I like Charles Todd’s Inspector Ian Rutledge mysteries more than I do the Bess Crawford ones. However, I was disappointed in A Fatal Lie, the latest in the series.

Chief Superintendent Markham of Scotland Yard is not happy with Rutledge, so he assigns him a case in northern Wales, as far away from London as possible. In early spring 1921, a man’s body was found in the River Dee. The local police investigated, but finally call in Scotland Yard.

Soon after he arrives, Rutledge realizes the man was pushed from the top of the aqueduct that crosses the river. However, no one admits to recognizing the victim. Rutledge traces him to a small community where he finds the man’s widow, Ruth Milford, running a pub. According to all accounts Sam Milford was supposed to be traveling to work with vendors, hoping to keep the pub going. Rutledge suspects Sam was not just meeting with vendors. The Milfords lost a three-year-old daughter, Tildy, a year earlier. She went missing. Rutledge suspects Sam was looking for Tildy, and ran into trouble.

Rutledge uncovers a much more intricate case than he expected. Women lie. Lawyers keep secrets. As he travels across Wales, looking for a killer and a missing child, Ian Rutledge encounters danger and violence, along with cover-ups that lead to more murders.

The latest book in the series in a complicated investigation. However, halfway through the story, it bogs down. Rutledge has too many lies and missing people in this case. A Fatal Lie is more slow-paced than usual, but fans of the series will want to read the new book.

Charles Todd’s website is http://charlestodd.com

A Fatal Lie by Charles Todd. HarperCollins, 2021. ISBN 9780062905574 (hardcover), 352p.


FTC Full Disclosure – I received a .PDF to review for a journal.