Legacy of the Dead

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'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.

31 of 31 people found this review helpful

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 4th 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.)

7 of 9 people found this review helpful

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.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Denouement any one?

Holy cow. I had read other reviews mentioning a "cliff hanger" ending. They weren't kidding. I am not sure I would call it a cliff-hanger. I think there is just absolutely no denouement here. He/she (Charles Todd is actually two people), just solves the mystery and ends the danged book. So many of the peripheral threads are just left dangling. That actually did reduce my enjoyment of the book.

Aside from that rather large issue, the rest of the book was pretty good. It is well into the series, so if you like the previous books you are likely to like this one. It is generally a well plotted mystery, with the requisite red herrings and clues sprinkled through out.

The one other thing that bothered me was the whole "the copper handling the case is a complete jerk who won't listen to logic if it doesn't agree with his opinion" trope is getting a bit old. Honestly, Rutledge can't be the only semi-intelligent officer in the country.

Wow, that turned into more of a vent than I thought it would. I didn't actually hate the book, but as a fan of the series to date, this one didn't quite stack up. I hope the next one is better.

2 of 3 people found this review helpful

Another great book

Wonderful book with a great twist at the end. Got me😉 Love the story and performance.

Ending of the book

I love your books, I just recently started reading/listening to them and enjoy them but I didn’t like the way this book ended hopefully it will continue in the next book where you left off. To many unanswered details for me.

One of the best

Inspector Ian Rutledge mysteries are always intriguing though the pacing can be frustratingly slow. Not this time. Ian is running against the clock And some stubborn Scots He is led and leads us up numerous dead ends but the ending is a surprise and satisfactory at least for me

My favorite so far in the series

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

odd ending

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

Scottish Mystery: Pitch Perfect

Having just traveled to the area of Scotland featured in this book, I can absolutely declare this book is perfect. The Scottish Highlands, in particular Glencoe, loom large, historically and geographically true to life. Ian Rutledge is one of the few Sassenach that could stand up to their brooding mystery. A perfect mystery. ..both written and recited.

Too much love and too much pain

Rutledge has to try to save Hamish's fiancee, Fiona, from being tried for murder. The many impediments from all quarters in the small Scottish Border town, and Hamish, all make it hard for Rutledge to get to bottom of this case. His dectective meanderings seem to be a trail of red herrings, but eventually, his terrier-tenacity pays off, but not without danger to Rutledge's life and his mental well-being. He has to search the past - the war, and its repercussions to see the entire picture.

The narrator, this time, seems to be less off the mark in his narration.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Gripping tale, exquisite reading

This story is so skillfully written that you never know until the very end the whole picture. The narrator's reading is masterful, adding so much colour and life to all the different voices. This tale is one that I will enjoy revisiting several times more, to savour the subtler points and twists.