by Charles Todd
Part of Inspector Ian Rutledge, book 23
First published 2021
A frightened boy discovers a body floating in a Welsh river. The dead man appears to have fallen from the canal aqueduct above, but carries no identification. No villager recognizes him. Local police call Scotland Yard for assistance. Inspector Ian Rutledge arrives from London with only two clues: a faded military tattoo and a clothing label. These lead him to identify the victim as Sam Milford, a respected man with no obvious enemies. Rutledge digs into Milford's final days, uncovering deceptions involving a suicidal woman, a child's death, and another woman hiding her history. The inspector must follow Milford's last movements to find his killer. Death follows Rutledge's investigation at every step. The truth changes with each revelation. The murderer remains hidden, forcing Rutledge to take dangerous risks to expose them.
Genres: historical-fiction, suspense, mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: atmospheric, dark, suspenseful
Tropes: amateur-detective, hidden-identity, investigation
Setting: Scotland Yard, Wales
Period: 20th-century
352 pages · Hardcover · William Morrow