A Matter of Justice: An Inspector Ian Rutledge Mystery (Inspector Ian Rutledge Mysteries, 11)

From Publishers Weekly Starred Review. In the stellar 11th Insp. Ian Rutledge mystery (after 2007's A Pale Horse ), Todd (the pseudonym of a mother-son writing team) seamlessly combines a fair-play whodunit with a nuanced look into the heart of darkness in the human soul. During the Boer War, Pvt. Harold Quarles takes advantage of a Boer attack on a British military train to enrich himself. When two decades later his battered corpse is found grotesquely displayed at his country residence in Somerset, Scotland Yard's Ian Rutledge must sift through the plethora of lies, omissions and motives surrounding Quarles, who had become a successful investment adviser in London. Because the victim was almost universally despised in Somerset, Rutledge has no shortage of suspects. The inspector's own inner struggles, stemming from his guilt over his morally questionable actions during WWI, make him a more human and complicated protagonist than most other series sleuths. (Jan.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From Bookmarks Magazine Any good historical novel steeps its reader in the details of a period. But Charles Todd does it with a passion—and through a narrator uniquely qualified to understand human nature—that brings fresh possibilities to the genre. Todd writes with atmospheric charm and a dark psychological edge that makes Rutledge one of crime writing's most compelling recurring characters. Especially intriguing is Rutledge's own coming to terms with his guilt over actions committed in World War I. "Finding a way back had somehow seemed to be a final betrayal," he thinks in A Matter of Justice , as he again questions his own survival. The success of the series hinges on both clever plotting and the nuance with which the authors continue to develop their character.Copyright 2009 Bookmarks Publishing LLC From Booklist Still plagued by memories of the Great War, angst-ridden Scotland Yard inspector Ian Rutledge (along withxa0his conscience and sounding board, the ghost Hamish), returns in a new historical mystery that findsxa0himxa0traveling toxa0a country estate in Somerset.xa0His task:xa0 investigate the murder of a man well known and respected by the London business community, butxa0universallyxa0disliked by thexa0country townsfolkxa0who know him.xa0Pressured by his superior to solve the brutal crime, Rutledgexa0wastes no time digging into the victim’s character. He finds abundant reasonsxa0why people wantxa0the manxa0dead, as well as axa0few people who are surprisingly eager to take the blame.xa0The problem is that Rutledgexa0wantsxa0more than strong emotion. He wants facts,xa0and those don’t come on a timetable. Memories of Rutledge’s traumatic wartime experiences add texture to this character-driven novel, which pivots on greed, shame, anger, andxa0the quest for vengeance.xa0Readers need not be familiar with Rutledge’s previous adventures to appreciate this one, another smoothly constructed, literaryxa0endeavor put togetherxa0by a mother-and-son writing team. --Stephanie Zvirin “There’s no end to war in Charles Todd’s unnervingly beautiful historical novels....Here the mother and son who write under the name Charles Todd get it all right.” — New York Times Book Review “What has distinguished the Rutledge series from other historical crime fiction is that it often transcends the whodunit formula with its concerns about the morality of war and the terrible toll it took on the British nation.” — Pittsburgh Post-Gazette “In the stellar 11th Insp. Ian Rutledge mystery, Todd seamlessly combines a fair-play whodunit with a nuanced look into the heart of darkness in the human soul.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review) “A wonderfully plotted mystery will keep you engrossed and guessing right up to the end....This terrific read will please longtime fans and those new to the series.” — Romantic Times “Another triumph...This is a historical mystery that should be used as a guide on how to do it right. Intriguing and complex, this is a superbly rich novel and a real treat for mystery fans.” — Crime Spree magazine “Smoothly constructed.” — Booklist “With its typically intricate plotting, detailed characterizations, and red herrings, this is a compelling addition to the popular Ian Rutledge series.” — Library Journal “The plot is as complicated as any that Agatha Christie contrived, with characters as dark and complex as any of P. D. James’....Just the ticket.” — Wilmington Star News “This series makes the anguish of the First World War and its scarred veterans as fresh as our own. Lovers of the British cozy will enjoy the range of settings, from cottage gardens to the remote Scilly Isles to fine country estates.” — Charlotte Observer “A sharp look at a country recovering from the devastation of war. Although it is set in the early 20th century, Todd’s novels are timeless.” — South Florida Sun Sentinel “Charles Todd hasn’t made a misstep yet in his elegant series featuring Scotland Yard detective Ian Rutledge, and A Matter of Justice keeps the streak going.” — Cleveland Plain Dealer “[A] complex British-style police procedural that explores the intersection of justice and vengeance served up cold. It’s especially recommended for readers who relish P. D. James’s Adam Dalgliesh mysteries.” — Boston Globe “Few people writing today are as deft as Todd at creating historical fiction....A Matter of Justice is an intricately plotted mystery dealing with the lingering effects of yet another war.” — Winston-Salem Journal “Complicated, thoughtful, atmospheric historical mysteries of small-town England, as richly flavored as Guinness Stout.” — Sullivan County Democrat “Literate and wise, A Matter of Justice combines a plot worthy of Christie with characterization reminiscent of [P. D.] James and a profound melancholy that channels [Ruth] Rendell....The discerning reader with find not only intellectual stimulation but also moral enlightenment.” — Richmond Times-Dispatch “A compelling book, as Charles Todd’s books always are. It seizes the reader’s interest at the very first page and keeps it until the end.” — Mystery News The superb new entry in the historical series the New York Times Book Review hails as "outstanding" and the Cleveland Plain Dealer calls "superb" At the turn of the century, in a war taking place far from England, two soldiers chance upon an opportunity that will change their lives forever. To take advantage of it, they will be required to do the unthinkable, and then to put the past behind them. But not all memories are so short. Twenty years later, a successful London busi-nessman is found savagely and bizarrely murdered in a medieval tithe barn on his estate in Somerset. Called upon to investigate, Scotland Yard inspector Ian Rutledge soon discovers that the victim was universally despised. Even the man's wife—who appears to be his wife in name only—and the town's police inspector are suspect. But who, among the many, hated him enough to kill? Rutledge tenaciously follows a well-concealed trail reaching back to an act so barbarous and with consequences so devastating that even the innocent are enveloped by the murderous tide of events. As he summons all his skills to break through a wall of silence in time to stem this tide, others are eager to twist the truth for their own ends. When justice takes a malevolent turn, can Rutledge's own career survive? Charles Todd is the New York Times bestselling author of the Inspector Ian Rutledge mysteries, the Bess Crawford mysteries, and two stand-alone novels. A mother-and-son writing team, Caroline passed away in August 2021 and Charles lives in Florida. Read more