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A review by laurenjodi
The Shattered Tree by Charles Todd
3.0
The Shattered Tree
3 Stars
WWI nurse Bess Crawford grows suspicious when a delirious French officer brought in to the aid station begins speaking in German. The simple explanation is that he is from the Alsace-Lorraine region, but Bess decides to investigate nonetheless, and uncovers a decades-old murder mystery.
Similar plot to A Question of Honor only this time there is no personal or professional reason for Bess's insistence on trying to ferret out the identity of the mysterious French officer. Thus, she spends much of the book interfering in matters that do not concern her and comes across as an insensitive, meddlesome and annoying busybody.
Simon Brandon is also sorely missing from the storyline aside from a couple of scenes, so there is once again no development in his relationship with Bess. Instead, readers are "rewarded" with the patronizing Captain Barclay who believes women should know there place and remain in it.
The mystery itself had potential, but there are so many strange coincidences and convoluted assumptions that it is easy to get lost. Moreover, the killer is both patently obvious but also impossible to figure out as her has adopted an assumed name.
Overall, not one of the best in the series.
3 Stars
WWI nurse Bess Crawford grows suspicious when a delirious French officer brought in to the aid station begins speaking in German. The simple explanation is that he is from the Alsace-Lorraine region, but Bess decides to investigate nonetheless, and uncovers a decades-old murder mystery.
Similar plot to A Question of Honor only this time there is no personal or professional reason for Bess's insistence on trying to ferret out the identity of the mysterious French officer. Thus, she spends much of the book interfering in matters that do not concern her and comes across as an insensitive, meddlesome and annoying busybody.
Simon Brandon is also sorely missing from the storyline aside from a couple of scenes, so there is once again no development in his relationship with Bess. Instead, readers are "rewarded" with the patronizing Captain Barclay who believes women should know there place and remain in it.
The mystery itself had potential, but there are so many strange coincidences and convoluted assumptions that it is easy to get lost. Moreover, the killer is both patently obvious but also impossible to figure out as her has adopted an assumed name.
Overall, not one of the best in the series.