Inspector Ian Rutledge Series

This detective series transports readers to England in 1919, a post-war era shadowed by trauma and secrets. The narrative follows an inspector grappling with the lingering effects of World War I and the psychological burden he carries from the front. Each case he investigates is not only a puzzle to solve but also a journey toward personal redemption and confronting his inner demons. These compelling mysteries are interwoven with the protagonist's profound psychological depth.

Recommended Reading Order

1
A Test of Wills
Charles Todd
320 pages
12 hours of reading
3.9(14627)Add rating
“Todd has written a first novel that speaks out, urgently and compassionately, for a long-dead generation….A meticulously wrought puzzle.” —New York Times Book Review “An intricately plotted mystery. With this remarkable debut, Charles Todd breaks new ground in the historical crime novel.” —Peter Lovesey, author of The Circle “You’re going to love Todd.” —Stephen King, Entertainment Weekly The first novel to feature war-damaged Scotland Yard inspector Ian Rutledge, A Test of Wills is the book that brought author Charles Todd into the spotlight. This Edgar® and Anthony Award-nominated, New York Times Notable mystery brilliantly evokes post-World War I Great Britain and introduces readers to one of crime fiction’s most compelling series protagonists. Here the shell-shocked Rutledge struggles to retain his fragile grip on sanity while investigating the death of a popular army colonel, murdered, it appears, by a decorated war hero with ties to the Royal Family. A phenomenal writer, a twisting puzzle, a character-rich re-creation of an extraordinary time and place…it all adds up to one exceptional read that will delight fans of Elizabeth George, Martha Grimes, Jacqueline Winspear, Ruth Rendell, and other masters of the British procedural.
2
Wings of Fire
Charles Todd
320 pages
12 hours of reading
4.0(6826)Add rating
In "Wings of Fire" by Charles Todd, Inspector Ian Rutledge investigates the mysterious deaths of three family members in Cornwall. The case becomes personal when he discovers one victim is O. A. Manning, a poet whose work helped him during WWI. Guided by the voice of a fallen comrade, Rutledge seeks the dark truths hidden in a family crypt.
3
Search the Dark
Charles Todd
352 pages
13 hours of reading
4.0(5315)Add rating
When a young woman is brutally murdered in a sleepy village in Dorset, it appears to have been a crime of passion and her killer is immediately arrested. But it is the identity of the victim, not the murderer, that brings Inspector Ian Rutledge down from Scotland Yard to investigate. For if the woman was indeed the killer's wife, then where are their children? As a search gets under way, it becomes clear that the victim was someone else altogether. And still traumatised by his experiences in the Great War, Rutledge must sort through a tangled web of deception and twisted allegiances in order to discover which one of the emotionally scarred villagers is responsible for her death.
4
Legacy of the Dead
Charles Todd
384 pages
14 hours of reading
4.1(5384)Add rating
The weathered remains found on a Scottish mountainside may be those of Eleanor Gray, but the imperious Lady Maude Gray, Eleanor's mother, will have to be handled delicately. This is not the only ground that Inspector Ian Rutledge of Scotland Yard must tread carefully, for the case will soon lead him to Scotland, where many of Rutledge's ghosts rest uneasily. But it is an unexpected encounter that will hold the most peril.For in Scotland Rutledge will find that the young mother accused of killing Eleanor Gray is a woman to whom he owes a terrible debt. And his harrowing journey to find the truth will lead him back through the fires of his past, into secrets that still have the power to kill.
5
Watchers of Time
Charles Todd
4.0(5102)Add rating
In a marshy Norfolk village, a priest's murder leads Scotland Yard's Ian Rutledge to uncover dark secrets linked to the Titanic disaster. As Rutledge, haunted by war, delves deeper, he must confront a killer determined to silence him. Charles Todd masterfully blends mystery with historical elements in this gripping tale.
6
Stumme Geister
Charles Todd
4.0(3996)Add rating
Renowned for their intelligence and emotional depth, Charles Todd's mysteries captivate readers with intricate plots and well-developed characters. The series offers a compelling blend of suspense and psychological insight, drawing readers into a rich narrative landscape that explores human nature and moral dilemmas. Each installment promises a thought-provoking experience, making it a standout in contemporary mystery literature.
7
A Cold Treachery
Charles Todd
4.1(4067)Add rating
Inspector Rutledge investigates a brutal murder of the Elcott family in a remote farmhouse, where only a boy named Josh has survived but is now missing. Amidst a fierce blizzard, Rutledge races against time to find him before the killer or nature claim another victim. A gripping historical mystery filled with psychological depth.
8
A Long Shadow
Charles Todd
368 pages
13 hours of reading
3.9(76)Add rating
It's New Year's Eve, 1919. Scotland Yard Inspector Ian Rutledge has accompanied his sister to the home of mutual friends for dinner but gets a call from the office and has to leave. On the steps outside, he sees a brass cartridge casing, like countless others he's seen during the war. But this one has an engraving in the metal. Curious, he pockets it. Soon after, Rutledge is on the southern coast of England helping the local police capture a murderer. Work done, on a whim he drives along the cliffs overlooking the Atlantic and takes a walk out on the headland. Returning to his car, he finds another engraved cartridge casing on the driver's seat. He's been followed. The cartridge casing seems to point to the war and unfinished business there. To stay alive in the face of an unknown and unseen adversary, Rutledge is pressed to the limits of his skills. He's the prey. But who is the hunter?
9
Schwarze Spiegel
Charles Todd
4.2(45)Add rating
Das Beste, das der klassische englische Krimi zu bieten hat Hampton Regis ist ein kleines, beschauliches Provinzstädtchen an der Südküste von England. Doch nun wurden seine Bewohner aufgeschreckt durch ein abscheuliches Verbrechen: Der Liebhaber einer Frau wird verdächtigt, deren Ehemann nahezu tot geprügelt und anschließend seine Geliebte als Geisel genommen zu haben. Er verlangt von Inspektor Rutledge, dass dieser seine Unschuld beweist. Rutledge kennt den Mann aus dem Krieg und mit dieser Kenntnis tauchen alte Erinnerungen in ihm auf, die er schon längst begraben wähnte. Charles Todds Inspektor Rutledge ist ein Ermittler, der dem Leser lange im Gedächtnis bleibt.
10
A Pale Horse
Charles Todd
360 pages
13 hours of reading
4.0(137)Add rating
The Great War never relinquished its hold on Scotland Yard Inspector Ian Rutledge, leaving him haunted and isolated, unable to forget. In the spring of 1920, he's dispatched to Berkshire to find a missing man whose war work is so secret even Rutledge cannot know its true nature. Meanwhile, miles away, an unidentified body has been discovered in the ruins of a Yorkshire abbey, clothed in a monk's robe and wearing a gas mask. In the shadow of a great white horse cut into the chalk hillside—where cottages once built to house the sick and untouchable now shelter outcasts like himself—Rutledge must extract a terrible truth from those who hide from the past. For death is never quite finished with anyone, least of all the men who fought in the bloody trenches of France.
11
A Matter of Justice: An Inspector Ian Rutledge Mystery
Charles Todd
513 pages
18 hours of reading
4.3(92)Add rating
Scotland Yard Inspector Ian Rutledge discovers that the victim was universally despised in Cambury--even the victim's wife and the town's police inspector are suspect. And yet in London circles, the man was highly regarded. What triggered his death? Rutledge doggedly follows a well-concealed trail that finally leads him to the one person who knows the whole truth. But it's too late to stop a spreading evil and a vicious settling of scores. As the seasoned inspector comes to understand the larger picture, he realizes he may not be able to prove what he suspects. In spite of his skill, this may be the only case in which Rutledge fails to get his man.
12
The Red Door
Charles Todd
4.1(99)Add rating
In June 1920, Lancashire, a mysterious woman behind a red door raises questions about her life and death. The story explores the fate of a man missing since the Great War and the overlooked connections by Scotland Yard, despite Inspector Ian Rutledge's insights.
13
A Lonely Death
Charles Todd
4.1(64)Add rating
Three men have been murdered in a Sussex village, and Scotland Yard detective inspector Ian Rutledge has been called in. It's a baffling case. Shortly after Inspector Ian Rutledge arrives, a fourth soldier is found dead. With few clues to go on and the pressure building, Rutledge must gamble everything to find answers.
14
The Confession
Charles Todd
368 pages
13 hours of reading
4.3(75)Add rating
Claiming he needs to clear his conscience, a dying man walks into Scotland Yard and confesses that he killed his cousin years ago during the war. When Inspector Ian Rutledge presses for details, the man dodges the questions, revealing only that he hails from the north of London in Essex.
15
Proof of Guilt
Charles Todd
368 pages
13 hours of reading
4.2(63)Add rating
An unidentified body appears to have been run down by a motorcar and Ian Rutledge is leading the investigation to uncover what happened. While signs point to murder, vital questions remain. Who is the victim? And where, exactly, was he killed?
15
Inspector Ian Rutledge Mysteries - 15: Proof of Guilt
An Inspector Ian Rutledge Mystery
Charles Todd
352 pages
13 hours of reading
An unidentified body appears to have been run down by a motorcar and Ian Rutledge is leading the investigation to uncover what happened. While signs point to murder, vital questions remain. Who is the victim? And where, exactly, was he killed? One small clue leads the Inspector to a firm built by two families, famous for producing and selling the world's best Madeira wine. Lewis French, the current head of the English enterprise, is missing. But is he the dead man? And do his fiancée or his jilted former lover have anything to do with his disappearance—or possible death? What about his sister? Or the London office clerk? Is Matthew Traynor, French's cousin and partner who heads the Madeira office, somehow involved? The experienced Rutledge knows that suspicion and circumstantial evidence are not proof of guilt, and he's going to keep digging for answers. But that perseverance will pit him against his supervisor, the new Acting Chief Superintendent. When Rutledge discovers a link to an incident in the family's past, the superintendent dismisses it, claiming the information isn't vital. He's determined to place blame on one of French's women, despite Rutledge's objections. Alone in a no-man's-land rife with mystery and danger, Rutledge must tread very carefully, for someone has decided that he, too, must die so that cruel justice can take its course.
16
Hunting Shadows
Charles Todd
352 pages
13 hours of reading
4.1(56)Add rating
A dangerous case with ties leading back to the battlefields of World War I dredges up dark memories for Scotland Yard Inspector Ian Rutledge in Hunting Shadows, a gripping and atmospheric historical mystery set in 1920s England, from acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Charles Todd. A society wedding at Ely Cathedral in Cambridgeshire becomes a crime scene when a man is murdered. After another body is found, the baffled local constabulary turns to Scotland Yard. Though the second crime had a witness, her description of the killer is so strange its unbelievable. Despite his experience, Inspector Ian Rutledge has few answers of his own. The victims are so different that there is no rhyme or reason to their deaths. Nothing logically seems to connect them—except the killer. As the investigation widens, a clear suspect emerges. But for Rutledge, the facts still don’t add up, leaving him to question his own judgment. In going over the details of the case, Rutledge is reminded of a dark episode he witnessed in the war. While the memory could lead him to the truth, it also raises a prickly dilemma. To stop a murderer, will the ethical detective choose to follow the letter—or the spirit—of the law?
16
Inspector Ian Rutledge Mystery: Hunting Shadows
An Inspector Ian Rutledge Mystery
Charles Todd
336 pages
12 hours of reading
In the latest mystery from New York Times bestselling author Charles Todd, Inspector Ian Rutledge is summoned to the quiet Fen country to solve a series of seemingly unconnected murders before the killer strikes again. A society wedding in Cambridgeshire becomes a crime scene when a guest is shot just as the bride arrives. Two weeks later, after a fruitless search for clues, the local police are forced to call in Scotland Yard. But not before there is another shooting in a village close by. This second murder has a witness whose description of the killer is so horrific it's unbelievable, and she quickly recants her story. Despite his experience, Inspector Ian Rutledge can find no connection between the two deaths. What links these two murders? Is it something in the past? Or is it only in the mind of a clever killer? Then the case reminds Rutledge of a legendary assassin during the war. His own dark memories come back to haunt him as he hunts for the missing connection—and yet, when he finds it, it isn't as simple as he'd expected. . .
17
A Fine Summer's Day
Charles Todd
358 pages
13 hours of reading
4.0(4023)Add rating
New York Times bestselling author Charles Todd takes readers into Scotland Yard detective Ian Rutledge's past-to his perplexing final case before the outbreak of World War I. On a fine summer's day in June, 1914, Ian Rutledge pays little notice to the assassination of an archduke in Sarajevo.
18
No Shred of Evidence
Charles Todd
368 pages
13 hours of reading
4.0(109)Add rating
In this absorbing new entry in the acclaimed New York Times bestselling series, Scotland Yard's Ian Rutledge is caught up in a twisted web of vengeance and murder. On the north coast of Cornwall, an apparent act of mercy is repaid by an arrest for murder.
19
Racing the Devil
Charles Todd
368 pages
13 hours of reading
4.2(261)Add rating
In June 1916, English officers bond over motorcars before the Battle of the Somme, promising to reunite in Paris after the war. In 1919, their reunion takes a dark turn when a crash raises suspicions. Inspector Ian Rutledge investigates, uncovering a connection to the past and racing against time to save a child.
20
The Gate Keeper
Charles Todd
320 pages
12 hours of reading
4.1(273)Add rating
Scotland Yard's Ian Rutledge is a witness to murder in the twentieth installement of the acclaimed New York Times bestselling series
21
The Black Ascot
Charles Todd
352 pages
13 hours of reading
4.1(395)Add rating
Scotland Yard's Ian Rutledge seeks a killer who has eluded Scotland Yard for years in this next installment of the acclaimed New York Times bestselling series. An astonishing tip from a grateful ex-convict seems implausible-but Inspector Ian Rutledge is intrigued and brings it to his superior at Scotland Yard.
22
A Divided Loyalty
Charles Todd
336 pages
12 hours of reading
4.1(2544)Add rating
"Chief Inspector Brian Leslie, a respected colleague of Ian Rutledge's, is sent to Avebury, a village set inside a great prehistoric stone circle not far from Stonehenge. A young woman has been murdered next to a mysterious, hooded, figure-like stone, but no one recognizes her - or admits to it. And how did she get there? Despite a thorough investigation, it appears that her killer has simply vanished. Rutledge, returning from the conclusion of a case involving another apparently unknown woman, is asked to take a second look at Leslie's inquiry, to see if he can identify this victim. But Rutledge is convinced Chief Superintendent Jameson only hopes to tarnish his earlier success once he also fails. Where to begin? He too finds very little to go on in Avebury, slowly widening his search beyond the village - only to discover that unlikely - possibly even unreliable - clues are pointing him toward an impossible solution, one that will draw the wrath of the Yard down on him, and very likely see him dismissed if he pursues it. But what about the victim - what does he owe this tragic woman? Where must his loyalty lie?"--Publisher
23
A Fatal Lie
Charles Todd
336 pages
12 hours of reading
3.9(2841)Add rating
In one of his most puzzling cases, Scotland Yard Inspector Ian Rutledge must delve deep into a dead man’s life and his past to find a killer determined to keep dark secrets buried.A peaceful Welsh village is thrown into turmoil when a terrified boy stumbles on a body in a nearby river. The man appears to have fallen from the canal aqueduct spanning the valley. But there is no identification on the body, he isn’t a local, and no one will admit to having seen him before. With little to go on, the village police turn to Scotland Yard for help. When Inspector Ian Rutledge is sent from London to find answers, he is given few clues—a faded military tattoo on the victim’s arm and an unusual label in the collar of his shirt. They eventually lead him to the victim’s identity: Sam Milford. By all accounts, he was a good man and well-respected. Then, why is his death so mysterious? Looking for the truth, Rutledge uncovers a web of lies swirling around a suicidal woman, a child’s tragic fate, another woman bent on protecting her past. But where among all the lies is the motive for murder? To track a killer, Rutledge must retrace Milford’s last journey. Yet death seems to stalk his every move, and the truth seems to shift at every turn. Man or woman, this murderer stays in the shadows, and it will take desperate measures to lure him—or her—into the light.