For those who may not be aware, the author known as Charles Todd has always been a collaborative effort between Caroline Todd and her son, Charles. Their books, set during the WWI era, feature Inspector Ian Rutledge and army nurse Bess Crawford. What has consistently stood out for me is how human they have been able to make their characters. Each novel is complex, impeccably plotted and handles heavy moral dilemmas with ease and class.
Sadly Caroline passed away on August 28th,a loss that I have taken quite personally. For those who have visited Bookreporter throughout their 25 glorious years of delivering stellar reviews to the reading public, you may have noticed that I have reviewed every novel written by Charles Todd for the better part of the past two decades. I even have had the honor of interviewing them and composing discussion guides for a few of their classic titles.
A few years ago, I was walking the hallway of the Grand Hyatt in New York City, where ThrillerFest was taking place, when I spied an older, diminutive woman who could have been anyone’s mother or grandmother. It immediately hit me that this was Caroline Todd, so I introduced myself. She thanked me for all the support of their work and could not have been more gracious. I will never forget this private, personal moment between us.
Rest in peace, dear Caroline, and thank you for all you have done to further the historical mystery genre with your brilliant writing. I can only hope that Charles will continue the remarkable legacy carved out by the best mother-and-son writing team in the business.
