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Juliet F. (clarendon hills, IL)
a very fun read!
I love this series. The character of Bess Crawford continues to solve mysteries in her typical demure-yet quietly awesome- way. I love how the other characters seem to consistently underestimate her, until they realize how sharp she is. This series also does a great job of painting the era in which it takes place, without feeling dated or stodgy. There a few plot points which are kind of a stretch, but it's well worth it in the end. Great plot, great characters, well paced- I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Marie D. (Waretown, NJ)
Oh, what tangled webs we weave!
The book splendidly recreates the period during World War I in England. The coming together of the protagonist, Bess Crawford, and the household of murder suspects – one wonders if it will be determined that the butler did do it - was totally random, yet it all seems to work.
The young nursing sister from a “good” family finds herself center stage in the dysfunctional, wealthy world of the Ellis family at Vixen Hill in the foreboding Ashdown Forest in Sussex. The bleak, twisted landscape and the cold, rainy damp in the house and its environs had me reaching for a cup of hot tea!
The constraining life for women at
…more that time, defined as it was by money, position, and, most certainly, their choice of husbands, played a significant role in the story. The reader may be motivated to slap Lydia Ellis for her behavior at several points in the book. All the characters are delineated fully and all seemed to have a motive for murder!
I thoroughly enjoyed the book! (less)Set at the time of WWI in Britain with a nursing sister as a hero, this is a fast pace, page turner murder mystery written in the "Agatha Christie" style where everyone has a motive for murder and the end is unexpected. It is well written and entertaining.
Virginia W. (Cloverdale, CA)
Crime during WWI
I really enjoyed this charming mystery story about a WWI nurse who becomes entangled with a woman who has run from her soldier husband and his family after he slapped her. The family of the soldier is complicated by previous and current deaths. It is engaging to read about a simpler time and description of crimes that not a gory as those depicted by authors who write about modern day crimes. I think this would be an excellent book to read on the beach or elsewhere during a vacation.
Nancy E. (Sturgeon Bay, wi)
A Bitter Truth
It was with great anticipation that I approached this book. I had read the preceding two books in the series and have to say that I enjoyed them and their plucky heroine Bess Crawford. While the plot was good, the characters were not as well drawn as in the previous two books. The setting, however, was well done. I would read more in this series, but would not recommend this particular title to mystery fans.
Ray P. (Selden, NY)
The latest in the saga of WWI British nurse, Bess Crawford.
The mother/son team that writes under the pen name --- Charles Todd --- have already created the terrific Inspector Ian Rutledge series. Now, A BITTER TRUTH marks the third entry in their latest series --- the Bess Crawford mysteries.
Bess is a British battlefield nurse who witnesses first-hand the horrors of WWI. Additionally, she finds herself constantly at the center of various deadly mysteries. A BITTER TRUTH finds Bess befriending a young woman named Lydia who appears to have been battered by her husband, himself a British serviceman. Bess decides to accompany Lydia to her home and is quickly thrust into the
…more middle of a murder that may have been committed to protect a deadly family secret.
The difference with this Bess Crawford mystery is that she herself is unwittingly made a subject in the murder investigation --- a fact that makes her involvement in finding out the truth that much more difficult. Although this is not Charles Todd's finest work, it does feature what they always do best --- create an atmosphere of a bygone era that is so real and gritty you are practically transported there with every line. (less)I have read several of Todd's books and always enjoy his writing. He draws his readers into the WWI time period from the first page. Nurse Bess Crawford is warm, realistic and engaging. The sections set in the war zones are chilling. All of this is what I like about his books.
However,there is a critical part of the plot that was unbelievable to me. This is why I could not give it a " good". Still, his writing, characters and setting make for a fun read.
Debbie S. (Paso Robles, CA)
Not Impressed
Set in England during World War 1, Bess Crawford, a nurse stationed in France, returns home to London on leave. Upon reaching her flat she finds a young woman huddled in her doorway. After giving the young woman shelter for the night, Bess accompanies Lydia to her home in Sussex. There Bess becomes involved in a murder. Alternating between the battlefields of France and the scene of the murder, the story seems at times to drag and lack excitement or suspense. Characters are not fully developed and some of the plot line is somewhat confusing.
For those looking for a "cozy" mystery, this might be suitable. For
…more those wanting a more suspenseful mystery this will not be a good read. (less)
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