Set in Northhamptonshire after WWI, this author vividly brings to life the lingering effects of trench warfare and poison gas attacks. The story doesn't let these horrors fade away quietly. For years, their impact continues to haunt the characters.

It all begins in the winter of 1919, in Frith Wood near the small village of Dudlington, not far from Hertford and Peterborough. These woods have a dark history, with ancient Saxons once beheading scores of men there. Just three years ago, a girl vanished without a trace. As Constable Hensley bikes past the woods on his way to town, he senses someone watching him.

Celebrating at Maryanne Browning's New Year's Eve party in 1920, someone suggests a séance, which terrifies the haunted Inspector Rutledge. Saved by a call from the Yard, he leaves the party only to find a brass Maxim machine gun cartridge casing on the Browning's pavement, similar to those he saw on the battlefield. It wasn't there when he arrived.

Soon, more cartridges start to appear, deliberately placed where Rutledge is sure to find them. Unexpectedly called away from London to the small Northamptonshire village, he investigates the strange case of a local constable shot in Frith Wood, with an arrow in his back.

The characters in this story are diverse and complex. Hamish, the ghost who haunts Rutledge, is a recurring presence in his head. Ian meets Meridith Channing at the New Year party and is both attracted to her and discomfited by her perception. He is still half in love with Elizabeth Fraser from a previous book. Meredith, in turn, is attracted to Ian but senses his inner turmoil.

Ian's sister Frances and family friend Melinda in Kent add a touch of warmth and familiarity. Chief Superintendent Bowles, on the other hand, is despised and in need of retirement. Sergeant Gibson at the Yard helps Ian by gathering information and shares his dislike of Bowles.

The Harkness family, who own the land near Dudlington, are an interesting bunch. Mrs. Mary Ellison, the last Harkness, is a cold and snobby widow. The Baylor brothers, Ted and Joel, have their own set of problems. Ted loves Barbara Melford but feels duty-bound to take care of his dying brother Joel.

There are also many other characters, each with their own secrets and motives. The vanished girl, Emma Mason, adds an air of mystery to the story. As Rutledge delves deeper into the case, he uncovers a web of lies and deceit that will test his skills as an inspector.

Overall, this is a captivating and engaging story that combines elements of mystery, history, and romance. The author does a great job of creating a vivid and atmospheric setting, and the characters are well-developed and believable. If you're a fan of historical mysteries, this book is definitely worth a read.

This is the 8th novel in a captivating series that centers around Inspector Ian Rutledge.

Presenting some difficulty, especially for a first-timer like me, is having to deal with a large number of characters who are all new. However, readers of the series will face less of a challenge as many of the names here will already be familiar.

In 1919, the inspector is set to testify in a case in Hertford. He starts to come across machine gun shell casings with carved patterns, first one, then two, and finally three. The third one is accompanied by a gunshot through the windshield of the car he is driving. Is he being warned not to testify? Or is there something more sinister going on? In another town, a constable who has been conducting some investigations in a spooky local woods is shot in the back with an arrow, narrowly escaping death.

Todd gives us a taste of the era. Rutledge suffers from shell shock, what we would now call post-traumatic stress disorder. He is haunted by the image of a young man he killed in the field to spare him further suffering. A soldier at a social gathering is missing a limb. (The parallels to contemporary times are impossible to ignore). There is also an occult fad in the land, exemplified by Mrs Meredith Channing, who is said to be able to raise spirits.

There are numerous characters. I admit I found it a challenge to keep them all straight, but it was still a fun read. This may not be everyone's idea of literature, but it was enjoyable, light, and entertaining. It has made me eager to read more books in the series. It's a great book to read while sitting in the backyard of one's Cotswolds cottage on a spring day.

I truly love Inspector Rutledge!

His character has touched my heart deeply. I feel an overwhelming sense of pity for him. He has endured so much, and all I wish for him is to find that elusive peace within himself and to encounter a woman who can truly love him for who he is.

However, there is a bittersweet aspect to this. The moment he finally achieves peace and Hamish, that constant companion in his mind, is gone, it seems highly likely that the series will come to an end.

And this thought fills me with a sense of uncertainty. I'm not entirely sure if I'm ready to say goodbye to this captivating character and the stories that have enthralled me.

On one hand, I long for Rutledge's happiness and resolution, but on the other, I'm reluctant to let go of the world that has been created around him.

It's a complex emotion that leaves me torn between my desire for his well-being and my attachment to the series.

All of the books penned by Charles Todd offer a truly pleasant reading experience. They are filled with nice and accurate tie-ins to the post World War I period in England.

The main character, Inspector Rutledge, along with others who survived the war, faces the transitional difficulties to civilian life. Rutledge's transition is especially arduous as he has no visible wounds but endures what is now recognized as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

In this specific installment, the author (who is actually a mother-son writing team) once again makes the post World War I era a substantive part of the mystery. There are two distinct threads in the story. One is the mystery of who is stalking the Inspector. The other is the main story which involves the attack on the local Inspector, a long-missing teenager, and the mystery of Firth's Woods.

If you have a penchant for 20th century accurate historical fiction as well as mysteries, then this series is bound to be enjoyable for you.

Whenever I pick up a Charles Todd novel, I am invariably filled with delight at the remarkable depth and breadth of the writing. This particular book is astonishing in its complexity, even when compared to other Todd novels. When Ian Rutledge is dispatched to a small village to look into the shooting by bow and arrow of the village constable, Hensley, he is initially taken aback. His mercurial supervisor, Bowles, informs him that Hensley was a good man and insists that the shooter be found and punished. Rutledge can't help but wonder why this case is of such great importance.

Upon arriving in the village, Rutledge discovers that there is far more to the story than meets the eye. A young girl had vanished two years prior. Some in the village suspect that Hensley was responsible for the young woman's death, while others believe she went to London in search of her mother, who had disappeared years ago. Meanwhile, Rutledge keeps finding shell casings left for him. Then, someone takes a shot at him, but it seems more like a warning shot. To be honest, this book takes so many twists and turns, with numerous red herrings thrown in, that it truly keeps the reader guessing. I'm not ashamed to admit that I wasn't anticipating the ending. This is indeed a terrific book.

Yet another well-crafted mystery by Charles Todd.

Ian Rutledge has to be one of my most favorite detectives. His complex character, haunted by the memories of the war and the voice of Hamish in his head, adds a unique depth to the stories.

And Hamish, too! He is not just a figment of Rutledge's imagination but a constant companion, offering his own insights and perspectives.

Todd's writing is masterful, drawing the reader in and keeping them on the edge of their seats until the very end. The settings are vividly described, making it easy to picture the Scottish countryside or the busy streets of London.

Each mystery is carefully constructed, with plenty of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing. I highly recommend this series to anyone who loves a good mystery.

Whether you are a fan of historical fiction or just looking for a great read, Charles Todd's Ian Rutledge mysteries are sure to satisfy.

This is the first installment of the Inspector Ian Rutledge books that I have had the pleasure of reading. While I did like it, I have a sneaking suspicion that I would have benefited from reading the ones that came before it. This would have provided me with a more comprehensive understanding of the main character.

Throughout the book, Inspector Ian Rutledge is haunted by his experiences in the trenches during WWI. He frequently engages in conversations with the spirit of Hamish, who I assume was his batman and who met his untimely end in that war. The circumstances surrounding Hamish's death are somewhat模糊 and seem to be, in some way, Rutledge's fault. This may have been clarified in the earlier books.

Putting that aside, the story is very well crafted. Rutledge discovers an engraved cartridge casing that is identical to the ones he saw during the war. As more of these cartridges start to appear, he begins to wonder if he is being stalked. He is then dispatched to an isolated village to investigate the shooting of a constable with an arrow (!), and soon finds himself embroiled in a web of mystery and intrigue that is far more complex than he initially anticipated. And to add to the confusion, the cartridges continue to show up. There are multiple plots within the story, all of which are neatly tied together in the end. It was an enjoyable read, although at times it did leave me scratching my head.

This one I rather liked. I thought it was well told.

Rutledge is isolated, but not entirely. The small village with its claustrophobia and the otherworldliness of Firth Wood added an interesting touch. I liked how Frances, his sister, was well-used in the story.

Some of the sub-plots were actually resolved in the novel, which was a pleasant surprise. I also quite liked Mrs. Channing as a potential friend and an incredibly intuitive observer. She was an interesting character.

Moreover, I gathered that it was very possible to skip book 7 once you got past the first couple of chapters. This might be useful information for readers who want to streamline their reading experience.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read with its engaging characters and well-developed plot. I would recommend it to others who are interested in this genre.

Well done! You have achieved a great result.

This accomplishment is a testament to your hard work, dedication, and perseverance.

It shows that you have the ability to set goals and work towards them with determination.

Your efforts have paid off, and you should be proud of what you have achieved.

This success will not only boost your confidence but also open up new opportunities for you.

Keep up the good work and continue to strive for excellence in all that you do.

Remember, every achievement is a step towards greater things, and you are on the right path.

Well done again, and may you have many more successes in the future.

Eighth in the series, this detective mystery kicks off at a New Year's Eve seance in London in December 1919.

It then leads Inspector Ian Rutledge of Scotland Yard to a charming village in Northampton. Here, a former Scotland Yard employee has been fatally shot in the back with an arrow in a reputedly haunted stretch of woods.

The well-incorporated Gothic elements include an imposing bell tower in the parish church, a mysterious woman who appears to have second sight, and a missing village beauty.

Rutledge himself is being hounded by an unknown tormentor who continuously leaves clues, indicating that he is playing with the detective before ultimately eliminating him.

As more and more villagers fall victim to suspicious and deadly accidents, the story builds up to a frenzied conclusion.

This installment is stronger than the previous one, with an ending that left me eager to read on.

It keeps the reader on the edge of their seat throughout, with its blend of mystery, Gothic atmosphere, and engaging characters.

The plot twists and turns, making it difficult to predict what will happen next.

Overall, it's a captivating detective mystery that fans of the genre are sure to enjoy.

Perhaps someone other than me can explain how a story that has very little action, populated by post WW I Brits, and whose protagonist carries someone he was forced to execute in his head can transfix me from start to finish. Must be the writing, right?

The irony is that the author(s), a mother and son team are Americans and live in different cities. Must be empathy and telepathy, right?

Whatever it is, they authored an outstanding mystery in this volume, the 8th in the Inspector Rutledge Series. Rutledge is dispatched by his enemy, Superintendent Bowles, to investigate the wounding by an arrow of Constable Hensley, an ex-London Bobbie, now posted to Dudlington, a very small village North of London. As he works the case, he uncovers a number of unsolved disappearances that only he sees as possibly connected to Hensley's attack in the Firth Forest, a forbidding thicket outside of town, usually avoided by the locals.

Eventually, we meet most of the people in the town. Almost all of them resent Rutledge's very presence, let alone his inquiries. However, the characterizations are very well done. Not everyone dislikes Rutledge. He befriends the local Doctor and Rector and gets on well with Hensley's superiors.

There is also a sub-plot involving the mysterious appearance of Maxim machine gun cartridges and Rutledge's feeling he is being shadowed.

In the end, Rutledge solves the mystery in a surprising conclusion and finds the guilty party in the disappearances. He also finally meets the person who's been leaving the cartridges as he is winding up the Hensley case and the disappearances.

The finale is complicated but satisfying. I can hardly wait to get to volume 9. It seems that every page of this book is filled with anticipation and mystery, making it a truly engaging read. The authors have managed to create a vivid world of post WW I Britain, with its complex characters and hidden secrets. The way Rutledge navigates through this web of mystery is both thrilling and captivating. I highly recommend this series to anyone who loves a good mystery.

Ian Rutledge is an incredibly captivating character. He vividly brings all the intense emotions and the horrors of WWI into his post-war occupation. After returning to his position at Scotland Yard, he delves into the investigation of murders. The profound impact of the war is palpable throughout the novel, as it is expressed through the voice of Hamish McCleod, a dear friend and fellow soldier who was lost in the war and yet still aids him in his investigations.

In this specific story, there are two perplexing mysteries that demand to be solved. Firstly, who is the person stalking Rutledge? Secondly, what exactly happened to the missing teenager who vanished without a trace? The locals firmly believe that she is buried in Firth's Woods, a dense, depressingly thick, and dark area that people shy away from due to tales of ghost hauntings. In truth, the Inspector has been dispatched to look into an attack on another policeman who was critically injured in the woods. However, he has a hunch that the cold case regarding the missing girl might be intricately connected to it. Therefore, Rutledge must not only uncover who attempted to kill the policeman but also determine what became of the missing girl and who is stalking him. In essence, Rutledge finds himself embroiled in a most intricate situation that gradually unfolds layer by layer as his investigation progresses.