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

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.

Like listening to paint dry.

I got through the first half. I got through about 1/4 of the second half, then I wanted to drive off a bridge. Great narrator, boring story.

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.

A Pale Horse

If you like a mystery with interesting charaters this series is very good. The stories are about the people surviving WWI and its aftermath. The reader does an excellant job of seperating the voices.

Not special!

I really enjoy books by Charles Todd, but this book is just so-so. The narration by Simon Prebble is excellent.

The narrator made this book work for me

Would you listen to A Pale Horse again? Why?

Yes. In fact, I have a few narrators that I will listen to again if I can't find a book of interest and one of those narrators is Simon Prebble.

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

I think this one, more than the others in the series, had a wonderful culmination of events where secrets were revealed. In this particular story, there were a few surprises I hadn't seen coming and that's always a good thing.

What about Simon Prebble’s performance did you like?

His voice is smooth, not over acted. There are some narrators who disappear as the story unfolds and you are aware of only the story. There are some who are so bland or over acting that you wish for another narrator, any narrator. And then there is Simon Prebble, a narrator whose voice enhances the story. He does any good book justice and he served this one very well.

Any additional comments?

I hadn't realized how much the narrator brought to this series until I listened to another audio book with a different narrator -- I didn't finish that one. If you've turned away from this series with any other narrator, give this one a try.

A Tough Case

One of the best stories I've listened to in years. The narrator brings the book alive with so many different voices.

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.

Wondering

if I should listen to this story again? I just didn't enjoy it nearly as much at the rest of the series. The story seems to ramble and get caught up in unnecessary, endless details. Hamish, who usually is a nagging helper just becomes a nasty nag. I must suggest skipping this one-sorry.

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.