The Confession

An Inspector Ian Rutledge Mystery

By: Charles Todd

Narrated by: Simon Prebble

“One of the best historical series being written today.”
—Washington Post

“Todd once and for all establishes the shell-shocked Rutledge as the genre’s most complex and fascinating detective.”
—Entertainment Weekly

The Confession is historical crime fiction at its finest, continuing Charles Todd’s New York Times bestselling mystery series featuring severely damaged British World War I veteran, and yet still astonishingly efficient Scotland Yard inspector, Ian Rutledge. Todd’s troubled investigator wrestles with a startling and dangerous case that reaches far into the past when a false confession from a man who is not who he claims to be leads to a brutal murder. The Confession is a must-read for every fan of Elizabeth George, Martha Grimes, P.D. James, Ruth Rendell, and Jacqueline Winspear, as post-war London’s best detective finds himself ensnared in a dark and deadly investigation that unearths shocking small town secrets dating back more than a century.

The best of the best, the ultimate Ian Rutledge

Charles Todd just gets better with age - like a fine wine he is. Begin in Audible with the first of the series (confession: I've only listed to the those narrated by Simon Prebble - he is "The Man" as far as I am concerned) and work your way through to the end; they only get better and better.

Hamish MacLeod was quiet in this novel and I admire Todd for that. The best hope in life is that, no matter what the ailment, a person gets better, survives, and that is where I felt Todd was taking Rutledge in this one. It made me want to read the next one, a new facet to Todd, a hope for his character.

To sum this up, the best Ian Rutledge story yet. I loved every page of it. Now, saying that - this was the first novel I figured out "who-done-it" (about 2/3 in) but it did not ruin the novel because I was never 100% sure I was right, Todd kept me guessing and ultimately that is what I want in every mystery.

I cannot wait for the next one.

Tantalizing mystery where the war actually is a character

The aftermath ofWorld War I plays an enormous role in this period Mystery.The narration of Simon Prebble made it come alive.I am continually fascinated by the post traumatic stress/Shell shock narrative and its personification in Hamish. This novel would make a great film.

I like these stories but...

What made the experience of listening to The Confession: An Inspector Ian Rutledge Mystery the most enjoyable?

I really can't stand Simon Prebble's Scottish accent - it's awful.

What three words best describe Simon Prebble’s performance?

Generally good, just can't do a Scottish accent at all (I know, more than 3 words!!)

AN ADDICTIVE SERIES!

Somehow I started with just one of the books in the series but soon bought all of them back to back. FYI: This is the 14th in the series. Simon Prebble, as always, is a superb narrator - much better than Samuel Gillies, who narrates like he's performing "Hansel and Gretel" to 6 year olds!

No matter how hard you try, you will never guess who will be murdered and by whom. There are so many twists and turns and red herrings that the reader is always kept guessing. The Scotland Yard Inspector Ian Rutledge is a tortured soul but a great detective. He suffers from World War I "shell shock" which is what we now recognize as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder that is manifested by a dead "imaginary friend" named Hamish McCloud. This adds an interesting component into how this detective acts and reacts. Hamish is to Rutledge what cocaine is to Sherlock Holmes - a dangerous nemesis that both helps and hampers. All of the books are pretty much the same plot but just different enough in locations, people, class distinctions, and twists to make each worth reading. My suggestion is to go on Google or Wikipedia to learn the order of the series and start with the first one. Each book fills in the gaps if you start somewhere in the middle but the continuity really helps. It would be nice if Audible.com would assign chronological order to books which contain a series or prequels and sequels. )I will post this same comment on all of the Ian Rutledge books that I've read.)

Great story!

Here is Ian Rutledge trying to decide if he has 2 cases or 1 very nasty case. As one of his counterparts would say, "He is using his little grey cells." This is a good, complex mystery-don't miss it!