• Legacy of the Dead

  • An Inspector Ian Rutledge Mystery
  • By: Charles Todd
  • Narrated by: Samuel Gillies
  • Length: 11 hrs and 14 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (664 ratings)

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Legacy of the Dead  By  cover art

Legacy of the Dead

By: Charles Todd
Narrated by: Samuel Gillies
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Publisher's summary

The weathered remains of Eleanor Gray are found on a Scottish mountainside, and her mother, the domineering Lady Maude Gray, requires delicate treatment. This is a case that will lead Inspector Ian Rutledge of Scotland Yard to Scotland, where his harrowing journey to find the truth will drag him back through the fires of his past into secrets that still have the power to kill.

©2000 Charles Todd (P)2002 W. F. Howes

What listeners say about Legacy of the Dead

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

My favorite so far in the series

From the first "page" this book captured my interest. Excellent. Best in the series so far.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • K.
  • 09-15-13

Love this Series

Would you listen to Legacy of the Dead again? Why?

OH Yes!!

What did you like best about this story?

I enjoy the quips between Rutledge and Hamish

Which character – as performed by Samuel Gillies – was your favorite?

Hamish

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

I did feel somewhat remorseful in knowing Hamish loss of the girl he was to marry

Any additional comments?

I have a need to hear more of the ending of this story.......will book five be on audible soon?

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

characters galore!

lovely complicated characters. interest constantly peaked as new developments in plot at every turning. haunting and bleak landscape are entwined beautifully with character development.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Favorite of the series so far

I’ve been enjoying this series but at times have found a few of the mysteries hard to follow. What I like most about this book is the interplay and connection of the main characters. The plot was twisty but understandable.

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

A very complex mystery - excellent narrator

If you could sum up Legacy of the Dead in three words, what would they be?

That is impossible - even after listening to the book the second time I had a hard time putting it all together - not that it wasn't well plotted by the author, but it was quite complicated.

What did you like best about this story?

The narration is perfect for this very intriguing story - Mr. Gillies conveys the nuance of the dialogue effectively. He is a true expert!

Which character – as performed by Samuel Gillies – was your favorite?

Of course Ian Rutledge, and Hamish along with him. Rutledge is unstoppable as a police inspector in spite of his residual psychological damage from the war.

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

The complex confrontation at the end was intense and thrilling.

Any additional comments?

I am re-listening to the entire series and find the books do not lose any of their power the second time through. The author sets up the mystery so the reader is very anxious to know what the solution is, but I can never figure it out before I finish.

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1 person found this helpful

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

slow start but then it rolled

I enjoyed this Inspector Rutledge more than I thought I would after the first hour. Story unbelievable even for a mystery, but as usual Todd entertained

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

odd ending

Left loose ends ; wondering if next book in series tie them up. We'll see.

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

Inspector Rutledge and Hamish on Impossible Hunt

This one made my heart race and my blood boil. Inspector Rutledge is sent to Scotland to the small town of Duncarrick, to investigate a murder. And along for the ride is his companion, Corporal Hamish MacLeod, long dead in the Great War, but ever present in Rutledge's mind, speaking to him, haunting him and second guessing him. Little did Rutledge know, he and Hamish were headed to the village where Hamish had grown up and where he had proposed to and left behind, Fiona. Now accused of murdering Eleanor Gray, the daughter of Lady Maude Gray, Fiona is soon taken into custody. To Hamish and Rutledge's surprise, Fiona has a young son, named Ian, whom she had claimed was her own. However, soon it was proven that the boy was not her biological son, and this seemed to point even more to her guilt. The search for the truth was a difficult one, with Fiona, herself being unwilling to divulge the circumstances of the boy's birth. Yet, Rutledge (and Hamish) felt certain that Fiona was innocent. The entire town, who had previously accepted and loved Fiona, had now turned against her. Excellent tale of secrets, coverups and a tenacious copper who never stops until he gets to the truth.

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

What's up, Audible??? Why would you do this to us?

I've listened to all the Inspector Ian Rutledge books leading up to this one and several later ones before I realized it was a series. I enjoyed them very much. The problem is, this is the first one that ends on a cliffhanger, so I hopped on here to get the next one right away, only to find that Audible skips over the next 5 books. I'm so angry right now I could spit! Just be warned before you listen to this one. You're gonna be left hanging.

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54 people found this helpful

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

Superb mystery.

Intriguing story. Vivid descriptions of Scottish countryside and people. Kept my interest from the first page.

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