Ten years prior to the Great War a lieutenant in the British army had
committed murders in England and then disappeared in India. An Indian
soldier in his dying breaths tells Bess Crawford that he has seen the
lieutenant serving in France. Bess is sure she sees him later, too.
Bess and family friend, Simon Brandon set out to investigate. Bess
learns of the family the lieutenant supposedly killed. The killing he
apparently has committed just don't seem to match up with the man they
knew. As their investigation progresses Bess learns that the
lieutenant did have a connection to the house where the family was
murdered, however they don't have any idea of what the connection is.
Suspicion on the lieutenant is lightened somewhat when an arson fire
kills two people in Winchester, whom possibly had information on the
lieutenant, after Bess and Simon had visited them. The lieutenant was
in France working under an assumed name as a sapper. Bess later meets
him when he is brought in suffering from influenza. His story confuses
her about his guilt, yet she doesn't betray him.
However, once again, Bess is convinced of his guilt, when upon
recovering, and being sent back to the front, he is shortly thereafter
taken prisoner. She is convinced he contrived to be taken prisoner so
he wouldn't be brought to trial.
Author Charles Todd provides a surprising twist to the conclusion of this World War One murder mystery. A good, quick read. (I just wish that if this American author is going to write British novels, that he would use British spellings, such as Honour)
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