The Great War may have ended in 1918; yet, the suffering, the loss, and the mental anguish continue to haunt those who have returned. Even harder for some are the death of ex-soldiers and others who had survived the war. It was raining and dark that November night in rural East Sussex in 1920; yet, it is still unusual to come across an overturned motorcar. A lone shepherd abandons his sheep and walks back to the small village to reach the local police. Neville, the constable at Burling Gap, is more used to dealing with small matters in the village, still, he is intelligent and notes some unusual clues and is very concerned when it is the rector who is the accident victim.

Is the death an accident or murder? Neville calls in for the expertise of Scotland Yard. Inspector Ian Rutledge is just wrapping up a case not too far away and makes the trip to the tiny ancient village in East Essex. After looking at the site and meeting some people, Rutledge believes in his bones that there must be a connection to the race the motorcar's owner was in the previous year from Paris to Nice in France to the Rector's death. But what is the connection? Are other deaths just random? Plagued by his own memories of horrors of the long and awful war, can the Inspector keep the trust that others have put in him to do his job? Will they find the murderer before more deaths occur?

RACING THE DEVIL is the nineteenth book in the highly regarded Inspector Rutledge series written by the very well-known and highly regarded mother and son team of Charles and Caroline Todd under the name of Charles Todd. The Todd team are known for their deep understanding and knowledge of WWI and the post-World War I period in England and in France and that knowledge is reflected in their books. The people from the village and the upper classes are aptly described and realistic in their attitudes and mannerisms.

Right from the get-go, you are fully immersed in RACING THE DEVIL and getting to know all the characters and especially the thoughts of Rutledge and the ghost voice he carries with Hamish in his head, a legacy from a tragic situation that each had responded to according to their own principles and values. I love this series and find Inspector Rutledge a very interesting protagonist, so hope you will as well. Looking forward to seeing if a romantic interest could be on the horizon.

Todd's many fans are sure to relish this latest installation in the series. RACING THE DEVIL also reads well as a stand-alone mystery and could be an interesting acquaintance with Rutledge and the rest of the series as he gets frustrated in trying to connect the dots without the dots. Historical fiction and police procedural fans are sure to enjoy this suspenseful read! So, grab a copy and get a good start on RACING THE DEVIL!

Book Summary

Scotland Yard’s Ian Rutledge finds himself caught in a twisted web of vengeance, old grievances, and secrets that lead back to World War I in the nineteenth installment of the acclaimed bestselling series.

On the eve of the bloody Battle of the Somme, a group of English officers having a last drink before returning to the Front make a promise to each other: if they survive the battle ahead—and make it through the war—they will meet in Paris a year after the fighting ends. They will celebrate their good fortune by racing motorcars they beg, borrow, or own from Paris to Nice.

In November 1919, the officers all meet as planned, and though their motorcars are not designed for racing, they set out for Nice. But a serious mishap mars the reunion. In the mountains just north of their destination, two vehicles are nearly run off the road, and one man is badly injured. No one knows—or will admit to knowing—which driver was at the wheel of the rogue motorcar.

Back in England one year later, during a heavy rainstorm, a driver loses control on a twisting road and is killed in the crash. Was it an accident due to the hazardous conditions? Or premeditated murder? Is the crash connected in some way to the unfortunate events in the mountains above Nice the year before? The dead driver wasn’t in France—although the motorcar he drove was. If it was foul play, was it a case of mistaken identity? Or was the dead man the intended victim after all?

Investigating this perplexing case, Scotland Yard Inspector Ian Rutledge discovers that the truth is elusive—and that the villages on the South Downs, where the accident happened, are adept at keeping secrets, frustrating his search. Determined to remain in the shadows this faceless killer is willing to strike again to stop Rutledge from finding him. This time, the victim he chooses is a child, and it will take all of Rutledge’s skill to stop him before an innocent young life is sacrificed.