Synopses & Reviews
New York Times bestselling author Charles Todd brings back Scotland Yard detective Ian Rutledge in another riveting mystery set in post-World War I England Lancashire, England, June 1920. In a house with a red door lies the body of a woman who has been bludgeoned to death. Rumor has it that two years earlier, she'd painted that door to welcome her husband back from the Front. Only he never came home.
Meanwhile, in London, a man suffering from a mysterious illness first goes missing and then just as suddenly reappears. He is unable to explain his recovery. His family, supposedly searching for him, give conflicting accounts of where they were and why. What is the secret that nearly drove one man mad and turned his brothers and sister against one another with such unexpected savagery?
Inspector Ian Rutledge, drawn into both cases and facing a wall of silence, must solve two mysteries before he can bring a ruthless killer to justice: Who was the woman who lived and died behind the red door? Who was the man who never came home from the Great War, for the simple reason that he might never have gone? And what have they to do with a man who cannot break the seal of his own guilt without damning those he loves most?
Review
“In The Red Door, Charles Todd shows again that this series about Ian Rutledge, a battle-fatigued World War I veteran and Scotland Yard detective, is as fresh and original as when the shell-shocked detective debuted 12 novels ago.” Sun-Sentinel (Florida) on The Red Door
Review
“Engaging and atmospheric.” Library Journal on The Red Door
Review
“The book is more than a whodunit. Todds characters are well-wrought, his settings evocative, and the book a pleasure to read.” World magazine on The Red Door
Review
“An intriguing story thats impossible to put down…reminiscent of Agatha Christie.” Post and Courier (Charleston, SC) on The Red Door
Review
“Superb…haunting tale of love and loss.” Globe and Mail (Toronto) on The Red Door
Review
“A complex story with lots of unexpected twists and turns….A fun ride to a surprising conclusion.” Mystery Scene on The Red Door
Review
“One of the strongest entries yet in a series that shows no sign of losing steam….Once again Todd perfectly balances incisive portraits of all the characters, not just the complex and original lead.” Publishers Weekly (starred review) on The Red Door
Review
“Fascinating and compelling.” Winston-Salem Journal on The Red Door
Review
“Compelling.” San Jose Mercury News on The Red Door
Synopsis
One of the best historical series being written today.
Washington Post Book World
The accolades keep pouring in for Charles Todd and his New York Times Notable, Edgar(r) Award-nominated series featuring British police inspector and shell-shocked World War I veteran Ian Rutledge. In The Red Door, a disturbing puzzle surrounding a lie, a disappearance, and a woman s death ensnares the haunted investigator. Richly atmospheric and unputdownable, The Red Door proves once more that New York Times bestseller Charles Todd belongs in the august company of Ruth Rendell, Anne Perry, Martha Grimes, Ian Ransom, Peter Robinson, P.D. James, and the other contemporary masters of British mystery.
"
Synopsis
“One of the best historical series being written today.”
—Washington Post Book World
The accolades keep pouring in for Charles Todd and his New York Times Notable, Edgar® Award-nominated series featuring British police inspector and shell-shocked World War I veteran Ian Rutledge. In The Red Door, a disturbing puzzle surrounding a lie, a disappearance, and a womans death ensnares the haunted investigator. Richly atmospheric and unputdownable, The Red Door proves once more that New York Times bestseller Charles Todd belongs in the august company of Ruth Rendell, Anne Perry, Martha Grimes, Ian Ransom, Peter Robinson, P.D. James, and the other contemporary masters of British mystery.
Synopsis
In this thrilling installment of the Ruth Galloway mysteries, Ruth investigates a collection of Aboriginal skulls that seems to be cursed, causing people to die from a mysterious fever - one that threatens to claim Det. Inspector Harry Nelson.
Synopsis
Forensic archeologist Ruth Galloway investigates her most complicated case to date: two people affiliated with a museum housing aboriginal skulls succumb to a mysterious fever that later threatens the life of DCI Harry Nelson. When Ruth Galloway arrives to supervise the opening of a coffin containing the bones of a medieval bishop, she finds the museum's curator lying dead on the floor. Soon the museum's wealthy owner lies dead in his stables, too.
These two deaths could be from natural causes, but when he is called in to investigate, Nelson isn't convinced, and it is only a matter of time before he and Ruth cross paths once more. When threatening letters come to light, events take an even more sinister turn. But as Ruth's friends become involved, where will her loyalties lie? As her convictions are tested, Ruth and Nelson must discover how Aboriginal skulls, drug smuggling, and the mystery of “The Dreaming” hold the answer to these deaths, as well as the keys to their own survival.
About the Author
Elly Griffiths is the author of the Ruth Galloway and Magic Men mystery series. She is the recipient of the Mary Higgins Clark Award and her work has been praised as “gripping” (Louise Penny), “highly atmospheric” (New York Times Book Review), and “must-reads for fans of crime fiction” (Associated Press).
Exclusive Essay
Read an exclusive essay by Charles Todd