Rating: 
Summary: Todd gives a vivid picture of post-WWI setting
Review: "A Test of Wills" is the debut episode by Charles Todd, set in immediate post-World War I in England. The author draws readily upon that horror--and blight--of the early 20th century, and he does so with his introduction to the reader of Inspector Ian Rutledge of Scotland Yard, who has been seconded from London to Warwickshire to investigate the death of gentried Colonel Charles Harris, loved, revered, respected by everybody but one! Chief suspect, it seems, is Captain Mark Wilton, betrothed to marry the Colonel's ward, and himself a highly decorated war hero and pilot. Todd's accounting of the horrors, the very carnage of that Great War with its telling descriptions of the trench warfare is graphic and vivid. Rutledge, himself, shell-shocked and uncertain in his own right, sets out his investigation--keeping an open mind and remembering all the while that closed English villages can be just that--closed to outsiders. He must keep, too, his own recollection of his wartime experiences. Rutledge is aided, believably, by the voice of a soldier Rutledge had ordered killed in the trenches for disobeying an order (certainly an original "Dr. Watson" to his "Sherlock"!). While capturing much local color, landscape and atmosphere, Todd, however, opts for an easy solution, one which is out of kilter with the remainder of the story and thus closes with an awkward stance. While this is the first of a series--and I am prepared to read the second episode--"A Test of Wills" falls short of mesmerizing detail, of gripping intrigue. (Billyjhobbs@tyler.net)
Rating: 
Summary: Missing In Action
Review: A story line of little interest populated with undeveloped characters that no one, but a mother, would care about. A book with little emotion and no passion. Wrap it up in an ending that is totally irrelevant and you have a book with a lot of potential but no sustaining strength.
Rating: 
Summary: Tests your will (in a good way).
Review: A Test of Wills by Charles Todd is a great concept and first book of a series. The History is first rate, but the mystery plot could have been a bit more exciting (however realistic procedurals are sometimes filled with frustration). The setting is post World I England in the small town of Warwickshire. Our hero, Inspector Ian Rutledge of Scotland Yard has returned home from the War badly shaken by his experiences. Suffering from shell shock aka "post traumatic stress disorder" he is tormented by Hamish, the voice of a young Scotsman he executed for cowardice. (Some reviwers did not like Hamish and found him distracting. I found nothing wrong with it and is an interesting study in obsession). Upon Rutledges's return, the inspector buries himself in his work and his first case is a scapegoat of failure. Involving the brutal murder of a beloved colonel and the man suspected is a holder of the Queen's cross. There are some interesting twists that will keep you reading further. The history and the setting crackles with realism. The murder grabs your attention and the procedural gets better as you go along. At first, I found the other characters to be wooden and full of cliches. After some thought, (my pinhead) realized that we are looking at the world through Rutledge's eyes. Surviving the war, those eyes and his outlook on life possess a knowledge that goes beyond that of everyday folk. An existensialism of his very own, if you will. Highly recommend! Thank you Mr. Todd.
Rating:
Summary: Tests your will (in a good way).
Review: A Test of Wills by Charles Todd is a great concept and first book of a series. The History is first rate, but the mystery plot could have been a bit more exciting (however realistic procedurals are sometimes filled with frustration). The setting is post World I England in the small town of Warwickshire. Our hero, Inspector Ian Rutledge of Scotland Yard has returned home from the War badly shaken by his experiences. Suffering from shell shock aka "post traumatic stress disorder" he is tormented by Hamish, the voice of a young Scotsman he executed for cowardice. (Some reviwers did not like Hamish and found him distracting. I found nothing wrong with it and is an interesting study in obsession). Upon Rutledges's return, the inspector buries himself in his work and his first case is a scapegoat of failure. Involving the brutal murder of a beloved colonel and the man suspected is a holder of the Queen's cross. There are some interesting twists that will keep you reading further. The history and the setting crackles with realism. The murder grabs your attention and the procedural gets better as you go along. At first, I found the other characters to be wooden and full of cliches. After some thought, (my pinhead) realized that we are looking at the world through Rutledge's eyes. Surviving the war, those eyes and his outlook on life possess a knowledge that goes beyond that of everyday folk. An existensialism of his very own, if you will. Highly recommend! Thank you Mr. Todd.
Rating:
Summary: Intriguing premise, interesting protagonist, so-so plot
Review: About 100 pages into "A Test of Wills" I did two things no mystery reader should do. First, I read the last pages and found out "who dun it." Then I read the reviews on this site, many of which complained about the ending and how the author had failed to set it up properly. So, I had my own game for the final 200 pages - trying to find the clues that would expose who did it. The reviewers were right -- this ending comes completely out of left field and leaves the reader feeling cheated. All of which is too bad because this book has lots of promise. The exploration of WW1 shell shock (post-traumatic shock syndrome) in Rutledge is very interesting. And while other reviews didn't care for the haunting voice of Hamish, the executed soldier/Watson, I enjoyed his blunt ability to see through the blarney. The plotting is a bit slow -- and the redundancies grew a bit old. Still, I'll probably give the second book in the series a chance. In fairness, someone out there really liked this book (or it came out in a really weak year for first books). It's on the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association's Top 100 of the Century list. It was also a nominee for the Dilys, Anthony Best 1st Book and the Edgar Best 1st Novel awards.
Rating:
Summary: Mystery unsatisfying, Background interesting
Review: Although the murder in this debut mystery is somewhat banal, the book is redeemed by its engrossing portrayals of a small English village and the Inspector sent from London to solve the case. Set in 1919, the book's main strength comes in evoking the effect of WWI on both the fragile shell-shocked psyche of Inspector Rutledge, and the small village social structure. The mystery facing the Inspector is fairly baffling on the surface, and relies on a standard old ruse to arrive at a not-so-satisfying solution. Even so, this is a series definitely worth trying out.
Rating:
Summary: Good twist
Review: An interesting murder mystery with a flawed detective (Inspector Ian Rutledge suffering from shellshock). The detective and his battle with the past (in the form of his conversations with the dead soldier Hamish) were the heart of the story and really captured the aftermath of the terror of WWI.
Rating:
Summary: Good twist
Review: An interesting murder mystery with a flawed detective (Inspector Ian Rutledge suffering from shellshock). The detective and his battle with the past (in the form of his conversations with the dead soldier Hamish) were the heart of the story and really captured the aftermath of the terror of WWI.
Rating: 
Summary: Test of Wills
Review: Another wonderful read! I've read all Charles Todd's Inspector Rutledge series so far. Can't wait for his latest!
Rating:
Summary: Historical Who Dunnit
Review: Charles Todd binds together elements of history, suspense, mystery and intrigue to create an interesting, thought provoking new book. The characters are all well developed, the plot is intriguing and unpredictable and its only downfall is that the story sometimes drags on slowly. The story is set in England just after World War I, a period that is frequently ignored in contemporary literature, but the setting for most all of Todd's books. The main character is Inspector Ian Rutledge who works at Scotland Yard and has recently returned from the war. He is suffering from shell shock, haunted by the voice of one of his men who died. Hoping to regain his sanity by engrossing himself in his work, he returns to the Yard only to find that his first case may very well end his career. The deceased is a beloved Colonel; the accused a famous Captain who was a guest at the palace following the war. Rutledge soon discovers that everything is not as it seems in the town of Upper Streetham as he acquaints himself with its complicated inhabitants. Todd does a very good job of slowly developing each character until you are able to understand what each person is about and their intricate roles in the town. He slowly shifts the blame among the many characters of the story forcing you to really think about each person and their motives. The story is very fascinating and will captivate history buffs and mystery fanatics alike.
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