A Divided Loyalty by Charles Todd

Hello book lovers, welcome back!  As usual, today’s #TalkTuesday interview is also our #TeaserTuesday and First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros! Enjoy! 

A Divided Loyalty by Charles Todd takes place in 1921, shortly after the end of WW1. Fans of historical fiction surrounding WW1 should rely on these books.  Their writing allows readers to take a journey with the character, Inspector Ian Rutledge.

The book begins, with a colleague of Rutledge’s, Chief Inspector Brian Leslie, sent to Avebury, a village not far from Stonehenge. But when Leslie cannot find the name of the victim or the murderer, Rutledge is dispatched to take a second look. He is trying to find who would dispose of a woman’s body in the prehistoric stone circle.  Having the case reassigned to him puts Rutledge in an awkward position, since he must review Leslie’s report and question his choices. 

As with all the books, Rutledge must combat his own demons.   Although well-educated, intelligent, hard-working, compassionate, and caring, he has PTSD and must control his inner thoughts in the name of Hamish. In this book, readers are able to get a glimpse of his personal life, including past and possibly future relationships.  

Tenison is built up as the story progresses. It is a poignant and engrossing story.  

Elise Cooper: Why Stonehenge?

The Todds: We thought it is the perfect place to commit a murder.  The area is unique because it is not a village or city, but has archeological digs and people go there for particular ceremonies. It is more like a gathering place.  It was really interesting how the sun shines into the different parts of the structure.

EC:  Ian Rutledge has to struggle with his boss?

Todds: Scotland Yard is in flux.  They could find fingerprints but had no way of comparing them across different regions. They also had microscopes but could not compare different bullet markings.  The Old Guard were slowly being replaced by younger and more educated men. This created tension between the two groups. Rutledge’s first boss could not accept that this young detective, freshly out of college, was being fast tracked and felt threatened.  His current boss, likes everything cut and dry, and is not fond of Rutledge doing his own thing. He is also not pleased that Rutledge received a lot of attention for solving the hard cases.

EC:  What is the role of the Constables in your stories?

Todds:  They are basically village policemen, similar to the local sheriff who knows his town and people.  Rutledge is smart enough to realize he wants to develop a relationship so he is willing to treat them with respect.  They are usually the first person on the scene of the murders and are the ones to take notes.  

EC:  Please remind the readers– who is Meredith Channing?

Todds:  She was a nurse during the war.  Even though she really never loved her husband she went to France to search for him since he was MIA.  After meeting her, Rutledge found her intriguing and almost fell in love with her. She chose to stay with her husband after he was finally found.  

EC:  Will Rutledge ever have a relationship with Kate Gordon?

Todds:  She has been in love with him for quite some time.  Ian is attracted to her and is drawn to her. Because he is a policeman and has shell shock from the war he is not acceptable to her family.  He has a hard time committing to a relationship because of his PTSD.

EC:  For those with PTSD the war did not end?

Todds: Yes. Those fighting were reluctant to tell their loved ones what was really happening.  We put in this quote, “For many of us the war did not end when the guns stopped firing… We saw too much.  Things that can’t be shared. Things we can’t forget.”

EC:  Are either of you horse riders?

Caroline Todd:  When I was two years old my father would take me to a friend’s stable and lead me all around with this pony.  I thought it was my horse.

Charles Todd:  My grandfather took me to ride horses, which I did up until my early teens.  I still ride every chance I can get, but with an English saddle. There are no covers on the spurs, no wooden frame covered in leather.  A rider can feel the horse through the saddle. Anyone that has a horse trot, gallop, or jump has these types of saddles so the horse and rider communicate.

EC:  You talk about the Armenian genocide by the Turks?

Todds:  The Turks were cleansing a whole generation.  It was a focal point for the war. The Treaty of Versailles did nothing to help the Armenians have their own nation.  Even today, they continue to suffer. This is a sad part of history that we wanted our readers to know about.

EC:  Can you give a shout out about your next books?

Todds: Ian goes to North Wales to investigate a number of murders.  Kate will be in it peripherally. We don’t know when the next Beth book will come out.  She is going to Ireland for a friend’s marriage. Because she saved her friend Ilene’s legs Beth was asked to be the maid of honor.  We also have Beth thinking about her life after the war.

THANK YOU!!

FROM AMAZON

A Divided Loyalty by Charles Todd

Scotland Yard detective Ian Rutledge is assigned one of the most baffling investigations of his career—a cold murder case with an unidentified victim and a cold trail with few clues to follow.

Chief Inspector Brian Leslie, a respected colleague of Ian Rutledge’s, is sent to Avebury, a village set inside a great prehistoric stone circle not far from Stonehenge.

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First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros

I’m also taking part in First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros

Every Tuesday Vicki @ I’d Rather Be at the Beach now hosts First Chapter First Paragraph Tuesday Intros, where readers share the first paragraph of a book that they are reading or plan to read soon.

A Divided Loyalty by Charles Todd