by Charles Todd
Part of Inspector Ian Rutledge, book 17
First published 2015
June 1914. Inspector Ian Rutledge prepares to propose to the woman he loves, though his family and friends question whether she suits a policeman's life. In Scotland, Hamish MacLeod asks his own beloved to marry him. Back in England, a grieving son unearths an old injustice that sparks a chain of killings. The victims are respected citizens, well regarded in their communities. Local police resist cooperating with the London detective, harboring their own theories about who committed the crimes. War threatens Europe as Rutledge investigates, discovering connections that link the murders in disturbing ways. Time runs short as he works to correct an ancient wrong. His pursuit will demand impossible choices between Scotland Yard and military service, between the woman he loves and his obligations, between what honor demands and what truth reveals.
Genres: historical-fiction, 20th-century, mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: atmospheric, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, enemies-to-lovers, war-time
Setting: England, Scotland
Period: June 1914
358 pages · Hardcover · William Morrow