The Piper

by Charles Todd

on Tour February 1-28, 2017

Synopsis:

Scotland Yard inspector Ian Rutledge returns shell shocked from the trenches of World War I, tormented by the spirit of Hamish MacLeod, the young soldier he executed on the battlefield. Now, Charles Todd features Hamish himself in this compelling, stand-alone short story.

Before the Great War, Hamish is farmer in the Scottish Highlands, living in a small house on the hillside and caring for a flock of sheep he inherited from his grandmother. When one spring evening he hears a faint cry ringing across the glen, Hamish sets out in the dark to find the source. Near the edge of the loch he spots a young boy laying wounded, a piper’s bag beside him. Hamish brings the piper to his home to stay the night and tends to his head wound, but by the time Hamish wakes the boy has fled. He tracks the footsteps in pursuit of the injured lad and finds him again collapsed in the grasses—now dead.

Who was the mysterious piper, and who was seeking his death? As Hamish scours the countryside for answers, he finds that few of his neighbors are as honest as he, and that until he uncovers a motive, everyone, including Hamish, is a suspect.

Book Details:
Genre: Mystery
Published by: Witness Impulse
Publication Date: January 10th 2017
Number of Pages: 100
ISBN: 0062678094 (ISBN13: 9780062678096)
Series: Inspector Ian Rutledge #19.5
Purchase Links: Amazon  | Barnes & Noble  | Goodreads 

Review:

The Piper is a short story that features Hamish MacLeod before he was killed in WW1. It's a bit sad reading this story with the knowledge about what will happen to him in the war. As this story only have 100 pages is hard to review the story without giving much away. Basically, it's a murder mystery story where everyone is a suspect including Hamish, and it's up to Hamish to figure out who killed the young piper that he stumbled over near the edge of the loch.

I have a read a couple of books in the Ian Rutledge series, but I've more of a Bess Crawford fan (Charles Todd's other series), but still I enjoy reading the Ian Rutledge books since they are engaging and well-written and I enjoyed reading The Piper since it gives the reader an insight into a character that otherwise is just a figment of Ian Rutledge's imagination. This book made me eager to read more books from the Ian Rutledge series.

Author Bio:

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, they live on the East Coast.