by Charles Todd
First published 2012
Spring 1918 brings double devastation to the French front. The Spanish flu epidemic kills millions while wounded soldiers pour in from battle. Battlefield nurse Bess Crawford treats both war casualties and influenza patients when she makes a grim discovery. Hidden among bodies awaiting burial lies a murdered British officer. The victim served in her father's former regiment and was a family friend. Before Bess can report the crime, she falls victim to the flu herself. During her recovery, the murdered officer gets buried and the only other witness apparently hangs himself. Bess suspects this second death was also murder. Using her father's military connections, she gathers fragments of evidence to identify the killer. The investigation grows dangerous as the murderer realizes Bess poses a threat. She must stay alert while pursuing justice, knowing that one wrong step could make her the next victim.
Genres: historical-fiction, mystery, thriller, world-war-i
Vibes: atmospheric, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, investigation
Setting: France
Period: Spring 1918
272 pages · Paperback · William Morrow
Content warnings: death, murder, war