A Fearsome Doubt

By: Charles Todd

Narrated by: Samuel Gillies

In 1912 Ian Rutledge watched as a man was condemned to hang for the murders of elderly women. Rutledge helped gather the evidence that sent Ben Shaw to the gallows. And when justice was done, Rutledge closed the door on the case. But Shaw was not easily forgotten. Now, seven years later, that grim trial returns in the form of Ben Shaw's widow Nell, bringing Rutledge evidence she is convinced will prove her husband's innocence. It's a belief fraught with peril, threatening both Rutledge's professional stature and his faith in his judgment. But there is a darker reason for Rutledge's reluctance. Murder brings him back to Kent where, days earlier, he'd glimpsed an all-too-familiar face beyond the leaping flames of a bonfire. Soon an unexpected encounter revives the end of his own war, as the country prepares for a somber commemoration on the anniversary of the Armistice. To battle the unsettled past and the haunted present at the same time is an appalling mandate.

And the people around him - Among them the attractive widow of a friend, a remarkable woman who survived the Great Indian Mutiny; a bitter, dying barrister; and a man whose name he never knew - unwittingly compete with the grieving Nell Shaw. They'll demand more than Rutledge can give, unaware that he is already carrying the burden of shell shock, and the voice of Hamish MacLeod, the soldier he was forced to execute in the war. The killer in Marling is surprisingly adept at escaping detection. And Ben Shaw's past is a tangle of unsettling secrets that may or may not be true. Rutledge must walk a tortuous line between two murderers...one reaching out to ruin him, the other driven to destroy him.

©2002 Charles Todd (P)2014 Recorded Books

tricky

A few atheists and turns. and more delving into the inspectors haunted past fro. the war.

Best yet?

I say that because I thought it before. Waiting for the inevitable in this, I, now, am not as perplexed at the blunt endings, but it would be nice to have at least some loose ends tidied up in the next.

Not as good as others

I found this installment to be slow and the story uninteresting. There were more characters I disliked than liked and it is hard to believe only a year has passed since the war when you considere all that Rutledge has been through since he returned home. I think the timeline was a strategic mistake on author's part. Rutledge did not continue to develop and for the first time I found Hamish annoying and I do think it is because Rutledge doesn't seem to be coming to terms with his situation. I was not engaged with the story and didn't care about the outcome. The motive still made no sense to me and as for the past coming back - useless waste of time. I will continue to read series because I like, but would never reread this one.

Great story

Loved this one ! Great story ! Ending was a surprise! I would recommend this book to anyone

Seeds of Doubt and a Search for the Truth

The widow of a man who went to his death because of testimony given by Inspector Rutledge some years earlier brings what she believes to be new evidence. Is it indeed new evidence? Or the widow's hope to clear her husband's name? This well thought out mystery kept me pondering the entire time. Rutledge, always haunted by the ghost of Hamish MacLeod, executed in the Great War for his failure to follow orders, is diligent and seeks to get to the bottom of it. In the meantime, the widow of Rutledge's best friend, also killed in the war, brings another dilemma to Rutledge. I have to say that I like and respect Ian Rutledge more and more with every book. He's honest, hard working, and doggedly seeks the truth, no matter the rank or class. This is an excellent addition to the series.