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Impartial Witness
Impartial Witness | Charles Todd
14 posts | 18 read | 1 reading | 5 to read
"Todd's novels are known for compelling plotting with a thoughtful whodunit aspect, rich characterization, evocative prose, and haunting atmosphere."--Richmond Times-Dispatch"Readers who can't get enough of [Jacqueline Winspear's] Maisie Dobbs...are bound to be caught up in the adventures of Bess Crawford."--New York Times Book ReviewTo great critical acclaim, author Charles Todd introduced protagonist Bess Crawford in A Duty to the Dead. The dedicated World War I nurse returns in An Impartial Witness, and finds herself in grave peril when a moral obligation makes her the inadvertent target of a killer. As hauntingly evocative as Todd's award-winning, New York Times bestselling Ian Rutledge novels, An Impartial Witness transports readers to a dark time of war and involves us in murder, intrigue, and the fascinating affairs of a truly unforgettable cast of characters.
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CatLass007
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Bess Crawford is an English nurse serving in World War I. I‘m not sure why, although by posting this I‘m sure someone will explain it to me, but the English refer to nurses as “Sisters.” Bess served in France and cared for a pilot who was seriously burned in a crash. When his wife is murdered he feels he has nothing to live for and kills himself. Bess is drawn deep into the search for a murderer and becomes obsessed with finding (cont)⬇️

CatLass007 his or her identity. An officer who was friends with the pilot‘s wife is charged with her murder and with the attempted murder of another woman. Bess races to find the killer before the officer is hanged. This is a mystery with high stakes and several suspects. This is the second book in a thirteen (so far) book series. I‘ll keep going with the series and I recommend that if you like mysteries that aren‘t cozy, you try it too. (cont)⬇️ (edited) 11mo
CatLass007 I like cozy mysteries but sometimes I like a mystery that has a little more depth. 11mo
rwmg As I understand it, the ranks were nurse, sister (in charge of a ward) and matron (in charge of all nursing staff in a hospital). The best trained nurses with the best attitude to their patients tended to be nuns and so were naturally addressed as sister. 11mo
CatLass007 @rwmg Thank you. I guess all those years of being tormented by nuns in elementary school make me question whether nuns really were the best. 11mo
42 likes4 comments
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melissajayne
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4⭐️ I enjoyed this one more than the first book in the series, even though I read them almost two years apart. The case seemed believable and I liked the character growth in Bess herself. I hopefully will read the third book in the series fairly soon. #2022 #bookreview #historicalfiction #ebook #bookstagram #wwi #mystery #besscrawford #fiction

TheAromaofBooks I really enjoyed this series!! 3y
27 likes1 comment
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Geemom1118
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Picked this one up at a local bookstore. I haven‘t read the first one and I‘m hoping this one can be read as a stand alone. Couldn‘t pass it up.

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Maria514626
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The tagged book was excellent. An interesting mix of WW1 nursing and mystery. I‘m very glad to see my library has book #3 of the Bess Crawford series. 👍👏
I half read, half listened. I much preferred reading. The narrator did the various voices in a most stereotypical way. 🙄

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Maria514626
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#marvelousmay
This is my second Bess Crawford mystery. She‘s a WW1 nurse. The story begins as she‘s bringing injured soldiers back to England.

I‘m more of a spy story than mystery reader. And I don‘t tend to read a lot of series. But I can see myself keeping on with this one.

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JazzFeathers
Impartial Witness | Charles Todd
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Broke the wall of the 10 hours for the #24b42020 readathon and finished this mystery.

I did like it. The setting is fantastic and the characters so human. The mystery is logica and believable. But somehow, l didn't enjoy it as much as the first one.

Nonetheless, this is a series l'm greatly enjoying.

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Chili
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#WinterGames #MerryReaders #TBRRead This is the second book in the Bess Crawford series and I‘m really enjoying it. Another one off Mount TBR.

ljuliel I was at our library today and a lady was checking out a book by this author. The librarian started talking to her about the different series written , whether they liked Ian or Bess better. I always like it when a librarian knows their “ stuff” , and discusses books with the patrons. I don‘t hear that happen very often anymore. 5y
TheAromaofBooks I read this entire series this fall and LOVED it. Most recent one was just published this year, so I'm hoping it's going to continue!! 5y
Clwojick 16 pt 5y
18 likes3 comments
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JazzFeathers
Impartial Witness | Charles Todd
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Worked at my sister's Christmas present while listening to the tagged book.
I'm really enjoying it, though l think the first book in the Bess Crowford series was even better.
But once again the characters are fantastic, the psychological side is so human, and the historical setting is first class.

Don't know whether l'll finish during the #11thHourReadathon, but l'll certainly finish this week.

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TheAromaofBooks
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This is the second book in the series, and both have been quite enjoyable. I like the WWI setting - it has always fascinated me more than the second - and Bess is a likable character: strong without being obnoxious. I love that she loves and respects her parents, and that they love and respect her and her decision to serve as a frontlines nurse. The mysteries have been engaging without being overly convoluted. Overall - pick!

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ScientistSam
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I really enjoyed this second book in the Bess Crawford series. Bess is a nursing sister in WWI and the sense of time and place in these books is wonderful.

In this one, Bess sees something that later becomes relevant in a murder investigation. Called back from the Front by Scotland Yard, she finds herself pursuing the truth motivated by her determination to speak for the dead.

I love that her nursing experiences help drive these stories.

SilversReviews Always enjoy his books. (edited) 7y
ScientistSam @SilversReviews Do you like their other series too? 7y
SilversReviews @ScientistSam I prefer this series. 7y
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ralexist
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I'd have to say that the 2nd in this series actually tops the first. You really feel a truer sense of Bess and her motivations for what she does. The mystery was full of twists, turns, and a few red herrings but that's definitely a good thing. It was hard to wrap my brain around the fact that due to proximity, it was possible to pop back across the channel for a reprieve, but that's just because I'm used to war being continents away. Next please!

Tamra I will stack the first! 7y
Sydsavvy I ❤️❤️❤️it when the second is even better. 7y
robinb I am loving this series and have about 3 left before I‘m caught up. And yes, it is a bit mind boggling how much she pops back and forth! 😳 7y
33 likes3 comments
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robinb
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I love it when the second book of a series turns out to be just as good or even better than the first. Loving Bess Crawford! For books that don‘t focus on “action”, I‘m finding myself simply absorbed by the descriptive writing and the engaging cast. Watching Bess think is addictive! 🤣😉🤔 I‘m hooked!

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robinb
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And so the madness begins....my single-minded drive to finish a new series....I‘m just a smidgen crazy that way. 😳😂😜 Up next, number 2 in the Bess Crawford mystery series. And I‘ll go ahead and post a disclaimer: numbers 3 and 4 are already waiting in my hot little hands....thank you local library! 😊😉🙌👏 Yeah, the word obsessive comes to mind...but I‘m OK with that. 😉👍

Andrew65 😂 7y
Ms.Story Eager for your review as I've been eyeing this series 😀 7y
Andrew65 @Ms.Story Me too! 7y
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robinb @Andrew65 🤣🙌🤷🏻‍♀️ 7y
robinb @Ms.Story I loved the first, so I have high hopes! I must say I find that I‘m a definite “series” kind of person. I ❤️ the getting to know the characters (secondary too!) in-depth and the feeling of familiarity you get from series. 7y
ralexist I just started this series :) 7y
Booksnchill I don‘t read this series but I am up to date on his Ian Rutledge series- love that this author is a Mother/Son duo! 7y
robinb @ralexist yay....can‘t wait to hear what you think! 7y
robinb @Booksnchill I haven‘t read the Rutledge series. I take it you‘ve enjoyed it if you‘re caught up with it...I think it‘s lengthier than Bess? 7y
Booksnchill @robinb I think it is longer but I have done most of them on audible! 7y
robinb @Booksnchill I might have to check that one out too. 😊 7y
SilversReviews I always enjoy his books. 7y
28 likes12 comments
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Karenlovesbooks
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A good murder mystery with nurse Bess Crawford (number 2 in the series). I liked this better than the first one, because I felt more engaged with this story. As I was reading, I kept thinking of Bess as an English Nancy Drew!

Whenever I'm reading about WWI, it reminds me of the display of poppies at the Tower of London. It was a very moving memorial to those who died in that war.

[DELETED] 2232195534 I've had this series on my list for a long time. Lovely picture! 8y
Karenlovesbooks @kaysreadinglife Thank you! I've seen this series compared to the Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear. If you haven't read those yet, then I would read them first. 8y
18 likes2 comments