This well-crafted mystery is the first in the Ian Rutledge series. Set in England following the devastation of World War I, Rutledge is a returning veteran trying to pick up the pieces of his sanity and his career with Scotland Yard. A prominent citizen of a Warwickshire village has been found brutally murdered in a field near his home. Rutledge is sent by his nemesis to “try and solve” this high profile crime. Rutledge works methodically and discovers several people with motives; among them is the young ward of the victim, her fiancé, a shell-shocked vet who thinks he’s still in the war, and a beautiful artist with a questionable past. The story has the feel of a psychological thriller as well as an intricately-woven whodunit with surprising twists. It should appeal to readers who do not need violence to hold their interest. The English countryside and its plethora of diverse characters are charming and alarming.