Charles Todd’s latest Inspector Ian Rutledge novel is A Christmas Witness. You can order it as a gift for yourself or someone else through The Poisoned Pen’s Webstore. https://bit.ly/3IYxD4W Release date is Oct. 21.
Cogdill’s review first appeared in the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
Book review: Return of detective Ian Rutledge in ‘A Christmas Witness’ is an early holiday gift
‘A Christmas Witness’ by Charles Todd; Mysterious Press; 216 pages; $23.99
Charles Todd presents an early holiday gift with “A Christmas Witness,” his latest Ian Rutledge novella.
Todd penned the first 25 Ian novels with his mother, Caroline. Written under the name Charles Todd and normally published annually, the duo’s books gave readers a glimpse of the trauma of World War I as seen by Ian, who after the war became a Scotland Yard detective. The series was paused when Caroline Todd passed away in 2021. (The co-authors’ second series about WWI nurse Bess Crawford also was paused.)
“A Christmas Witness” reestablishes the Rutledge series. Todd sets his story in 1921 and fills it with evocative scenery, a look at the change in British culture that WWI brought, and realistic characters.
“A Christmas Witness” finds Ian recently promoted to chief inspector. Still getting used to the new position, the detective will soon be moving into his new office. He’s planning to spend the Christmas holidays with his sister and her husband. But despite these plans, Ian is acutely aware of how alone, and lonely, he is. Ian also continues to struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or being shell-shocked, as it was called in the early part of the 20th century. He must continue to keep this secret because it is considered cowardice to admit this.
Because he is one of the few single men in the department, Ian is asked to travel to Kent to investigate Lord Braxton’s claim that a horse and rider tried to run him down, leaving him with a brain injury. WWI always will prey on Ian’s mind and Lord Braxton’s service as a high-ranking colonel in the war enters the investigation as the lord is convinced that someone will kill him before Christmas Day.
“A Christmas Witness” works as a solid police procedural and an emotional homage to Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” Todd’s skill at returning to his perennial character without missing a beat adds to the strong plot of “A Christmas Witness.” It’s good to have this established character back.