An Inspector Ian Rutledge Mystery (Inspector Ian Rutledge Mysteries)

Its prose tinged with memory and regret, this tenth Charles Todd novel to feature Scotland Yard Inspector Ian Rutledge, is a superbly crafted tale which, at its heart, is about relationships.

Having read the earlier novels in the series, the relationship between Rutledge and Hamish is by now a familiar one, and it's difficult to imagine one without the other. Indeed, Hamish, whatever he may be, has become a necessary tool for the excavation of Rutledge's inner, thoughts and is sometimes more acute an observer of the nuances of their surroundings than Rutledge.

Indeed, the novel's more conventional relationships, between spouses,

sweethearts, former lovers, friends and enemies, all show how our observations of one another come together to form life as we know it, and how one misreading can destroy the whole fragile framework.

Working to uncover the perpetrator of a series of murders in London's Green Park, Rutledge is surprised to be taken off the London case and ordered to Hampton Regis, a picturesque fishing village on the south coast of England.

Stephen Mallory, who served with and despised Rutledge in the war, has been accused of brutally beating a local man, Matthew Hamilton. Mallory is convinced he will never be treated fairly by the local authorities because he was engaged to Hamilton's wife before the war, and has taken his former fiancee and her maid hostage, declaring he will only negotiate with Rutledge.

Rutledge knows there is more to this situation than local authorities would have him believe--if only because Mallory has chosen him as his intermediary. When the nearly comatose Hamilton disappears from the local physician's house, leaving a dead body in his wake, Rutledge becomes convinced that Mallory is innocent, and Hamilton's beating might be at the root of something more complex than imagined.

On its surface, A False Mirror, is a conventional and highly readable English murder mystery, but a closer look reveals a complex and engrossing study of the nature of seeing and being seen that anyone who enjoys tight plotting and deep characterization will enjoy.

Armchair Interviews says: A 5-star read!

The characters and the plot were very well developed. The "who-dunnit" was well thought out and the conclusion valid -- not a rabbit-out-of-the-hat ending. Love the sense of being there in post WWII England; lots of good insights into that tragic era. A good author does not need to rely on profanity and sex in their writing, and Charles Todd proves it once again. Cudos and much appreciation to the authors!

England 1920. A retired member of the foreign service is attacked and his wife's former lover, a shell-shocked vet of WWI, is suspected. Is the motive to be found in the victim's recent past or distant past? An inspector from Scotland Yard, himself recovering from shell-shock, who knew the suspect in the war is called upon to delve into the case. Considerable misdirection follows (thanks in part to an irritatingly-patient police department) and the climax has nothing to do with what has gone before. Nonetheless, it is well written and a pleasant diversion for the undemanding reader. (I have read several titles in this series and Inspector Rutledge, like the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew, seems lost in a time warp. His character fails to grow and the references to WWI and the gimmick of a voice in his head which made the earliest volumes unique has become quite stale.)

After eagerly awaiting this book and even having my husband pick me up a copy on a business trip to the US, I was sadly disappointed. I had noticed a downward trend in the last couple of books but the series seems to have taken a nose dive with this latest instalment. There were serious problems of logic and the plotline seemed to chase its own tail, going round in endless circles as if to stretch out the book. Many of the characters acted in an illogical and unrealistic manner and the whole hostage situation plotline was simply ridiculous. People just do not behave like that! This would have to be the worst book in the series so far.

Unfortunately, many aspects of this series are becoming repetitious. After solving so many murders one would think that Rutledge's superior, Bowles, would do away with his vendetta even if only to stop himself from looking ridiculous to others. His ongoing hostility towards Rutledge is starting to look trite.

And what about the role of Hamish? This is one aspect of the series that seems to have stalled completely. Whilst it began as an intriguing deviation on the murder mystery genre it seemed to reach it peak in `Legacy of the Dead' and has been in decline ever since. Perhaps the authors should try something different such as was hinted at in 'A Long Shadow' with the psychic Mrs. Channing.

What exactly is Hamish's role? Is he a genuine ghost, haunting his killer? Does he represent Rutledge's conscience which has become disembodied due to his war experience? Is Hamish the manifestation of Rutledge's sixth sense which makes him the superb Scotland Yard Inspector that he has become? Why not let Rutledge face his ghost and explore these possibilities, either through supernatural means such as at a séance or by scientific means involving medical therapy. Psychology was in its infancy and this in itself would provide an interesting sideline to a murder case.

There are so many aspects of this series that are yet to be explored and one can only hope that the authors do not settle for formulae writing and mediocrity. What started out as a fresh and exciting new take on an old Genre still has much untapped potential and I sincerely hope that the authors sit down, have a cup of tea and ask themselves where this series is heading.

Inspector Ian Rutledge has been called to Hampton Regis on the southern coast of England. Facility Hamilton is in love with two men; her husband, Matthew, and Stephen Mallory. When Matthew is attacked and nearly killed, Mallory is everyone's immediate suspect, and he knows it. Mallory runs to Facility, bars them in the house and with Facility's collusion, claims he will kill her unless they send for Rutledge to prove Mallory's innocence.

Rutledge is definitely the prime character of the story, and wonderfully developed and complex. The surrounding characters may not all have been likable, but they were strongly written. The sense of time and place are so evocative, it's easy to feel part of the scene. The story was very well plotted. There was no way for me to see where the story was going and each new element drew me further in. The theme of the impact of war on those who've fought is and timely, but doesn't overwhelm the story, and the ending was particularly poignant. This was an excellent book in an excellent series.

Since we have a "team" of writers comprising "Charles Todd," which player can we blame for the incredibly ridiculous scene on p. 41, with which we are stuck from then on? No one would behave so stupidly. And because these are such major characters in the book, all is ruined from that point. A very weak entry in a weakening series. Someone on this team needs to be sent down to the minor leagues. 1 star because it's the minimum required.

Not my favorite in the series. I thought this read a little slow. There were more flashbacks to Rutledge's time in Ypres and how Hamish died though, which brought the horrors of war, the choices one is sometimes forced to make and the repercussions one has to live with long after the war is over.

Anyone Writing a Bad Review cannot appreciate a really good book, and I love this book this is a fantastic book that got me intrigued and fascinated. The story keeps you thrilled and wanting to keep reading you can't put it down because you want to know what happens next.

I laugh at the crummy reviews people put on this book they don't know true taste of a good book or they just don't read a lot and they think they can just come on here and post what ever they want to discourage you from a good promising book.I promise all of you will not regret making this purchase for a used copy around a penny or a good condition for like 2 to 4 bucks you wont regret it. Or goto a flea market or a local book store selling it for cheap, if you can't find it then you know its a great book.

All and all you will enjoy this book.

This is the ninth in this wonderfully complex and well-written series. In this outing, Stephen Mallory, accused of severely beating a local man, is holding the man's wife hostage. He specifically asks for Ian Rutledge of Scotland Yard. Rutledge and Mallory served together in the trenches of WWI. When the severely injured man disappears, and there are two murders, Rutledge must peel back layer after layer to discover who would want to kill the former diplomat and why.

If you want an intelligently written procedural try this series, but start with the first book to understand the complicated and damaged Ian Rutledge. This series has some of the best writing done in the mystery genre. The author is often compared to P.D. James.

I decovered Charles Todd's books and I really enjoy them especially when he talks about the times in WW! never read much about that war
but it was horrible. you would enjoy this book if you love history.

I found this book boring and hard to finish. The view of England right after World War 1 could have been interesting, but the story and characters were not. It dragged. The text was well edited and well written so I give it 3 stars.

As has become usual for the Ian Rutledge series, this is a well-written mystery that evokes the time period well and tells a good story. That said, this entry is not one of Todd's best. It's complex and ultimately not very satisfying as a story, and takes far too long to unwind and develop. If you've read the rest of the series, it's worth reading. But I wouldn't recommend it on its own unless you have a specific interest in 1920s Britain or police procedural mysteries.

Don't start reading this latest offering from Charles Todd if you don't have much time. Once you start, you'll want to devour it from cover to cover. This is one of Todd's best efforts, dishing up a village full of interesting, complex characters. And when the plot twists start happening ... "'Ware!" as Hamish would say.