Because I’m only halfway through my latest book, Sandie Herron stepped up with a review of Charles Todd’s Ian Rutledge book, Watchers of Time. Thank you, Sandie.
WATCHERS OF TIME
By Charles Todd
Series:
Inspector Ian Rutledge, Book 5
Inspector Ian Rutledge, Book 5
Bantam (October 30, 2001)
The writing and authentic tone in this
tale of England in 1919 transported me to another time, another place, another
world, and another era. The descriptions
were so vivid that I felt as though I had personally visited the marshes and
the seacoast, the local hotel, the jail.
I even learned many personal secrets held closely veiled, some revealed
at great cost to the bearer, but necessarily so to solve a murder.
tale of England in 1919 transported me to another time, another place, another
world, and another era. The descriptions
were so vivid that I felt as though I had personally visited the marshes and
the seacoast, the local hotel, the jail.
I even learned many personal secrets held closely veiled, some revealed
at great cost to the bearer, but necessarily so to solve a murder.
Ian Rutledge is called from Scotland
Yard to be certain the local inspector is doing an adequate job of
investigating the murder of the local priest in Osterley. He travels by motorcar with his constant
companion Hamish MacLeod, the legacy of World War I. Hamish is only alive in the mind of Ian
Rutledge, haunting him and shadowing his every waking moment. His presence is so omnipotent that even I
found it exhausting at times, the reality of being shell shocked accurately
portrayed.
Yard to be certain the local inspector is doing an adequate job of
investigating the murder of the local priest in Osterley. He travels by motorcar with his constant
companion Hamish MacLeod, the legacy of World War I. Hamish is only alive in the mind of Ian
Rutledge, haunting him and shadowing his every waking moment. His presence is so omnipotent that even I
found it exhausting at times, the reality of being shell shocked accurately
portrayed.
Inspector Rutledge has a difficult job
ahead of him. He must double check another policeman’s investigation from an
outsider’s point of view. As he visits
assorted villagers to consider their perspectives, he must ferret out
information most private in nature. He
must also try to determine what relevance the fact that a dying man called both
priest and vicar to his deathbed might have.
ahead of him. He must double check another policeman’s investigation from an
outsider’s point of view. As he visits
assorted villagers to consider their perspectives, he must ferret out
information most private in nature. He
must also try to determine what relevance the fact that a dying man called both
priest and vicar to his deathbed might have.
Peopled by quite a number of villagers,
we painstakingly get to know a bit about each one as Rutledge digs deeper for
any number of possible reasons to want the priest dead. He gives and takes and tries to pry
information from very reticent individuals without revealing his own inner
struggle. What is the connection between
Lord Sedgwick and the dying man Herbert Baker?
Does the priest’s housekeeper know where the item left in his codicil
can be found? Why is the monsignor
afraid to stay at the rectory alone? And
why did word of the Titanic frighten visiting author May Trent?
we painstakingly get to know a bit about each one as Rutledge digs deeper for
any number of possible reasons to want the priest dead. He gives and takes and tries to pry
information from very reticent individuals without revealing his own inner
struggle. What is the connection between
Lord Sedgwick and the dying man Herbert Baker?
Does the priest’s housekeeper know where the item left in his codicil
can be found? Why is the monsignor
afraid to stay at the rectory alone? And
why did word of the Titanic frighten visiting author May Trent?
Todd’s writing is very vivid. It brought very complete pictures to mind of
the scenes he portrayed, whether inside a vicarage or out on the marshes. Even the language used was authentic to the
time period; not just the dialogue itself but the entire novel. More than once I found myself with the dictionary
in hand looking up words used a century ago in common language.
the scenes he portrayed, whether inside a vicarage or out on the marshes. Even the language used was authentic to the
time period; not just the dialogue itself but the entire novel. More than once I found myself with the dictionary
in hand looking up words used a century ago in common language.
The fifth in this series, this
installment brought a different era to life, just as the previous entries have
done. A tad more explanation of just who
Hamish MacLeod was in Ian Rutledge’s life would have done this entry a bit more
justice, but hopefully readers will already know Hamish well from previous
installments beginning with A TEST OF WILLS.
installment brought a different era to life, just as the previous entries have
done. A tad more explanation of just who
Hamish MacLeod was in Ian Rutledge’s life would have done this entry a bit more
justice, but hopefully readers will already know Hamish well from previous
installments beginning with A TEST OF WILLS.
The “what ifs” and “what abouts” and the
speculation that run through a police procedural kept this story moving in many
directions. This made the investigation
seem more realistic to me, more in keeping with the ups and downs of real
life. In the end, I knew to expect the
unexpected. I wasn’t disappointed.
speculation that run through a police procedural kept this story moving in many
directions. This made the investigation
seem more realistic to me, more in keeping with the ups and downs of real
life. In the end, I knew to expect the
unexpected. I wasn’t disappointed.
