• A Matter of Justice

  • Inspector Ian Rutledge Mysteries
  • By: Charles Todd
  • Narrated by: Simon Prebble
  • Length: 10 hrs and 40 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (1,463 ratings)

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A Matter of Justice

By: Charles Todd
Narrated by: Simon Prebble
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Publisher's summary

After two London men end their business partnership, one of them is savagely murdered in a medieval tithe barn on his estate in Somerset.

Investigating the killing, Scotland Yard Inspector Ian Rutledge discovers that the victim was universally despised in Cambury - even the victim's wife and the town's police inspector are suspect. And yet in London circles, the man was highly regarded. What triggered his death?

Rutledge doggedly follows a well-concealed trail that finally leads him to the one person who knows the whole truth. But it's too late to stop a spreading evil and a vicious settling of scores.

As the seasoned inspector comes to understand the larger picture, he realizes he may not be able to prove what he suspects. In spite of his skill, this may be the only case in which Rutledge fails to get his man.

©2009 Charles Todd (P)2009 BBC Audiobooks America

Critic reviews

"In the stellar 11th Inspector Ian Rutledge mystery, Todd (the pseudonym of a mother-son writing team) seamlessly combines a fair-play whodunit with a nuanced look into the heart of darkness in the human soul." ( Publishers Weekly)

What listeners say about A Matter of Justice

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Entertaining procedural through the end

This is my first listen to one of Charles Todd's mystery series. I chose it after a marathon of three of James Lee Burke's novels, needing a change of pace from Burke's contemporary and considerably more violent police procedurals. Like all good series writers, Todd brings the neophyte up with speed with his characters by moderate amounts of judiciously placed flashbacks and reflections. I enjoyed the post-WWI settings of London and surrounding villages, with side trips to St. Ann's. I enjoyed "knowing" at the outset the history of the murdered victim, and then listening to Rutledge try to piece it all together. Rutledge was a fine character, doggedly persistent in uncovering the truth when he could have easily washed his hands of the crime once a trial-worthy suspect was found. Like other mysteries I've enjoyed, I wound up listening to the last two hours late at night, unable to sleep because Rutledge was so close to revealing the oddly intertwined relationships that led to the murder. I simply couldn't wait to know how it all would play out in the end. It was difficult for me to keep track of all the characters through audio (some considerably minor but they still pop up frequently), and so I might have lost some of the character development that I usually enjoy in these well-paced novels. It was challenging to believe that the murdered victim might have actually had some redeeming qualities: I don't know if Todd just wanted to confound the reader/Rutledge in the quest to find the murderer or if the point was to highlight the strange confluence of guilt and evil. In any case, it added to the tension and kept me glued to my earbuds.

I love the narration of Simon Prebble who has an uncanny ability to modulate his voice just enough to discern the different characters without making them into caricatures. I highly recommend this particular novel in the series and hope to listen to some of Inspector Rutledge's adventures

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41 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Good, once I got into it.

I initially had a hard time getting into this story, and thought I would need to go back and listen to the beginning again, but I decided to just keep listening, and it was an excellent mystery, with ties back into the past and all the things that make it fun to read detective mysteries.

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18 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Enjoyed this book.

I loved the feel of this book almost like an Agetha Christie. The twists and turns of plot kept me entertained all the way throught.

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13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

escape!

A Matter of Justice is entertaining. It is interesting and different enough to keep the listener a listener! Just enjoy it.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Excellent Entertainment

This is an engaging tale, well-presented by author and narrator, featuring a thoughtful, flawed, courageous protagonist in a cultural context with which I'm unfamiliar. It came together as the pleasant diversion I seek in this type of audio book.

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Another excellent Inspector Ian Rutledge novel!

Charles Todd never disappoints. Like his other Inspector Ian Rutledge novels this one is set post WWII; however, it starts with the Boer War 20 years earlier for background.

Simon Prebble is always a pleasure to listen to.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    out of 5 stars

Good read

Enjoyed this one, have a go

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars

Ok but....

This it the first Ian Ruthledge story I've listened to and found the story a bit annoying in parts - the repetitive introjections by "Hamish" was just too much at times. The detective seemed too befuddled to be effective in assessing each potential clue. Maybe more reflective of reality but a drag after a while. I'm giving it 3 stars for the narration of Simon Prebble who does a good job.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Rutledge and Hamish don't disappoint

Althouth the reader knows from the beginning who likely "done it", the chase is still fun. And there are enough twists to keep it interesting! It fades a little in the middle. Takes too long to get to the meat of the matter.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Another Winnder from Charles Todd

I have come to really like this authors and his detective. The mysteries are well plotted and the murderer often comes as a real surprise as does the motive.

The author does a great job of evoking post WWI Britain which I think is one of the things I like about these book. He writes of a simpler times but with lives no less complicated.

These are well-plotted books and I never a miss a one. If you like a well-plotted mystery which harkens back to a simpler time when detective work was not all forensic labs, but rather skilled interviews and following up clues and tiny pieces of information whereever it takes you - this is the book for you.

It is not a fast-paced book like modern day crime writers but I like this about the book, as I don't care for these modern day crime writers - but this harkens back to Agathe Christie at her best. If you like these period British Mystieries, you don't want to miss this writer and his Detective.

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4 people found this helpful