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    A Test of Wills
    A Test of Wills
    A Test of Wills
    Audiobook10 hours

    A Test of Wills

    Written by Charles Todd

    Narrated by Samuel Gillies

    4/5

    ()

    About this audiobook

    Ian Rutledge returns to his career at Scotland Yard after years fighting in the First World War. Unknown to his colleagues he is still suffering from shell shock, and is burdened with the guilt of having had executed a young soldier on the battlefield for refusing to fight. A jealous colleague has learned of his secret and has managed to have Rutledge assigned to a difficult case which could spell disaster for Rutledge whatever the outcome. A retired officer has been murdered, and Rutledge fighting the torment of his illness goes to investigate. As he digs into the lives of the villagers, the witness who disturbs him most is a war-ravaged ex-soldier who chills Rutledge with the realisation that he could become like this man.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherRecorded Books, Inc.
    Release dateSep 28, 2012
    ISBN9781470333492
    A Test of Wills
    Author

    Charles Todd

    Charles Todd is the New York Times bestselling author of the Inspector Ian Rutledge mysteries, the Bess Crawford mysteries, and two stand-alone novels. A mother-and-son writing team, Caroline passed away in August 2021 and Charles lives in Florida.

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    Reviews for A Test of Wills

    4/5

    588 ratings47 reviews

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    • 5/5
      When I first considered this series, I was concerned About the 30 years that had passed since this particular First book was written. I was also a little concerned about aWWI setting in Northern England.

      I was completely blown away--- the police procedural aspects set against the post World War One Environment Was Spectacular, detailed , complex And in and of itself extremely interesting.

      You get a pretty good working knowledge of the horrors of World War One and the way it affected Britain Scotland Germany and France. You become intimately familiar with police procedure 1914- 1917, and it's all done very well right down to having to start the cars with a crank!

      The historical and military environment were spot on. The police aspects were incredibly detailed and accurate.

      The characters were drawn well and with complexity, both situational and emotional, as well as societal. It was a long, studied examination of the entirety of UK Circa 1917.

      I just really enjoyed the entire book and have made my commitment to read every single one of them in the series!
    • 3/5
      I have read 4 Ian Rutledge mysteries and the endings are terrific. However, I find the story is belabored and I am not sympathetic of Rutledge as he is portrayed in the early books. So this will be my last one.
    • 4/5
      A small town murder mystery where investigation drags out all the nastiness that's usually hidden in such a place. More than once I wished if the protagonist could just arrest everyone.
      Right from the beginning you see that Scotland Yard Inspector Ian Rutledge is not in a good place in more ways than one. He is sent to deal with a sensitive case (out of spite and jealousy) with the hope messes it up.

      You get to know Rutledge bit by bit throughout the book. He's been through hell in the Great War. He has a very vivid conscience in a form of a solder who died in his arms so to speak. The Inspector does his best to hide the fact he is one of 'those'. I've read before how they treated shell-shocked solders back then. Most of those self-righteous idiots treated them like less than dirt. No wonder the man is trying to hide his inner turmoil.
      I love this character so much. I am definitely going to read the rest of the series.

      As for the mystery, the book takes its time to start properly. The people Rutledge interviews are far from helpful. Nevertheless, you are rewarded in the end. The less I say about it, the better.
    • 4/5
      What today is termed post-traumatic stress disorder was called battle fatigue in World War II and shell shock during and after World War I. Whatever the term, the condition affects those, not necessarily soldiers, who have witnessed more stress or horror than they can cope with emotionally.Since 1996, Charles Todd (actually the mother and son writing team of Caroline and Charles Todd) has been producing a successful series of British mysteries featuring Ian Rutledge, a Scotland Yard inspector with a serious, if well-hidden, disorder. When he is tired or under stress, he hears the voice of Hamish, a soldier whom Rutledge shot during the war for his failure to obey a direct, if suicidal, order.In “A Test of Wills,” the very first book in this series, Rutledge returns to his job at Scotland Yard at the close of the war, but neither he nor his superiors knows if he is up to it. His first case involves two other veterans of that war, a colonel blown off his horse by someone with a shotgun and a captain seen as the most likely suspect. Because Captain Wilton is a national war hero, the Yard very much wants somebody else, anybody else, to be guilty of the crime.Wilton had been planning to marry Lettice Wood, the ward of Colonel Harris, but on the night before the murder the two men had been heard quarreling. A witness says the argument had resumed the next morning. Other evidence also points to the captain, while there seems to be nobody else with both motive and opportunity.The novel's title gains multiple meanings as the story unfolds, but firstly the case represents a test of Rutledge's will. Can he discover the truth when those at the center of the case seem determined to hide it from him? Can he build a case that will hold up in court, let alone stand up to the pressure from Scotland Yard? Most of all, can he silence the voice of Hamish long enough to focus his mind on the murder?Rutledge, as it turns out, is not alone in suffering from shell shock. or its equivalent. A witness, once a prominent citizen and skilled worker, has become an alcoholic since the war. And a little girl who saw the decapitated body of the colonel remains in a state of shock. Rutledge's own experience makes him more willing and able to get more out of these witnesses than other detectives might have been able to do.I found the novel's ending weak, given my preference for detectives who actually detect the killer rather than just get lucky at the end, but otherwise “A Test of Wills” is a good start to a good series of mysteries.
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed this book - the narration fitted the content perfectly. The content was interesting and a refreshing take on the detective/crime genre. I am keen to read more!
    • 3/5
      Interesting characters, particularly the lead detective, who is a shell-shocked veteran of World War I, but also several of the residents of the small community where the mystery unfolds. The plot is a little mechanical -- a round robin of conversations, each one dropping a little more information -- while the drama is provided by the detective's continuing struggle to heal his own broken mind. The twist at the end is consistent with the themes of the story, but is not foreshadowed and comes out of left field, and is not a solution that a thoughtful reader would ever propose.
    • 5/5
      It's 1919, and the War to End All Wars has been won. But for Scotland Yard Inspector Ian Rutledge, recently returned from the battlefields of France, there is no peace. Suffering from shell shock, tormented by the mocking, ever-present voice of the young Scot he had executed for refusing to fight, Rutledge plunges into his work to save his sanity. But his first assignment is a case certain to spell disaster, personally and professionally.In Warwickshire, a popular colonel has been murdered, and the main suspect is a decorated war hero and close friend of the Prince of Wales. The case is a political minefield, and no matter what the outcome, Rutledge may not escape with his career intact. But, win or lose, the cost could be even higher: the one witness who could break the case is himself a shell shock victim, teetering on the edge of reality. And in this war-ravaged man, Rutledge sees his own possible future, should he lose grip on his mind
    • 3/5
      This is the first book in Todd's Inspector Rutledge mystery series. It sets the tones for 23 or 24 more. I like the slow pace. In the post-WWII time period, Rutledge has to solve the mystery by interviewing and re-interviewing people, following red herring after red herring, all while listening to the voice in his head telling him what a poor job he's doing. I like Todd's writing style, the details of the time period and Rutledge's personality.
    • 4/5
      Inspector Ian Rutledge has returned to Scotland Yard after serving in WWI. Though he is not affected by visible war wounds his mental state is fragile. Chief Supervisor Bowles, who is jealous of Rutledge's prior successes, assigns him to investigate the murder of a popular army colonel, thinking he will fail. As the first book in a series this is surprisingly good. The setting in post war Britian is believable with challenges for those returning home and for those who were left alone to carry on. Rutledge is worn down with a critical voice in his head, a remnant of the war. Seeing another character completely incapacitated with the same "shell shocked" condition causes him to worry about his future. So did this reader, due to some fine writing. I look forward to continuing the series.
    • 4/5
      excellently plotted mystery - would have been 5 * if some skilled editing - will read him again - esp interested his exploration of war grief
    • 4/5
      A mystery in the old tradition of Christie and Conan Doyle. The hero is war-wounder inspector trying to prove himself after a long illness and fighting his own demons as he solves this difficult case.
      I will probably read more of this series.
    • 4/5
      Scotland Yard inspector Ian Rutledge has returned from the Great War a damaged man. Only to be sent to Upeer Streetham investigate the murder of Colonel Harris. But the main suspect is a decorated war hero. Rutledge is sent because Superintendent Bowles, his boss, wants him to fail.
      A slow paced mystery which I really enjoyed and liking the character of Rutledge helps.
    • 3/5
      Very, very slow going (all the characters in the book are complaining), but helluva ending. I haven't sorted it all out yet! It was a hard one to not set gently, unfinished, against the wall. I have the second one waiting patiently.
    • 4/5
      A very compelling mystery novel. Charles Todd's 'A Test of Wills' is a good, old fashioned mystery. Todd's story features a dogged detective, a brutal killing, numerous suspects, and suspect witnesses. So many characters made it difficult for me to follow without looking them all up, to keep them straight. An added plus (?) is the detective's own battle with shell shock following World War I, including an ongoing dialogue with his personal demon, Hamish, a deserting soldier he was forced to execute on the battlefield. Todd writes extremely well; his prose is clear, descriptive, fresh, wholly lacking cliche. His characters (especially Rutledge, the detective) are well-drawn, believable. The story itself is well plotted, leaving the reader in doubt until the denouement in the final pages. Wills is Todd's first novel; I look forward to his next.
      I was completely surprised by who the killer was at the end of the novel, and did not see that twisty-turn coming. Highly recommended.
    • 3/5
      Inspector Rutledge is given an assignment by his supervisor hoping that he will fail. He’s suffering from PTS from his time in WWI and the murdered man was a captain in the War. The prime suspect is a decorated war hero and the villagers have rallied around him. As Rutledge starts investigating, along with the voice is his head, Hamish, who reasons with him and helps him by pointing out clues he finds that everyone has secrets that they don’t want to reveal. I found this book good but a little repetitive as he kept going from suspect to suspect and asking the same questions.
    • 4/5
      I really enjoyed this novel. It is set just after WWI and shell shocked Inspector Ian Rutledge is sent to solve a murder. I liked how the author pulled you into Rutledge's personal struggle and his struggle to get back his skills as an investigator. I highly recommend giving this a read.
    • 4/5
      A Test of Wills
      4 Stars

      In the aftermath of WWI, Inspector Ian Rutledge is sent by Scotland Yard to investigate the murder of a decorated veteran, Colonel Charles Harris. Everyone in the area is surprised at the senseless crime, but as the secrets of the tiny Warwickshire village emerge, Rutledge comes to realize that still waters run deep and something dark and sinister is at work.

      Reminiscent of Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple mysteries, the seemingly peaceful village atmosphere, the intriguing investigation and the compelling protagonist all make for an entertaining read.

      Rutledge is a fascinating character. Suffering from shell-shock (PTSD in today’s terminology) as a result of his experiences in the trenches, he struggles to cope with his own demons as he exposes the secrets of the various villagers along with their motives for murder.

      Each of the suspects is fleshed out well whether it be the Colonel’s enticing young ward with her bewitching eyes and lying tongue, or the famous flying ace who quarreled with the victim before his death, or the town troublemaker who bears a nasty grudge and is not adverse to spreading half truths. Not to mention the obsequious priest, or the talented young artist with a disturbing past, or the painfully shy girl whose afraid of her own shadow. All of them contribute to the dark and insidious vibe within the misleadingly quaint and peaceful village.

      Although the story takes a while to get going as Rutledge interviews each of the suspects and works to gather evidence from the most unlikely of sources, the last few chapters are gripping and the finale is intense and exciting with an interesting twist or two.

      In sum, a promising beginning to the series and I look forward to following Inspector Rutledge’s future investigations and learning more about his past.
    • 4/5
      Still reeling from his involvement in World War I, Rutledge is sent to a country village to determine the murderer of a popular colonel. Haunted by a voice from the past, Rutledge encounters villagers who are wounded in their own ways, and many of whom are possible murderers.
    • 5/5
      Synopsis:Ian Rutledge is back from the war; he's 'shell-shocked' with a voice only he can hear, Hamish. He is sent from Scotland Yard to investigate the murder of Colonel Harris. Harris appears to have been killed by his ward's fiance. Rutledge visits the small town where this took place and finds that everyone has a secret. Only one man seems to know about everyone's past, and he is more than willing to reveal all the secrets. The killer is someone in the village, but who?Review: This was an excellent book. The characters, even the minor ones, are interesting. The story is well constructed and the revelation of the murder is stunning.
    • 4/5
      The first of Todd's Inspector Rutledge series. Ian Rutledge is back at the Yard after serving in WWI and having to make some hideous decisions, one of which he carries around with him in the person of one Sgt. Hamish, whose voice in his head is a constant reminder of the war, and possibly a threat to his sanity and his career. Nevertheless, Rutledge manages to solve the grisly shotgun murder of another war hero in a peaceful Warwickshire meadow. This was excellent reading, and now I have the mixed blessing of another series to follow.Review written in December, 2014
    • 3/5
      I am only giving the book three stars because I could not finish it. I felt it began droning on about half-way and I could only get a little further without being frustrated. When I began thinking, "Oh goodness, when is this book over?" I knew I had to put it down.
    • 3/5
      I liked his writing about the war better than the mystery.
    • 3/5
      It was the first time I had picked up one of this writer'a books, but it probably won't be the last. A nicely structured police procedural set in rural England in the early stages of recovery from World War 1, it features a shell shocked DI on his first case back; from one minefield to another!
      I have book marked the second in the series for future reading.
    • 4/5
      Excellent start to what is likely to be a great series. A WW1 veteran, returning to Scotland Yard, is set up to fail, by his jealous superior, during the investigation of the murder of a war hero.in a small Warwickshire Village. The Inspector, himself, is burdened by the guilt of having to execute one of his men during the war. His path to the solution shows very well the effect of the senseless slaughter in Europe on Britain's people from this war to end all wars.
    • 4/5
      This is the first in a mystery series featuring Scotland Yard inspector Ian Rutledge. The setting is England right after World War I. Rutledge, after serving in France, has returned to his job as a detective shell-shocked and with a few skeletons in his closet. This is his first case back at the Yard since the war and to make things even harder, it's a murder investigation of Colonel and the number one suspect is a decorated war hero who happens to be friends with the royal family. This was an excellent mystery with lots of false clues and clever twists. Rutledge has an amazing sidekick Hamish, who adds an interesting insight to the series as well as a very dark sense of humor. Good series that I would be interested in continuing!
    • 4/5
      A great new mystery series and if you like stories set in the days following WWI, this series is a must read. Ian Rutledge has drawn me in. I dare say he would do the same for you.
    • 3/5
      This is the first book in the Inspector Ian Rutledge mystery series. It is set in England just after the First World War. Ian Rutledge was a police inspector before the war began, but served in France in the British Army for the entire war. He does manage to make it through the war, but he comes back a completely changed man. Rutledge is suffering from a severe case of shell shock (or PTSD as it is now known). After the war and after a long stint in a clinic, he tries to go back to his previous career as a policeman. He is sent from Scotland Yard to a small village to try to determine who shot a particularly popular ex-soldier who happens to be a village squire. Rutledge struggles to find his old investigative skills while at the same time battling the voice in his head. This voice is that of one of the privates in his unit who died in France as a result of one of Rutledge's battle decisions. The mystery is quite complicated and it's made doubly difficult for Rutledge because he's trying so hard to function while battling his own inner demons. I thought the book held some promise, but was a bit disappointed in the resolution to the case. It was a bit far-fetched and was one that was not even hinted at during the course of the book. It didn't seem to fit with the rest of the book and came off as contrived and as an attempt by the author to put one over on the readers. But I loved the time frame since I've always been fascinated with stories originating during and after The Great War. The characters didn't seem as realistic or believable as I like to see in a tightly written and fast-paced mystery novel. But there is evidence that this character and his struggle to regain his old life while fighting horrific memories might warrant further reading of other books in the series, so I'm not writing this series off yet.
    • 4/5
      Inspector Rutledge, newly returned from the war, is sent to investigate the murder of a well-liked colonel in a small village. Rutledge, shell-shocked, hears the voice of a Scot he had executed during combat for disobeying a direct order. Though tormented by this affliction, he carries out the investigation while trying to ignore the voice. Complicating matters further, the prime suspect is a decorated war hero. The author does a good job with character development as well creating an intriguing plot, though a little editing might have helped move the story on a bit quicker. The ending has quite a twist and neatly wraps up the tale. Perhaps the most interesting character, besides Rutledge, is the voice in his head. A good, solid mystery.
    • 3/5
      This is my first Ian Rutledge book. I have enjoyed the Bess Crawford series. Didn't think that this one was anywhere near as good as the Bess Crawford series.
    • 4/5
      This was a very good book. The tussle between the hero and the main female character was epic, there's no other word for it. Unlike classic mysteries, the climax and the reveal are not the highlight of this book. It's the journey, the exposition of Mavers as the main suspect, the victim's past life, and Inspector Rutledge's private demons that makes the book worth following.