A review by mg_in_md_
An Unwilling Accomplice by Charles Todd

4.0

One of two books by [a:Charles Todd|131|Charles Todd|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1251728768p2/131.jpg] nominated for the 2014 Agatha for Best Historical Fiction, I decided to read this one first as the Bess Crawford series is one of my favorites...and this book has been on my TBR list for far too long :) As was the case with the first five books in the series, this tale was complex and kept me guessing until the very end. Fans of Simon Brandon will be happy to see him play a prominent role in this offering as he works closely with Bess to solve the mystery. While she is back in London on leave, Bess receives a unusual request from the War Office. She is asked to accompany a severely wounded soldier who she has never met or nursed, to Buckingham Palace, where he is to be decorated for gallantry by the king himself. Of course, Bess agrees but her charge disappears and suspicions abound about the role Bess played in his disappearance. The Army and Nursing Service both blame her for losing the war hero and she is forbidden from returning to France as punishment. The missing Sergeant Jason Wilkins is considered a deserter by the Army, and, even more troubling, a possible murderer. Bess is questioned by Scotland Yard when Wilkins is suspected of killing a man in cold blood shortly after he disappears from London. Bess must clear her name by proving she was not Wilkins's accomplice, willing or otherwise. She teams up with Simon to track down the missing man and, of course, gets a critical assist from her father. Their mission takes them throughout numerous villages in the north where the locals seem reluctant to help these outsiders or reveal secrets that may help solve the mystery. It also highlights realistic war-time issues and explores what happens when soldiers bring their battlefield experiences home. I'm looking forward to the next book (due out this summer!) and plan to check out [b:Hunting Shadows|18090079|Hunting Shadows (Inspector Ian Rutledge, #16)|Charles Todd|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1415393919s/18090079.jpg|25337665], the other 2014 Agatha nominee by Charles Todd, soon for comparison!