The Murder Stone: A Novel of Suspense

Review

"Seamless...a compelling insight into the home front during 1916." --"Chicago Tribune"

"Many twists and turns, angst-ridden characters, and an evocative historical setting. A gripping read." --"Library Journal"

"A stunner, exquisitely plotted and characterized, with Todd's trademark meticulous backdrop of World War I-era England." --"The Strand magazine"


Product Description

The Great War is still raging in the autumn of 1916, when Francesca Hatton s beloved grandfather dies on the family estate in England s isolated Exe Valley. Grieving for the man who raised her, Francesca is stunned to find an unsigned letter among his effects, cursing the Hattons and their descendants. Now a stranger has shown up on her doorstep, accusing her grandfather of being a murderer.
Ex-soldier Richard Leighton blames Francis Hatton for the death of his mother, who vanished nearly a quarter of a century earlier. Her body was never found, only a shawl stained with her blood. And Leighton is not the only one with a claim on Francesca s grandfather. On the day of his funeral, unexpected visitors arrive with the mourners, and Francesca is besieged by charges of Hatton s vicious dealings. Yet there is also a shy young woman who praises his secret generosity.
At the center of the intrigue is an unusual white stone that lies hidden in a secluded garden where Francesca once played with her five male cousins, all of them dead now on the battlefields of France. According to the terms of Hatton s will, the Murder Stone must be dug up and transported to Scotland, where it is to be buried forever. But before Francesca can begin the journey, a series of ominous accidents occur, culminating in the discovery of a bleeding body on the Murder Stone itself.
Was Hatton the loving, caring protector his granddaughter always believed him to be? Or was he a vindictive, secretive man who cultivated dangerous enemies? Francesca sets out in pursuit of the truth and into the sights of someone determined to exact a revenge long overdue.

About the Author

Charles Todd is the New York Times bestselling author of the Inspector Ian Rutledge mysteries and the Bess Crawford mysteries. A mother-and-son writing team, they live on the East Coast.