A Fatal Lie

A Novel

By: Charles Todd

Narrated by: Simon Vance

“If there’s ever been a more complex and compelling hero in crime fiction than Inspector Rutledge, I can’t think of one.”—Jeffery Deaver

In one of his most puzzling cases, Scotland Yard Inspector Ian Rutledge must delve deep into a dead man’s life and his past to find a killer determined to keep dark secrets buried.

A peaceful Welsh village is thrown into turmoil when a terrified boy stumbles on a body in a nearby river. The man appears to have fallen from the canal aqueduct spanning the valley. But there is no identification on the body, he isn’t a local, and no one will admit to having seen him before. With little to go on, the village police turn to Scotland Yard for help.

When Inspector Ian Rutledge is sent from London to find answers, he is given few clues—a faded military tattoo on the victim’s arm and an unusual label in the collar of his shirt. They eventually lead him to the victim’s identity: Sam Milford. By all accounts, he was a good man and well-respected. Then, why is his death so mysterious? Looking for the truth, Rutledge uncovers a web of lies swirling around a suicidal woman, a child’s tragic fate, another woman bent on protecting her past. But where among all the lies is the motive for murder?

To track a killer, Rutledge must retrace Milford’s last journey. Yet death seems to stalk his every move, and the truth seems to shift at every turn. Man or woman, this murderer stays in the shadows, and it will take desperate measures to lure him—or her—into the light.

Excellent Story.

If you like Mysteries that take almost the whole book to figure out then you’ll love this one. It’s like a puzzle all the pieces are there but the why, how and who need to be put together. I am a fan of English mysteries and this is one of the most interesting ones I’ve read.

Excellent Listen

The narrator was fantastic. He really brought the characters to life.
The ending was grand.

Fantastic Narrator

Great story, perfect narration. I am going to search for his books from now on!

One of Todd's Best

The turns in this story keep you riveted to the story. Bravo! I like that Hamish is present a lot in this book. It is not the same without him.

Very good but not great.

Worthwhile reading but not as absorbing as the previous books in the series. The earlier books are outstanding.

I didn't care as much about the characters this time around. It seemed that there may be less depth to the Rutledge character also. The earlier books were infused with an energy that seems to have diminished this time around. Almost everyone in this story is tired, depleted, or hiding something.