A Matter of Justice
By Charles Todd
(Harper Paperbacks, Paperback, 9780061233609, 352pp.)
Publication Date: November 19, 2009
Other Editions of This Title: eBook
Categories: Mystery & Detective - Police Procedural, Mystery & Detective - Historical
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At the start of a new century, in a war far away from England, two British soldiers see a golden opportunity . . . and do the unthinkable to take advantage of it.
Twenty years later, a successful though much despised London businessman is found savagely and bizarrely murdered in a medieval tithe barn on his estate in Somerset. For Scotland Yard inspector Ian Rutledge, a man still shaken by the Great War's deafening echoes, the well-concealed trail he must now follow is leading back to an event so monumentally barbarous that its consequences envelop even the innocent. And when justice takes a malevolent turn, one haunted policeman must stand alone against the onrushing tide.
Charles Todd is the author of eleven Ian Rutledge mysteries, the first Bess Crawford mystery, and one stand-alone novel. A mother-and-son writing team, they live in Delaware and North Carolina, respectively.
"There's no end to war in Charles Todd's unnervingly beautiful historical novels....Here the mother and son who write under the name Charles Todd get it all right."
-New York Times Book Review
"Complicated, thoughtful, atmospheric historical mysteries of small-town England, as richly flavored as Guinness Stout."
-Sullivan County Democrat
"What has distinguished the Rutledge series from other historical crime fiction is that it often transcends the whodunit formula with its concerns about the morality of war and the terrible toll it took on the British nation."
-Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
"A sharp look at a country recovering from the devastation of war. Although it is set in the early 20th century, Todd's novels are timeless."
-South Florida Sun Sentinel
"The plot is as complicated as any that Agatha Christie contrived, with characters as dark and complex as any of P. D. James'....Just the ticket."
-Wilmington Star News
"Few people writing today are as deft as Todd at creating historical fiction....A Matter of Justice is an intricately plotted mystery dealing with the lingering effects of yet another war."
-Winston-Salem Journal
"Literate and wise, A Matter of Justice combines a plot worthy of Christie with characterization reminiscent of [P. D.] James and a profound melancholy that channels [Ruth] Rendell....The discerning reader with find not only intellectual stimulation but also moral enlightenment."
-Richmond Times-Dispatch
"Smoothly constructed."
-Booklist
"A wonderfully plotted mystery will keep you engrossed and guessing right up to the end....This terrific read will please longtime fans and those new to the series."
-Romantic Times
"Another triumph...This is a historical mystery that should be used as a guide on how to do it right. Intriguing and complex, this is a superbly rich novel and a real treat for mystery fans."
-Crime Spree magazine
"This series makes the anguish of the First World War and its scarred veterans as fresh as our own. Lovers of the British cozy will enjoy the range of settings, from cottage gardens to the remote Scilly Isles to fine country estates."
-Charlotte Observer
"Charles Todd hasn't made a misstep yet in his elegant series featuring Scotland Yard detective Ian Rutledge, and A Matter of Justice keeps the streak going."
-Cleveland Plain Dealer
"With its typically intricate plotting, detailed characterizations, and red herrings, this is a compelling addition to the popular Ian Rutledge series."
-Library Journal
"[A] complex British-style police procedural that explores the intersection of justice and vengeance served up cold. It's especially recommended for readers who relish P. D. James's Adam Dalgliesh mysteries."
-Boston Globe
"In the stellar 11th Insp. Ian Rutledge mystery, Todd seamlessly combines a fair-play whodunit with a nuanced look into the heart of darkness in the human soul."
-Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"A compelling book, as Charles Todd's books always are. It seizes the reader's interest at the very first page and keeps it until the end."
-Mystery News
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