A Fearsome Doubt (Inspector Ian Rutledge 6 ) by Charles Todd

" I loved reading this sixth book in the Inspector Ian Rutledge series. Originally released in hardcover in 2002, the wonderful thing about these novels is that they don't become dated with the passing of time because they are set in a past far distant from our own. In November 1919 Rutledge has been back working at Scotland Yard for some months. The Great War ended on Armistice Day, November 11, 1918, at 11 am. How horrible to think that the fighting actually continued until that very hour of time. If you have never read any of the Rutledge novels you will find him to be a psychologically damaged veteran of that war. Shell shock completely incapacitated him until his sister found a doctor who was able to lead Rutledge out of the true fog of war his mind was mired in. Unfortunately, unknown to everyone, Rutledge carries in his mind the thoughts and feelings of one specific soldier who died when Rutledge had to order him executed for refusing a direct battlefield order. The voice of Hamish McLeod is very prevalent in this story, adding an other-worldly aspect to the process of solving the crimes Scotland Yard has charged Rutledge with solving. Not only must Rutledge deal with current murders and the torment Hamish puts him through, but he also begins to wonder if he is losing his mind completely when he sees a face in a crowd of a man he doesn't truly remember except to know the man is dead....."

추리 미스터리 장르의 성격이 강한 소설이지만 시리즈 전반에 흐르는 반전의 메시지를 잘 보여주는 작품이다. 전쟁으로 인한 삶의 파괴와 사람들의 절망을 잘 보여주는 작품이다. 1차 대전의 역사가 작품 속에 잘 녹아 있는 역사 허구물이고 비극적인 등장인물들의 심리를 잘 보여주는 심리소설이기도 하다. 크게 세 가지 사건을 다루고 있고 등장인물들의 심리적 묘사나 시대적 배경에 대한 설명들이 많은 페이지를 차지하고 있어서 좀 긴 장편소설에 해당한다. 친절하지 못한 결말에 대해서도 불만스러워하는 독자들이 있는 거 같다. 난이도가 좀 있는 문장과 표현들이 등장하기 때문에 읽는데 집중력이 필요한 작품이다.