A good mystery is a page turner that can’t be put down and that has many plot twists. Charles Todd’s The Gate Keeper meets those qualifications.
The book is the 20th in the Ian Rutledge series written by mother and son duo Caroline and Charles Todd. As those who have read the series know, Inspector Ian Rutledge is the protagonist. However, several characters (suspects?) are introduced and the authors keep you guessing on who the murderer could be. They introduce doubt into your mind about almost all of the suspects.
Hamish – the voice of a corporal that Rutledge shot during World War I because he refused a direct order – haunts Rutledge’s mind throughout the books, including this one. Hamish focuses Rutledge on the questions to ask and the leads to follow.
Although it may seem odd to have Hamish’s voice in Rutledge’s head, it highlights the struggles of men in previous wars. Rutledge is suffering from shell shock (now called PTSD) from the horrendous things he saw when he was in France. Not only did he have to shoot a man in cold blood, but he also saw his men slaughtered by the bunches. I think it is fascinating how the authors incorporate the shell shock into the story and how it influences Rutledge and some of the other characters that survived the war.
The authors highlight the dogged nature that detectives need in order to solve a case. Rutledge is no different. He ceaselessly looks at all angles until he solves the case.
An excellent mystery that piques my curiosity on the other books in the series.