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A Test of Wills (Mass Market Paperback)

by Charles Todd (Author)

3.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (38 customer reviews)

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3 new from CDN$ 47.63 22 used from CDN$ 0.40

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Product Details

Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Bantam; Reprint edition (Jul 1 1998)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 055357759X
ISBN-13: 978-0553577594
Product Dimensions: 17.4 x 10.6 x 2.3 cm
Shipping Weight: 164 g

Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (38 customer reviews)

Amazon.ca Sales Rank: #408,372 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Product Description

From Amazon.com

Having just returned from France after World War I with a medal of honor and serious shell shock, Inspector Ian Rutledge struggles to settle back into his duties at Scotland Yard. When, despite his tenuous condition, an envious supervisor assigns him to a traumatic case involving the murder of an army colonel and a young captain as the prime suspect, Rutledge must gather all of his strength to not only solve the case, but fight the town people's prejudice against military personnel. To make matters worse, the prime witness is another veteran--on the brink of insanity--scorned by the villagers for what they perceive to have been less than honorable conduct during his tour of duty. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Inspector Ian Rutledge, a British veteran of the Great War secretly still suffering from shell-shock, returns to his Scotland Yard job in hopes of exorcizing his private demons. However, a devious higher-up has learned of his Achilles heel and gets Ian assigned to a potentially explosive and career-damaging case?a murder involving a decorated war hero, a beautiful ward, and a shell-shocked witness. Strong, elegant prose; detailed surroundings; and sound plotting characterize this debut historical?the first in a projected series. Highly recommended.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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	83% buy the item featured on this page: A Test of Wills 3.6 out of 5 stars (38)
	8% buy Watchers of Time: An Inspector Ian Rutledge Novel 3.8 out of 5 stars (8) CDN$ 9.89
	6% buy Wings of Fire 4.4 out of 5 stars (8) CDN$ 9.99
	3% buy A False Mirror 5.0 out of 5 stars (1) CDN$ 9.89

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Customer Reviews

38 Reviews

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(1)

Average Customer Review

3.6 out of 5 stars (38 customer reviews)

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Most helpful customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Start Here First, Jul 5 2009

By	Dave and Joe "De Video Darlings" (Toronto, Ontario) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

This review is from: A Test Of Wills (Mass Market Paperback)

First book in a first rate series. Todd manages to capture a time with precision, the mysteries are engaging, the investigator(s) likable. Other reviewers will give you an idea of plot. I simply want to add something important to the discussion. This is a series to read from the start. I was lucky to discover the first book first and then have read them as written. While they stand alone as good mysteries, there are characters and incidents from previous books mentioned in subsequent books. It's like the author's nod to those of us who have followed along. Wonderful series, enjoy.

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4.0 out of 5 stars Many of us have our own Hamish, Jun 29 2006

By	bernie "xyzzy" (Arlington, Texas) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

This is the firs in a series of Inspector Ian Rutledge Mysteries. It does not take us long to know the man and the burden he carries. It is this side of him and the descriptions of the world after the Great War that adds a unique value to the writing and our lives also.

A week ago headstrong Colonel Harris was unceremoniously dispatched. All signs point to the dispatcher being a war hero with friends in high places. Who ever takes the case needs to be expendable. Rutledge's superior Bowls suspected Rutledge's secret and decided he would make the perfect scapegoat.

It is interesting as the story unfolds we see mysteries within mysteries, maybe a few red herrings and many unwell people that can usually be detected by Rutledge but not always. As there is a race with time Rutledge's trying to regain his uncanny detective skills we also but figure out who did the deed and who. To some the answer will be obvious to others it will feel that he pulled a clue out of the closet at the last moment. In any case you will be intrigued to the conclusion.

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5.0 out of 5 stars excellent mystery, Oct 31 2003

By	Brenda Jo Mengeling (Davis, CA USA) - See all my reviews

I bought this book because it was listed to be one of the top 100 mysteries of the 20th century. I can often figure out "whodunit" when I read mysteries, and I appreciate a book where I am unable to do so, as happened here. Yet when the truth was revealed, I realized that I had been given all of the clues.

I thought the character of Inspector Ian Rutledge was very well drawn; I was really able to sympathize with his struggle with shell shock, self-doubt and lost love. Although his shell shock contributed a lot to how he dealt with the murder case, it didn't distract from the mystery. His shell shock manifests as the voice of Hamish, a soldier under his command, who Rutledge had shot for desertion on the front in France. Some of Hamish's comments were obscure, but I didn't think he got in the way.

The story held me in a pretty good grip, accelerating to the end. It was hard to put down in the last several chapters. All in all, very well done, and I think deserving of a spot on the top 100 mysteries.

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Most recent customer reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Historical Mystery or Mystery Pastiche
I think some of the confusion about Todd's work is the fact that Todd is not trying to write an imitation of a golden age mystery. Read more

Published on Sep 4 2003 by Sires

2.0 out of 5 stars Read some history, please, Mr Todd
This first novel's premise is promising - WWI veteran returns to solving crimes, carrying a heavy burden (shellshock) but possibly capable of new insights, too. Read more

Published on May 29 2003

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting idea for a mystery
Inspector Ian Rutledge has returned from four years service in the trenches of World War I, and Scotland Yard has assigned him his first case after his return. Read more

Published on April 29 2003 by David W. Nicholas

4.0 out of 5 stars Haunting and Evocative
Charles Todd re-creates the era of 1918 England so vividly that I'm walking around in a kind of an historical daze, part of my mind on work and part in an English village 85 years... Read more

Published on Nov 7 2002 by Robin Currier