Legacy of the Dead

Another excellent mystery from Charles Todd. Rutledge is packed off to Scotland to investigate the connection between a skeleton found in the mountains and the disappearance of a wealthy socialite three years earlier. The Lowlands are Hamish's turf, however, and Rutledge has to contend with the ghosts of two men while working hard to untangle the secrets and lies of a small Scottish town.

This is one of the best books in the series so far - the mystery is skilfully plotted, merging two cases with only a tenuous connection, and the characters really come to life. Rutledge visits his godfather for the first time since the war, providing further insight into his past, and the woman at the centre of the murder mystery is none other than show more Hamish's beloved fiancee, Fiona! Todd handles the clash of imagination, or memory, and reality well - 'Hamish', as he now exists in the detective's mind, can only share with Rutledge what personal details he told his commanding officer before he died. He only exists as Rutledge's post-war conscience, a constant reminder of the trauma he suffered, and not as a supernatural presence. Rutledge's anguish is his own, but his feelings for Fiona are driven by his debt to Hamish.

I can't repeat often enough how beautifully and accurately written these books are - time and place are evinced in subtle detail, transporting the reader back in time to post-war Britain. The temptation to romanticise the past, or paint a pastoral picture of village life, is tempered by harsh reality. Todd writes from the perspective of his characters, not Baedecker's Guide to Great Britain: 'There always seemed to more sky in Scotland than in England, a different sky. Vast and empty, as if God weren't at home'. His prose is evocative, not mawkish.

There are a couple of slightly frustrating loose ends - what becomes of the devoted police constable, who is one of my favourite secondary characters in these novels, and how will the outcome of the case impact Rutledge's own family? Hopefully the second question will be answered in one of the following Inspector Rutledge mysteries! show less

Another good story in this excellent "tween the wars" mystery series. The Todds continue to mine that inexhaustible wealth of angst that was World War 1. Once more, Rutledge is sent on a likely futile quest into the hinterlands. This search is confounded by the presence of his dead corporal's fiance and the young child in her care. Much small town bigotry and intolerance create an almost insurmountable environment for seeking the truth. The inspector's sheer bloodymindedness prevails and results in a deadly final confrontation.

Argh! I'm opening with a small spoiler, so beware.
Book 4 in this series leaves the reader hanging off the edge of the cliff, with no closure regarding the cast of characters, though obviously Rutledge continues, since the series name is indicative, being published nearly every (if not every) year since the beginning.

I was thoroughly engaged from the get-go and read well into the wee hours over two nights to finish. The main characters and the supporting participants were marvellously well-drawn. Yet in the end, it was not a 4-star plot; overall the book earned a 3½ star rating. The plot suffered from too much dithering around including transparent efforts to muddy the investigative thread with side trips and spurious red herrings.

I am show more planning to read the next instalment (Book 5), so that's certainly a recommendation, if you were looking for a vintage mystery. Do take note, I started at Book 13, and then skipped back only as far as Book 4. I do not fancy wallowing in the anticipated misery, both socially and in military conflicts, which reportedly make up the stories in the first 3 books. show less

The fourth novel in the Scotland Yard Inspector Ian Rutledge series sends him to determine if the missing daughter of a courtesan of the King is dead. Having read most of this series, I finally made my way back to number four. I think it is the most referenced episode in all the subsequent books. It has a nice balance of characters and mystery with lots of conflicting interests in play. The aftermath of the war plays a part of its own.

Ian Rutledge is again sent out of London to the countryside, this time to southern Scotland, where he dreads to be. A woman is presumed to be dead, and also presumed to be the mother of a young boy in a town riven with rumor and hate, and the boy's known mother is arrested for the death. Rutledge is sent to find the proof that the first woman is indeed dead, but the identity of the accused is a shock. It takes a while to unwind, and some of the resulting reveal is rather blatantly telegraphed, but I didn't have a clue to the perpetrator or the true identity of the boy's mother until the final chapter.

I am really enjoying the Insp. Rutledge series of murder mysteries by Charles Todd. This one peels back more layers of the main characters - Rutledge and the ghost of Hamish, the soldier he had executed at the Front. Some new characters with very close ties to the Insp. and Hamish are introduced. His Chief - Supt. Bowles - is still out to get rid of him. Another murder - this time in Scotland - and he's trying to figure out how the murder suspect even knew the victim (she claims she has no idea who the woman is)and he's not certain that the corpse is who the local police think she is. The mother of the "victim" is a prominent member of English society and quite hostile to the police but reluctantly expects Rutledge to find out what show more happened to her missing daughter. Plenty of hostile local folk who, for some reason that no one is willing to disclose, want the suspect hung. I didn't want to put this one down.... show less

Just finished this one so it is fresh in my memory. Set in Scotland this time, very quaint small village, a bit claustrophobic but fascinating plot with complex characters. Highly enjoyable except for the abrupt ending, no wrap-up. Too abrupt ending for my taste but still very recommendable.