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kathydavie's review against another edition
5.0
Thirteenth in the Inspector Ian Rutledge historical mystery series set in England after WWI in 1920.
In 2011, A Lonely Death won the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award for Best Historical Mystery.
My Take
Oh man, I have to wait a whole year before the next installment appears about Inspector Ian Rutledge! I really hate that. Especially when it appears that Ian's personal life is changing, and his professional life has taken a nasty turn. Why is that scum like Detective Superintendent Bowles always seem to rise to the top? Oh wait — it's like boiling bones for a soup and the scum rises to the top, but isn't scum normally skimmed off?
Just to keep us from getting too obsessed, Todd throws in a cold case involving Stonehenge and flint and Rutledge's romantic stresses.
I am very impressed with how Detective Inspector Rutledge manages to solve these crimes. In an age when we are accustomed (at least through CSI, lol!) to using science to help, Rutledge must rely upon psychology (self-taught) and following trails. Whether these are the paths leading back to childhood traumas, family dysfunctions, social expectations, or the effects of war, Ian teases the truth out against a very hostile backdrop.
A fascinating mystery written well enough to keep your interest tightly riveted.
The Story
Three people have been murdered in the Sussex of 1920 England, and the father of the last victim has insisted upon Scotland Yard coming in to investigate, as he is afraid that the local police will simply fixate on his younger son.
Bowles is out of the office, so Rutledge gets assigned to the case where he manages to put a few noses out of joint which leads to behind-the-scene machinations, which could have serious repercussions for Ian.
The Cover and Title
A Lonely Death is a very accurate title for this tale. Over and over again in so many ways. I don't, however, get the relevance of the cover. If someone could explain this to me?
In 2011, A Lonely Death won the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award for Best Historical Mystery.
My Take
Oh man, I have to wait a whole year before the next installment appears about Inspector Ian Rutledge! I really hate that. Especially when it appears that Ian's personal life is changing, and his professional life has taken a nasty turn. Why is that scum like Detective Superintendent Bowles always seem to rise to the top? Oh wait — it's like boiling bones for a soup and the scum rises to the top, but isn't scum normally skimmed off?
Just to keep us from getting too obsessed, Todd throws in a cold case involving Stonehenge and flint and Rutledge's romantic stresses.
I am very impressed with how Detective Inspector Rutledge manages to solve these crimes. In an age when we are accustomed (at least through CSI, lol!) to using science to help, Rutledge must rely upon psychology (self-taught) and following trails. Whether these are the paths leading back to childhood traumas, family dysfunctions, social expectations, or the effects of war, Ian teases the truth out against a very hostile backdrop.
A fascinating mystery written well enough to keep your interest tightly riveted.
The Story
Three people have been murdered in the Sussex of 1920 England, and the father of the last victim has insisted upon Scotland Yard coming in to investigate, as he is afraid that the local police will simply fixate on his younger son.
Bowles is out of the office, so Rutledge gets assigned to the case where he manages to put a few noses out of joint which leads to behind-the-scene machinations, which could have serious repercussions for Ian.
The Cover and Title
A Lonely Death is a very accurate title for this tale. Over and over again in so many ways. I don't, however, get the relevance of the cover. If someone could explain this to me?
valefimbres's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
hoboken's review against another edition
3.0
More weeping war widows than you can shake a stick at, and Ian faces down the ultimate Hamletian crisis. Have to keep this going. One of these days he and Hamish are going to come to terms. Really good series.
knottyrambler's review against another edition
5.0
Love these audio books. I listen to them while gardening or cleaning and they are just so much fun. I get them on Hoopla via my library.
danchrist's review against another edition
3.0
A decent yarn, with a great description of post-WWI England. Rutledge is no run-of-the-mill gumshoe either, but the end of the book tied up one of the sub-plots far too neatly to be even remotely believable, and knocked this from a four to a three-star read, imho.
abeth_parker's review against another edition
4.0
I honestly think I had read this novel before, and forgot about it in the meantime. There were some character names, and some situations that seemed awfully familiar...
As always, CharlesTodd sets the highest standard for writing historical mysteries. Their ability to evoke characters and settings with minimal description is unsurpassed. The mysteries are always well thought out and not predictable. I will always, always read a Charles Todd book.
As always, CharlesTodd sets the highest standard for writing historical mysteries. Their ability to evoke characters and settings with minimal description is unsurpassed. The mysteries are always well thought out and not predictable. I will always, always read a Charles Todd book.
judyward's review against another edition
4.0
It's 1920 and World War I has been over for two years, but it is obvious that for many in Europe the war will never be over. People are identified and judged by what they did during the war, where they served, who they lost, and what physical and psychological wounds they carry. Inspector Ian Rutledge is called to a small village in Sussex where three former soldirs have each been garroted, three days apart, and each was found with a service ID disc in their mouths. Is revenge a dish best served cold or is something else behind these murders? Charles Todd (a mother-son writing team) successfully evokes the political climate and culture of post-World War I England particularly in focusing on Ian Rutledge and his attempts to hold on to his sanity and function relatively normally despite his shell-shock and the overpowering grief and guilt that he brought back from the war. Highly recommended, but with a caution. Each of the books in this series easily stands alone, but the full impact of the series is best experienced by reading the books in order of publication.
kriscricket's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
lilacblue's review against another edition
1.0
I like this author so I was surprised at how disappointing this book was. The story seemed to be made up of a bunch of unbelievable coincidences and twists that were totally contrived. The murderer was no surprise. But the biggest disappointment was the bizarre wrap up of the sub plot that totally came out of nowhere and made no sense whatsoever. It that had been left out, it would have been a passable mystery but that ending just made it ridiculous.
hudsone45's review against another edition
5.0
I think my favorite to date. Muffin was great, everything was tied up, a little romance.