A Divided Loyalty (Inspector Ian Rutledge Mysteries)
In 1921, the body of a beautiful unidentified woman is found stabbed to death near a prehistoric stone circle, not far from Stonehenge, in the village of Avebury. Chief Inspector Brian Leslie is sent to investigate the case. Despite recognizing the woman, he quickly concludes his investigation, declares the woman can’t be identified, and insists there isn’t enough evidence to find the murderer. Ian Rutledge, fresh from successfully solving a murder in another village, is asked by his Chief Superintendent to look at the crime scene to see if he can find anything Leslie missed. Despite a lack of witnesses and very little evidence, Rutledge doggedly pursues even the most seemingly insignificant clues until he discovers the woman’s identity. He comes to the troubling realization that Leslie knew more than he included in his report, but why would he leave information out? Rutledge must now decide if he will pursue justice and solve the case even if it risks his relationship with Leslie and possibly the reputation of Scotland Yard, or lie about what he has found. As he finds himself coming closer to discovering the murderer, he also puts his life in jeopardy.
A Divided Loyalty is the 22nd Ian Rutledge book, but it is the first one I have read. While there were some characters and past events mentioned that I’m sure I didn’t fully grasp the significance of, I didn’t feel it affected my overall enjoyment of the book. The mystery wraps up a little neatly for my taste, but I found the atmospheric and moody descriptions of the remote village enthralling. Ian Rutledge is a complex and engaging character, and I look forward to reading more titles in the series.
