Wow, it's been a while since I posted anything on here. I'd like to claim it was because my final year of college has started, and I've been updating my portfolio in preparation for entering the job market, but that wouldn't be entirely accurate.
The thing about creating and maintaining a blog is that there is a fear attached to it. You worry that your writing style is too long winded, or that you're not giving an accurate review of the material you feature. Since my last blog post, I've thought many times about entries I would like to write, but I couldn't find the initiative to type them up. You have to overcome those insecurities and realize there will always be someone who disagrees with what you are writing, and accept these factors. Or that could just be me and my paranoia...
Anyway...back to the review!
With Borders closing down this month(sigh), I've been doing a lot of book shopping, especially literature, mysteries, and comics. I don't know what changed, but I've gotten to the point where I don't want to pick up another fantasy novel ever again. Somewhat similar to listening to your favorite song one too many times.
One mystery series that I stumbled across is the Ian Rutledge mysteries by Charles Todd. The series follows a Scotland Yard detective who is also a World War I (or Great War if we go with the time period) vet. Rutledge hides a great deal of mental trauma from the war by burying himself in his work. His greatest secret from the war is that he had to kill one of his own men, a Scot named Hamish, for refusing to return to No Man's Land. This death has weighed so heavily on Rutledge that the voice of Hamish is trapped within his mind. Not only does this highlight the timeless horrors of war, but it allows Hamish to play a Watson to Rutledge's Holmes.
Most of the novel is set in a vividly detailed Scottish village. There are one too many characters for me to keep up with, and it would have been helpful if there was a chart in the back of the book. I often get confused by village life stories, especially when the characters are all referred to by their last names. This is especially confusing for a mystery novel when you're trying to keep track of who did what!
For the most part though, I was able to keep up with Rutledge's investigation. This was very different from an Agatha Christie mystery. Christie usually likes to sneak in little bits of information that she can reveal later on as being vital to the case. I have a feeling this was more like a real investigation. Rutledge just continues to hound the suspects and review his notes over and over again with his doubts voiced by Hamish.
Overall, this was a very satisfying read. My main critique is that the ending was a cliff hanger. Todd leaves Rutledge in a critical condition without tying up the mystery with a pretty little bow. The murderer is caught, but in a manner that leaves the reader still asking questions. Again, this is probably more like a real life investigation.
You have to buy the next book in the series to find out how it all ended, which doesn't sit well with me. Still, if you're looking for a good post-WWI book, this should fit the bill.
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