I normally love to read Inspector Ian Rutledge mysteries. This book did not engage my heart as others have in the past.
The ingredients were all present: familiar PTSD, thrown into work, drive to solve the puzzle, and a good murder mystery. But the end result did not taste the same as the other Inspector Ian Rutledge mysteries.
This story felt like a memory rather than the real thing. The mystery is still good and keeps you engaged. But the man, Ian Rutledge, lacks his usual presence. He is a mere shadow in the tale.
I want to see him change and experience life, but he is a mere observer in this book. That left me frustrated as a reader.
If you like mysteries, I highly recommend the series. This book, though, is not on par with the others.
Anna Bushi 