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melissasbookshelf's review against another edition
4.0
Another great mystery in the Bess Crawford series. Bess is sent on a mission to find out what happened to the son of one of the head nursing matrons. She arrives in France and immediately is thrown into a complicated mystery. When she finds Lawrence, she tries to find out what happened that could so drastically alter him from a conscientious soldier to a sullen drug addict. Bess's own life is put in danger as she tries to unravel the mystery.
I missed Simon in this book and like Bess am interested to find out what he is up to in Scotland. Looking forward to the next book!
I missed Simon in this book and like Bess am interested to find out what he is up to in Scotland. Looking forward to the next book!
austenandkurtrock's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Another solid addition to the Bess Crawford series. This one follows Bess to Paris while peace talks are happening in the background. She has been tasked with finding a nursing matron’s son who is suspected of becoming a drug addict to deal with the trauma of the war. I found this book, like the last one, stronger than the earlier books in the series because it really focuses on how the people who fought in the war are handling the aftermath. It does it in an empathetic way, but does not flinch away from the darkness.
toniapeckover's review against another edition
2.0
Is it my imagination or did this series used to be better?
nonna7's review against another edition
3.0
Charles Todd's books seldom disappoint and this is no exception. I prefer the Ian Rutledge series to the Bess Crawford series for the most part, but I have to admit I'm wondering exactly where the author(s) (Charles Todd is a pen name for a mother/son writing team) are going to take Bess. The Great War is over. Bess has been taking care of wounded men with long term care needs. However, the phase is coming to an end. Bess prefers not to teach, but neither is she interested in assisting a doctor with run of the mill surgeries. Her friends are leaving the service to get married in many cases, but Bess is not quite read to settle down and marry nor does she have a young man with whom she has fallen in love. Or has she. The elusive Simon, late of her father's regiment, is off in Scotland. The family doesn't know what he is doing. Bess wonders if he has found love there. When she is summoned by Matron, she is fully expecting to be discharged. Instead, Matron asks her for a special favor: her son is missing. He was in Paris for the peace talks but has disappeared. She arranges for her to stay with friends in Paris, Dr. Moreau and his wife. When she gets there she discovers that the young man is staying with a friend in the village of St Ives. When she gets there she discovers a young woman who is taking care of him because he saved her father's life. He is in bad shape mentally, addicted to laudanum and experiencing horrendous nightmares. He was fine when they went to dinner a short time ago, then he started having nightmares and got addicted to drugs in order to stop them. The first half of the book is devoted to Bess trying to figure out what is going on with the young man and not figuring it out. I would have liked to see this part shortened to be honest. The reader is half way through the book before she starts doing some serious investigation. Still, all in all it's an interesting book with a rather dramatic, perhaps even slightly melodramatic, plot. Simon doesn't make an appearance nor do we learn what orders Bess has from Matron. Next book!
find10's review
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
brookepalmer796's review against another edition
3.0
Like many readers/reviewers, I'm getting a little tired of Bess being alone......
The mystery was fairly solid though.
The mystery was fairly solid though.
annarella's review against another edition
3.0
I read a lot of raving reviews about this book but I found it slow paced and couldn't connect to the characters.
It's well written and I want to read other books by this author to see if it was just my issue with this specific novel.
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
It's well written and I want to read other books by this author to see if it was just my issue with this specific novel.
Many thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for this ARC, all opinions are mine.
stellasnow's review against another edition
5.0
I love the series and Bess is a type of woman i aspire to be. I know this is a crime mystery sorta of novel, but for the love of god can you marry her to Simon and give her happy ever after??? Id hate to see she goes om being unmarried like so many woman after 1st and 2nd WW.
mistree's review against another edition
5.0
Post World War I, set mostly in France. So glad to see Bess is continuing after the war. She is still a nurse. This time she accepts an assignment from Matron to see what is up with her son her is supposedly attending the Paris peace discussions as a minor aide. Top notch-again!