If you haven’t heard of Charles Todd then you have probably been living under a rock for quite some time. Charles Todd is the pen name for the impressive mother/son writers responsible for the Bess Crawford and Ian Rutledge mystery series! There are 12 books currently in the Bess Crawford series and A Fatal Lie is the 23rd in the Inspector Ian Rutledge series!
While I have heard of Charles Todd, I have not read any of the books in either series. It’s one of those things where there are so many books in both of these beloved series that the thought of going back and reading so many books to get caught up in the series seems daunting. Though I suppose an argument could be made that when series are this established they often focus on the mystery. But still I when possible I like getting the full series experience.
I know that Charles Todd is a favorite among many historical mystery fans and today I am featuring this latest novel in the Inspector Ian Rutledge series and I have to admit, I am so interested in this one. I love the setting (a Welsh village) and it sounds like a good old fashion detective novel so check it out, it’s out now!
Summary
In one of his most puzzling cases, Scotland Yard Inspector Ian Rutledge must delve deep into a dead man’s life and his past to find a killer determined to keep dark secrets buried.
A peaceful Welsh village is thrown into turmoil when a terrified boy stumbles on a body in a nearby river. The man appears to have fallen from the canal aqueduct spanning the valley. But there is no identification on the body, he isn’t a local, and no one will admit to having seen him before. With little to go on, the village police turn to Scotland Yard for help.
When Inspector Ian Rutledge is sent from London to find answers, he is given few clues—a faded military tattoo on the victim’s arm and an unusual label in the collar of his shirt. They eventually lead him to the victim’s identity: Sam Milford. By all accounts, he was a good man and well-respected. Then, why is his death so mysterious? Looking for the truth, Rutledge uncovers a web of lies swirling around a suicidal woman, a child’s tragic fate, another woman bent on protecting her past. But where among all the lies is the motive for murder?
To track a killer, Rutledge must retrace Milford’s last journey. Yet death seems to stalk his every move, and the truth seems to shift at every turn. Man or woman, this murderer stays in the shadows, and it will take desperate measures to lure him—or her—into the light. (summary from Goodreads).
The Lit Bitch 