Blackstone and the Great War

Inspector Sam Blackstone has been summoned by his former army officer, General Fortesque, to search for the murderer of his grandson who died on the Western Front.  Not only is Blackstone summoned, he is ordered to investigate.  He will take no guff from anyone, whether he be a simple soldier or an officer; Blackstone is determined to find the guilty party.

Blackstone is blocked in his attempts to find the guilty party by officers at the front because they see it as an affront that a civilian is investigating the murder, and they cannot fathom that a member of the officer class could be the murderer; it has to be an enlisted man.

Although the men may have seen an officer enter Lieutenant Fortesque's dugout on the morning of the murder they are afraid to name names.  Blackstone has three possible culprits in mind, however he is unsure as to what their connection to the lieutenant is that would lead to one of them murdering him.

Blackstone needs help.  He telegraphs DS Archie Patterson with a request and enlists the help of a newly arrived private.

Being an officer of the privileged class, Lieutenant Fortesque's body is shipped off to England for burial.  However, it doesn't make it.  The coffin disappears in Calais.  Blackstone finds out that three men bribed the soldier in charge of the stores where the coffin was.  What was in the coffin?

Blackstone has to return to the front to finally get to the truth.  In so doing he puts his own life in danger.  This is a well written novel by author Sally Spencer, well worth the read for fans of mysteries or historical novels.