A Christmas Witness

Inspector Ian Rutledge investigates a possible attempted murder in this seasonal mystery novella from New York Times bestseller Charles Todd.

December 1921: Being single and a new Chief, Inspector Rutledge gets the short straw and is called upon by Chief Superintendent Markum to go to the Kentish home of a lord who is recovering from an attempt on his life. In bed with a concussion, the man is convinced someone is trying to kill him after he claims he was struck by the hoof of a running horse whose rider never stopped to check on him.

When he gets there, Rutledge learns that the lord is a fellow veteran of the Great War and was even promoted to colonel under Field Marshal Haig, the commander of the British Forces on the Western Front. As Rutledge’s investigation gets underway, he uncovers even more similarities between his life and that of the man he’s sent to protect, all of which grows eerily poignant as the Christmas holiday approaches…

You’re going to love Todd.”
—Stephen King

If there’s ever been a more complex and compelling hero in crime fiction than Inspector Rutledge, I can’t think of one.”
—Jeffery Deaver

Todd’s latest whodunit featuring Scotland Yarder Ian Rutledge finds the long-running series in top form. . . . Todd keeps readers off-balance throughout and poignantly explores his lead’s emotional struggles.”
—Publishers Weekly

A lovingly evoked postwar idyll.”
—Kirkus

Warm and comfortable, like a pair of familiar shoes. The story is well-organized, and Rutledge’s internal struggles are compelling as always. A worthwhile and rewarding read.”
—Library Journal

A solid police procedural and an emotional homage to Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Todd’s skill at returning to his perennial character without missing a beat adds to the strong plot of A Christmas Witness. It’s good to have this established character back.”
—South Florida Sun Sentinel

A Christmas Witness is the ideal Christmas present for fans to open and consume while eagerly awaiting the next full-length entry in this beloved series.”
—BookReporter

Charles Todd is the New York Times bestselling author of the Inspector Ian Rutledge mysteries, the Bess Crawford mysteries, and two stand-alone novels. A mother-and-son writing team, Caroline passed away in August 2021 and Charles lives in Florida.