Scotland Yard Inspector Ian Rutledge is working in London, investigating a series of assaults in public parks, when his superior officer sends him off to the southern coast of England in response to a demand from a man accused of attacking a local resident and holding the injured man's wife hostage. Readers of the series will recall that Superintendent Bowles has a continuing hostility towards Rutledge and the various out of town assignments he gives Rutledge always hold the potential for serious mistakes.

When he arrives in the small coastal town, Rutledge discovers that the man accused of assault is a former fellow officer in the British Army, who also survived the horrors of trench warfare in France.

The reader is aware through the entire book that the hostage situation is not exactly what it seems to be, however everyone, including the reader, remains in the dark as to the true nature of the events.

The injured man disappears, and while his fate remains unknown, two other residents of the small village are found dead. Rutledge and other officers from the village and surrounding areas attempt a series of night watch exercises, hoping to catch the offender in the act. The eventual answer lies in one of the oldest human motivators - money - and the identity of the perpetrator was a real surprise.

As in prior books in this series, Todd provides an atmospheric lookback to village life in early 20th century England. A FALSE MIRROR is less successful than other entries, primarily because the tension between Rutledge and the hostage taker is never fully developed and remains poorly understood. However, Todd's many fans will still find much to enjoy in this latest entry.

REVIEWED BY WOODSTOCK