The Gate Keeper audiobook

This book is one of the better reads, in this most excellent(and one of my favorite) series. Rutledge not only wrestles with his own demons, but has a real stumper of a case, that he actually stumbles upon. I was pretty much stumped, as well, which keeps me reading longer. I know, first world problem. Both this series, and the Todd's terrific "Bess Crawford" series, are highly recommended. Also, kudos to my cousin(and Goodreads friend) Janet for recommending them to me.

It's hard to believe this is book twenty in this most excellent series about a Scotland Yard Inspector struggling to maintain his career while secretly suffering from shell shock. What happened on the battlefield in World War I literally haunts Ian Rutledge. At times it seems the character hasn't made many advances in recovering from his mental trauma and yet when I look back on the series it is surprising to find that only a few years have passed since Rutledge returned from France and began to pick up the pieces of his life. In this story Rutledge has just seen his sister Frances married and off on her wedding trip. Even though he is happy for her he also knows the stability he has found in relying on her will change when Frances and her husband return to London. All the changes soon to take place in his life keep him from settling for the night so he puts some clothes in a bag and begins to drive through the night with no destination in mind. What he comes upon in the dark hours is a mystery that will demand his full attention so he can keep other deaths from happening.The Todd writing team have developed the Rutledge character to such a degree that I find myself thinking of him as a person, not simply as a fictional character. Maybe that is why the seemingly slow progress Rutledge is making in dealing with his shell shock doesn't bother me so much any more. In the past I've wanted him to be mentally healthy quickly. But that would mean that the character would be totally changed and that's not really what I want. In December 1920, with Christmas just around the corner, this addition to the series shows the residents of small English towns and villages making their slow progress toward what is now normal, working out how life can be lived without all the men who never came back from the fighting. These are stories I enjoy for the mystery set down by the authors. I enjoy the way they build this story from Rutledge having absolutely no clue about what is happening to him finding tiny crumbs of information and building the picture up over time. This story can definitely be read as a standalone novel because a generous portion of the backstory is given to help readers new to the series understand a lot of what has happened previously. There is a generously portioned appearance by Melinda Crawford which readers of the second Charles Todd series (Bess Crawford) will enjoy. The mystery in this story is not solved until almost the final pages. The twist in the story was quite enjoyable and had me fooled. Another top-notch addition to the series.

Wow! This book was just stellar in my opinion. I don’t know how the authors continue to produce such quality mysteries time after time. I have read all the Ian Rutledge mysteries and this is one of the best. This one is set in December 1920. Ian’s sister Frances has just gotten married and Ian is feeling at loose ends. He and his sister had become close after their parents’ deaths and now he is feeling a bit of a third wheel. The wedding is over and the couple off on their honeymoon trip and Ian can’t sleep. He decides to take a drive to who knows where to settle down. He is driving down the road and comes upon a car stopped in the middle of the road with a woman standing over a man’s body and her hands are covered in blood. Ian has literally driven into his next case.As he begins his investigation, he lobbies to be given the case as he was the first on the scene. There is some grumbling from other quarters, but Ian does land the case. He questions the victim’s acquaintances and family. He comes away with two very different pictures. His acquaintances and friends reveal a well-liked man with no enemies. His mother calls him a killer. Ian can’t understand such hatred of a mother for her own son, especially one who returned safely from the war. Another man is found murdered and he too apparently is well-liked with no enemies. What is the connection between the two men? Ian really must dig to find this answer and it is taking too long. Another murder is soon reported in a nearby village. Ian realizes that it is connected to his case as the victim was known to have contact with the other two victims after a fashion. Ian is dogged in his questioning again and again of certain people who had contact or knowledge of the victims. He questions until someone reveals a small detail that leads to another detail that breaks open the case, but he must have proof and that might very well cost him.This is one of my favorite mystery series and I eagerly look forward to the release of each book. The writing is descriptive and puts me right there in the story. Ian is not without his own struggles, which makes him so much more human and not just a character on the page. I would recommend reading the first couple of books in the series though before reading this one. Those will give the reader some valuable history and background on the main character. Readers also will enjoy another series by this author featuring Bess Crawford, a nurse during the First World War. Thanks to the writing team of Charles Todd for another excellent Ian Rutledge mystery!

It is soon-to-be Christmas 1920, two years after the end of the Great War. Ian Rutledge has spent the day fulfilling social obligations. It was his beloved sister Frances' wedding day and his duty, since both their parents are dead, was to walk her down the aisle and give her hand to the husband-to-be. He is happy for his sister but cannot help feeling melancholy about how her marriage will change his relationship with her. She has been the rock on which he has anchored his life after coming home from the war shell-shocked, wounded in spirit.After the wedding, he makes it through the reception, socializing with the guests, but once the happy couple leaves on their wedding trip, his PTSD closes in and he must escape. He leaves London, driving aimlessly with no destination in mind.Somewhere on the dark and lonely road between London and Suffolk, he encounters a car stopped in the middle of the road with an open door. Rutledge stops to give assistance and finds a woman standing beside the car and at her feet lies the body of a man. He had been shot once and was dead.The woman swears that she did not kill the victim. He was driving her home from a party when they saw a figure in the middle of the road and the driver stopped to see if help was needed. As he approached the figure, he was shot through the heart and the figure retreated into the darkness.Rutledge makes a cursory search for the killer or for the gun but finds no trace of either. He sends the woman in his car to the nearby village of Wolfpit to get the constable, while he stays with the body and the car.Inspector Rutledge, having stumbled upon the murder scene, is determined to investigate the case and he manages to persuade Scotland Yard to let him be in charge, even though the local constabulary are less than enthused about his participation.His investigation reveals that the victim, Stephen Wentworth, was hated by his family but loved and respected by everyone else. What could be the source of such hatred?Well, it seems that Stephen was a twin. He was the second-born twin. The first-born was a beautiful baby and his mother fell in love with him at first sight and lavished all her love on him. When Stephen was born a bit later, he was at first not a pretty baby and his mother disdained him. Her attitude toward the children was passed on to the father. The only one who gave Stephen any love was his nanny.Then a few months later, tragedy struck. Stephen's brother was found dead in the crib. Stephen was cuddled up beside him. The mother irrationally called baby Stephen a murderer! She was sure that he was jealous of his perfect brother and so killed him to get him out of the way. The doctor said it was likely a heart defect, but no autopsy was allowed on the perfect child, and Stephen was forever branded in his family's eyes as a murderer.Were people really that ignorant in 1920? Well, maybe. After all, there are still some pretty weird ideas given credence in 2018; e.g., the vaccinations cause autism crowd.Oh, well, soon the investigation's waters are muddied by a second killing. Same m.o. as the first - one shot to the chest. There's no immediate obvious connection between the two men, but Rutledge instinctively knows there must be one.Then, in a nearby village, a third man with no apparent connection to the other two is killed in the same way and the waters get muddier still.It's a complicated case and Rutledge struggles to find the thread that will lead him out of the maze and into the light, while at the same time continuing to struggle with his old demons from the war. I'm sure other long-time readers of this series, like myself, are longing for Rutledge to finally conquer those demons and get on with his life, but looking back over the last several books, one can see that some progress has been made, even as England itself begins to make some progress in coming to terms with the loss of so many of a generation of its young men and is moving on. These books do a good job, in my opinion, in conveying that atmosphere.

The Gate KeeperByCharles ToddWhat it's all about...I think that this was my very first Ian Rutledge mystery. Ian is a Scotland Yard investigator recovering from a very damaging war experience. This book took place in the 1920’s...there were still fires warming old English houses and cottages and cars that had to be cranked. Telephones were rare...no cell phone service? Teasing...of course. This book begins as Ian is driving away from his sister’s wedding...taking a break...when he sees a woman in the middle of the road holding a dead man. Of course he can’t get away from this and becomes the investigator of the case. And of course the case just gets worse and worse. More murders, family secrets and lots of interesting suspicious townspeople. Why I wanted to read it...I loved the cover and the description and once I read the first few pages...I was in. The writing is gorge, the plot excellent and the pace was perfect for a complex cozy mystery. What made me truly enjoy this book...Everything about it was delicious. Ian is so damaged that he fights his demons constantly. He is the consummate professional Scotland Yarder. Loved all of the tea that everyone drank in this book! Why you should read it, too...Readers who love complex cozy mysteries should love this book. The ending was a surprise...a total surprise to me and I loved that! Thank you Edelweiss and publishers for this book!

I listened to this on Audible - Simon Prebble narrated the story wonderfully, bringing all the characters to life with distinction and flavor, giving each a voice and depth. The mystery itself is worthwhile and well structured, which I've come to expect with every Ian Rutledge story I've read this far.

Another compelling outing for war damaged Inspector Rutledge who happens upon the murder of beloved bookseller. The deadman's hateful mother and a hostile locall copper wish Rutledge ill. The solution will really please book people .

Twentieth in the Inspector Ian Rutledge historical mystery series set in England just after World War I, December 1920 to be more accurate, and revolving around a shellshocked Scotland Yard inspector.My TakeThe Gate Keeper was compelling with the questions it raised, the bitterness, and the mystery of how all these dead men connect. A reveal that is heartbreaking in its simplicity and meanness.We read the story from Rutledge’s perspective in single third person point-of-view, so we know about Rutledge’s interactions with Hamish as well as his thoughts on the case. Bitter thoughts for it's a two-sided bitterness. One is the greed for money and the other is the greed to hurt. And the weakness that allows this bitter greed to continue.It’s a rare mix of the horrible with the truly decent, and through it all, Todd takes us back to the England of 1920 with its dress, mores, lifestyle, social interactions, and the technology. They definitely make me feel the period, and it makes me mourn for it. Although, I’m damned grateful for cellphones, let alone a landline in every house!I do find these post-World War I novels fascinating to read, as they reflect the changes that occured in the traditional pre-war lifestyle that led to what we experience now. That women's lib, y'know. So few men returned from the battlefields, and so many women had had to do a man’s work while the soldiers were gone.What's truly sad is that Stephen’s death is actually easier than his life had been. Then there’s Robin, and as his character is revealed, you can’t help but pity him. Todd did a beautiful job on the psyches of these people. Wrenching, but very well done.The StoryA man admired with hardly an enemy in the world is killed. Murdered in the night. On a lonely road. A body Inspector Ian Rutledge almost stumbles across.He's desperate to stay out of London now that Frances is married, and this body is a godsend. Until he begins to uncover the bitter hatred and absolute love in which Stephen Wentworth is held. Until the next man is murdered...and the next.The CharactersDetective Ian Rutledge came home from the war a broken man who struggles to survive from day to day, solving the problems of others in his job with Scotland Yard. Frances is the beloved sister who married Peter that afternoon. Corporal Hamish MacLeod is the resolute soldier whom Rutledge shot on the battlefield in 1916, and his ghost now follows Ian everywhere.Scotland Yard, LondonChief Superintendent Markham, a Yorkshireman of few words, is Rutledge’s boss. Sergeants Gibson and Williams run interference for Rutledge. Inspector Vernon was suggested to head up the investigation. Inspector Stevenson is sent to Surrey.Mallard is a friend of Melinda’s with the Home Office. Mr Haldane, who claims to be a member of the Foot Police, knows far too much. Matthew Williamson is a book dealer. Garamond is a bookbinding firm.Wolfpit, SuffolkA twin and former captain in the Royal Navy, Stephen Wentworth appalled his family when he bought the local bookshop from Mrs Delaney when her husband, Tom, died. (Tom’s first wife had been Josephine.) Dickens is Mrs Delaney’s King Charles spaniel. And the story behind that love of books is also heartbreaking. Nanny, a.k.a., Hazel Charing, had been Stephen’s only solace; she now lives in Primrose Cottage in Winthrop with Sally. Lydie Butterworth is the protective housekeeper — with a bit of the foretelling — for the family home in Wolfpit. Howard and Margaret Wentworth had been the grandparents. Robbie was the twin who died.Elizabeth MacRae is the friend Stephen was driving home. Audrey Blackburn is Elizabeth’s aunt and quite intelligent. Lily is the maid. Will Holden (Matilda is his wife) and Geoff Marshall (his wife, Betty, left him) had been Stephen’s childhood friends. Miss Frost and Miss Dennis are the local schoolteachers who live in Mr Grady’s house; both their fiancés were killed in the war.Constable Penny is in charge at Wolfpit, who he knuckles under. Dr. Brent is the local physician. Blake is a solicitor for Wentworth and Templeton; Danby is his clerk. Oliver Pace is the mysterious church sexton. Miss Goodwin is one of the older ladies in town and plays the church organ. Thomas Abbot is the rector of St. Mary’s. I’m not sure where Constable Burke fits in.The lively Hardys are local gentry. The reckless Robin Hardy is the younger son. His cousin Evelyn Hardy lives with her widowed mother in the dower house. Harry, Evelyn’s brother, had been great friends with Stephen. Mark Quinton is the wrong fiancé for Evelyn.Edgar and Mrs Peterson and George and Mrs Farrow were guests at the dinner party. Another dinner party was hosted by FitzSimmons in Kent with the Drysdales and Desmond and Prue Montgomery (they have a son, Julian).Frederick Templeton, a former major in a Devon regiment, is a gentleman farmer who takes an intense interest in improving his farm and has a reputation for better farming practices. His wife, Rose, died of the flu while he was over there. Mrs Cox is the housekeeper. Sally Beddoes is the head housemaid. Mr Martin is a farmer. George Davies was a contemporary. Bill is Davies’ steward. Harold Young requested aid of Templeton. The gossipy Wilma Smythe was one of Templeton’s neighbors; Tom had been her husband. Private Andrew Watts was temporarily Templeton’s batman in the war. Mrs Gentry, Rose’s sister, is Templeton’s heir.Stowmarket is……a larger town with a bigger police force. The insecure and controlling Inspector Larry Reed, who shouldn’t be a cop, took over in 1919. He was married two weeks ago to Carrie. And if that ain’t scary! Alice. Georgine ran a milliner’s shop. Constables Talley and Neal are grudgingly lent out.Norwich is……a city where Patricia, Stephen's widowed sheep of a sister, lives; Jocelyn Courtney had been her husband. Laurie is one of their two children. Mr and the very disappointed Mrs Wentworth are the parents. Constable Brown is part of the Norwich police force.Singleton, Surrey, is……a small village where Harvey Mitchell was a solicitor. Broughton was his clerk. Vivian Moss had been a governess for a family but left when it was learned she was pregnant. Her son, Eric, is at Oxford. Lawrence had been the father.Oxford is……where Dorothea Mowbray lives, the woman Stephen was to have married. Jane. Arthur is Dorothea’s brother who finally died. Little Tilton, EssexConstable Wiggins is the local copper. Teddy and his wife run the local pub. Mr Warren is the local solicitor.KentThe brilliant Melinda Crawford (she also appears in Todd’s Bess Crawford series) is a widow who knows everyone who’s anyone and is a very good friend of the family. Shanta is Melinda's Indian housekeeper; Ram is her chauffeur. Winston.Kate Gordon is a young woman, Jean’s cousin, whom Ian first encountered in A Fine Summer's Day , 0.5 (pub.17).Dr. Fleming is the doctor who has counseled Ian through his PTSD. Jean Gordon is the woman who jilted Ian. Sergeant Scott and MacDougal were also under Rutledge’s command. O A Manning is a woman poet whom Rutledge revered. Fiona was the beloved to whom Hamish wanted to go home. David Trevor, Ian’s godfather, is a well-known architect. Ross had been David’s son, killed in the war, and David is raising Ross’ son, Ian.The Cover and TitleThe cover suits the darkness and is a metaphor for events within. The black wrought iron gates ajar with the truth spilling out, a car’s headlights beaming back along the private and straight drive lined with trees revealing that which had been hidden in that dark and cloud-ridden night of a past. Most of the text is in white: the info blurb at the top, the author’s name below that, and the series information at the bottom with the publisher’s name in the bottom right. The red is in the title just below the author’s name and above the gate.The title is where it all began, with The Gate Keeper.

This was my first Rutledge book, clearly I'm late to the game since this is #20. Luckily, you can jump right in and enjoy it without knowing a lot of the backstory. I really loved it! I did as an audio, just an impulse download from the library audio site and off I was going.I was sad and touched by the idea of Hamish (I hope that's how you spell his name. Since I listened to it, I'm not sure) and his trauma and shell-shock since coming back from the war. I liked that each character had interesting nuances and were well defined as both people and suspects (even that horrible mother). The story was engaging and, even when it went a little slow as it filled in the details, the narrator did a great job of keeping it engaging. I hope to definitely read more from this author.

Ian Rutledge again pulled me right into the story & held my attention until the final resolution. Perhaps the vilest bad mother of all time figures in this story, the mother of the 1st murder victim. Ian himself is wonderful as usual & so is Melinda Crawford. A suggestion of a romantic possibility for Ian at the very end.

This is really only a 3.5. The Ian Rutledge mysteries by Charles Todd are consistently good reading and this one was enjoyable too. The plot was a little wonkier than usual, but I won't discuss it lest it ruin it for you.