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A Cruel Deception
A Cruel Deception: A Bess Crawford Mystery | Charles Todd
6 posts | 6 read | 1 reading | 1 to read
In the aftermath of World War I, nurse Bess Crawford attempts to save a troubled former soldier from a mysterious killer in this eleventh book in the beloved Bess Crawford mystery series from New York Times bestselling author Charles Todd. The Armistice of November 1918 ended the fighting, but the Great War will not be over until a Peace Treaty is drawn up and signed by all parties. Representatives from the Allies are gathering in Paris, and already ominous signs of disagreement have appeared. Sister Bess Crawford, who has been working with the severely wounded in England in the wars wake, is asked to carry out a personal mission in Paris for a Matron at the London headquarters of The Queen Alexandras. Bess is facing decisions about her own future, even as she searches for the man she is charged with helping. When she does locate Lawrence Minton, she finds a bitter and disturbed officer who has walked away from his duties at the Peace Conference and is well on his way toward an addiction to opiates. When she confronts him with the dangers of using laudanum, he tells her that he doesnt care if he lives or dies, as long as he can find oblivion. But what has changed him? What is it that haunts him? He cant confide in Bessbecause the truth is so deeply buried in his mind that he can only relive it in nightmares. The officers who had shared a house with him in Paris profess to know nothingstill, Bess is reluctant to trust them even when they offer her their help. But where to begin on her own? What is driving this man to a despair so profound it can only end with death? The war? Something that happened in Paris? To prevent a tragedy, she must get at the truth as quickly as possiblewhich means putting herself between Lieutenant Minton and whatever is destroying him. Or is it whoever?
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robinb
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Number 11 in the series, I‘m all caught up with Bess Crawford until next summer. While I enjoyed this one, it was not a favorite one. Bess, while contemplating what she will do with her life now that the war is over, travels to France as a favor to check on the well-being of a friend‘s son. She finds a man wracked by guilt drowning his sorrows in laudanum. He had suffered a concussion in the war, losing some of his memory. What does eventually 🔻

robinb come back seems to indicate to him that he acted dishonorably. She must unravel the truth of his memories to save his soul as well as his life. 4/5⭐️ #coverlove (edited) 3y
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ScientistSam
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I'd been worried that Charles Todd would have a hard time continuing the Bess Crawford series after Armistice, but this put my fears to rest. A great addition to the series, in which Bess heads back to France as a favor to Matron to check on her possibly shell shocked son.

robinb I‘m finally caught up to this one. Looking forward to getting to it! 4y
55 likes1 comment
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Chili
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Book mail!!! 😍

TheAromaofBooks I just finished the Bess Crawford series - so much love! Haven't started the Ian Rutledge books yet - I didn't realize that they are also set during WWI. Do you know if there any crossover of characters?? 4y
Chili @TheAromaofBooks I haven‘t read either series yet. I won these in a giveaway. I borrowed the first Bess Crawford today and put in a request for the first Ian Rutledge book. I can‘t wait to start reading both series. 😁 4y
TheAromaofBooks I felt like the Bess Crawford books got better and better as they went along - the last two were my favorites, and I was slightly leery of them because they take place after the war. But the authors do a great job exploring the impact of war's conclusion. Anyway, hopefully you enjoy them as well!! 4y
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TheAromaofBooks
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A little late, but this week's #bookreport - finished the Bess Crawford series, which was excellent. Tagged book was my favorite of the week. Holiday shenanigans slowed down my reading a bit, so I didn't get to the bottom two books, although I did read about 20% of a free Kindle book before bailing on it.

@Cinfhen

Cinfhen Hope you enjoyed your holiday shenanigans 😂😂😘 4y
TheAromaofBooks @Cinfhen - Oh yes, holiday shenanigans in my family are always lively and entertaining - and involve a lot of food! :-D 4y
20 likes2 comments
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TheAromaofBooks
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This series has gone from strength to strength. This is the most recent addition, but I sincerely hope we will still see several more. The authors have done such an excellent job exploring the aftermath of WWI for just regular people. If you enjoy historical mysteries, I highly recommend this series.

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ralexist
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Cozy historical mysteries is a genre I stumbled upon a handful of years back & it's become a favorite of mine. This is book 11 in this wonderful series and WWI has not long been over. Our MC, nurse Bess Crawford, has been asked to do a favor for the Matron and look in on her son, a soldier who's recently stopped contact. This book in particular delves into PTSD (shell shock was the term at the time) and how folks coped after the war. Do read!