by Charles Todd
Part of Inspector Ian Rutledge, book 25
First published 2026
July 1921. A heatwave grips England as Inspector Ian Rutledge arrives on Northumberland's coast to investigate a corpse that has washed ashore near Lindisfarne. The Holy Island draws hundreds of pilgrims to the sacred sites of Saints Cuthbert and Aiden, Christianity's founders in England. Both the government and Church of England want this murder solved quickly to protect their reputations. Rutledge finds himself caught between two fishing villages still bearing scars from German naval bombardment during the war. Local animosity toward Germany remains fierce. The constabulary is reorganizing into a countywide force while local militias retain significant authority. The newly promoted Rutledge must navigate suspicious locals who distrust outsiders. As he works to unravel the puzzling case, he confronts his own psychological wounds from his wartime service. The investigation becomes one of his most difficult challenges yet.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: atmospheric, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, psychological-trauma
Setting: Lindisfarne, Northumberland
Period: 1921
368 pages · Hardcover · The Mysterious Press
Content warnings: war