An Impartial Witness - (Bess Crawford Mysteries) by Charles Todd (Paperback)

About the Book

Todd s novels are known for compelling plotting with a thoughtful whodunit aspect, rich characterization, evocative prose, and haunting atmosphere. Richmond Times-Dispatch

Readers who can t get enough of [Jacqueline Winspear s] Maisie Dobbs are bound to be caught up in the adventures of Bess Crawford. New York Times Book Review

To great critical acclaim, author Charles Todd introduced protagonist Bess Crawford in A Duty to the Dead. The dedicated World War I nurse returns in An Impartial Witness, and finds herself in grave peril when a moral obligation makes her the inadvertent target of a killer. As hauntingly evocative as Todd s award-winning, New York Times bestselling Ian Rutledge novels, An Impartial Witness transports readers to a dark time of war and involves us in murder, intrigue, and the fascinating affairs of a truly unforgettable cast of characters."

Book Synopsis

"Todd's novels are known for compelling plotting with a thoughtful whodunit aspect, rich characterization, evocative prose, and haunting atmosphere."
--Richmond Times-Dispatch

"Readers who can't get enough of [Jacqueline Winspear's] Maisie Dobbs...are bound to be caught up in the adventures of Bess Crawford."
--New York Times Book Review

To great critical acclaim, author Charles Todd introduced protagonist Bess Crawford in A Duty to the Dead. The dedicated World War I nurse returns in An Impartial Witness, and finds herself in grave peril when a moral obligation makes her the inadvertent target of a killer. As hauntingly evocative as Todd's award-winning, New York Times bestselling Ian Rutledge novels, An Impartial Witness transports readers to a dark time of war and involves us in murder, intrigue, and the fascinating affairs of a truly unforgettable cast of characters.

From the Back Cover

In the early summer of 1917, Bess Crawford is charged with escorting a convoy of severely wounded soldiers from the trenches of France to England. Among them is a young pilot, burned beyond recognition, who carries a photograph of his wife pinned to his tunic. But later, in a crowded railway station, Bess sees the same woman bidding a heart-wrenching farewell to a departing officer, clearly not her husband.

Back on duty in France, Bess is shocked to discover the wife's photograph in a newspaper accompanying a plea from Scotland Yard for information about her murder, which took place on the very day Bess witnessed that anguished farewell. Granted leave to speak with the authorities, Bess very quickly finds herself entangled in a case of secrets and deadly betrayal in which another life hangs in the balance, and her search for the truth could expose her to far graver dangers than those she faces on the battlefield.

Review Quotes

"A superb whodunit--just when you think you have it figured out, Todd throws a curve--and a moving evocation of a world at war." -- Richmond Times-Dispatch on An Impartial Witness

"Remarkable." -- New York Times Book Review on An Impartial Witness

"A book rich in atmosphere and dense with plot." -- St. Louis Post-Dispatch on An Impartial Witness

"Bess Crawford is a strong and likable character." -- Washington Times on An Impartial Witness

"Entertaining." -- Mystery Scene on An Impartial Witness

"Todd's excellent second mystery featuring British nurse Bess Crawford smoothly blends realistic characters with an intricate plot." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review) on An Impartial Witness

"A smartly plotted, well-told mystery." -- Booklist on An Impartial Witness

"Readers will enjoy Todd's plucky, determined sleuth and a thrilling mystery that proves murders on the home front don't stop just because there's a war." -- Library Journal on An Impartial Witness

"Finely plotted and full of meticulous period detail and deft characterizations, An Impartial Witness testifies to the lasting appeal of historical mystery fiction." -- Strand magazine on An Impartial Witness

"This second book in the Bess Crawford series places this mother-son duo at the top of their plotting game, with intricate twists and plenty of viable suspects. The meticulously realized period detailing is an intrinsic part of a story that is much more than a whodunit." -- Romantic Times on An Impartial Witness