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A Lonely Death Audiobook
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(3.99) - 1,401 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Three men have been murdered in a Sussex village, and Scotland Yard has been called in. It's a baffling case. The victims are soldiers who survived the horrors of the Great War only to meet a ghastly end in the quiet English countryside two years later. Each had been garroted, with small ID disks left in their mouths. But even Scotland Yard's presence doesn't deter this vicious and clever killer. Shortly after Inspector Ian Rutledge arrives, a fourth soldier is found dead. With few clues to go on and the pressure building, Rutledge must gamble everything to find answers—his job, his reputation, and even his life.
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"Why is Charles Todd such a pessimist and why does he persecute Inspector Rutledge so? Not only is he continuously PTSD haunted by Hamish in his mind and just behind his back, but the women he loves move out of his life in devastating ways. As a friend said recently, she keeps hoping that something "good" will happen to the Inspector. But I don't think it will. I think the misery of his life is a paradigm for Todd of the years after the war, or perhaps for the war itself, out of which nothing but horror came. I know that there are other ways of thinking of this time, but I think Todd is fixed in his need to present it to us this way, perhaps to make a point about the world today. His enduring pessimism is in the service of something larger and I suspect that something is either fixed in his character or in his view of the current world view. So poor Rutledge will continue to suffer but serve. That's an epigram in and of itself."
— Lynne-marie (4 out of 5 stars)
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“[The] subtle prose and profound empathy for all [the] characters enhance a suspenseful and twisty plot.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“While respectful of the resilient spirit of communities like Eastfield, Todd…doesn’t shrink from challenging the assumptions about class and economic privilege that once sustained their insular way of life. Once again, Rutledge comes to realize that war changes everything.”
— New York Times -
“Another engaging entry in a fine series.”
— Booklist -
“While series of this length often hit a stale point, Todd masterfully avoids this pitfall by continuing to find fresh ways of exploring WWI’s long-term effects on his main character. With a plot that neatly shifts gears from whodunit to can-he-be-caught, both Todd and his hero are in fine form from start to finish.”
— RT Book Reviews (4½ stars, Top Pick!) -
“Todd invests this absorbing fiction with creative storytelling (including intriguing subplots), memorable characters and graceful, seemingly effortless prose…This is fiction that moves, entertains, and as always, underscores life’s victories over death.”
— Richmond Times-Dispatch -
“Todd once and for all establishes the shell-shocked Rutledge as the genre’s most complex and fascinating detective.”
— Entertainment Weekly
Awards
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Selected for the January 2011 Indie Next List
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Winner of the RT Award in 2011 for Best Historical Mystery
A Lonely Death Listener Reviews
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Anne Cooper, 12/1/2021
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" I love these books. Charles Todd keeps me guessing every time. And each character is so individual. Sometimes I think the authors and I know the same people (not the murderer of course) and are putting them in the story. I feel this plot is the darkest in the series; well, perhaps not as dark as Wings of Fire, but a close second. Is it my imagination or is Hamish getting quieter? "
— Breezy, 2/13/2014 -
" For some reason I had a hard time getting into this story. "
— Doreen, 1/21/2014 -
" An Ian Rutledge mystery, Scotland Yard, after WWI - good read. "
— Paula, 1/16/2014 -
" Charles Todd is one of my favorite mystery writers, not least because his detective is suffering from shell shock brought on by his service in My War. "
— Judy, 1/8/2014 -
" This was a good entry in the Inspector Rutledge series. Lots of names to try to remember and keep straight. But I did figure out some of the twists and turns along the way to the solving of the mystery. "
— Liz, 12/31/2013 -
" I am always amazed at the details and the twist and turns in the Inspector Rutledge series. I am never disappointed! Now, I am anxiously awaiting the next Inspector Rutledge book. "
— Denise, 12/9/2013 -
" Another wonderful read from Charles Todd (actually a pair of writers.) I happen to like this time place (england, post WWI) and their portrayal of the time, people and setting (with a low key romance thrown in) is wonderful. "
— doug, 11/17/2013 -
" favorite mystery series! "
— Leslie, 10/31/2013 -
" Charles Todd delivers a terrific mystery. I am learning more and more about the underpinnings of British investigations and the British countryside descriptions are to be admired. "
— Mary, 7/9/2013 -
" A multi-layered story of justice and injustice, with Ian caught up in two cases that weave through his personal hopes and vulnerabilities. Perhaps my favorite in the series so far... "
— Deirdre, 10/15/2012 -
" A very open-and-shut case, with just enough red herrings to make it interesting. Of course, that could be the hindsight speaking. "
— Janet, 10/5/2012 -
" Can't believe it took me so long to discover the Ian Rutledge series. I've really enjoyed them, so far. Now I'm going back and reading earlier ones. "
— Merrill, 9/12/2012 -
" I've always liked the Todd books but found the last couple to be slower reading-I had to struggle a bit to get through this one. "
— Pam, 7/14/2012 -
" I love the Ian Rutledge books and this is no exception. Not quite as compelling as The Red Door, but still wonderful. "
— Johanna, 3/12/2012 -
" Solid enough mystery set within the milieu of post WWI soldiers and a string of murders that stem not from PTSD, which is a constant touchstone in the story, but rather childhood trauma. "
— Karen, 2/6/2012 -
" This is a wonderful book! I really liked the mystery and the characters. And the writing is terrific. This is the most recent of a series about Inspector Ian Rutledge and I will certainly read more of these books. Highly recommended without age reservations. "
— Laura, 11/19/2011 -
" The murders of several ex-soldiers sends Inspector Ian Rutledge, himself a WWI vet, into a crisis. This book and the previous one in the series are some of the best mysteries I've read. "
— Maria, 10/30/2011 -
" Doesn't have the depth of Furst's pre-WWII novels but absorbing nonetheless. "
— Colleen, 9/4/2011 -
" I forgot about this series. It's set at the end of WWI and follows a Scotland Yard detective named Ian Rutledge. He's been in the war and is suffering from shell shock. Its a wonderfully written series. "
— Joan, 6/22/2011 -
" This is a wonderful book! I really liked the mystery and the characters. And the writing is terrific. This is the most recent of a series about Inspector Ian Rutledge and I will certainly read more of these books. Highly recommended without age reservations. "
— Laura, 5/30/2011 -
" This is a consistently good series. I enjoyed the Hastings coast setting; the main story and characters were good. I thought the "side story" though was unnecessary and distracting. Not the best of series but still very enjoyable. "
— Charlene, 5/29/2011 -
" I've only recently discovered Charles Todd. This is an entry in a series, and I plan to check out the earlier books! Of course it has some convenient explanations to tie the plot threads up, but it kept me interested until the end. I'm amazed that Charles Todd is a mother and son combo. "
— Jane, 5/11/2011 -
" Charles Todd delivers a terrific mystery. I am learning more and more about the underpinnings of British investigations and the British countryside descriptions are to be admired. "
— Mary, 5/3/2011 -
" I wonder what would happen if Rutledge actually listened a little bit better to the folks in front of him rather than the crazy voice in his head. Maybe he wouldn't spend so much time dithering around. That said, this one moved a bit faster and had a bit of urgency to it. "
— Ding, 4/30/2011 -
" Another great Ian Rutledge mystery. Great pace, great evocation of the period (post WWI) and a great who-dunnit! "
— Dgoll, 4/22/2011 -
" Decent police mystery set in 1920's England with a Scotland Yard inspector as the protagonist. I guess I will need to look for others in the series (which means it was successful). "
— Ron, 4/19/2011 -
" These books are just starting to feel a little too formulaic and Rutledge just too distant. How about we have a book from Hamish's perspective? "
— E, 4/9/2011
About Charles Todd
Charles Todd is a pen name used by the American authors Caroline (1934-2021) and Charles Todd, a mother-and-son writing team who write the Inspector Ian Rutledge mysteries and the Bess Crawford mysteries, as well as stand-alone novels. Their novel Proof of Guilt was a New York Times bestseller, and A Test of Wills was named one of the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association’s 100 favorite mysteries of the 20th Century and was a New York Times Notable Book of the Year selection. Their novels have won the Agatha Award, the Barry Award, and the Anthony Award, as well as being finalists for several other awards. Charles is continuing the series.
About Simon Prebble
Simon Prebble, a British-born performer, is a stage and television actor and veteran narrator of some three hundred audiobooks. As one of AudioFile’s Golden Voices, he has received thirty-seven Earphones Awards and won the prestigious Audie in 2010. He lives in New York.