Description: "An excellent new mystery, and one hopes, the first of a series", raves "The Chicago Tribune" about this "New York Times" Notable Book. In 1919, Scotland Yard Inspector Ian Rutledge remains haunted by World War I, where he was forced to have a soldier executed for refusing to fight. When Rutledge is assigned to investigate a murder involving the military, his emotional war wounds flare. It is a case that strikes dangerously close to home--one that will test Rutledge's precarious grip on his own sanity. A "Publishers Weekly" Best Book selection. Martin's Press.
Brief description:
Charles Todd is the New York Times bestselling author of the Inspector Ian Rutledge mysteries, the Bess Crawford mysteries, and two stand-alone novels. A mother-and-son writing team, Caroline passed away in August 2021 and Charles lives in Florida.
Review Quotes:
"Remarkable." - Chicago Tribune
"Remarkable...Todd, an American, seems to have perfect pitch in his ability to capture the tenor and nuances of English country life." - Kansas City Star
"You're going to love Todd." - Stephen King, Entertainment Weekly
"Most 'Golden Age' detective novelists wrote as if the First World War hadn't happened. In A Test of Wills Charles Todd gives us a Golden Age crime story in its proper historical setting. This is an intelligent, controlled, and well-organized first novel, rich with promise of a bright future. I look forward to the next." - Reginald Hill, author of Death Comes for the Fat Man
"Psychologically sophisticated, tautly written and craftily plotted...It should prove a pleasure to follow this series." - San Jose Mercury News
"Strong, elegant prose; detailed surroundings; and sound plotting characterize this debut. . . . Highly recommended." - Library Journal
"The debut of Charles Todd's Inspector Ian Rutledge is an auspicious one. In a novel full of complex and believable characters, perhaps the most complex of all is the Great War itself, which backlights this mystery with its monumental horrors." - Gaylord Dold, author of The Last Man in Berlin