothic mystery/romance about it (in fact, it made me realize that I'm itching to re-read some of the classic Gothics I loved so much as a teen).
At the same time, there was a certain point toward the end where I started to feel like there was a bit too much randomness about this story. There are a few scattered chapters from the POV of the heroine's cousins, which had a faint connection to the main plot but really only served to throw off the narrative flow. There was a strangely extraneous thread involving a mysterious person hiding out in the woods, that never really merged into the main plot in a logical (or valuable) way. Even the Murder Stone itself seemed to be shoehorned in as a plot device, rather than something fundamental to the story.
The ending was a bit odd, too. I feel like it COULD have been the kind of ending that you savor like a piece of salted dark chocolate caramels (all dark and savory with a serious bite), but instead it was just a bit too neat, which made it feel more contrived than organic.
Ah well, it was enough of a positive experience that I'll be even more interested in finding the Rutledge or Crawford books now. From the reviews here, it seems that many feel those two series are superior to this book.
On the one hand, I found it really enjoyable to read -- nicely paced plotting, crisp writing, and pretty gripping as I struggled to figure out the truth behind all the secrets exposed by Frances Hatton's death. I also loved the air of good old-fashioned Gothic mystery/romance about it (in fact, it made me realize that I'm itching to re-read some of the classic Gothics I loved so much as a teen).
At the same time, there was a certain point toward the end where I started to feel like there was a bit too much randomness about this story. There are a few scattered chapters from the POV of the heroine's cousins, which had a faint connection to the main plot but really only served to throw off the narrative flow. There was a strangely extraneous thread involving a mysterious person hiding out in the woods, that never really merged into the main plot in a logical (or valuable) way. Even the Murder Stone itself seemed to be shoehorned in as a plot device, rather than something fundamental to the story.
The ending was a bit odd, too. I feel like it COULD have been the kind of ending that you savor like a piece of salted dark chocolate caramels (all dark and savory with a serious bite), but instead it was just a bit too neat, which made it feel more contrived than organic.
Ah well, it was enough of a positive experience that I'll be even more interested in finding the Rutledge or Crawford books now. From the reviews here, it seems that many feel those two series are superior to this book.
April 16, 2014
This book might have been better had it been more focused and less convoluted. There is a lot of authorly 'how many plot devices can I shoehorn into this thing?'
The plot(s) of this novel doesn't really hold together into an integrated whole. The book rambled on far too long. Most of the inserts by the cousins were irrelevant; the shooter episodes didn't really further the plot and the entire shooter subplot could have been eliminated without any damage to the whole. Does it really matter plot-wise that one of the cousins, now a wee bit mad, has returned? In fact, many episodes could have been eliminated without any damage to the plot. Even the Murder Stone does little to hold the plot together--it's not that important to the novel, let alone making it the title. The last one third of the novel went on and on, and the book's ending stretched credulity to the limit.
Most of the characters were wooden sticks wending their way through the novel. Not even the villianess fared any better. In the end, the book runs out of steam and so do you.
The plot(s) of this novel doesn't really hold together into an integrated whole. The book rambled on far too long. Most of the inserts by the cousins were irrelevant; the shooter episodes didn't really further the plot and the entire shooter subplot could have been eliminated without any damage to the whole. Does it really matter plot-wise that one of the cousins, now a wee bit mad, has returned? In fact, many episodes could have been eliminated without any damage to the plot. Even the Murder Stone does little to hold the plot together--it's not that important to the novel, let alone making it the title. The last one third of the novel went on and on, and the book's ending stretched credulity to the limit.
Most of the characters were wooden sticks wending their way through the novel. Not even the villianess fared any better. In the end, the book runs out of steam and so do you.
November 6, 2009
THE MURDER STONE (Gothic Suspense)- Ex
Charles Todd – Standalone
Bantam, 2003 – Hardcover
Their grandfather, Francis Hatton, raised Francesca Hatton and her four male cousins, all orphaned at an early age. Each of the cousins has been killed in the Great War, and now Francisca is alone to grieve the death of her beloved grandfather, whom she thought she knew. But at the reading of his will, she reads a letter cursing him and his heirs, she inherits two properties about which she never knew, people turn up at the funeral demanding items about which she did not know, and Richard Leighton appears on her doorstep blaming Francis for the disappearance of his mother.
*** If you’re expecting a book in the same style as Todd’s Inspector Ian Rutledge series, you will be disappointed. However, if you love Gothics, as do I having started Victoria Holt and the early books of Mary Stewart, you will be delighted. There is that underlying air of tension from the first page and twists aplenty along the way to a dramatic conclusion and classic epilogue. I am always looking for a new, good suspenseful Gothic. And this is it.
Charles Todd – Standalone
Bantam, 2003 – Hardcover
Their grandfather, Francis Hatton, raised Francesca Hatton and her four male cousins, all orphaned at an early age. Each of the cousins has been killed in the Great War, and now Francisca is alone to grieve the death of her beloved grandfather, whom she thought she knew. But at the reading of his will, she reads a letter cursing him and his heirs, she inherits two properties about which she never knew, people turn up at the funeral demanding items about which she did not know, and Richard Leighton appears on her doorstep blaming Francis for the disappearance of his mother.
*** If you’re expecting a book in the same style as Todd’s Inspector Ian Rutledge series, you will be disappointed. However, if you love Gothics, as do I having started Victoria Holt and the early books of Mary Stewart, you will be delighted. There is that underlying air of tension from the first page and twists aplenty along the way to a dramatic conclusion and classic epilogue. I am always looking for a new, good suspenseful Gothic. And this is it.
October 3, 2014
I am a big fan of the Charles Todd authored Ian Rutledge series, set in the years immediately after WWI in England. I was disappointed in this stand alone book, which is set during the last years of the war itself. I compulsively finished it but I didn't feel like the mystery was logical, nor did I feel like I understood the characters. I didn't have the feeling "oh, yes, of course, that's how it all must have happened" at the end of the book, with the solving of the mystery -- actually, I was never sure if the mystery was solved at all. Also, this book -- unlike his Ian Rutledge books -- didn't have as strong a sense of time and place. Too many story lines, not enough plausibility with them; recommend sticking with the Ian Rutledge books.
April 22, 2018
I am quite enthusiastic concerning this excellent thriller, at a rather slow pace, where a young woman must deal with people trying to smear the reputation of her beloved grandfather who died shortly after the loss of his five grandsons, who all died in the first world war, the cousins of francesca hatton - like in many families there were many things untold, secrets to be revealed and I liked the way that bereft young woman fought to clear her grandfather's name. Thanks to him she had a happy childhood with her cousins, how could such a nice man have been the devil some people pretend he was ? cesca hatton is set on finding the truth, but where to start ?
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July 30, 2016What a strange book. Set in WWI, Francesca Hatton (annoyingly called Cesca by her family) is responsible for handling her dear grandfather's affairs upon his death from illness. Francesca is the last Hatton - her grandfather had raised her and her five male cousins after the respective deaths of their parents, but all five cousins were killed in the war. Francesca adored her grandfather and her happy childhood; however, when various family secrets emerge after the reading of her grandfather's will and events at his funeral, she begins to question whether she really knew him at all.
Francesca is confronted with two pieces of property that she didn't know existed; a disposition requiring her to remove the murder stone, a large rock she and her cousins used to play on; and the confrontation from a stranger named Richard Leighton that Francis Hatton killed his mother many years ago.
The book was very difficult to get into - the writing was so italicized and melodramatic and there were ..... galore. The book was written in third person, but frequently would be inside Francesca's tortured head. At first, I thought it was appalling, but once I realized it was intended to be written in a very gothic style, I adjusted and began really enjoying the story. Francesca is more of a Marian Halcombe than a Laura Fairlie - she had spunk and constantly reminded herself that SHE WAS A HATTON for crying out loud whenever there were dangerous or emotionally annoying situations to be confronted. And Leighton is certainly a brooding hero. And of course, there are the loyal old servants who go around muttering things like "it ain't right" whenever some evil person comes to besmirch Francis Hatton's good name.
So, I thought it was pretty okay but there were so many things that I was/am still confused about:
1. The family mysteries - perhaps I wasn't paying close attention, but was it resolved whether Francesca and her cousins were really her grandfather's grandchildren? Was Francis Francesca's father (so alliterative)? Was Victoria truly Francesca's mother? Where was she in all the intervening years after leaving her family and popping up to ruin Francesca's wedding? Was she the one who sent all the notes?
2. Also at one point when talking about his mother's disappearance, Leighton expressed that he had thought an old man like Francis could never physically please a woman like his mother, but after seeing a picture of the old dawg, changed his mind. Ew, on many levels.
3. The cousins. This could have easily been about Francesca and maybe one cousin, if that, but instead there was an unnecessary amount of dead cousins. They never distinguished themselves in my mind, even though they were constantly referred to by the single personality trait that defined them. For example, Robin was always referred to as practical. You could not read his name without someone also saying "well, that was Robin...always practical" or "practical Robin always had a back up plan" or even Robin's own narration "I have always been practical." Even their strange ghostly voice over chapters were indistinguishable from one another.
4. The multitude of plotlines. I understand we need several suspects to make it an interesting mystery. BUT there was so much going on and little follow through. Just one example is the shooter. Why was there a shooter? Who was he shooting - just cows? Was he trying to kill people? WAS IT REALLY PETER? So many mysteries, so little time.
4. The ending. So. Victoria emerges and we learn that she is a pretty terrible person. She didn't give two figs about her new husband and small Richard and essentially disappeared so that she could embark on a one woman mission to bring Francis down. She tells Francesca that she is her mother (!) and that Francis is her father (!!) so she cannot marry Leighton because he is her half brother and if Francesca ignores her, she will interrupt the wedding and confess all - shattering Leighton's image of his angelic, martyred mother and rendering Leighton's half sister illegitimate in the process. So Francesca frets about what to do and then, when Victoria comes again to issue her final warning, SHOOTS AND KILLS HER. And covers it up with the help from aforementioned servants and gets married and lives happily ever after. The End. I don't even know what to think about this. I guess I'm glad Victoria died because how else were Richard and Francesca going to live happily ever after, but she MURDERS her future mother-in-law / possibly own mother in cold blood ON HER WEDDING DAY and was like, oh hehoha, time to get to the church. The mind boggles.
Francesca is confronted with two pieces of property that she didn't know existed; a disposition requiring her to remove the murder stone, a large rock she and her cousins used to play on; and the confrontation from a stranger named Richard Leighton that Francis Hatton killed his mother many years ago.
The book was very difficult to get into - the writing was so italicized and melodramatic and there were ..... galore. The book was written in third person, but frequently would be inside Francesca's tortured head. At first, I thought it was appalling, but once I realized it was intended to be written in a very gothic style, I adjusted and began really enjoying the story. Francesca is more of a Marian Halcombe than a Laura Fairlie - she had spunk and constantly reminded herself that SHE WAS A HATTON for crying out loud whenever there were dangerous or emotionally annoying situations to be confronted. And Leighton is certainly a brooding hero. And of course, there are the loyal old servants who go around muttering things like "it ain't right" whenever some evil person comes to besmirch Francis Hatton's good name.
So, I thought it was pretty okay but there were so many things that I was/am still confused about:
1. The family mysteries - perhaps I wasn't paying close attention, but was it resolved whether Francesca and her cousins were really her grandfather's grandchildren? Was Francis Francesca's father (so alliterative)? Was Victoria truly Francesca's mother? Where was she in all the intervening years after leaving her family and popping up to ruin Francesca's wedding? Was she the one who sent all the notes?
2. Also at one point when talking about his mother's disappearance, Leighton expressed that he had thought an old man like Francis could never physically please a woman like his mother, but after seeing a picture of the old dawg, changed his mind. Ew, on many levels.
3. The cousins. This could have easily been about Francesca and maybe one cousin, if that, but instead there was an unnecessary amount of dead cousins. They never distinguished themselves in my mind, even though they were constantly referred to by the single personality trait that defined them. For example, Robin was always referred to as practical. You could not read his name without someone also saying "well, that was Robin...always practical" or "practical Robin always had a back up plan" or even Robin's own narration "I have always been practical." Even their strange ghostly voice over chapters were indistinguishable from one another.
4. The multitude of plotlines. I understand we need several suspects to make it an interesting mystery. BUT there was so much going on and little follow through. Just one example is the shooter. Why was there a shooter? Who was he shooting - just cows? Was he trying to kill people? WAS IT REALLY PETER? So many mysteries, so little time.
4. The ending. So. Victoria emerges and we learn that she is a pretty terrible person. She didn't give two figs about her new husband and small Richard and essentially disappeared so that she could embark on a one woman mission to bring Francis down. She tells Francesca that she is her mother (!) and that Francis is her father (!!) so she cannot marry Leighton because he is her half brother and if Francesca ignores her, she will interrupt the wedding and confess all - shattering Leighton's image of his angelic, martyred mother and rendering Leighton's half sister illegitimate in the process. So Francesca frets about what to do and then, when Victoria comes again to issue her final warning, SHOOTS AND KILLS HER. And covers it up with the help from aforementioned servants and gets married and lives happily ever after. The End. I don't even know what to think about this. I guess I'm glad Victoria died because how else were Richard and Francesca going to live happily ever after, but she MURDERS her future mother-in-law / possibly own mother in cold blood ON HER WEDDING DAY and was like, oh hehoha, time to get to the church. The mind boggles.
July 31, 2015
With the sixth, "A Fearless Doubt", Ian Rutledge book (one that was an unresolved mess to me), I promised myself I'd try one more. This seventh work by Charles Todd is a stand-alone book in which Ian Rutledge doesn't make an appearance. Sadly, this is the kind of book authors seem to throw out to unsuspecting readers, perhaps because of a looming deadline. This isn't a terrible book, it's just that this genre (gothic romance) has been done and done, most notably by Phyllis A. Whitney and Victoria Holt, and they did it dozens of times during the 1960s and 1970s. (And as I recall, as good or better than this effort.) If you must read a gothic romance, go ahead with the KING of the genre, "Rebecca". And if you've read that, still skip "Murder Stone" and go with "Legend of the Seventh Virgin" by Victoria Holt. As for me, I do miss Ian Rutledge, one of the great sleuths in all of mystery.
September 9, 2011
I picked up this book thinking it was next in one of my favorite series, the Ian Rutledge mysteries. I was surprised, but pleased, to find it a very well done stand alone, more a gothic than a mystery, set in Todd’s era of expertise, WWI. As in the mysteries, the time and place, rural England during and immediately after the Great War, is beautifully evoked. Todd’s command of the speech, manners and customs of the period is so pitch perfect, I could believe the book was written in 1923 rather than 2003.
Young Francesca Hatton returns to her grandfather’s estate for his funeral. She is the last of her generation of Hattons, her five male cousins having been killed in the war. But instead of closure she finds only questions. Who wrote the letter cursing her family now and forever? Who are all the strangers attending the funeral, making demands and threats? Why did she never know of her grandfather’s ownership of an orphanage? Why the strange codicil in his will requesting that she remove the large white stone in the garden and transport it to the northernmost part of Scotland?
For me, the least satisfying part of this well plotted and fast paced novel was the relationship between Francesca and Richard Leighton, the stranger who accuses Francesca’s beloved, newly buried grandfather of having murdered Leighton’s mother many years ago. He is angry, obsessed with the past, demanding that Francesca provide him with proof of her grandfather’s supposed crime. To have him turn suddenly from antagonist to love interest is, of course, in the best tradition of gothic romance, but I found it difficult to believe here. Still the action, atmosphere and totally unexpected ending made this a thoroughly enjoyable read.
Young Francesca Hatton returns to her grandfather’s estate for his funeral. She is the last of her generation of Hattons, her five male cousins having been killed in the war. But instead of closure she finds only questions. Who wrote the letter cursing her family now and forever? Who are all the strangers attending the funeral, making demands and threats? Why did she never know of her grandfather’s ownership of an orphanage? Why the strange codicil in his will requesting that she remove the large white stone in the garden and transport it to the northernmost part of Scotland?
For me, the least satisfying part of this well plotted and fast paced novel was the relationship between Francesca and Richard Leighton, the stranger who accuses Francesca’s beloved, newly buried grandfather of having murdered Leighton’s mother many years ago. He is angry, obsessed with the past, demanding that Francesca provide him with proof of her grandfather’s supposed crime. To have him turn suddenly from antagonist to love interest is, of course, in the best tradition of gothic romance, but I found it difficult to believe here. Still the action, atmosphere and totally unexpected ending made this a thoroughly enjoyable read.
April 17, 2013
If you're in the mood for a really really good mystery I recommend this Charles Todd stand alone novel. Known for his Ian Rutledge and Bess Crawford series he has not stepped out of that era (WWI) but it is peripheral to the story. Francesca Hatton has been brought up by her grandfather and her five cousins. After her cousins die in the war her grandfather has a stroke and she comes from London to be with him. After he dies a strange and angry (although good looking, of course) man shows up accusing her grandfather of murder. At the funeral another very angry man accuses him of stealing his estate and another is looking for a box her grandfather has promised him. As the story unfolds Francesca learns that everything she thought she knew about her grandfather could be very very wrong. Each angry man has his own story and there are some women that may or may not be who or what they seem. And then there is the shooter... Combination mystery, love story, family secrets - read it and enjoy .
February 27, 2008
I had really enjoyed the Inspector Rutledge mysteries by Charles Todd, and checked this book out accidentally. It is not in the Rutledge series - and while it SAYS Charles Todd is the author, it feels as if someone else wrote it. A little research revealed that Charles Todd is a mother/son writing team. One of them seems to be missing here. The story is shallow, implausible and overstated, reading rather like a script for daytime soap opera. The ending is particularly disappointing (yes, I plowed through to the end) and just is not in line with the understanding of violence in the other books.
January 7, 2011
I just reread this because I decided to start reading Charles Todd again after several years. I love the time period and the subject matter of the Charles Todd novels, but this one was a disappointment. Most of the text consists of breathless questions such as "Could my grandfather have lied to me about my parents?" "Could this woman actually be Richard's mother?" "Could the body on the murder stone actually have been so-and-so?" without much plot. As another reviewer pointed out, it was soap opera-ish. The ending was a letdown, doing little to justify all the angst that came before it.
July 30, 2023
Audiobook. 4+ stars (rounded down).
Fun gothic drama set in 1916 England. Reminiscent of LMA thrillers.
Fun gothic drama set in 1916 England. Reminiscent of LMA thrillers.
January 5, 2021
I seem to remember reading this novel when it was initially published, back in my first flush of reading Charles Todd’s work, but I absolutely didn’t recall the story. At that time, I think I kept waiting for Ian Rutledge to pop out of the shubbery and resolve all issues. He doesn’t.
This is a stand-alone novel, and I think it may be the best one to date from the pen of the author(s). High praise, indeed! Totally engaging, full of surprises, and of course beautifully written. A lot of the multiple story lines aren’t resolved, which is fine by me, as it asks the question, “Do we really know the people we love? Our families, our friends? Ourselves?”
The American mother/son duo who comprise Charles Todd have chosen for their work the British countryside (and occasionally France, in another series) during the time of World War 1 and its aftermath, and they write convincingly of the era. It’s always a pleasure to spend time with them.
This is a stand-alone novel, and I think it may be the best one to date from the pen of the author(s). High praise, indeed! Totally engaging, full of surprises, and of course beautifully written. A lot of the multiple story lines aren’t resolved, which is fine by me, as it asks the question, “Do we really know the people we love? Our families, our friends? Ourselves?”
The American mother/son duo who comprise Charles Todd have chosen for their work the British countryside (and occasionally France, in another series) during the time of World War 1 and its aftermath, and they write convincingly of the era. It’s always a pleasure to spend time with them.
August 8, 2016
This is very different from the other Charles Todd books that I have read. The beginning of the book includes a list of the characters, a quaint but useful feature. There are a lot of characters.
It is not as well written as Todd's other mysteries. When I finished the book I had not marked any passages that I particularly liked which I usually do in Todd's books.
I didn't really understand the attraction between Francesca and Richard. But it seemed to have worked out for them. I was amused at the end of the book to realize that Francesca, although a nice decent person had killed two people. How bizarre!
It is not as well written as Todd's other mysteries. When I finished the book I had not marked any passages that I particularly liked which I usually do in Todd's books.
I didn't really understand the attraction between Francesca and Richard. But it seemed to have worked out for them. I was amused at the end of the book to realize that Francesca, although a nice decent person had killed two people. How bizarre!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 30, 2017
Very disappointed. I greatly enjoy Todd's Ian Rutledge & Bess Crawford series. Here they were trying to do a romance along with the mystery. The romance fell completely short. Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series has me forever jaded but even without that comparison ... The whole plotting was very weak but it was readable enough that I could easily finish the book.
July 20, 2011
This story was an enjoyable light read, not bad but not fantastic either. At the end of the novel there were still so many unanswered questions which really bothers me. When I get to the end of a book I want all the answers and do not care for things left hanging in the air.
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January 24, 2016This is the second novel by Charles Todd that I've tried and given up on. I found an unevenness to the writing that distracted me and I had no patience for the redundancy or the leaps in reasoning. Life's too short...moving on.
April 30, 2015
I enjoy historical fiction as much as the next person. Two years later I am still slightly puzzled by everything that went on in this story.
March 30, 2020
The end suprised me!! It was a very good book, well-written, and I didn't want to put it down until I had finished it.
March 29, 2018
I wasn’t sure about this one. From the start it was contrived and convoluted. It had far too many plot lines, most glaringly Mrs. Passamore and the shooter. The mystery was enough to keep me reading, but the ending was a sloppy one. I could not say I liked any of the characters either, although the dog was a good sort. Not one of my favorites.
May 17, 2025
This book was riveting! It was wonderful! The plot was complex with many twists and turns. You only found out the real truth at the very end! Amazing read!
July 17, 2021
Gripping. I so enjoyed listening to this WWI mystery.
January 1, 2023
Actual rating: 3.5, rounded up for originality and audacity! For most of the book, it seemed to follow the standard Gothic novel/romance plot, complete with all the tropes: spooky, creaky house, full of secrets, and a silly young woman who roams about the house and grounds upon hearing said sounds, only to never quite find the elusive cause of the noises! There's the required unpleasant man vs nice man conundrum of who will be the heroine's love interest, although that becomes obvious pretty quickly, as it slavishly follows the PRIDE AND PREJUDICE model. So the reader can hardly be blamed for the discomfort he feels when some very disturbing facts are revealed, but in such an offhand manner as to make the reader question, "did I really just read that? Is that actually what is meant?" The narrative continues on its, seemingly, serene way, with more peripheral characters being constantly introduced, each with an ax to grind against our heroine's deceased grandfather, Francis Hatton. By the time we are three-quarters of the way through the book, it seems like we will never escape the morass of accusatory characters, with their accompanying sub-plots, twisting loyalties, and strange bequests. Is there a murder mystery here, or is it all to do with mistaken identities and scandals?
As the threads FINALLY start coming together to make a recognizable pattern, one is shocked by the leading lady's, Francesca's, actions! She is far more complex than we have been lulled into thinking she was!
Let me make these observations: the book is not without flaws, some of them more serious than others. The worst issue is the impossible chronology of Francesca's parent's car accident. Francesca tells us she is 23, and the story states that the action takes place in 1916, meaning that she was born in 1893. Although the age she was at the time of the accident is vague, it is said that she was very young and had no memories at all of her parents or former home. So far, so good. The problem is that the accident supposedly was a fatal collision between an automobile and a heavy truck (lorry, as they refer to it.) If we assume the incident to have taken place in 1895, or 1896, there were no "trucks" or "lorries" of that type at that nascent time in the development of auto vehicles! It is also highly unlikely that a lone young woman, unchaperoned, would go off on a cross-country trek in a car in 1916! Not only were there shortages of gas (petrol) and reliable rubber tires, the "roads" themselves were few, far between and almost impossible to navigate. An upper class lady with an independent fortune, would definitely have traveled by train, possibly hiring cars to meet her at her various destinations. She would also have traveled with a maid or other female companion, not just with an elderly driver and a dubious single man. Your late 20th century, North American roots are showing, author Charles Todd!
Speaking of Charles Todd, I have a mixed relationship with him (them!) I enjoy the Inspector Rutledge books, although not many of them reach what I consider to be their potential. But I intensely dislike (dare I say, hate?) the Bess Crawford series, to the point of unreadability! I was intrigued by this "stand alone" title, and found it improved the further into it I got, until by the very end, I was not only hooked, but impressed! It's got more than one surprise up its sleeve, but it does take its time getting there.
As the threads FINALLY start coming together to make a recognizable pattern, one is shocked by the leading lady's, Francesca's, actions! She is far more complex than we have been lulled into thinking she was!
Let me make these observations: the book is not without flaws, some of them more serious than others. The worst issue is the impossible chronology of Francesca's parent's car accident. Francesca tells us she is 23, and the story states that the action takes place in 1916, meaning that she was born in 1893. Although the age she was at the time of the accident is vague, it is said that she was very young and had no memories at all of her parents or former home. So far, so good. The problem is that the accident supposedly was a fatal collision between an automobile and a heavy truck (lorry, as they refer to it.) If we assume the incident to have taken place in 1895, or 1896, there were no "trucks" or "lorries" of that type at that nascent time in the development of auto vehicles! It is also highly unlikely that a lone young woman, unchaperoned, would go off on a cross-country trek in a car in 1916! Not only were there shortages of gas (petrol) and reliable rubber tires, the "roads" themselves were few, far between and almost impossible to navigate. An upper class lady with an independent fortune, would definitely have traveled by train, possibly hiring cars to meet her at her various destinations. She would also have traveled with a maid or other female companion, not just with an elderly driver and a dubious single man. Your late 20th century, North American roots are showing, author Charles Todd!
Speaking of Charles Todd, I have a mixed relationship with him (them!) I enjoy the Inspector Rutledge books, although not many of them reach what I consider to be their potential. But I intensely dislike (dare I say, hate?) the Bess Crawford series, to the point of unreadability! I was intrigued by this "stand alone" title, and found it improved the further into it I got, until by the very end, I was not only hooked, but impressed! It's got more than one surprise up its sleeve, but it does take its time getting there.
March 27, 2018
I am a big fan of the Bess Crawford series, and I just started the Ian Rutledge series as well. This stand alone was a good read, I will say that the beginning is a bit meandering and I will agree with other readers that this was slightly longer than it needed to be. The ending was fantastic and considering I read this during an evening where I suffered insomnia, it did not help as I wanted to finish this.
Few critiques:
-I didn't quite believe the relationship between Francesca and Richard, or rather the love that blossomed between them, but perhaps I missed something, it seems to stem from the zeppelin attack and that's it.
-The cousins chapters did not do much for me, other than Freddy's, as that was the one we find out later Victoria Lighton makes an appearance. There are no clues in their chapters to allude that they were truly adopted which I feel like would have been a better use of these POV's.
-Victoria Lighton is a nasty piece of work! I really liked the ending; Bill and Miss Trotter could have been panned out just a wee bit more to understand their willingness to help Francesca cover her crime.
My ideal resolution? Francesca was not the product of a liason between Victoria and Francis, but rather between Francis and Beth Trelawney, Bill's sister, to whom Francis wanted to become married to much to his father's disapproval. Beth would have died giving birth to Francesca, and Francis would have obviously taken in his daughter, and raised him alongside the subsequent boys he adopted from the home. The affair with Victoria Leighton would have been just out of his own failings/succumbing to his lust for her but there would have been no children. Her vindictiveness would have come from her nature as a terrible person, but would have been fueled by the fact that Francis always and will love Beth over her, and that he would never marry her (essentially just using her for sex) and she would never been the mistress of River's End/get to leave her husband son behind. She would still continue carrying out her revenge on him via his sons's untimely ends, but also harbor a deep hatred for Francesca. I think the time line would be problematic, since Francesca would have had to have been older than the other five. But I think it would explain Victoria's intentions, as well as Bill's loyalty (as Francesca would have been his niece) and willingness to help her get rid of her body. Just my two cents! Francesca could have still adopted children with Richard, not out of fear of having children out of incest but rather to carry on the legacy of adoption in her father's/(or who she thought was her grandfather's) memory.
Few critiques:
-I didn't quite believe the relationship between Francesca and Richard, or rather the love that blossomed between them, but perhaps I missed something, it seems to stem from the zeppelin attack and that's it.
-The cousins chapters did not do much for me, other than Freddy's, as that was the one we find out later Victoria Lighton makes an appearance. There are no clues in their chapters to allude that they were truly adopted which I feel like would have been a better use of these POV's.
-Victoria Lighton is a nasty piece of work! I really liked the ending; Bill and Miss Trotter could have been panned out just a wee bit more to understand their willingness to help Francesca cover her crime.
My ideal resolution? Francesca was not the product of a liason between Victoria and Francis, but rather between Francis and Beth Trelawney, Bill's sister, to whom Francis wanted to become married to much to his father's disapproval. Beth would have died giving birth to Francesca, and Francis would have obviously taken in his daughter, and raised him alongside the subsequent boys he adopted from the home. The affair with Victoria Leighton would have been just out of his own failings/succumbing to his lust for her but there would have been no children. Her vindictiveness would have come from her nature as a terrible person, but would have been fueled by the fact that Francis always and will love Beth over her, and that he would never marry her (essentially just using her for sex) and she would never been the mistress of River's End/get to leave her husband son behind. She would still continue carrying out her revenge on him via his sons's untimely ends, but also harbor a deep hatred for Francesca. I think the time line would be problematic, since Francesca would have had to have been older than the other five. But I think it would explain Victoria's intentions, as well as Bill's loyalty (as Francesca would have been his niece) and willingness to help her get rid of her body. Just my two cents! Francesca could have still adopted children with Richard, not out of fear of having children out of incest but rather to carry on the legacy of adoption in her father's/(or who she thought was her grandfather's) memory.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 11, 2018
Francisca Hatten is called home in a remote area of England when her grandfather, Francis Hatten is dying. She was an orphan as was her five older cousins. All were raised by her grandfather but all of her cousins have died in the Great War. The war is still raging on with no end in sight. Before the funeral, she receives a caller, Richard Leighton, a war veteran, who accuses her grandfather of murdering his mother. Richard's mother left him at the age of 8 and he has been lead to believe it was to be with her grandfather. Francisca finds this hard to believe, she only knew of the kind generous man she grew up with. At the funeral, she is confronted by two other men who accuse her grandfather of other misdeeds. Then she discovers an unsigned letter kept with her grandfather's will that adds to the mystery.
The estate has a beautiful white stone, nicknamed the 'murder stone' that her cousins used to use in all sorts of war games. Her grandfather has stipulated in the will, the stone must be removed to Scotland and buried. She has no idea why.
As the mystery unfolds, Richard follows her everywhere as she visits each of the properties her grandfather owned unbeknownst to her. She begins to wonder who her grandfather really was and why she didn't know of his secrets.
I quite enjoyed this book for the twists in the plot. A different storyline from the usual Ian Rutledge and Bess Crawford characters they usually write about.
The estate has a beautiful white stone, nicknamed the 'murder stone' that her cousins used to use in all sorts of war games. Her grandfather has stipulated in the will, the stone must be removed to Scotland and buried. She has no idea why.
As the mystery unfolds, Richard follows her everywhere as she visits each of the properties her grandfather owned unbeknownst to her. She begins to wonder who her grandfather really was and why she didn't know of his secrets.
I quite enjoyed this book for the twists in the plot. A different storyline from the usual Ian Rutledge and Bess Crawford characters they usually write about.
June 28, 2020
One family's secrets compose the plot of this mystery novel set in England during the Great War. Shortly after the death of her grandfather, Francesca Hatton is confronted by Richard Leighton, a former solder who has been invalided out of the army and "come home to die," his final mission in life to discover the truth behind his mother's disappearance. He believes Francesca's grandfather murdered her, but Francesca knew Mr. Hatton as a good man and a beloved grandfather. Leighton and Francesca can't get along, don't want to work together, but ultimately both of them set out to find the truth.
This book should have been better, and the author's Ian Rutledge Mysteries are better. I found Francesca's edge of chill and ruthlessness to be intriguing in a heroine, and I respected Leighton's drive to get at the truth and his acceptance, without bitterness, of what had happened to him. But I never bought the romance for a minute, and the plot is too convoluted, too contrived, and ultimately unbelievable when the villain (a caricature, not a genuine human being with real motives) is finally revealed.
This book should have been better, and the author's Ian Rutledge Mysteries are better. I found Francesca's edge of chill and ruthlessness to be intriguing in a heroine, and I respected Leighton's drive to get at the truth and his acceptance, without bitterness, of what had happened to him. But I never bought the romance for a minute, and the plot is too convoluted, too contrived, and ultimately unbelievable when the villain (a caricature, not a genuine human being with real motives) is finally revealed.
March 30, 2018
I've been reading Charles Todd's Ian Rutledge series and Bess Crawford series, and have enjoyed them for their plots, mystery, characterizations, and presentation of the times during and just after WW1.
This book is a standalone novel. I suppose you would describe it as a "gothic mystery', although it is set during the First World War, which I think is a bit late for standard Gothic. I actually have never, to my knowledge, read a true Gothic Novel, so I am not one to say whether this book is truly gothic, nor how it might compare with others of that genre. I do know that its pacing was pedestrian -- no, glacial! The only thing that kept me going was some anticipation that something might finally happen, and finish the endless mental hand-wringing that the main character was subject to. It did, but far too late in the book, and the resolution wasn't in any way definite -- perhaps an intentional plot device, but unsatisfying nonetheless.
Basically, I was very disappointed in this book. It in no way compares with any of the other Charles Todd books I've read.
This book is a standalone novel. I suppose you would describe it as a "gothic mystery', although it is set during the First World War, which I think is a bit late for standard Gothic. I actually have never, to my knowledge, read a true Gothic Novel, so I am not one to say whether this book is truly gothic, nor how it might compare with others of that genre. I do know that its pacing was pedestrian -- no, glacial! The only thing that kept me going was some anticipation that something might finally happen, and finish the endless mental hand-wringing that the main character was subject to. It did, but far too late in the book, and the resolution wasn't in any way definite -- perhaps an intentional plot device, but unsatisfying nonetheless.
Basically, I was very disappointed in this book. It in no way compares with any of the other Charles Todd books I've read.
May 3, 2022
This was set during one of the most misbegotton wars, WWI. Francesca returns to her grandfather's estate to be with him as he passed. After his death, Francesca found that much of what she knew about her grandfather was only the tip of his iceberg. Francesca and her 5 cousins had had an idyllic childhood where her grandfather served both as mother and father for this passel of kids. Unfortunately, all of Francesca's cousins have lost their lives in the ghastly war. The inciting incident is when a man named Leighton shows up at the estate accusing Francis Hatton, Francesca's grandfather of killing his mother. what follows is an unraveling of the past and life that Francesca has been raised. The plotting is interesting, but the writing is redundant, and labored. I wanted things to move much more quickly, but was intrigued enough to finish the damn book.
May 30, 2016
Unlike other books by Charles Todd This book does not feature Bess Crawford or Inspector Rutledge, and strictly speaking is not a mystery (whodunnit). It is however an excellent gothic also set during WWI and has much of the same feel as his other books.
Francesca Hatton is an orphan who was brought up by her grandfather after her parents died in an accident in Canada. She shared her childhood with five male cousins whose parents had also died, and who were also taken in by their grandfather. When all the cousins die in the war and Francesca's grandfather dies, she finds herself unexpectedly heir to his property and his secrets.
Francesca Hatton is an orphan who was brought up by her grandfather after her parents died in an accident in Canada. She shared her childhood with five male cousins whose parents had also died, and who were also taken in by their grandfather. When all the cousins die in the war and Francesca's grandfather dies, she finds herself unexpectedly heir to his property and his secrets.
April 10, 2012
It pains me to assign one star to a Charles Todd book, but this vapid love story was pretty awful. Uninteresting characters, a confusing plot, and plenty of incomplete sentences and other instances of poor writing make me wonder what happened here (and what the editor was doing). I can only guess that one half of the Charles Todd writing team didn't work on this title.
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