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Inspector Ian Rutledge #25
A Day of Judgment
Not yet published
Expected 17 Mar 26
Inspector Ian Rutledge of Scotland Yard travels to England’s windswept coastline to investigate a murder in a place where, several years after the end of WWI, the memory of the war still runs strong . . .
July, 1921: England is suffering a heatwave and the coast of Northumberland, just across the border from Scotland, is filled with holiday-makers bird watching and enjoying the beaches. Pilgrims also come to visit the home of Saints Cuthbert and Aiden—the founders of Christianity in England—located on the “Holy Island” of Lindisfarne, accessible by a causeway at low tide.
When the murdered body of a local man washes ashore just south of Lindisfarne, the government and the Church of England are concerned about protecting both the reputation of the Church and the sacred sites that are a destination for hundreds of pilgrims at this time of year. With his ability to move in the highest social and political circles, Rutledge is sent by Scotland Yard to solve this crime and dispel any association with the Church.
Upon arrival, Rutledge finds himself pulled between two coastal fishing villages, scarred by home front battles and coastal bombardment from the German Navy, where animosity towards Germany still runs high even years after the war. This, combined with a constabulary in the process of being consolidated to form a countywide police force, with local militias still wielding a great deal of power, means Rutledge must tread with care.
Facing a puzzling case and a cast of locals that don’t take kindly to outsiders, the newly promoted Rutledge meets one of the most challenging cases of his career. To solve it, he’ll also have to confront his own demons left over from his time in the war.
July, 1921: England is suffering a heatwave and the coast of Northumberland, just across the border from Scotland, is filled with holiday-makers bird watching and enjoying the beaches. Pilgrims also come to visit the home of Saints Cuthbert and Aiden—the founders of Christianity in England—located on the “Holy Island” of Lindisfarne, accessible by a causeway at low tide.
When the murdered body of a local man washes ashore just south of Lindisfarne, the government and the Church of England are concerned about protecting both the reputation of the Church and the sacred sites that are a destination for hundreds of pilgrims at this time of year. With his ability to move in the highest social and political circles, Rutledge is sent by Scotland Yard to solve this crime and dispel any association with the Church.
Upon arrival, Rutledge finds himself pulled between two coastal fishing villages, scarred by home front battles and coastal bombardment from the German Navy, where animosity towards Germany still runs high even years after the war. This, combined with a constabulary in the process of being consolidated to form a countywide police force, with local militias still wielding a great deal of power, means Rutledge must tread with care.
Facing a puzzling case and a cast of locals that don’t take kindly to outsiders, the newly promoted Rutledge meets one of the most challenging cases of his career. To solve it, he’ll also have to confront his own demons left over from his time in the war.
368 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication March 17, 2026
4728 people want to read
About the author
Charles Todd
105 books3,521 followersCharles Todd was the pen name used by the mother-and-son writing team, Caroline Todd and Charles Todd. Now, Charles writes the Ian Rutledge and Bess Crawford Series. Charles Todd ha spublished three standalone mystery novels and many short stories.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
September 25, 2025
The author used to be two people, now it is just one, and while he can keep cranking these out, I'm not sure how much longer I will be reading them.
I am tired of Hamish,and why does every
meal Rutledge eats have to be cataloged?
I am tired of Hamish,and why does every
meal Rutledge eats have to be cataloged?
January 10, 2026
3.5 stars
The latest offering from Charles Todd is an enjoyable installment of Chief Inspector Rutledge of Scotland Yard. I’ve always enjoyed Rutledge, and learning more about him and the trauma he deals with from WWI, but felt the character had kind of stalled a bit. This time I was happy to see more development in his situation and perhaps in perspective a bit. I’m always looking for characters who behave more like humans, not robots, if in multiple books. This helps me to want to continue to read about them. It didn’t catch my attention as much as some books have, but I ended up enjoying it over several weeks time.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
The latest offering from Charles Todd is an enjoyable installment of Chief Inspector Rutledge of Scotland Yard. I’ve always enjoyed Rutledge, and learning more about him and the trauma he deals with from WWI, but felt the character had kind of stalled a bit. This time I was happy to see more development in his situation and perhaps in perspective a bit. I’m always looking for characters who behave more like humans, not robots, if in multiple books. This helps me to want to continue to read about them. It didn’t catch my attention as much as some books have, but I ended up enjoying it over several weeks time.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
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September 27, 2025I felt like I was reading a novel written specifically for elderly women. It was just a little tedious. I enjoyed this book because I liked the mystery and found the characters interesting, but there was just too much extraneous information about settings, architectural details and foods which the English are inclined to somehow eat. I mean seriously, I didn't need to know what the inspector had for breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday! Too many details all around. The mystery was a good one, just mired down in the unnecessary details which did not add to the story.
February 18, 2026
An interesting historical fiction mystery. This book is part of the Inspector Ian Rutledge series but could be read as a standalone. Inspector Rutledge travels to the coast of Northumberland to investigate a murder. He is met with many obstacles as he tries to solve a case post war in communities that trust no one. Lots of twists and turns with a satisfying conclusion.
Thank you Mysterious Press for my ARC.
Thank you Mysterious Press for my ARC.
September 27, 2025
My second read in this beloved series kept me rapt and made me admire author Charles Todd even more. I love their Bess Crawford series and am new to the Ian Rutledge stories, but plan to go back and read them all. Recommended!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5 stars
Any long running series waxes and wanes. This was a worthwhile read, but felt a bit off to me. The series premise is that (newly-promoted) Chief Inspector Ian Rutledge of Scotland Yard is sent out on a potentially touchy death in Northumbria that might bring the wrath of the Church. This thread is not fleshed out and the possible awkwardness is a dead end plot element.
Rutledge is Great War veteran with a lot of baggage. The voice of a man he had shot for refusing to carry out an order is constantly with him as a potent symbol of his guilt and shell shock. Hamish's voice is very present in this one, as the local murder has tie-ins to World War I and brings back Rutledge's nightmares.
The plot started out to be interesting but sort of petered out in the end. Some of the writing feels repetitive -- we are told and shown dozens of times that the locals don't appreciate the Yard's presence or strangers in their midst. The long narrative descriptions sometimes ramble a bit.
There are some interactions with the local clergy that are nicely drawn and reflective. And there's a bit of hope in the ending that Rutledge will someday be able to have normal relationships and move away from his war trauma. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Any long running series waxes and wanes. This was a worthwhile read, but felt a bit off to me. The series premise is that (newly-promoted) Chief Inspector Ian Rutledge of Scotland Yard is sent out on a potentially touchy death in Northumbria that might bring the wrath of the Church. This thread is not fleshed out and the possible awkwardness is a dead end plot element.
Rutledge is Great War veteran with a lot of baggage. The voice of a man he had shot for refusing to carry out an order is constantly with him as a potent symbol of his guilt and shell shock. Hamish's voice is very present in this one, as the local murder has tie-ins to World War I and brings back Rutledge's nightmares.
The plot started out to be interesting but sort of petered out in the end. Some of the writing feels repetitive -- we are told and shown dozens of times that the locals don't appreciate the Yard's presence or strangers in their midst. The long narrative descriptions sometimes ramble a bit.
There are some interactions with the local clergy that are nicely drawn and reflective. And there's a bit of hope in the ending that Rutledge will someday be able to have normal relationships and move away from his war trauma. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
October 12, 2025
EXCELLENT!!
I received this book free from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Written by Charles Todd and published by Mysterious Press, an imprint of Penzler Publishers in 2026, this is the latest in the series about a Scotland Yard detective in the era of World War I.
Charles Todd is the pen name of a mother & son writing team based in the United States. Sadly, the mother passed away several years ago, so the son has continued the writing tradition. The stories by this author are characterized by intense and accurate research that makes the stories very realistic, not to mention a brilliant degree of creativity. They wrote primarily about two different protagonists. The first of these is Detective Inspector (now Detective Chief Inspector) Ian Rutledge. Although this book is set in 1921, the very first time period described in one of the novels is 1914, at the start of the War. Rutledge has a brilliant, but troubled, mind, and he drives a 1914 Rolls Royce, making him a unique policeman. The second protagonist is Bess Crawford, a British army nurse, who is aboard the HMHS (His Majesty’s Hospital Ship) Brittanic, sister ship of the RMS Olympic and the RMS Titanic of historical and movie fame. The Brittanic was struck by a German U-Boat torpedo near Greece after dropping off wounded British soldiers, and Bess survives with an injury, even though the ship sank. Both the Ian Rutledge and the Bess Crawford novels are excellent reads, and I highly recommend them.
In this story, Ian Rutledge, now a Detective Chief Inspector, is dispatched by his new boss, a man named Markum (a new Chief Superintendent who disrespects Rutledge just as much as his predecessor) to Northumbria, an area of Northeast England that was comprised of Northumberland, Durham, and Tyne and Wear. A body has washed ashore on the Ross Sands near the Hamlet of Ross near Lindisfarne, also known as Holy Island. A monk had founded the seat of English Christianity there in 634 AD and had achieved sainthood because of it. Scotland Yard is very concerned about the reaction of the death on pilgrimage to the island by worshipers and Rutledge was instructed to keep the local Archdeacon of Lindisfarne well informed so that he, in turn, could keep the Diocese of Newcastle informed. It was clear to Rutledge that his bosses cared more about the attitude of the Church than to the solution to a potential crime of murder.
Rutledge stays at The Ship Inn in a village called Seahouses, and then he moves to another village called Beadston, nearer to where the body had been found, and where the victim had lived. He hires a fisherman to take him out to the islands where the murdered body might have been put into the water. There he finds a gravesite that appeared to have a German Cross made with stones at its head. This fisherman is later found murdered, probably by the same hand that murdered the first body that had washed ashore. While in Seahouses, Rutledge finds access to a telephone across the street from the Ship Inn at another, larger Inn called the Bamburgh Castle Inn. He uses this telephone regularly to maintain his communication with Scotland Yard, and his very good friend Melinda Crawford.
Rutledge soon determines that the murders are somehow related to the hidden gravesite he had found, and to the torpedo sinking of the HMS Ascot by a German submarine the day before the armistice that had ended World War I had been signed. His investigation is very thorough, and it has apparently made a few of the locals, members of an unofficial militia, very nervous. It is clear to him that his presence there is resented by most of the local populace. That populace is made up primarily of fishermen and workers at a local lime kiln, where quick lime is produced. Universally, they hate Germans, whom they refer to as “The Hun.”
Rutledge takes care to try to work as closely as possible with the local police forces, including an over-enthusiastic Inspector named Taylor, and a Constable who had served in the War. The Inspector has his own vehicle, a small Crossley, but the Constable rides a bicycle. While staying at the inn in Beadston, Rutledge takes a nighttime opportunity to overhear a conversation between two of the local militiamen, and it greatly advances his investigation. He does, of course, solve the murders, and the killer will probably come as a surprise to readers. The story is relatively fast paced. This author’s works seems to always be historically and geographically accurate, and I found the facts that he shares to be quite interesting. He also is careful to accurately portray the accented speech of the locals whenever he is near Scotland.
There are very few loose ends left dangling at the end of this story, although I did wonder why the local inspector did not follow Rutledge’s instructions and remain hidden from the man he was assigned to follow. All in all, this is an excellent detective story set in 1921. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and recommend it highly to others. I award all five of the five available stars.
I received this book free from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Written by Charles Todd and published by Mysterious Press, an imprint of Penzler Publishers in 2026, this is the latest in the series about a Scotland Yard detective in the era of World War I.
Charles Todd is the pen name of a mother & son writing team based in the United States. Sadly, the mother passed away several years ago, so the son has continued the writing tradition. The stories by this author are characterized by intense and accurate research that makes the stories very realistic, not to mention a brilliant degree of creativity. They wrote primarily about two different protagonists. The first of these is Detective Inspector (now Detective Chief Inspector) Ian Rutledge. Although this book is set in 1921, the very first time period described in one of the novels is 1914, at the start of the War. Rutledge has a brilliant, but troubled, mind, and he drives a 1914 Rolls Royce, making him a unique policeman. The second protagonist is Bess Crawford, a British army nurse, who is aboard the HMHS (His Majesty’s Hospital Ship) Brittanic, sister ship of the RMS Olympic and the RMS Titanic of historical and movie fame. The Brittanic was struck by a German U-Boat torpedo near Greece after dropping off wounded British soldiers, and Bess survives with an injury, even though the ship sank. Both the Ian Rutledge and the Bess Crawford novels are excellent reads, and I highly recommend them.
In this story, Ian Rutledge, now a Detective Chief Inspector, is dispatched by his new boss, a man named Markum (a new Chief Superintendent who disrespects Rutledge just as much as his predecessor) to Northumbria, an area of Northeast England that was comprised of Northumberland, Durham, and Tyne and Wear. A body has washed ashore on the Ross Sands near the Hamlet of Ross near Lindisfarne, also known as Holy Island. A monk had founded the seat of English Christianity there in 634 AD and had achieved sainthood because of it. Scotland Yard is very concerned about the reaction of the death on pilgrimage to the island by worshipers and Rutledge was instructed to keep the local Archdeacon of Lindisfarne well informed so that he, in turn, could keep the Diocese of Newcastle informed. It was clear to Rutledge that his bosses cared more about the attitude of the Church than to the solution to a potential crime of murder.
Rutledge stays at The Ship Inn in a village called Seahouses, and then he moves to another village called Beadston, nearer to where the body had been found, and where the victim had lived. He hires a fisherman to take him out to the islands where the murdered body might have been put into the water. There he finds a gravesite that appeared to have a German Cross made with stones at its head. This fisherman is later found murdered, probably by the same hand that murdered the first body that had washed ashore. While in Seahouses, Rutledge finds access to a telephone across the street from the Ship Inn at another, larger Inn called the Bamburgh Castle Inn. He uses this telephone regularly to maintain his communication with Scotland Yard, and his very good friend Melinda Crawford.
Rutledge soon determines that the murders are somehow related to the hidden gravesite he had found, and to the torpedo sinking of the HMS Ascot by a German submarine the day before the armistice that had ended World War I had been signed. His investigation is very thorough, and it has apparently made a few of the locals, members of an unofficial militia, very nervous. It is clear to him that his presence there is resented by most of the local populace. That populace is made up primarily of fishermen and workers at a local lime kiln, where quick lime is produced. Universally, they hate Germans, whom they refer to as “The Hun.”
Rutledge takes care to try to work as closely as possible with the local police forces, including an over-enthusiastic Inspector named Taylor, and a Constable who had served in the War. The Inspector has his own vehicle, a small Crossley, but the Constable rides a bicycle. While staying at the inn in Beadston, Rutledge takes a nighttime opportunity to overhear a conversation between two of the local militiamen, and it greatly advances his investigation. He does, of course, solve the murders, and the killer will probably come as a surprise to readers. The story is relatively fast paced. This author’s works seems to always be historically and geographically accurate, and I found the facts that he shares to be quite interesting. He also is careful to accurately portray the accented speech of the locals whenever he is near Scotland.
There are very few loose ends left dangling at the end of this story, although I did wonder why the local inspector did not follow Rutledge’s instructions and remain hidden from the man he was assigned to follow. All in all, this is an excellent detective story set in 1921. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and recommend it highly to others. I award all five of the five available stars.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A murder case is made difficult by locals who don't care for outsiders
Scotland Yard's Ian Rutledge, recently promoted to Chief Inspector, is tapped to investigate the death of a man that washed up on a shore in Northumberland. The spot is very near the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, and neither the Church nor the locals want those who visit the area as pilgrims, vacationers or bird watchers to be put off by a murder. The two small towns in which he finds himself are not welcoming of outsiders and. do not seem overly fond of the dead man, who was a local. There is a great deal of anti-German sentiment present still, as the area had been targeted during the recent war, and it is no help to Rutledge that the local police are in the midst of a consolidation process. Rutledge can sympathize with the ill feelings present due to the war....he still grapples with his own personal version of PTSD by way of "hearing" the voice of one of the soldiers in his regiment whom he had been forced to execute...but he has a job to do. He will need to be very careful, as he can not afford to alienate the powers that be...and he can't be completely sure who he can trust as he digs deeper into the murder.
This is the 25th book in this long running series, being penned now by one half of the mother/son duo who were Charles Todd after the passing of the mother. Rutledge is a fascinating protagonist, a man who bears terrible emotional scars from the war that he does his best to keep hidden (it would not do much for his job prospects were his bosses to realize that he "hears" the voice of a dead man throughout each day). He is smart, is able to mix easily with the upper classes given his own background, and despite his issues with his previous supervisor has been promoted to a new job. This case proves to be one of his most puzzling ones, and difficult as well given the hostility present in the local residents directed both at the Germans in the abstract and at outsiders like Rutledge who come to meddle in their business. The author does an excellent job of describing the area and its history, specifically as it relates to WWI. Characters are well-developed and nuanced, and the mystery at the core of the novel is an intriguing one. The pace sometimes drags a bit, and although it can be read as a standalone I think that having read others in the series will deepen the appreciation of the book overall for the reader. I found the voice of Hamish seemed to be to be both more pronounced and more negative, but that perception may not be shared by others. All in all, an excellent read and a good addition to the series, one likely to be enjoyed by readers of Charles Finch, Jacqueline Winspear and Susan Elia MacNeal. My thanks to NetGalley and Penzler Publishers/Mysterious Press for allowing me access to the novel in exchange for my honest review.
Scotland Yard's Ian Rutledge, recently promoted to Chief Inspector, is tapped to investigate the death of a man that washed up on a shore in Northumberland. The spot is very near the Holy Island of Lindisfarne, and neither the Church nor the locals want those who visit the area as pilgrims, vacationers or bird watchers to be put off by a murder. The two small towns in which he finds himself are not welcoming of outsiders and. do not seem overly fond of the dead man, who was a local. There is a great deal of anti-German sentiment present still, as the area had been targeted during the recent war, and it is no help to Rutledge that the local police are in the midst of a consolidation process. Rutledge can sympathize with the ill feelings present due to the war....he still grapples with his own personal version of PTSD by way of "hearing" the voice of one of the soldiers in his regiment whom he had been forced to execute...but he has a job to do. He will need to be very careful, as he can not afford to alienate the powers that be...and he can't be completely sure who he can trust as he digs deeper into the murder.
This is the 25th book in this long running series, being penned now by one half of the mother/son duo who were Charles Todd after the passing of the mother. Rutledge is a fascinating protagonist, a man who bears terrible emotional scars from the war that he does his best to keep hidden (it would not do much for his job prospects were his bosses to realize that he "hears" the voice of a dead man throughout each day). He is smart, is able to mix easily with the upper classes given his own background, and despite his issues with his previous supervisor has been promoted to a new job. This case proves to be one of his most puzzling ones, and difficult as well given the hostility present in the local residents directed both at the Germans in the abstract and at outsiders like Rutledge who come to meddle in their business. The author does an excellent job of describing the area and its history, specifically as it relates to WWI. Characters are well-developed and nuanced, and the mystery at the core of the novel is an intriguing one. The pace sometimes drags a bit, and although it can be read as a standalone I think that having read others in the series will deepen the appreciation of the book overall for the reader. I found the voice of Hamish seemed to be to be both more pronounced and more negative, but that perception may not be shared by others. All in all, an excellent read and a good addition to the series, one likely to be enjoyed by readers of Charles Finch, Jacqueline Winspear and Susan Elia MacNeal. My thanks to NetGalley and Penzler Publishers/Mysterious Press for allowing me access to the novel in exchange for my honest review.
October 17, 2025
Inspector Ian Rutledge of Scotland Yard is back for his 24th outing in Charles Todd’s “A Day of Judgment”, another mystery set in post -WWI England.
We are in the midst of a heatwave in July, 1921. Rutledge, newly promoted but still disliked by his boss, is sent on a mission to Northumberland to investigate the murder of a local fisherman that was found washed up on the shore. He needs to solve the murder to assure the Church of England that the pilgrims visiting the “Holy Island” of Lindisfarne nearby, along with all of the tourists in the area, are safe and that the murder has nothing to do with the Church. It seems that the authorities are more concerned with reputation than actually finding the real culprit, putting Rutledge in a pressured no-win situation.
The scars from the war are still strong here. This coast was harassed by German U-boats during the war, with the locals dealing with the bodies washing up on the shore. It becomes clear that the victim was viewed as a “Kraut lover”, someone with German sympathies, scorned by the villagers, but was that the reason for his murder all of these years later? And is there a connection between the victim and the last sinking of a British vessel at the end of the war? Rutledge must navigate between two villages, both of them with secrets and a hatred of outsiders. A local constable and an overeager inspector seem to be his only two allies in pursuing the murder. And Rutledge also must struggle with his own demons from the war and his feelings about the Germans as he follows his leads. When someone who helped Rutledge is also violently killed, he must now go on the offensive against the town militia, prejudiced locals, and the indifferent officials to stop a killer before he can strike again.
Another fine outing from Charles Todd, although the local geographies, histories, and especially the food descriptions all took away from the pace and storytelling at times.
I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from Penzler Publishers, Mysterious Press via NetGalley. Thank you!
We are in the midst of a heatwave in July, 1921. Rutledge, newly promoted but still disliked by his boss, is sent on a mission to Northumberland to investigate the murder of a local fisherman that was found washed up on the shore. He needs to solve the murder to assure the Church of England that the pilgrims visiting the “Holy Island” of Lindisfarne nearby, along with all of the tourists in the area, are safe and that the murder has nothing to do with the Church. It seems that the authorities are more concerned with reputation than actually finding the real culprit, putting Rutledge in a pressured no-win situation.
The scars from the war are still strong here. This coast was harassed by German U-boats during the war, with the locals dealing with the bodies washing up on the shore. It becomes clear that the victim was viewed as a “Kraut lover”, someone with German sympathies, scorned by the villagers, but was that the reason for his murder all of these years later? And is there a connection between the victim and the last sinking of a British vessel at the end of the war? Rutledge must navigate between two villages, both of them with secrets and a hatred of outsiders. A local constable and an overeager inspector seem to be his only two allies in pursuing the murder. And Rutledge also must struggle with his own demons from the war and his feelings about the Germans as he follows his leads. When someone who helped Rutledge is also violently killed, he must now go on the offensive against the town militia, prejudiced locals, and the indifferent officials to stop a killer before he can strike again.
Another fine outing from Charles Todd, although the local geographies, histories, and especially the food descriptions all took away from the pace and storytelling at times.
I requested and received a free advanced electronic copy from Penzler Publishers, Mysterious Press via NetGalley. Thank you!
October 18, 2025
When the body of a local man is found off the coast of Northumberland, Chief Inspector Ian Rutledge (newly promoted) is dispatched to investigate, mostly due to the proximity to the ‘Holy Island’ of Lindesfarne and the determination of both the authorities and the Church to avoid any controversy.
Assisted by both the ‘voice’ of Hamish and the too-eager, ingratiating local inspector, Taylor, Ian finds himself, as usual, looked on with suspicion and dislike by the locals after they discover who he is. This is not only because he is an outsider, but because of the overwhelming loathing of the victim, condemned by many as a ‘Hun lover.’ Freshly scarred from WWI and the battering the northern English coast received from the Germans, emotions run high.
This is the 24th in the series and I’ve been a fan since the very first. I must say this wasn’t my favorite. I know Charles Todd is a pseudonym for a mother-son writing duo and sadly the mother passed away, and perhaps this changed the overall feel of the writing somewhat. As a rule I don’t mind all the details, even down to the pub food Ian was served, but there were a lot of details in this book. At times it felt like most of the plot involved Ian driving his Rolls Royce between the villages, using the telephone at the Bamburgh Castle Inn, and having countless cups of tea or breakfasts at one of the two inns he was staying at. Over and over. It also seemed that Hamish, while never my favorite ‘character,’ was much harsher and more mocking in this book. Granted, he is simply an aspect of Ian’s PTSD from the war so he would be less than kind due to the circumstances, but I don’t know - he just seemed such a mean voice. Maybe he’ll fade away as time goes by and Ian finds a bit of peace.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Assisted by both the ‘voice’ of Hamish and the too-eager, ingratiating local inspector, Taylor, Ian finds himself, as usual, looked on with suspicion and dislike by the locals after they discover who he is. This is not only because he is an outsider, but because of the overwhelming loathing of the victim, condemned by many as a ‘Hun lover.’ Freshly scarred from WWI and the battering the northern English coast received from the Germans, emotions run high.
This is the 24th in the series and I’ve been a fan since the very first. I must say this wasn’t my favorite. I know Charles Todd is a pseudonym for a mother-son writing duo and sadly the mother passed away, and perhaps this changed the overall feel of the writing somewhat. As a rule I don’t mind all the details, even down to the pub food Ian was served, but there were a lot of details in this book. At times it felt like most of the plot involved Ian driving his Rolls Royce between the villages, using the telephone at the Bamburgh Castle Inn, and having countless cups of tea or breakfasts at one of the two inns he was staying at. Over and over. It also seemed that Hamish, while never my favorite ‘character,’ was much harsher and more mocking in this book. Granted, he is simply an aspect of Ian’s PTSD from the war so he would be less than kind due to the circumstances, but I don’t know - he just seemed such a mean voice. Maybe he’ll fade away as time goes by and Ian finds a bit of peace.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
I have always enjoyed the Todds' Inspector Rutledge series, but I was disappointed in this one. The quality of the writing has clearly deteriorated since Caroline's passing. The conversations are stilted. There are too many characters, who are not clearly distinguished from one another. Rutledge travels to so many different places that I sometimes couldn't keep track of whether he was in Seahouses, Berwick, Beadston, Newcastle, or wherever. And all the different Inspectors and Constables in each town. And I don't think that the story was enhanced by the endless descriptions of the architecture and decor of every inn, church, pub, room, etc. And I certainly didn't need to know what Rutledge ate for breakfast, lunch, and dinner every single day.
The plot was fairly good, following Rutledge as he doggedly pursued and compiled small clues to solve the case. But the writing was flat, lacking passion - I didn't feel Rutledge as a living, breathing human being. He supposedly has nightmares of the horrors he experienced in the War; but we don't see him awakening in panic, trembling, sweating - there is just a statement that he didn't sleep well, then he gets up and goes about his day. I would have liked more description of Rutledge's thoughts and feelings, and fewer descriptions of buildings and meals.
I used to look forward to a new Charles Todd novel; but I don't think I will be reading them in the future.
I read a review copy supplied by Edelweiss+.
The plot was fairly good, following Rutledge as he doggedly pursued and compiled small clues to solve the case. But the writing was flat, lacking passion - I didn't feel Rutledge as a living, breathing human being. He supposedly has nightmares of the horrors he experienced in the War; but we don't see him awakening in panic, trembling, sweating - there is just a statement that he didn't sleep well, then he gets up and goes about his day. I would have liked more description of Rutledge's thoughts and feelings, and fewer descriptions of buildings and meals.
I used to look forward to a new Charles Todd novel; but I don't think I will be reading them in the future.
I read a review copy supplied by Edelweiss+.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I have read every single Ian Rutledge novel and am a huge fan of Charles Todd’s writing. This book, however, struggled to hold my interest. There was very little plot development and a noticeable lack of meaningful human interaction, apart from the constant but very brief interviews Ian conducted as he crisscrossed between several villages.
There were also so many characters that it was difficult to keep everyone straight—especially since most of them were fishermen.
Historical fiction is my favorite genre, but this book focused too heavily on facts and obscure historical details. A disproportionate amount of space was devoted to local vegetation, architectural styles, building methods and materials, and especially military units, ranks, and history, which at times overwhelmed the story.
Still, I do feel that Ian may finally be willing to open up about his war trauma. If he could talk about what happened at the front, as he almost did with the local vicar, he would become a more multidimensional and emotionally engaging character. I remain hopeful that future books in the series will take this important emotional step forward.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#Adayofjudgement #NetGalley
There were also so many characters that it was difficult to keep everyone straight—especially since most of them were fishermen.
Historical fiction is my favorite genre, but this book focused too heavily on facts and obscure historical details. A disproportionate amount of space was devoted to local vegetation, architectural styles, building methods and materials, and especially military units, ranks, and history, which at times overwhelmed the story.
Still, I do feel that Ian may finally be willing to open up about his war trauma. If he could talk about what happened at the front, as he almost did with the local vicar, he would become a more multidimensional and emotionally engaging character. I remain hopeful that future books in the series will take this important emotional step forward.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#Adayofjudgement #NetGalley
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A solid historical mystery. I really enjoyed the setting for the book in northern England Northumberland, right next to the Scottish border. I thought this book showed how small communities can be tight knit and are not always loving and caring to all members, some are forgotten or ostracized. Todd does a good job shining a light on the after effects of war, many soldiers upon returning home struggle to find jobs and return to "normal life" after suffering mental and physical trauma. There’s a good and interesting look into English military ranks and divisions which as an American was very interesting to me. That being said Todd tends to get into the weeds and the book's pace is quite slow, but I found myself very invested in the characters.
I have read a few books from this series but not all of them. I’m still never sure how I feel about Rutledge hearing/seeing Hamish. It’s just kind of an odd element to this series for me. Rutledge can be a sad and morose main character. I must confess that I prefer Todd's the Bess Crawford series to this series.
Thanks for the advance audiobook copy Netgalley and High Bridge Audio
Pub date: March 10 2026
I have read a few books from this series but not all of them. I’m still never sure how I feel about Rutledge hearing/seeing Hamish. It’s just kind of an odd element to this series for me. Rutledge can be a sad and morose main character. I must confess that I prefer Todd's the Bess Crawford series to this series.
Thanks for the advance audiobook copy Netgalley and High Bridge Audio
Pub date: March 10 2026
January 16, 2026
In the next book in the Inspector Ian Rutledge series, A DAY OF JUDGMENT by Charles Todd, Ian is now a Chief Inspector. He is happy about his promotion but is still suffering guilt about surviving the battle of the Somme in WWI. The voice of his corporal at that time, Hamish, still haunts him. Chief Inspector Rutledge is called to a town near a port where the dead body of a fisherman has been found. I am already interested in this book and read on.
This is the 25th book in the Inspector Ian Rutledge series, and I think the Rutledge character is still as fresh and interesting as ever. I like the addition of Hamish’s voice in Rutledge’s head. The post WWI time period is well established, and the dose of history adds to the realism of the story. I appreciate the pacing of this mystery, and there is a good blend of mystery and backstory. I look forward to reading future books in the Inspector Ian Rutledge series. Thank you, Penzler Publishers and NetGalley, for the chance to read and review an advance reader copy of A DAY OF JUDGMENT.
This is the 25th book in the Inspector Ian Rutledge series, and I think the Rutledge character is still as fresh and interesting as ever. I like the addition of Hamish’s voice in Rutledge’s head. The post WWI time period is well established, and the dose of history adds to the realism of the story. I appreciate the pacing of this mystery, and there is a good blend of mystery and backstory. I look forward to reading future books in the Inspector Ian Rutledge series. Thank you, Penzler Publishers and NetGalley, for the chance to read and review an advance reader copy of A DAY OF JUDGMENT.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
It is July 1921 and this is the 25th book in the Inspector Ian Rutledge series. Rutledge is now a chief inspector. He still suffers from what we could call PTSD today. Scotland Yard sends him to investigate a body that was found near a holy island pilgrimage site. Both the government and the church are concerned about the church's reputation and safety of tourists. Rutledge is not welcomed by the locals and has to appease a superintendent who does not hold him in high regard as well as church officials, and must handle an interfering local detective.
While this book can be read as a standalone there are a number of incidental references to continuing characters mentioned in earlier books reading those earlier books could provide a better understanding of the wartime demons that haunt Rutledge. I thought the book dragged in places, and overplayed the inner voice plaguing Rutledge. Caroline Todd, one of the series' co-authors, died a few years ago. That may have affected the style and emphasis to some extent. I give it four stars, but it probably only deserves 3.5.
While this book can be read as a standalone there are a number of incidental references to continuing characters mentioned in earlier books reading those earlier books could provide a better understanding of the wartime demons that haunt Rutledge. I thought the book dragged in places, and overplayed the inner voice plaguing Rutledge. Caroline Todd, one of the series' co-authors, died a few years ago. That may have affected the style and emphasis to some extent. I give it four stars, but it probably only deserves 3.5.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I have been a big fan of this series for years and am ever hopeful that Hamish is going to slowly start to fade if not completely disappear. Sadly Hamish is still around in full force here. I also want a little happiness in Ian’s life, and there is the smallest of indications of that.
I struggled a bit with this book. It was slow moving and sometimes burdened with tedious details. A few times the action picked up, showing a glimpse of why this series has been successful in the past. I know the author duo is now down to a solo, and I hope he is going to find his feet. I haven’t given up on this series yet.
This book was good, but it could have been better.
Not family friendly due to a smattering of mild profanity.
Thanks to NetGalley and Penzler Publishers. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I struggled a bit with this book. It was slow moving and sometimes burdened with tedious details. A few times the action picked up, showing a glimpse of why this series has been successful in the past. I know the author duo is now down to a solo, and I hope he is going to find his feet. I haven’t given up on this series yet.
This book was good, but it could have been better.
Not family friendly due to a smattering of mild profanity.
Thanks to NetGalley and Penzler Publishers. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I thank NetGalley and The Mysterious Press for an advance reader copy of A Day of Judgment. All opinions and comments are my own.
The crime at the beginning -- compassion for a dead enemy -- finds a newly appointed Chief Inspector Ian Rutledge traveling to Northumberland to discover the truth of the matter, and a rather plodding journey it is. A Day of Judgment is a book full of very dry prose outlining a vast array of stumbling and bumbling activities, interspersed with a history lesson of the area. In this one, Rutledge is just going through the motions, with the ever-present Hamish making his usual unhappy observations. I’d hoped for better in this newest Rutledge book.
The crime at the beginning -- compassion for a dead enemy -- finds a newly appointed Chief Inspector Ian Rutledge traveling to Northumberland to discover the truth of the matter, and a rather plodding journey it is. A Day of Judgment is a book full of very dry prose outlining a vast array of stumbling and bumbling activities, interspersed with a history lesson of the area. In this one, Rutledge is just going through the motions, with the ever-present Hamish making his usual unhappy observations. I’d hoped for better in this newest Rutledge book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Day of Judgment by Charles Todd
Ian Rutledge book 25
Narrator, Simon Vance
This was a good addition to the series. I have read many but not all of these books. Somewhere I missed the book that added Kate to the cast of characters. I still wish we could have Bess back. Once again, Ian is beset by his superior officer and shunned as an outsider by some locals where he is sent on a case. Hamish is still berating him but also giving him warnings. The culprit was pretty easy to figure out. I like the description of meals because I think it adds to the coziness of the story. There was some repetition but the ending was a bang up bloody, literally, thrill ride.
Narrator Simon Vance was excellent as always.
Thanks to NetGalley.
Ian Rutledge book 25
Narrator, Simon Vance
This was a good addition to the series. I have read many but not all of these books. Somewhere I missed the book that added Kate to the cast of characters. I still wish we could have Bess back. Once again, Ian is beset by his superior officer and shunned as an outsider by some locals where he is sent on a case. Hamish is still berating him but also giving him warnings. The culprit was pretty easy to figure out. I like the description of meals because I think it adds to the coziness of the story. There was some repetition but the ending was a bang up bloody, literally, thrill ride.
Narrator Simon Vance was excellent as always.
Thanks to NetGalley.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I enjoyed this book and felt like Ian Rutledge was finally moving forward a little in his life! He has a promotion, but also seems to be moving forward a little emotionally, which changed the way this story was told. I appreciated focusing more on some of the action instead of it mostly being in his head. I did not see the ending/resolution of the mystery coming at all, yet it wasn't so obscure that you couldn't necessarily figure it out on your own.
Giving this book 4 stars as it was a great read with lots of action.
*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review
Giving this book 4 stars as it was a great read with lots of action.
*Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review
September 18, 2025
I’m a bit behind in my reading of this series but you can read them as stand alone . Rutledge is sent to look into the death a coastal map maker found dead on the beach. No one likes him because they believe he was a hun lover during the war. The town residents aren’t happy to have Rutledge asking questions of them or their neighbors. Rutledge begins to find answers by questioning the law officers on local towns , the vicar and looking back in old newspapers. There is a second murder that relates to the first.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The story started out well and then got bogged down in details that were not completely relevant. I always enjoy reading historical novels for the history, but this was information overload. I never felt like the details of the investigation itself were revealed and I was surprised when he was suddenly arresting suspects, but we sure knew what he ate every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Thanks for the ARC Netgalley.
Thanks for the ARC Netgalley.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Rutledge has received a recent promotion. He’s sent to investigate a murder. Very British and I love that. Ian Rutledge has much to sort as usual. The 25th in a prolific series and I’ve enjoyed every one of them. Outstanding narration. Highly recommend the entire series.
I was blessed with an advanced audio book. Thank you NetGalley and HighBridge Audio. The opinions expressed are my own and unbiased.
I was blessed with an advanced audio book. Thank you NetGalley and HighBridge Audio. The opinions expressed are my own and unbiased.
November 30, 2025
This is an excellent entry in the Ian Rutledge series, A recently promoted Ian Rutledge travels to the coast of Northumberland. A body washed up and may not be a simple drowning. It is not. So Rutledge begins a complex investigation with roots in the war and the submarines that cruised the local waters.
Thanks to NetGalley for an eGalley of this title.
Thanks to NetGalley for an eGalley of this title.
October 9, 2025
An excellent execution of the telling of one village’s WWI
experiences and of its’ people afterwards. He deftly incorporates
Inspector Ian Rutledge’s PTSD caused by the war in the storyline
of solving the two murders.
Thank you Netgalley and Penzler Publishers for the eArc to review.
experiences and of its’ people afterwards. He deftly incorporates
Inspector Ian Rutledge’s PTSD caused by the war in the storyline
of solving the two murders.
Thank you Netgalley and Penzler Publishers for the eArc to review.
October 22, 2025
Thank you to netgalley for an advance copy of this book. I enjoyed reading about Ian as always. Some parts were slow, but the ending was great. I recommend this to other fans of Charles Todd.
March 3, 2026
Inspector Rutledge is sent to the coast of Northumberland to investigate why a body washed ashore near the “Holy Island” of Lindisfarne. Rutledge’s mission is to not only find the killer but prove that the Church is in no way involved in the death. The victim was not well liked in the area and was thought of as a German sympathizer. The war may be over, but animosity still runs high.
Charles Todd was a mother-son duo of authors. This is the first book published since the mother passed away, and the change in writing style is obvious. After twenty-four books, Rutledge is suddenly acting out of character. And Hamish, while always quarrelsome, is now borderline hostile. The series has always been tedious but enjoyable. A DAY OF JUDGMENT was bogged down with unnecessary details about every meal Rutledge consumed and his interactions with the less-than-helpful locals. The book started out strong but petered out towards the end. I hope, now that Rutledge has been promoted to Chief Inspector and his love life seems about to bloom, that the plot picks up.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Charles Todd was a mother-son duo of authors. This is the first book published since the mother passed away, and the change in writing style is obvious. After twenty-four books, Rutledge is suddenly acting out of character. And Hamish, while always quarrelsome, is now borderline hostile. The series has always been tedious but enjoyable. A DAY OF JUDGMENT was bogged down with unnecessary details about every meal Rutledge consumed and his interactions with the less-than-helpful locals. The book started out strong but petered out towards the end. I hope, now that Rutledge has been promoted to Chief Inspector and his love life seems about to bloom, that the plot picks up.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
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