Search the Dark

By: Charles Todd

Narrated by: Samuel Gillies

Length: 11 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

Dorset is the latest setting for the talents of Inspector Ian Rutledge, a veteran of the First World War still haunted, literally, by his actions. Indeed, his personal ghost only serves to complicate things as his inner doubts blend into the trauma of the case. The disappearance of two children, the murder of a woman supposed to be their mother, and an unstable suspect who may or may not be guilty form the bones of Todd's latest psychological thriller, augmented by the in-depth and impressive character analysis that distinguishes his novels.

©2000 Charles Todd (P)1999 Recorded Books

Yeah, It's Dark, Scary, and Perfectly Plotted

Okay... I didn't guess who dunnit. Todd creates so many perfect suspects and so many red herrings. I love this schizzo inspector. It's very British here in its plotting but not so British as to exclude us from chewing along with Ian Rutledge on the clues swirling around like the tiny bugs in a mid-summer swarm. On occasion I sort of wish that Samuel Gillies's characters were just a tad more different to avoid a bit of confusion, but on the whole he's competent.

There's a dark anti-war shadow over this post WWI period when Britain stood between imperial greatness and modern-age coping. And Todd explores that cultural crack wonderfully in this series. So well, I've just downloaded another Ian Rutledge mystery.

fantastic story!

From the first page to the the conclusion, you will not guess the ending. Really great.

In Rutledge's shoes

with Rutledge, I never can guess more than he. So, it stays a mystery till the end. The reader I had to get used to. He can often, but not always, make distinctions between the figures. All in all, I liked it.

The real costs of war—after it.

Badly damaged minds, souls and bidies of WWI ‘survivors’ in an almost Gothic tale of loss, madness, ambition. Could be faster-paced, sometimes the dialogue is maddeningly obtuse. Great voice reading.

A Different Slant on Things

What made the experience of listening to Search the Dark the most enjoyable?

If you are an actual combat veteran you may read this book with a different perspective. Combat strips a person down existenial essentials of life and death and there is no turning back from what you may learn about yourself. This book describes "Survivor Guilt" very clearly how you don't just get over it and move on.

Really Great Reads

Historically interesting with intriguing, twisty plots. A great series with very engaging main characters. Excellent!

Search The Dark

Had this been the first title I read it might well have been the last. Fortunately I had just completed listening to A Lonely Death and thought it one of the best ever. The issue did not come from the story line but with the delivery. Samuel Guillies was difficult to listen to and lent no personality to the characters. I started the book several times and just about gave up. A review of other Charles Todd titles available on Audible indicate Simon Prebble as the reader. I look forward to those titles and hope "earlier works" by Charles Todd will soon become available.

Inspite of the Narrator

Samuel Gilles could not ruin this book, although he really tried. His stiff plumy accent made most of the characters sound priggish. Although he did a good job with the local accents they still sounded wooden and pompous. Charles Todd???s well thought out story and brilliant characters draw the listener into the action. I really enjoyed the book, but will think twice about buying any other books narrated by Samuel Gilles.

Loving this series

This is the third in the Rutledge series I have read, and I am eagerly looking forward to the rest.

The book is very well plotted. There are enough clues and red herrings to keep you guessing (and boy was I on the wrong track until the very end, and then I only had it half right). Ian Rutledge is a great character and the other characters are generally engaging.

The only two quibbles I have is that his getting potty over some female in every book is going to get old eventually, and the local police inspector was a bit over the top stereotypical "malicious, stupid local cop" for me. I would really have liked that point of conflict to be more nuanced.

Those are, however, quibbles not deal-breakers. I do very much like this series (and this book).

I like the narrator. That seems to be a minority opinion, but he does fine for me.

Another Winner From Charles Todd

This is one of my favorite detective series. It is remiscent of crime writers like Agathe Christis -- evoking the same country Britain of pre WWII. The people are living leisurely lives but no less complicated.

I didn't think the reader was nearly as good as latter readers like Simon Prebble, but still good.

The plotting and evocation of Post WWI Britain are so good that I have listened to every one. I wish Audible would bring out the earlier books in the series.

The one thing this writer excells in is great plotting. What seems like a simple murder or death turn out to be one with many twists and turns in. The secondary are well plotted too and come alive as people in these books.