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A review by laurenjodi
A Cruel Deception by Charles Todd
3.0
A Cruel Deception
3 Stars
Bess is asked by Matron Minton to look into the disappearance of her son serving with the British peace delegation in Paris in the aftermath of WW1.
Unfortunately, this latest installment in the Bess Crawford mysteries simply did not resonate. The mystery surrounding Lawrence Minton's disappearance fails to fulfill its potential mainly due to the fact that Lawrence is a selfish, self-absorbed and ungrateful man and it is exceedingly difficult to sympathize with his plight.
Another problematic element is the pacing of the narrative, which plods along as Bess attempts to uncover the reasons for Lawrence's PTSD. Alongside the actual clues (which are few and far between), there is an excessive amount of internal musings about the countryside, the post-war shortages and the people Bess encounters.
The explanation for the attacks on Lawrence is disappointing as the culprit
Finally, the authors really need to get a move on with Bess's love life. It is obvious to everyone (except perhaps Bess and maybe Simon) that the two are meant for each other. Simon's absence from this installment was keenly felt.
The next installment has yet to be announced, but I look forward to listening to the excellent Rosalyn Landor when it is published.
3 Stars
Bess is asked by Matron Minton to look into the disappearance of her son serving with the British peace delegation in Paris in the aftermath of WW1.
Unfortunately, this latest installment in the Bess Crawford mysteries simply did not resonate. The mystery surrounding Lawrence Minton's disappearance fails to fulfill its potential mainly due to the fact that Lawrence is a selfish, self-absorbed and ungrateful man and it is exceedingly difficult to sympathize with his plight.
Another problematic element is the pacing of the narrative, which plods along as Bess attempts to uncover the reasons for Lawrence's PTSD. Alongside the actual clues (which are few and far between), there is an excessive amount of internal musings about the countryside, the post-war shortages and the people Bess encounters.
The explanation for the attacks on Lawrence is disappointing as the culprit
Spoiler
isn't actually a character in the story until the last couple of chapters, and the motive is rather far-fetched.Finally, the authors really need to get a move on with Bess's love life. It is obvious to everyone (except perhaps Bess and maybe Simon) that the two are meant for each other. Simon's absence from this installment was keenly felt.
The next installment has yet to be announced, but I look forward to listening to the excellent Rosalyn Landor when it is published.