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A Pale Horse Audiobook
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(3.02) - 1,292 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
Late on a spring night in 1920, five boys cross the Yorkshire dales to the ruins of Fountains Abbey, intent on raising the devil. Instead, they stumble over the devil himself, sitting there watching them. Terrified, they run for their lives, leaving behind a book on alchemy stolen from their schoolmaster. The next morning, a body is discovered in the cloisters of the abbey—a man swathed in a hooded cloak and wearing a gas mask.
Scotland Yard dispatches Inspector Rutledge to find out who the man was and why he died in such mysterious circumstances. But the villagers clearly have something to hide. And what does the huge chalk sculpture of a pale horse of the Apocalypse have to do with the crime?
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"I am so in love with this series set in post-World War I England. Inspector Ian Rutledge is slowly becoming whole again after the shell-shock he experienced in France. Hamish doesn't appear as prevalently in this later book as he did in the beginning of the series, and that's as it should be. I suppose he will never disappear completely, but as Rutledge continues his attempt to return to his former life as a Scotland Yard detective, it is only natural that the mental scars should begin to heal. These mysteries are well-crafted and well-told, and I hope this mother-son writing team continues for many years to come."
— Jeni (4 out of 5 stars)
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“The exemplary tenth Inspector Ian Rutledge historical whodunit (after A False Mirror) offers tight plotting and rich characterization amid understated but convincing evocations of post-WWI England.”
— Publishers Weekly (starred review) -
“Simon Prebble, the voice of Charles Todd's mysteries, creates another winner with this moody tale of soured love in the Yorkshire dales…Prebble reads atmospherically without over dramatizing the action, and the wide range of characters is well drawn.”
— AudioFile -
“The tragic sweep of Charles Todd's historical mysteries grows more expansive with each successive novel in his stunning series.”
— New York Times Book Review -
“Evocatively and suspensefully written…This is a terrific mystery, carefully spun, which leads us into the dark realms of the postwar era and reveals even darker plots.”
— Providence Journal -
“A Pale Horse is, like its protagonist, a melancholy triumph.”
— Richmond Times-Dispatch -
“Todd's rendering of characters—especially those of the country folk inhabiting rural Yorkshire—is absolutely superb.”
— Cleveland Plain Dealer -
“This mother–son writing team delivers another spine-tingling mystery…Great characters and a fast-paced plot make this novel a page-turner.”
— RT Book Reviews (4 stars)
A Pale Horse Listener Reviews
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Anne Cooper, 10/28/2021
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" Even though it's number 10 in series, as my first Inspector Rutledge mystery novel, I found it easy to relate to the characters with enough depth to care about them. Good character development will interest those readers who like P.D. James. "
— Edna, 1/26/2014 -
" This one gets a bit bogged down at times - mostly with the dreary details of the inhabitants of the "leper" cottages - and the ending comes pretty much out of nowhere. A good read, but not close to the best in the series. "
— Craig, 1/25/2014 -
" Ian Rutledge is sent to find a missing scientist. Well written, tight mystery, Rutledge goes after the scientist's disappearance from all angles. Hamish, the ghost of a deadman, is always with him. The authors have created a real, human detective by their skillful use of post traumatic stress disorder. "
— Maryellen, 1/16/2014 -
" Ian Rutledge, an inspector for Scotland Yard in 1920 is investigates a mysterious death in Yorkshire and a missing chemist in another part of England in this historical mystery. "
— Kathleen, 1/13/2014 -
" Not as good as the ones that come before. I was always so intrigued by the conflict guilt that Rutledge suffered under and the dead soldier in his head who always made his presence felt. this book simply didn't hold my interest. the inner voice was too tame and the crime to detached. "
— Joan, 12/30/2013 -
" Another fine Ian Rutledge mystery. I've decided that I really like to listen to mysteries. I'm becoming more used to the audible form of books. Great to do while knitting. "
— Ingeborg, 12/21/2013 -
" This one moved very slow at times, but was very intriguing as well. I have no doubt that such "cottage communities" existed - may still today. A lot to wrap your mind around in 2012. "
— Annette, 12/3/2013 -
" Loved the ancient history included with this mystery of a man's murder and the 2 daughters who hated him and the government who didn't trust him. "
— Judy, 11/19/2013 -
" Lots of running around to find out who the dead guy is. Lots of running around to get anyone to admit to it. Lots a running around to find the other killer. In the end - the killer makes a run for it and all is solved. Ho hum. "
— Nick, 10/26/2013 -
" Love all these books...really look forward to the next one. "
— Linda, 10/11/2013 -
" not quite the fascinating plot line as most of this series.... "
— Merrill, 10/9/2013 -
" The plot is well crafted, and the setting does not seem dated--even though it is post WWI. I like that the main character has a PTSD feature of hearing a dead comrade comment on his case. Intelligent murder mystery "
— Catherine, 10/8/2013 -
" This mystery kept me "on my toes" to keep track of all the characters and subplots. I enjoyed the twists and turns. Looking forward to the next Inspector Rutledge mystery! "
— Denise, 9/3/2013 -
" This is a terrific and unique series, particularly for those who like historical settings and a little darkness with their mysteries. The lead character is appealing but tragic. I find myself rooting for his emotional survival more with every book. "
— Homerun2, 4/23/2013 -
" The writing is good. The execution is good. The premise is ridiculous. At the reveal, I literally rolled my eyes. "
— Nicole, 4/1/2013 -
" Too much Hamish /- ware! "
— Emmy, 2/20/2013 -
" As usual, very clever. And I love the post World War One setting. Very unique in the world of mystery novels. "
— Lauretta, 1/12/2013 -
" I read all of the Inspector Rutledge mysteries. They are written with so much intelligence and atmosphere they are addictive. "
— Donna, 10/15/2012 -
" like this series, but there were just too many characters and too many plots in this one... "
— Madalyn, 7/27/2012 -
" I enjoyed the complexity of this novel & appreciated the sensitive understanding of human nature. "
— Julie, 10/19/2011 -
" Love this series. Strongly recommend it. "
— Sheila, 10/14/2011 -
" This one seemed to be all about the process; though I realize the lack of information was an authentic part of the plot, I was a little disappointed by how little it really mattered in the conclusion of the story. I'm ready for something big and exciting to happen in this series... "
— Sarah, 6/8/2011 -
" This one was kind of slow moving but in the end it illustrated not only the horror of war but the integrity of Ian Rutledge. "
— Gaynel, 3/19/2011 -
" I dip in and out of this series, I hear the last is good. "
— Ruth, 3/10/2011 -
" This has been in my waiting pile for years...and I really enjoyed it. The historical stuff is so interesting. "
— Roberta, 2/1/2011 -
" As usual, very clever. And I love the post World War One setting. Very unique in the world of mystery novels. "
— Lauretta, 1/6/2011 -
" i liked the mystery of who the man was especially with the games played by the "government" men. Nice mystery to solve. "
— Krishna, 11/9/2010 -
" Once again Charles Todd has written a winner. This series, post WWI is set in one of my favorite time periods. "
— Darla, 10/31/2010 -
" Fascinating -- as are all books by this author! "
— Vicki, 10/20/2010
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.