A Pale Horse

By: Charles Todd

Narrated by: Simon Prebble

Length: 11 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

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?

©2008 Charles Todd (P)2009 BBC Audio

Tangled web

What a tangled web. In thinking of the people that developed warfare tools like poison gas or the atom bomb there are a lot of thoughts.

A murdered man and trying to find the identity and the names is a tough journey

A wild ride

In A Pale House, Inspector Ian Rutledge is challenged by seemingly disparate mysteries: the finding of a dead man in an abbey ruin, the disappearance of another man, and, confounding his efforts to solve the first two events, a series of murders and attempted murders that ride the reader to an almost breathless ending. The twists and turns of Todd's Inspector Rutledge series never ceases to amaze me, and I appreciate that Rutledge, like the reader, spends a fair amount of time getting it wrong before he gets it right; although, Rutledge is rarely too far from the truth. This particular installment also brings to light in all its horrifying clarity, that which is Hamish. Readers familiar with this series already know about Hamish, but if you haven't read/listened to this novel, then, finally, you can learn about the whole sad, tragic story, at length, not just in snippets.
I give this novel only 4 stars because I do feel the mysteries were wrapped up a little too easily at the end. But the getting there was very satisfying. As always, Simon Prebble's narration was a joy.

Just teetering on the edge of 5 stars

This is my third Inspector Rutledge mystery, and as with the previous two I found the premise and the set-up extremely well done, drawing me in very early. But somewhere past the halfway mark I realize that the execution is falling just a bit short in delivering information that moves the action forward. In this case, there are two mysteries to solve, including whether they are even related. The suspect pool is large and development of each character sparse enough that I can't even start to judge who may have done it. By dividing our attention, both mysteries lack the impact they might have had on their own. That said, I have suffered through far worse mysteries with absurd results. Never once have I had to roll my eyes and yell at Rutledge "Get a grip!"

I think there is some similarity to the style of the Holmes stories, in that they are actually more character driven than plot driven. The fun of Sherlock Holmes is watching Holmes work, not figuring out the solution in advance. What brings me back for more Rutledge is Rutledge himself. He is one of my favorite detective characters - complex, tormented, but such a good man. Simon Prebble personifies him with his low, calm, almost melancholy voice, yet brings his passion to the surface when justice is on the line. In the early stages of this story, Rutledge has to deal with a group of frightened little boys, and he is the perfect balance of compassionate authority. And the boys themselves are a hoot. A very worthy entry in the series.

OK But Not Todd's Best

Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

Reluctantly.

Would you recommend A Pale Horse to your friends? Why or why not?

Develops to slowly and ends to abruptly without all issues well explained.

Could you see A Pale Horse being made into a movie or a TV series? Who should the stars be?

No.

Any additional comments?

Todd's later works are much better. This on is OK but I recommend choosing a later book by Charles Todd.

great series

Where does A Pale Horse rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

top 10

What other book might you compare A Pale Horse to and why?

the entire series is worth your time.

Which character – as performed by Simon Prebble – was your favorite?

Rutledge, Prebble is a great reader and he helps the reader identify with the characters.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Any time Hamish talks

Any additional comments?

I hope this series will continue. It brings history into the story along with the mystery. Please keep the same reader, he is wonderful.

Reread an old favorite

Second reading of A PaleHorse. I read the text copy of the book the first time then tried the audio version two years later. Excellent story well read.

Character development, and taut plot

I liked the story and the back stories that were woven as the book went on. Todd also weaves in social snd human issues that are relevant to today. Good perspectives!

Outstanding author - Outstanding narrator

What did you love best about A Pale Horse?

This is the third book in the series I've heard, the first being the more recent A Lonely Death. (Audible.com special. It caught my eye.) I thoroughly enjoyed it, as well as the next book in the series, The Confession. That being the most recent one available, I looked at earlier productions but found I had developed a loyalty to Simon Prebble's narration. I downloaded A Pale Horse and was not disappointed. As an author, I can't help but be a little ticked off at Todd's ability to consistently weave a multi-layered, yet highly "readable" story. I wish he'd cut it out. He's making the rest of us look bad. And of course, Simon is simply outstanding as a narrator. One of the best I've heard.

What was one of the most memorable moments of A Pale Horse?

As in all crime / mystery books - The Reveal

Which character – as performed by Simon Prebble – was your favorite?

Ian Rutledge

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made me chuckle and I may or may not have developed a frog in my throat at one point or another. Quite frankly, it's none of your business. However, my overall opinion is that you can't go wrong with this author/narrator combination if you enjoy a procedural detective story, with a unique protagonist.

Any additional comments?

Go for it. You'll like it. Really.

The best story in this series so far!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

I love this series and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys intricate details and mysteries set in English villages. I disagree, however, with those who say they prefer this narrator to Gilles. I like the more dramatic way Gilles reads, and his Scottish accent when he does Hamish is more pronounced and seems more authentic to me. I hope Book 6-9 will soon be available.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Of course it was Inspector Rutledge and Hamish along with him. They make a great team.

Which scene was your favorite?

I don't think in terms of favorite scenes but I will say the ending in this one was particularly satisfying. Often an excellent mystery is spoiled by an ending that wasn't well enough developed by the rest of the story but this one, although surprising, was quite plausible.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No, just enjoyed listening to it as much as possible until I reached the end. After listening to seven of these audiobooks Rutledge's world has become almost real to me.

Any additional comments?

Before I started listening to this series I didn't think I would like mysteries set in the period just after WWI, but was caught up in that time immediately and now have acquired an interest in learning more about the war and the times.

It's a decent story for the sale price.

Not much to say. It is a decent story, fairly well written and read. I bought this as a "sale" item and for that price it was worth it. It is not a story that I will return to though.