Monday, February 09, 2015

Charles Todd's A Fine Summer's Day, an Ian Rutledge prequel set in pre-WWI England

This 17th novel in the Ian Rutledge mystery series follows the successful pattern used in many of the previous books. An inspector at Scotland Yard, Rutledge puts considerable mileage on his motorcar, driving all over England interviewing villagers while cunningly assembling clues to track down a killer. His presence is alternately welcomed and resented by the local police, and his wits prove to be as sharp as ever. The difference? This entry turns back the clock six years, just prior to the wartime service that will leave him a haunted, shell-shocked veteran.

In this prequel set in June 1914, Rutledge is just 23, a young policeman with a bright future in the Yard – if he can endure the Chief Superintendent’s antipathy. He’s naïve when it comes to women, though. Newly engaged, he thinks his pretty fiancée Jean Gordon will make him happy, while his sister and friends are doubtful. When he gets called to investigate a hanging in Yorkshire, he finds himself befuddled. The dead man was a successful furniture maker with no known enemies. Before long, Rutledge is assigned to investigate two other murders in different corners of the country, and the victims have similarly unblemished reputations.

Readers are shown the perpetrator at the beginning, but even after Rutledge figures things out, there’s still plenty of mystery left. The story becomes an exciting cat-and-mouse thriller as he pursues his man while determining the “how” and the “why.” Tension and atmosphere are added via Britain’s increasing slide towards war, Jean’s pressure on him to enlist, and his need to clear an innocent man before it’s too late. Despite one outlandish coincidence, this is a suspenseful mystery that grips one’s attention until the end.

A Fine Summer's Day was published in January by William Morrow in hardcover ($25.99 or Can$33.50, 352pp).  This review first appeared in February's Historical Novels Review.

Some other notes:

- If you haven't already noticed, the "elegant country house" cover is on its way to becoming as prevalent as the "headless woman" cover.  This doesn't indicate, in either case, that the books are all the same or even close to similar style-wise, though. 

- Yes, this is 17th in a series, but because it's a prequel, you can read it first without any trouble.  (I'm not one who needs to read series books in order, but I know others prefer to do that.)  I've read many books in the Ian Rutledge series so far, including #1, 15, and 16, but not all of them yet.


15 comments:

  1. Just added this one to my reading pile. I hadn't realized it was 17th in a series when I picked it up. Not that it bothered me that much. I often read series out of sequence too.

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    1. Glad I'm not the only one. I started with the middle of the series, worked my way to the end, and then read #1 after that. Which I liked, but it was clear after reading it that the writing style had improved over time.

      In all of the books prior to #17, the authors do a good job recapping what had happened to Rutledge during the war, so I wasn't lost beginning in the middle.

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  2. It's been so long since I've read one of their novels - this will be a great one to dive back in with. Thanks for the news.

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    1. That happens to me too, I get started with a series and then drop out of reading the books for a while with the TBR looming...

      I just looked up the first book and see it was published way back in 1994! This series has been going for a long time. I really ought to go back and read all of them that I've missed, since they're reliable entertainment.

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  3. The series is new to me and I like the pre WWI bit. Most stories are set in the actual war itself.

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    1. That's a good point. This book continues through the opening of WWI, but the remainder of the Ian Rutledge series takes place after it's over, starting in 1919.

      Charles Todd has a second series that takes place during the war - the Bess Crawford series (she's a wartime nurse).

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  4. Oho, a new series to explore! I've taken to listening to series on audiobook because my other reading commitments don't allow me the luxury of sinking into a whole series at a time.

    Of course the ultimate shell-shocked WWI vet was Lord Peter Wimsey. I wouldn't mind it if someone wrote a pre-War prequel for him!

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    1. That would be interesting. I know of a couple of sequels for the Wimsey books but not a prequel.

      I haven't listened to any audiobooks in years (not since my commute was much longer than it is now). The narrator for this one (Steven Crossley) has won awards for his work, which bodes well!

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  5. Just which country home is that ubiquitous Englsh manor - anyone know? It's not Chatsworth - maybe Belton House?

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    1. That's a good question, Annis. It does resemble Belton House somewhat. The credit only says "Arcangel Images," and their gallery is online, but apparently I'm not using the right search terms because nothing relevant is coming up.

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  6. I love Charles Todd's Bess Crawford books, but have yet to try this series. I really should do so, as doing so will give my some Todd books to read while I'm waiting for the next Bess Crawford book to come out :-)

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    1. If you're following the Bess Crawford series, you may find something of interest in this book :) I haven't started that series yet but have copies of most of them.

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  7. I haven't read this book yet. I enjoy his books.

    Thanks for sharing, and thanks for stopping by to comment on my post about the value of knowing how to type and typing classes. :)

    ENJOY your day.

    Elizabeth
    Silver's Reviews
    My Blog

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    1. Thanks for commenting, Elizabeth! Hope you enjoy the book if you get the chance to read it.

      I enjoyed your post about typing classes - it brought back memories.

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    2. Typing class was fun, and I had fun teaching typing.

      So glad you stopped.

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