What do you think?
Rate this book
Bess Crawford #12
An Irish Hostage: A Novel
In the uneasy peace following World War I, nurse Bess Crawford runs into trouble and treachery in Ireland—in this twelfth book in the New York Times bestselling mystery series.
The Great War is over—but in Ireland, in the wake of the bloody 1916 Easter Rising, anyone who served in France is now considered a traitor, including nurse Eileen Flynn and former soldier Michael Sullivan, who only want to be married in the small, isolated village where she grew up. Even her grandmother is against it, and Eileen’s only protection is her cousin Terrence who was a hero of the Rising and is still being hunted by the British.
Bess Crawford had promised to be there for the wedding. And in spite of the danger to her, she keeps that promise—only to be met with the shocking news that the groom has vanished. Eileen begs for her help, but how can Bess hope to find him when she doesn’t know the country, the people, or where to put her trust? Time is running out, for Michael and for Bess herself, and soon her own life is on the line. With only an Irish outlaw and a prisoner about to be hanged for murder on her side, how can she possibly save herself, much less stop a killer?
The Great War is over—but in Ireland, in the wake of the bloody 1916 Easter Rising, anyone who served in France is now considered a traitor, including nurse Eileen Flynn and former soldier Michael Sullivan, who only want to be married in the small, isolated village where she grew up. Even her grandmother is against it, and Eileen’s only protection is her cousin Terrence who was a hero of the Rising and is still being hunted by the British.
Bess Crawford had promised to be there for the wedding. And in spite of the danger to her, she keeps that promise—only to be met with the shocking news that the groom has vanished. Eileen begs for her help, but how can Bess hope to find him when she doesn’t know the country, the people, or where to put her trust? Time is running out, for Michael and for Bess herself, and soon her own life is on the line. With only an Irish outlaw and a prisoner about to be hanged for murder on her side, how can she possibly save herself, much less stop a killer?
1 pages, Audio CD
First published July 6, 2021
524 people are currently reading
6581 people want to read
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.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 500 reviews
June 19, 2023
I'm writing this review in two halves. Regarding the quality of An Irish Hostage, it's four-star, as a reader expects of the mother-and-son Charles Todd team of authors. Their research lays the foundation for a lush read, full of lovely detail (but never too much), enchanting tension, and brisk adventure and suspense. Bess Crawford and her stalwart "rock" Simon are beautiful, well-crafted characters that reach out and draw the reader into their world.
Which brings me to my complaint, and it's big enough to drop the rating a star. I finished the book last night (read it in a night, actually), and slept on this review, trying to put my feelings into words. So here it is: I feel as if I've been strung along for too long by a boyfriend who won't make up his mind.
I mentioned this issue in my review of book 11, and it's still a problem in book 12. I realize that the authors are dragging out the story to sell books, but the obvious love Bess and Simon feel for each other, which they're clearly aware of in book 12 (and readers probably spotted way earlier in the series), feels contrived now. These characters have survived (and fought in, in their own ways) a horrific war. They're known quantities to each other. They know the value and gift of each day. They're energetic and engaged in doing the right things and living fully. And they're not taking each other by the shoulders and yelling, "Dammit! I love you!" Then, to make matters worse, ending book 12 with such on overt cliffhanger, one that readers have anticipated through so many books, is (honestly) offensive. It's almost patronizing.
The authors are toying with their readers, moving the end piece. Bess and Simon are starting to bore me. Their reticence to seize life doesn't ring true. After reading the entire series, this might be the last book for me.
Which brings me to my complaint, and it's big enough to drop the rating a star. I finished the book last night (read it in a night, actually), and slept on this review, trying to put my feelings into words. So here it is: I feel as if I've been strung along for too long by a boyfriend who won't make up his mind.
I mentioned this issue in my review of book 11, and it's still a problem in book 12. I realize that the authors are dragging out the story to sell books, but the obvious love Bess and Simon feel for each other, which they're clearly aware of in book 12 (and readers probably spotted way earlier in the series), feels contrived now. These characters have survived (and fought in, in their own ways) a horrific war. They're known quantities to each other. They know the value and gift of each day. They're energetic and engaged in doing the right things and living fully. And they're not taking each other by the shoulders and yelling, "Dammit! I love you!" Then, to make matters worse, ending book 12 with such on overt cliffhanger, one that readers have anticipated through so many books, is (honestly) offensive. It's almost patronizing.
The authors are toying with their readers, moving the end piece. Bess and Simon are starting to bore me. Their reticence to seize life doesn't ring true. After reading the entire series, this might be the last book for me.
February 6, 2021
I’m a Bess Crawford fangirl, and #12 in the hf series is my fav yet! Bess, a nurse who served for the Brits in WWI France, goes to Ireland for a friend’s wedding and finds herself in a rat’s nest. With the Irish suspicious of any Brit, Beth is in danger as she susses out the bridegroom’s disappearance and unravels intrigues and murder. She’s a wonder!
Charles Todd’s novels make history a joy, and here we learn about the Irish Troubles and the tense relationship with England. But what I love most is how much Bess has grown. FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY she realizes her feelings for family friend Simon. So many readers have BEGGED for them to marry. Will they? That’s the magnetic pull that hooks me most. Book #13 can’t come soon enough!
5 of 5 Stars
Pub Date 06 Jul 2021
#AnIrishHostage #NetGalley
Grateful to Charles Todd, William Morrow and Custom House, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.
Charles Todd’s novels make history a joy, and here we learn about the Irish Troubles and the tense relationship with England. But what I love most is how much Bess has grown. FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY she realizes her feelings for family friend Simon. So many readers have BEGGED for them to marry. Will they? That’s the magnetic pull that hooks me most. Book #13 can’t come soon enough!
5 of 5 Stars
Pub Date 06 Jul 2021
#AnIrishHostage #NetGalley
Grateful to Charles Todd, William Morrow and Custom House, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.
August 5, 2021
An Irish Hostage is a terrific post WWI story of Sister Bess Crawford and her stubborn insistence to "stand up " with the nurse she saved when the German's torpedoed and sank the hospital ship they were accompanying back to England.
It was not a good idea for an English nurse to go into Ireland even though the bride and groom were both locals in the village where they want to marry. Both were seen as traitors since both served in the English army and did not desert after The Troubles.
One of the main reasons I loved this book is because the Todd mother and son writing team wrote one of the best explanations of The Troubles and the hatred and killing that would follow.
The biggest negative, why yes, the same one book after book. It made me crazy that two people could not find five minutes alone in which to speak to one another.
It was not a good idea for an English nurse to go into Ireland even though the bride and groom were both locals in the village where they want to marry. Both were seen as traitors since both served in the English army and did not desert after The Troubles.
One of the main reasons I loved this book is because the Todd mother and son writing team wrote one of the best explanations of The Troubles and the hatred and killing that would follow.
The biggest negative, why yes, the same one book after book. It made me crazy that two people could not find five minutes alone in which to speak to one another.
July 16, 2021
I skipped the middle of this book and went to the last chapter to find out what happened. Bess is becoming very tedious.
July 9, 2021
How many checkmarks did I make on this book and now have to clean up on goodreads. Annoying.
OK, we get Bess in many dangerous situations throughout the series written by this mother/son duo, but now we have to move forward in time, past WWI to the fractious era of Ireland's strife postwar when England has not lived up to promises of Home Rule to those Irish who served and believed. That sets the stage for a more than dramatic outing for Bess to fly to the west coast of Ireland for a wedding. Those of us who have read the series from the beginning wonder how she got this past her father...but then Simon the protector shows up in the guise of a Traveler, parrot and all. And Simon is definitely needed. It is the beginning of something new, perhaps, or the end of something good coming shortly. Time will tell, but Bess is called on to use her nursing skills quite a bit in this action-filled tale as well as her pistol. Looking forward to the next installment!
OK, we get Bess in many dangerous situations throughout the series written by this mother/son duo, but now we have to move forward in time, past WWI to the fractious era of Ireland's strife postwar when England has not lived up to promises of Home Rule to those Irish who served and believed. That sets the stage for a more than dramatic outing for Bess to fly to the west coast of Ireland for a wedding. Those of us who have read the series from the beginning wonder how she got this past her father...but then Simon the protector shows up in the guise of a Traveler, parrot and all. And Simon is definitely needed. It is the beginning of something new, perhaps, or the end of something good coming shortly. Time will tell, but Bess is called on to use her nursing skills quite a bit in this action-filled tale as well as her pistol. Looking forward to the next installment!
April 22, 2021
I've stayed away from the Bess Crawford series by Charles Todd for the last several books for various reasons but the title of this one intrigued me so I decided I wanted to read it. This plot has Bess staying in one place for the entire story and I liked that much better. If you have been a fan of this series you will likely remember the sinking of the Britannic as it was taking wounded soldiers from the battlefield to England and the other nurses who were on board. This story takes us to the wedding of one of those nurses who has asked Bess to be her wedding attendant in the tiny village of Killeighbeg in Ireland. Bess is on leave from her nursing duties since the end of the war and at a loose end but her parents are concerned about her traveling all that way alone in the political unrest evident in Ireland. It is 1919 but the unease from the Easter Rising in 1916 is making travel to Ireland by any British subjects a dangerous undertaking. Then Bess comes up with a solution for how she can travel to Ireland and back safely so it is agreed that she can go.
This is my favorite Bess Crawford book in the series thus far. The dangerous political atmosphere is very well written and it brought home how insecure the lives of the Irish were during this time of unrest. Bess had to trust her instincts when it came to who she could trust and those relationships played out in a very convincing way. The question I've had throughout these books comes very close to being answered but right at the end it skittered off the page with no resolution. Maybe in the next book? I hope so.
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow and Custom House for an e-galley of this novel.
This is my favorite Bess Crawford book in the series thus far. The dangerous political atmosphere is very well written and it brought home how insecure the lives of the Irish were during this time of unrest. Bess had to trust her instincts when it came to who she could trust and those relationships played out in a very convincing way. The question I've had throughout these books comes very close to being answered but right at the end it skittered off the page with no resolution. Maybe in the next book? I hope so.
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow and Custom House for an e-galley of this novel.
September 12, 2021
3.5 Another one of the WWI historical mystery series that I've followed through many books. Great idea to send Bess to rural west Ireland, easy to find a dangerous situation there soon after the 1916 Rising. Bess is to be the bridesmaid of a fellow nurse, Eileen, but when she arrives a few days before the wedding, she finds that the bridegroom (an Irishman who served in the English army) has been kidnapped. The plot runs on too much; it seems book could have tightened up and come out 30-40 pages shorter.
Not sure that I bought the character of Eileen but I certainly enjoyed the Irish setting and history.
Simon is in this story but very frustrating that he and Bess still keep dancing around their feelings. WWI has been over for 2 years; seems that it is time for this romance to bloom, if ever it is.
Not sure that I bought the character of Eileen but I certainly enjoyed the Irish setting and history.
Simon is in this story but very frustrating that he and Bess still keep dancing around their feelings. WWI has been over for 2 years; seems that it is time for this romance to bloom, if ever it is.
July 25, 2021
If loyal readers of Charles Todd had any concerns that there would be a lack of story ideas with the Bess Crawford series moving beyond World War I, let me set your minds at ease. AN IRISH HOSTAGE, the 12th and latest installment, tackles some serious historical and political concerns of that time period, and the plot has such an astute social conscience that I almost felt like I was reading an Anne Perry novel.
Eileen Flynn, an Irish nurse with whom Bess worked during the Great War, is getting married and has asked Bess to be her maid of honor. Of course this will require the very British Bess to travel to Ireland during a period of deep unrest. While Great Britain was fighting the war and spending a lot of time in other parts of Europe, a civil war of sorts erupted within the UK. During the infamous Easter Rising in 1916, approximately 400 Irish citizens took on British forces in Dublin. The Irish, who were spirited by the likes of Michael Sullivan, were swiftly and violently quashed by the Brits, and this would be just the start of more than a century of conflict.
The Crawfords are not thrilled about Bess going to Ireland when British citizens might have a target on their backs. They eventually relent but will not let her travel on her own. So Captain Arthur Jackson, an American flyer, is tasked with getting Bess to her destination. He continues to fly by during her stay and utilize a code system with flags to signify if she is safe or is in any danger. Bess feels confident that nothing will happen, but her short-sightedness will be quickly exposed to the reality of the situation once she hits the Emerald Isle.
It turns out that Eileen is nowhere to be found, and Bess learns that a group has gone out in search of her fiancé, Michael, who has been abducted. He fought with the British Army during the war, which has now put him in peril during his wedding weekend. Michael’s best man, Major Ellis Dawson, and Eileen’s cousin, Irish soldier Terrence Flynn, try to put everyone’s minds at ease. But Bess does not know yet who she can trust, and there are even those within Eileen’s family who are not happy about her marrying a Brit.
Miraculously, Michael is freed from his captors and returns to Eileen’s homestead looking like a bloody scarecrow. He has no idea who abducted him and needs Bess’ nursing skills as he is in such bad shape. Bess is able to get word to her family about what has been taking place in Ireland, and they send her father’s right-hand man, Simon Brandon, to look after her. There is plenty of sexual tension between them as burgeoning feelings have grown with each successive entry in the series.
It isn’t long before more chaos ensues as Ellis is abducted, most likely by the same group that took Michael. To make matters even worse, a dead body is found nearby; at one point, Bess is apprehended by the constable and briefly thrown in prison as a suspect. This situation may end up being more dangerous and life-threatening than anything she ever faced on the frontlines.
So much happens within this complex plot, and there is a level of suspense throughout the book that readers of the previous 11 novels haven’t experienced. Those who are aware of the historical events that drive this story will find themselves torn between the sentiments of the British and Irish characters. AN IRISH HOSTAGE is yet another triumph for Charles Todd and one of the most memorable additions to the series.
Reviewed by Ray Palen
Eileen Flynn, an Irish nurse with whom Bess worked during the Great War, is getting married and has asked Bess to be her maid of honor. Of course this will require the very British Bess to travel to Ireland during a period of deep unrest. While Great Britain was fighting the war and spending a lot of time in other parts of Europe, a civil war of sorts erupted within the UK. During the infamous Easter Rising in 1916, approximately 400 Irish citizens took on British forces in Dublin. The Irish, who were spirited by the likes of Michael Sullivan, were swiftly and violently quashed by the Brits, and this would be just the start of more than a century of conflict.
The Crawfords are not thrilled about Bess going to Ireland when British citizens might have a target on their backs. They eventually relent but will not let her travel on her own. So Captain Arthur Jackson, an American flyer, is tasked with getting Bess to her destination. He continues to fly by during her stay and utilize a code system with flags to signify if she is safe or is in any danger. Bess feels confident that nothing will happen, but her short-sightedness will be quickly exposed to the reality of the situation once she hits the Emerald Isle.
It turns out that Eileen is nowhere to be found, and Bess learns that a group has gone out in search of her fiancé, Michael, who has been abducted. He fought with the British Army during the war, which has now put him in peril during his wedding weekend. Michael’s best man, Major Ellis Dawson, and Eileen’s cousin, Irish soldier Terrence Flynn, try to put everyone’s minds at ease. But Bess does not know yet who she can trust, and there are even those within Eileen’s family who are not happy about her marrying a Brit.
Miraculously, Michael is freed from his captors and returns to Eileen’s homestead looking like a bloody scarecrow. He has no idea who abducted him and needs Bess’ nursing skills as he is in such bad shape. Bess is able to get word to her family about what has been taking place in Ireland, and they send her father’s right-hand man, Simon Brandon, to look after her. There is plenty of sexual tension between them as burgeoning feelings have grown with each successive entry in the series.
It isn’t long before more chaos ensues as Ellis is abducted, most likely by the same group that took Michael. To make matters even worse, a dead body is found nearby; at one point, Bess is apprehended by the constable and briefly thrown in prison as a suspect. This situation may end up being more dangerous and life-threatening than anything she ever faced on the frontlines.
So much happens within this complex plot, and there is a level of suspense throughout the book that readers of the previous 11 novels haven’t experienced. Those who are aware of the historical events that drive this story will find themselves torn between the sentiments of the British and Irish characters. AN IRISH HOSTAGE is yet another triumph for Charles Todd and one of the most memorable additions to the series.
Reviewed by Ray Palen
July 9, 2021
The Irish question
Bess becomes embroiled in the Irish Troubles—after the 1916 Easter Uprising, and some of those involved. Having said she’d be bridesmaid for an Irish friend and nurse, Eileen Flynn, whose leg she saved when the ship they were on sank, she flies to Ireland despite her father’s (Colonel Sahib) misgivings. Eileen’s cousin, a leader with the Defenders during the Dublin Post Office stand, wanted for his actions by the British, stands as surety for Bess’s safety. When the groom goes missing and then later the best man, Bess finds herself in house where the matriarch is rampantly anti British. Who could be trusted, who was at the bottom of the kidnapping. Then Bess has a run in with the Constable. Should she confess her identity or try to solve the problem?
Bess has some close calls. My heart was in my mouth. Simon Brandon is on hand fortunately—in a very different guise. But just exactly what is their relationship. The old ways of being are changing and Bess is unsure.
Another historically accurate, defining episode in Bess’s story!
A William Morrow and Custom House ARC via NetGalley
Bess becomes embroiled in the Irish Troubles—after the 1916 Easter Uprising, and some of those involved. Having said she’d be bridesmaid for an Irish friend and nurse, Eileen Flynn, whose leg she saved when the ship they were on sank, she flies to Ireland despite her father’s (Colonel Sahib) misgivings. Eileen’s cousin, a leader with the Defenders during the Dublin Post Office stand, wanted for his actions by the British, stands as surety for Bess’s safety. When the groom goes missing and then later the best man, Bess finds herself in house where the matriarch is rampantly anti British. Who could be trusted, who was at the bottom of the kidnapping. Then Bess has a run in with the Constable. Should she confess her identity or try to solve the problem?
Bess has some close calls. My heart was in my mouth. Simon Brandon is on hand fortunately—in a very different guise. But just exactly what is their relationship. The old ways of being are changing and Bess is unsure.
Another historically accurate, defining episode in Bess’s story!
A William Morrow and Custom House ARC via NetGalley
January 18, 2021
Thank you to William Morrow and Custom House for an advance copy. The book will be published on July 6 2021
A fairly engaging Bess Crawford mystery (#12). It’s June 1919, WWI is over, and Bess has promised to stand up at her friend’s wedding in Ireland. This is three years after the Easter Rebellion (or Rising) in 1916 and tensions are still very high. When the groom disappears two days before the wedding, Bess finds herself in danger as well.
I’d say the last third of the book was very exciting and I definitely had no trouble finishing. There was a lot of filler and repetition — kind of like Anne Perry novels — and I feel like I learned a lot about the Irish situation from reading this book (it was more of a background for the story but I would have preferred to gain a little more knowledge). The characters were well done and the writing decent. I had a little trouble with the premise — why would two Irish people who had served in the British army insist on having a wedding in a place where tensions were so high and have two English people standing up for them? Still, I like the Bess Crawford character and there is a bit of an emotional cliffhanger at the end so I will of course have to read #13!
A fairly engaging Bess Crawford mystery (#12). It’s June 1919, WWI is over, and Bess has promised to stand up at her friend’s wedding in Ireland. This is three years after the Easter Rebellion (or Rising) in 1916 and tensions are still very high. When the groom disappears two days before the wedding, Bess finds herself in danger as well.
I’d say the last third of the book was very exciting and I definitely had no trouble finishing. There was a lot of filler and repetition — kind of like Anne Perry novels — and I feel like I learned a lot about the Irish situation from reading this book (it was more of a background for the story but I would have preferred to gain a little more knowledge). The characters were well done and the writing decent. I had a little trouble with the premise — why would two Irish people who had served in the British army insist on having a wedding in a place where tensions were so high and have two English people standing up for them? Still, I like the Bess Crawford character and there is a bit of an emotional cliffhanger at the end so I will of course have to read #13!
March 20, 2021
I've enjoyed all the Bess Crawford novels and Book 12 did not disappoint. The story is set in the summer of 1919, after World War I, and finds Bess at loose ends. Her work as a battlefield nurse has ended and she's not quite sure where life should take her next. When her friend Eileen invites her to be her attendant at her Irish wedding, it's a welcome distraction for Bess, but her parents and her friend Simon are afraid Ireland is too unsettled and dangerous. The Easter Rising of 1916 is still fresh in everyone's mind and her father says travel through the country by an unaccompanied English female is impossible. Bess wins them over by arranging a direct flight with her American pilot friend (from book 11). Like all Todd's historical novels, meticulously researched details bring time and place alive for the reader.
July 19, 2021
Not up to the usual standard for this series. A weak premise (British military can safely attend a wedding in Ireland. Nope), too many weak characters (the bride to be is ridiculous), and an appalling cliffhanger at the end. Bess Crawford does her best, but even she cannot save this story.
August 6, 2021
I have enjoyed all the Charles Todd books but this one was disappointing. Story line was just so so and the characters,other than Bess and Simon, were miserable people. But I will read the next book in the series.
November 6, 2021
An Irish Hostage
3 Stars
Despite her parents' concerns, Bess travels to an isolated village in Ireland for the wedding of a young nurse she served with during the Great War. Upon her arrival, Bess learns that the groom, who fought for England during the war, has disappeared and might be the victim of either Irish separatists seeking revenge or English spies looking for information. Will Bess be able to save him and perhaps herself?
To be honest, it is time for this series to come to an end. Now that the war is over, there is really no reason for Bess to be hieing all over France and UK solving crimes. The circumstances in this installment (as with the previous one) are very contrived, and the mystery itself is obvious.
While the information on the Easter Uprising of 1916 is interesting and the authors have obviously researched the events, the pacing is slow and Bess spends far too much time rehashing the internal divisions within Ireland.
On a positive front, there is finally some progression in the much hinted at romance between Bess and Simon. That said, it is all very subtle and needs further development. Hopefully, this will be forthcoming in the next installment.
On a final note, I was sad to learn of Caroline Todd's passing this year. She was a truly lovely person and there is a wonderful tribute to her here http://mysteryreadersinc.blogspot.com...
3 Stars
Despite her parents' concerns, Bess travels to an isolated village in Ireland for the wedding of a young nurse she served with during the Great War. Upon her arrival, Bess learns that the groom, who fought for England during the war, has disappeared and might be the victim of either Irish separatists seeking revenge or English spies looking for information. Will Bess be able to save him and perhaps herself?
To be honest, it is time for this series to come to an end. Now that the war is over, there is really no reason for Bess to be hieing all over France and UK solving crimes. The circumstances in this installment (as with the previous one) are very contrived, and the mystery itself is obvious.
While the information on the Easter Uprising of 1916 is interesting and the authors have obviously researched the events, the pacing is slow and Bess spends far too much time rehashing the internal divisions within Ireland.
On a positive front, there is finally some progression in the much hinted at romance between Bess and Simon. That said, it is all very subtle and needs further development. Hopefully, this will be forthcoming in the next installment.
On a final note, I was sad to learn of Caroline Todd's passing this year. She was a truly lovely person and there is a wonderful tribute to her here http://mysteryreadersinc.blogspot.com...
October 3, 2021
I really loved this novel set in Ireland after WWI. I rated this a definite 4 or 4.5 on my scale. I found the main character and English nurse Bess to be a strong, intelligent, talented and likable person.
Seeing the historical goings-on through her eyes and the easy voice of the narrator carried me along in this exciting thriller. There are a number of characters to keep track of on audio but the terrific narrator and author made it work.
If you like Ireland, mysteries, thrillers, and lots of tension, with strong and well developed characters, give this one a go. It’s #12 in this series, which is cleverly written by a writing team (mother and son - yes! Love it). It’s my first of their series. You don’t have to read them in order. And they didn’t repeat info to help familiarize the reader. Clap hands.
Publishers note:
The Great War is over—but in Ireland, in the wake of the bloody 1916 Easter Rising, anyone who served in France is now considered a traitor, including nurse Eileen Flynn and former soldier Michael Sullivan, who only want to be married… Even her grandmother is against it, and Eileen’s only protection is her cousin Terrence who was a hero of the Rising and is still being hunted by the British.
Good friend, Bess Crawford, had promised to be there for the wedding. And in spite of the danger to her, she keeps that promise—only to be met with the shocking news that the groom has vanished. Eileen begs for her help, but how can Bess hope to find him when she doesn’t know the country, the people, or where to put her trust? Time is running out, for Michael and for Bess herself, and soon her own life is on the line. With only an Irish outlaw and a man being hunted for murder on her side, how can she possibly save herself, much less stop a killer?
Seeing the historical goings-on through her eyes and the easy voice of the narrator carried me along in this exciting thriller. There are a number of characters to keep track of on audio but the terrific narrator and author made it work.
If you like Ireland, mysteries, thrillers, and lots of tension, with strong and well developed characters, give this one a go. It’s #12 in this series, which is cleverly written by a writing team (mother and son - yes! Love it). It’s my first of their series. You don’t have to read them in order. And they didn’t repeat info to help familiarize the reader. Clap hands.
Publishers note:
The Great War is over—but in Ireland, in the wake of the bloody 1916 Easter Rising, anyone who served in France is now considered a traitor, including nurse Eileen Flynn and former soldier Michael Sullivan, who only want to be married… Even her grandmother is against it, and Eileen’s only protection is her cousin Terrence who was a hero of the Rising and is still being hunted by the British.
Good friend, Bess Crawford, had promised to be there for the wedding. And in spite of the danger to her, she keeps that promise—only to be met with the shocking news that the groom has vanished. Eileen begs for her help, but how can Bess hope to find him when she doesn’t know the country, the people, or where to put her trust? Time is running out, for Michael and for Bess herself, and soon her own life is on the line. With only an Irish outlaw and a man being hunted for murder on her side, how can she possibly save herself, much less stop a killer?
October 23, 2021
Good read. Good characters.
August 16, 2022
One of the best in the series so far! Personal approaches to the aftermath of the 1916 Rising in a nutshell. Credible and written nicely.
July 16, 2021
I think An Irish Hostage is my favourite Bess Crawford book. I found in this installment we are given a different side of Bess, one in which she isn't needed as a nursing sister, at least in the capacity that she is normally called to. She is in-between places when she is invited to a wedding in Ireland, which isn't the best place for her, or rather as an Englishwoman to be. The Great War has ended but there are loose ends to be tied up in Bess's personal life but also in Ireland where Bess find herself for this mystery. I actually liked this ending though it does leave some doors open and some closed in Bess's life. I want to know where she will go next, even if it means it is the end of this series, which I REALLY hope it isn't. As for the mystery, it was full of intrigue and Bess's steadfastness, loyalty, and those other traits that normally get her into places she probably should think twice about but that's why I keep reading.
July 10, 2021
Ireland 1919
This is at least the second book in the series to occur after the end of the war. With Bess' time as a nurse likely coming to a close, she is in turmoil about what the future holds. Her identity and worth were solidified while serving as a nurse for four years.
Bess agrees to attend a fellow nurse's wedding in Ireland only to find the groom is missing. In typical fashion, Bess lends a hand as needed medically as well as offer her detective skills.
It seems the series must be reaching a conclusion soon and I will be sad to see it happen.
Lovely cover.
This is at least the second book in the series to occur after the end of the war. With Bess' time as a nurse likely coming to a close, she is in turmoil about what the future holds. Her identity and worth were solidified while serving as a nurse for four years.
Bess agrees to attend a fellow nurse's wedding in Ireland only to find the groom is missing. In typical fashion, Bess lends a hand as needed medically as well as offer her detective skills.
It seems the series must be reaching a conclusion soon and I will be sad to see it happen.
Lovely cover.
August 5, 2021
I think it's time for the authors to end this series. The war ended three books ago and yet they are trying to keep the story line going and it is just too worn out. PLEASE let Elizabeth go off into the sunset.
July 31, 2021
I usually like this series but I found this volume lacking. Bess was very indecisive throughout and her friend was insipid at best. Frustrating installment in the series.
July 6, 2021
I enjoy this series and always look forward to the next "installment". This one was no exception.
July 10, 2021
English Nurse Bess Crawford has been invited to be maid of honor at an Irish friend's wedding three years after the 1916 Easter Rising. But feelings against the English are still high in the small town and even the bride's family is divided. Good portrait of the everyday effect of one country oppressing another and what it does to the oppressed. I couldn't stay with the intrigues and read only the beginning and end. But the next book has been set up for dealing with the relationship between Bess and Simon.
March 20, 2023
I'm going to have to disagree with the majority of reviewers here. For me, this book was barely meh. There's just no "there" there.
It's 1919, World War I is over, and Bess is invited to be maid of honor at the wedding of the Irish nurse whose life she saved after the boat they were on (the Britannic) was sunk by a German torpedo. Ireland is so seething with republican sentiment, it's not even safe for Bess to take a ship and travel overland - so of course she gets a friend to fly her in. (Let's just forget for the moment the unlikelihood of a Roman Catholic Irish girl in 1919 asking a wealthy Anglican English girl to be in her wedding party, which the priest probably wouldn't have allowed anyway.) They arrive to find the bridegroom has gone missing, and that almost all of the village hates both him and the bride because they served in the British Army during the war, and they're even less happy about the arrival of Bess and the best man, another English officer. This is a "house with secrets." The matriarch is an awful old biddy who appears to be masterminding republican plots from behind her bedroom door. The mother of the bride has been so abused by the matriarch that she also stays in her own bedroom. The eldest son of the house is ALWAYS around, even though he's an outlaw for having taken part in the Easter Uprising. And then a body turns up.
All of this sounds like it would make for a really good mystery. Who stole the bridegroom and why? Is Niall a good guy or a bad guy? And yet nothing really happens. Once again, the climax is pretty brief. The reason for what happened is explained in something like two sentences. And we're left with a cliffhanger ending on the romance that's been building through all the novels and which - quite frankly - has zero chemistry, so I can hardly care.
I love the Todds' books, but I really think - as I've stated before - that having to meet yearly deadlines for two different series has cut into the quality of their storytelling.
It's 1919, World War I is over, and Bess is invited to be maid of honor at the wedding of the Irish nurse whose life she saved after the boat they were on (the Britannic) was sunk by a German torpedo. Ireland is so seething with republican sentiment, it's not even safe for Bess to take a ship and travel overland - so of course she gets a friend to fly her in. (Let's just forget for the moment the unlikelihood of a Roman Catholic Irish girl in 1919 asking a wealthy Anglican English girl to be in her wedding party, which the priest probably wouldn't have allowed anyway.) They arrive to find the bridegroom has gone missing, and that almost all of the village hates both him and the bride because they served in the British Army during the war, and they're even less happy about the arrival of Bess and the best man, another English officer. This is a "house with secrets." The matriarch is an awful old biddy who appears to be masterminding republican plots from behind her bedroom door. The mother of the bride has been so abused by the matriarch that she also stays in her own bedroom. The eldest son of the house is ALWAYS around, even though he's an outlaw for having taken part in the Easter Uprising. And then a body turns up.
All of this sounds like it would make for a really good mystery. Who stole the bridegroom and why? Is Niall a good guy or a bad guy? And yet nothing really happens. Once again, the climax is pretty brief. The reason for what happened is explained in something like two sentences. And we're left with a cliffhanger ending on the romance that's been building through all the novels and which - quite frankly - has zero chemistry, so I can hardly care.
I love the Todds' books, but I really think - as I've stated before - that having to meet yearly deadlines for two different series has cut into the quality of their storytelling.
February 4, 2021
I couldn’t wait to read this ARC edition of the Bess Crawford Mystery, An Irish Hostage. I’m a huge fan and have read all the novels and short stories. They are engaging, fast-paced mysteries, with just enough grit to keep them from being “cozy.” The depictions of WWI and its after-effects are well-researched and educational without being too bogged down with information. What sets them apart from other war-time mysteries is their constant shifts between the main character’s life on the battlefield and the homefront.
AIH takes place just after war’s end and strong-willed nursing sister, Bess, is struggling with the decision of what to do with her future. (We fans who have similar opinions as to what Beth should do with her future, may be pleasantly surprised by some of the developments). She is invited to be the wedding attendant of another nursing sister in an Irish village still seething from the outcome of The Rising.
Why Bess is so determined to go into such danger for a woman more selfish than smart is the real mystery to me. The bride, who seems little more than a co-worker, alternates between whiny and hostile, but Bess refuses to abandon her. The groom, an Irishman who is viewed as a traitor because of his enlistment in the British army, is missing. His groomsman, a British officer who has the bad sense to go out walking by himself in a village full of murderous Rebels, is abducted. One unfortunate witness is murdered, and Bess, with the help of her ever-loyal Simon (sadly missed in the last book), brings everything to a satisfying conclusion.
Bess’s character can be annoying at times—stubborn, sometimes willfully-blind, and loyal to a fault. She becomes too emotionally involved with the problems of strangers, often at the expense of her loved ones. I would dearly love to see someone say “no” to her once in a while, but then we probably wouldn’t have our mystery. Still, she’s quick-witted, warm-hearted, and brave, and one can’t help but love her.
AIH takes place just after war’s end and strong-willed nursing sister, Bess, is struggling with the decision of what to do with her future. (We fans who have similar opinions as to what Beth should do with her future, may be pleasantly surprised by some of the developments). She is invited to be the wedding attendant of another nursing sister in an Irish village still seething from the outcome of The Rising.
Why Bess is so determined to go into such danger for a woman more selfish than smart is the real mystery to me. The bride, who seems little more than a co-worker, alternates between whiny and hostile, but Bess refuses to abandon her. The groom, an Irishman who is viewed as a traitor because of his enlistment in the British army, is missing. His groomsman, a British officer who has the bad sense to go out walking by himself in a village full of murderous Rebels, is abducted. One unfortunate witness is murdered, and Bess, with the help of her ever-loyal Simon (sadly missed in the last book), brings everything to a satisfying conclusion.
Bess’s character can be annoying at times—stubborn, sometimes willfully-blind, and loyal to a fault. She becomes too emotionally involved with the problems of strangers, often at the expense of her loved ones. I would dearly love to see someone say “no” to her once in a while, but then we probably wouldn’t have our mystery. Still, she’s quick-witted, warm-hearted, and brave, and one can’t help but love her.
March 23, 2021
Thanks to NetGalley for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I can't believe we're at #12 in this series! I swore I wrote a review as soon as I finished this but I must have composed it in my head. Our intrepid heroine is in Ireland this time, to stand in a wedding for a fellow nurse. Bess is English and immediately realizes this could not only be a disadvantage but a danger. As Bess arrives by plane in a tiny village, she is horrified to discover that the groom has gone missing-has he run off? Been captured by the English or the Irish? Tensions are at a breaking point in the village as the Rising is still a sore wound for everyone. People are either convinced other folks didn't do enough, or others did too much. Will the groom return in time for the wedding? As always, this novel is a tightly constructed web full of history, drama, tension, and this time: the War is over. What will Bess do (if she survives Ireland) now that she won't have soldiers to nurse? How will Simon play into all of this?!
About 3/4 of the way through the book I started quietly cursing out the author because I realized that something I've been wondering about, for the last 11 books, was actually being brought into the story. Of course, this being a series, there is no nice neat bow on the topic. In fact, I sat, staring at the last page as I finished, with my jaw hanging open. I suspect this series is maybe winding down, since the driving force behind it (WWI) is now over, but if it doesn't neatly answer several lingering questions I'll riot.
Overall, a well done book and I'm already clamoring for #13 because I NEED ANSWERS PEOPLE.
I can't believe we're at #12 in this series! I swore I wrote a review as soon as I finished this but I must have composed it in my head. Our intrepid heroine is in Ireland this time, to stand in a wedding for a fellow nurse. Bess is English and immediately realizes this could not only be a disadvantage but a danger. As Bess arrives by plane in a tiny village, she is horrified to discover that the groom has gone missing-has he run off? Been captured by the English or the Irish? Tensions are at a breaking point in the village as the Rising is still a sore wound for everyone. People are either convinced other folks didn't do enough, or others did too much. Will the groom return in time for the wedding? As always, this novel is a tightly constructed web full of history, drama, tension, and this time: the War is over. What will Bess do (if she survives Ireland) now that she won't have soldiers to nurse? How will Simon play into all of this?!
About 3/4 of the way through the book I started quietly cursing out the author because I realized that something I've been wondering about, for the last 11 books, was actually being brought into the story. Of course, this being a series, there is no nice neat bow on the topic. In fact, I sat, staring at the last page as I finished, with my jaw hanging open. I suspect this series is maybe winding down, since the driving force behind it (WWI) is now over, but if it doesn't neatly answer several lingering questions I'll riot.
Overall, a well done book and I'm already clamoring for #13 because I NEED ANSWERS PEOPLE.
July 15, 2021
Well, as exasperating as I find Bess Crawford to be, she is like an old friend or relative that you have such a long history with you simply roll your eyes and smile at her most Bess-ish tendencies. And the books are well written, if a bit over plotted. Now, this volume features the 1919 version of Bridezilla. Eileen is such a determined bride and so self focused it is hard to imagine why not one but two men would want her. Bess, being her usual headstrong self, insists on going to Ireland, which is practically a war zone, to be maid of honor at a Catholic wedding (which I don't think the church would even allow) and an equally reckless British officer is there to be best man. It takes rescue by both sea and sky to get her and everyone out. There was so much talk of spies, both British and Irish, I kept expecting someone, maybe even Eileen, to be one. When finally it is revealed who has actually been playing both sides it was an underwhelming denouement. Since the perpetrators of a murder and two kidnappings were exactly who you thought they would be (no surprise twist!) it made the book more James Buchan than Agatha Christie. Beth and her family and Simon are sooooo British stiff upper lip they are almost parodies. The book begins with what appears to be a dedication (although it is not identified as such) to two cats with rather lengthy eulogies for each. I kept expecting a cat to have a prominent part in the book, but, alas, there is never even mention of a cat. Odd.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 22, 2021
I was really hoping I’d like this book more, but I found it to be somewhat anticlimactic.
Bess Crawford plans on traveling to Ireland for her friend and fellow nurse’s wedding, but since the Easter Rising, Eileen and her fiancé Michael are seen as traitors because they served in France during the Great War. It’s not safe for the English to travel to Ireland during such dangerous times, but she decides to go anyway so she can stand by her friend’s side. Only problem is, Michael is missing and presumed to be taken captive, and without him there can be no wedding.
I thought the premise for this story was intriguing, and it had its moments of suspense. However, the majority of the plot didn’t grab my attention, and I didn’t really care for the characters either.
*I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
Bess Crawford plans on traveling to Ireland for her friend and fellow nurse’s wedding, but since the Easter Rising, Eileen and her fiancé Michael are seen as traitors because they served in France during the Great War. It’s not safe for the English to travel to Ireland during such dangerous times, but she decides to go anyway so she can stand by her friend’s side. Only problem is, Michael is missing and presumed to be taken captive, and without him there can be no wedding.
I thought the premise for this story was intriguing, and it had its moments of suspense. However, the majority of the plot didn’t grab my attention, and I didn’t really care for the characters either.
*I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
August 7, 2021
Another masterpiece from "Charles Todd".
I finished The Red Door (Ian Rutledge series, re-read) yesterday morning and started in on this novel set in the aftermath of the Easter Uprising. WOW I was in Ireland ALL DAY.
The sensitivity of the authors to give us both sides of the Uprising, the strength of 2 friendships made in war-time (WWI), the painful truth of families (and villages) torn apart by their alliances....
Long may the Charles Todd duo wave! I'll read anything they write. What continually stuns me is how seamless the transition (if it IS transition-- I have no clue how they collaborate) is between the two writers.
I finished The Red Door (Ian Rutledge series, re-read) yesterday morning and started in on this novel set in the aftermath of the Easter Uprising. WOW I was in Ireland ALL DAY.
The sensitivity of the authors to give us both sides of the Uprising, the strength of 2 friendships made in war-time (WWI), the painful truth of families (and villages) torn apart by their alliances....
Long may the Charles Todd duo wave! I'll read anything they write. What continually stuns me is how seamless the transition (if it IS transition-- I have no clue how they collaborate) is between the two writers.
July 17, 2021
I generally enjoy the Charles Todd box, slightly preferring the Ian Rutledge series to the Bess Crawford series. A natural comparison into the Maisie Dobbs stories and I feel that the character growth and exploration is far stronger in the latter. I really enjoyed the first box in this series and have kept reading them but for the last couple it has really been just a plough through for old times sake.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 500 reviews