The Reckoning

John Madden #4

by Rennie Airth

Inspector John Madden—who debuted in River of Darkness—returns in a gripping post�World War II murder mystery

On a quiet afternoon in 1947, retired bank manager Oswald Gibson is shot in the head while fishing. In Scotland, a respectable family doctor is killed in the same
manner—and with the same gun. What is the connection? Scotland Yard’s Detective Inspector Billy Styles and local detective Vic Chivers are baffled until a letter from
Gibson is discovered that might shed some light on the case—a letter concerning former Scotland Yard detective John Madden. Despite Madden’s legendary memory, he has no recollection of meeting Gibson or any idea of what their relationship might have been. Madden is happily retired from police work, but agrees to help his former protégé Styles and the clues they uncover only deepen the mystery. When a third man is killed in a similar fashion, Madden and Styles find themselves in a race against time to find the killer before another man ends up dead.

A smart, intricately plotted mystery, this is the fourth title in the critically acclaimed and much loved John Madden series.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Historical, Crime, Mystery Thriller

358 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 2014

About the author

Rennie Airth was born in South Africa and has worked as a foreign correspondent for Reuters. The first novel in his John Madden trilogy, River of Darkness, was published in 1999 to huge critical acclaim, was shortlisted for four crime fiction awards and won the Grand Prix de Littérature Policière in France. The sensational sequel was The Blood-Dimmed Tide, and The Dead of Winter forms the final part of the trilogy.

Currently resides in Italy.

Reviews

[Sonja Rosa Lisa ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

England 1947: Eine Mordserie gibt den Kommissaren Rätsel auf. Mehrere Männer wurden regelrecht hingerichtet, doch scheinbar hatten sie nichts miteinander zu tun. Die Indizien deuten aber auf einen gemeinsamen Täter hin. Tötet er wahllos? Oder gibt es einen Zusammenhang? Und was hat der pensionierte Scotland-Yard-Inspektor John Madden mit dem Fall zu tun? Sein Name taucht in einem Brief auf, den eines der Opfer kurz vor seinem Tod geschrieben hat.
🔎🔎🔎
Mein Leseeindruck:
"Totengedenken" ist mein erstes Buch von Rennie Airth, aber es wird sicher nicht mein letztes gewesen sein! Ich habe diesen Krimi wirklich kaum aus der Hand legen können; die Geschichte hat mich von Anfang an packen können und mich nicht wieder losgelassen.
Die Geschichte spielt in England kurz nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg, was alleine schon richtig interessiert ist. Der Mordfall bzw. die Mordserie ist sehr rätselhaft und nicht vorhersehbar. Mir hat die Ermittlungsarbeit der Kommissare richtig gut gefallen. Schritt für Schritt erschließen sich immer mehr Hintergründe, und es ergibt sich mit der Zeit ein immer klareres Bild.
Die Charaktere haben mir auch sehr gut gefallen. Sie sind gut ausgearbeitet, so dass sie echt wirken und man sich ein gutes Bild von ihnen machen kann.
Es hat richtig Spaß gemacht, dieses Buch zu lesen. Wer gerne anspruchsvolle und interessante Krimis vor historischem Hintergrund liest, sollte sich dieses Buch auf jeden Fall einmal näher ansehen!

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

In this 4th book in the John Maddens series, the retired police detective helps Scotland Yard track down a serial killer. The book can be read as a standalone.

*****

Retiree Oswald Gibson is shot and killed in Sussex, England while he's out fishing.



The killing is similar to the recent murder of an elderly doctor in Scotland. Investigation reveals that shortly before his death Oswald wrote - but didn't send - a letter inquiring about John Madden, a former Scotland Yard detective. As more elderly men are killed Detective Inspector Billy Styles of Scotland Yard asks his retired supervisor John Madden to help with the investigation.



It's soon discovered that thirty years before, during WWI, all the dead men were in the military and served in the same region of France as did John Madden - though Madden has no memory of the victims. Further investigation reveals that while in France all the men were involved in the same unfortunate army incident.



Wanting to prevent further killings Styles and his team, including female detective Lily Poole, try to learn more about the occurrence, but the records are tightly sealed and unattainable.

In an attempt to discover the identify of the serial killer the detectives question neighbors, friends, relatives, and household help of the victims and slowly amass clues that help explain the killing rampage and reveal who might be involved.



The murderer, though, is adept at concealing identity and hiding out, and is very difficult to catch. This leads to an engaging game of cat and mouse between Scotland Yard and the murderer, and detectives get knocked around and shot during the pursuit.



During all this John Madden has quiet family moments with his physician wife Helen, sees to his farm, and helps a nonagenarian aunt with much needed house repairs - all of which provides a nice little break in the action.



Eventually all is revealed and the killer is cornered. The story brings home the horror of war and the suffering caused by post-traumatic stress disorder, which was completely unrecognized during WWI.



The characters in the story are well-rounded, interesting, and believable and the story held my attention. Plus, it was good to see one of the early (fictional) female detectives hold her own at Scotland Yard. A good addition to the John Madden series.

You can read my book reviews at: http://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com/

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is something about many British mystery series that most American series have not quite mastered (in my opinion). And that is the combination of character and plot...not only the character of the primary persons but the characters that surround them and support them, including the victims. Rennie Airth writes thinking persons mysteries. His are low on action and high on thought. This fourth in the John Madden series also is a fitting story to read in the year 2014 as it deals with the legacy of the Great War in the years after World War II.

For those who have not read earlier books in the series, I suggest beginning with River of Darkness. The characters continue through the sequels covering about 25 years of British history from the end of WWI through to the time of this book, 1947. There is also an interesting picture of the differences in policing between Britain and what I believe would have been found in the United States of the time, especially re: the use of weapons by the police.

The book does begin slowly, but once it began to pick up the pace, I found it became compelling. Once again, this is not for those who want action but definitely for those who enjoy process, plot and character.

Recommended.

[Karl Jorgenson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cleverly plotted, vividly 1947 England, and filled with unforgettable characters. I hope Airth's bleak take on 1947 bomb-damaged, smoggy (see: 'Death in the Air' by Kate Dawson), and ration-restricted London is accurate, because it's certainly believable. In this 4th book of the series, long-retired Scotland Yard Inspector Madden is sucked into a the investigation of a local murder that matches a murder in Scotland weeks ago. There is no apparent connection, until Madden finds an unlikely link between the victims that dates to his own past in the first war, thirty years ago. Really, Airth should have un-retired Madden in 1930, but I guess it's just as much fun for Madden to find personal reasons to join current investigations.

[Beata · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy a good police procedural and this novel is another of this type. Recomnended to those who like Ann Granger.

[Paula · Rating 2 out of 5]

If only it weren't so sloooooow.Motive done to death too.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This the fourth mystery featuring former Scotland Yard Inspector John Madden. The initial book in the trilogy began with River of Darkness, set in 1921. The second novel, The Blood Dimmed Tide, took place during 1932, while the third, The Dead of Winter, is set during the latter days of world war two. The Reckoning begins just after world war two and takes us into the early fifties, although, like the earlier novels, the real core of the book has its heart in wartime. I enjoyed meeting up with familiar characters, including Billy Styles, now promoted to Inspector, former Chief Inspector Angus Sinclair, John and Helen Madden and Lily Poole, who is now a Detective Constable.

The optimism the country felt when the war ended has been dampened by rationing, a lack of housing and the bomb sites which still litter the cities. Still, there are peaceful pursuits to be enjoyed and when a retired banker is shot while fishing, there seem to be no motives for the killing. Who would want to murder a timid gentleman, who disliked confrontation ? More to the point, how did the killer just seem to disappear from view? When it is discovered that the victim had begun to write a letter to John Madden, Styles contacts his old mentor to see if he can find a link between them. Then, there are more murders – other, elderly men, who seem to have nothing in common, other than the way they are killed and the fact that there is no obvious motive for them to be targeted. As the investigation continues, it is discovered that the motive for the killings seem to lie in events many years ago, in the first world war – a time which John Madden had hoped to put behind him forever.

I really enjoy the John Madden novels and I am glad that Rennie Airth has written another in the series. Although this novel can be enjoyed without having read the original trilogy, I think the book makes more sense if you know the characters and understand the relationships between them. My real favourite in the series is the first book, River of Darkness, and if you enjoy books relating to WWI, then that is one you should certainly read.

[Robert Intriago · Rating 3 out of 5]

The fourth in the Madden series. I enjoyed the story but it tended to be slow and fluffy. The first book in the series was so good that the last two pale by comparison. It is a police procedural and the author has taken the protagonist of the story, Madden, and aged him throughout the series. The first book takes place after WWI and the series progresses and all the characters age. The setting for this book is 1947 and involves events that took place during WWI and lead to a series of gruesome murders. The story is interesting and well crafted as all the author's books are, but it is slow in developing.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

You don’t read Rennie Airth novels for action nor suspense. I consider his novels as thoughtful novels which move slowly but have interesting angles. PD James novels are much like this to me. The crimes are quite low-key in the beginning, but there is more excitement toward the end. I couldn’t get an audiobook copy of the second in this series so I went on to this one. Nothing lost except perhaps an interesting police case. I look forward to the next book.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Reckoning – Stylish & Brilliant

Typical of me to find an excellent detective series when it comes to the fourth book, now I will have to somehow get hold of the first three books. The Reckoning by Rennie Airth is an atmospheric and evocative crime novel a proper old school whodunit written with panache and style. It would be easy to say this book was written in another era as it has all the reminders of the Queen of whodunits Agatha Christie herself.

Rennie Airth in The Reckoning has brought back former Detective Inspector John Madden a man who has the tenacity of Hercule Porit with the relaxed style of Miss Marple. John Madden is a former Detective Inspector who has retired to the country to run his farm and live happily with his wife Helen. He is a former detective that is held in high esteem by his former colleagues at Scotland Yard.

A man is killed out while fishing outside of Lewes by a man with a red jumper and cap who is able to disappear in plain sight and somehow it is linked to the death of a Scottish GP outside of Aberdeen. Gibson before he was murdered had attempted to write a letter to Scotland Yard asking to contact John Madden. Madden does not know why but certainly seems to set off a train of thought as to why or how they could be connected. Another body drops in Oxford again without any real explanation. Detective Billy Styles a former protégé of Madden needs his old teacher to help the Yard out.

All Madden can make out is their only connection is that they were all veterans of the First World War thirty years previously. It would take a very large leap of faith to find out what was really happening especially as some of those events which Madden was involved with were classified.

When through Madden’s deduction he works out what the connection is he asks Styles to look further in to various aspects of the case and then they are able to find who their suspect is. Catching the suspect would be a different matter as the Second World War had turned their suspect in to a skilled operative who could work in the shadows.

Once Madden and Styles had worked out who the final victim was going to be they knew it would be a race to protect him. Whether they can protect him and get to near the bombed out fog bound docklands to protect him. Will they be in time would they find the killer and would that be the end of the story.

The Reckoning is an excellent crime story with a fantastic mixture of whodunit in post war London. The description of bombed out London and the pea souper smogs that clung to the lungs of the metropolis are evocative of that period in London’s history. The prose Airth uses is deeply evocative and the imagery it gives off the atmospheric bleakness of post war London. This is a novel that could have been written at another time during the golden age of crime writing the writing and story could be so familiar but it is a story that is beautifully told that draws the reader in and has the reader trying to work out who the villain is. The clues are there but will the reader be able to find the suspect’s identity before Madden reveals it.

This is one of the most stylish imagery evocations of wartime London I have read which puts the reader at the centre of the plot. It was nothing but a pure pleasure and enjoyment reading The Reckoning and I cannot recommend this novel highly enough, as you will not be disappointed.

[Mal Warwick · Rating 5 out of 5]

A TERRIFIC POLICE PROCEDURAL

Every five years now the former South African journalist Rennie Airth brings out another novel about John Madden, an English police detective whose life spans the two World Wars. In The Reckoning, Airth’s fourth book, Madden has long since retired to his farm in the south of England with Helen, his devoted physician wife. It’s 1947, with much of London still in ruins from the Blitz, rationing of food and gasoline remaining in place, and the new Labour government preparing legislation for the National Health Service.

Not for the first time, Madden is drawn out of retirement into a baffling new murder case in the countryside. His former protege, Billy Styles, now a Detective Inspector himself, has turned up a letter on the desk of the victim that mentions Madden for no discernible reason. Naturally, the reason lies hidden at the heart of the tale, slowly coming into focus as Styles, Madden, and their colleagues pursue the investigation. It soon becomes evident that a link exists between this and a homicide hundreds of miles to the north in Scotland, and, quickly thereafter, a third murder extends the pattern. As the inquiry unfolds, more and more police resources are brought into play, including not only Styles’ boss and his boss’ boss at Scotland Yard but Madden’s own former “guv’nor” and friend there, retired to a neighboring property.

The plot, with roots in both World Wars, is suspenseful and fascinating, but even greater rewards in The Reckoning are to be found in Airth’s meticulous description of the methods employed by the police in that era. Unlike so many police procedurals, which are typically written to lionize law enforcement, Airth describes the investigation, warts and all, with sometimes lazy and incompetent officers, weasel-like superiors, slow-moving bureaucracies, and other inevitable features of a complex, real-world case.

The Reckoning works as historical fiction, too. Airth, who lived through much of the time about which he writes — he was born in 1935 — succeeds in conjuring up the concerns and preoccupations of post-war England and of the wartime scenes that are central to the tale.

[LJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

First Sentence: As he was fitting a new fly to his hook, Oswald Gibson looked up and saw two figures on the ridge above, both of them carrying what looked like fishing gear over their shoulders, long, cylindrical cases of the kind that you could fit two sections of a rod in.

A bank manager is shot execution-style while fishing. A family doctor is murdered in the same with the same gun. DI Billy Styles, former protégé of his now-retired boss John Madden, receives a letter from the second victim in the name of Madden, is mentioned. After a third man is killed, the pieces begin to fall into place and they realize they must find the killer before more are murdered.

It’s great to have an opening that hooks you into the story from the very beginning. The descriptions provide a lovely, pastoral sense of place and then…you’re quickly turning to the next page.
The author presents a very good segue justifying bringing the now-retired John Madden into an active police investigation. Madden is a protagonist who is angst-free, and happily married to his physician-wife, Helen.

It’s nice to have a group of policeman who respect one another and work well together. Yes, there’s the antagonistic senior officer, but that’s to be expected. What is also nice, particularly considering the time period, is to introduce D.C. Lilly Poole; a smart, capable, female officer actively involved in the investigation. Although there are a lot of characters in the story, each is very distinct and memorable; each plays a significant role. The author has a good voice, with natural dialogue and occasional wry humor.

“The Reckoning” is a wonderful mystery with such a good plot. The author takes us down several trails, all of which add to the suspense and an excellent climax. Originally, I believe this series was intended to be a trilogy. This book had just enough of an open end to make us hope for a fifth book...in another five years.

THE RECKONING (Pol Proc-John Madden-England-1947/Contemp) – VG+
Airth, Rennie – 4th in series
Viking, 2014

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Reckoning is the 4th and, at the moment, final book in the John Madden mystery series. Madden is a police inspector with Scotland Yard and in the later books has retired to the country south of London. However he is often called in to assist with investigations, either because of his own involvement with the suspects/ cases, or because the cases occur in his home county. In this book, a man is murdered and it comes to light that he had written a letter asking for contact information for Madden.
Why would he do that? The case becomes linked with another murder in Scotland and the search is on to find out how the cases are related. Billy Sykes, Madden's ex-partner, and newly promoted DC Lily Poole, conduct most of the investigation, with Madden assisting and providing counsel. It's in intriguing case, relating back to events which took place during WWI, and with which Madden had an involvement.
I enjoy Airth's writing style, his characterizations, his development of the plot and the investigation and his story telling. I like the main characters; Madden, Sykes and Poole, but even the minor characters; Helen (Madden's lovely wife), Sinclair (Madden's ex-boss) and the others. All in all in interesting mystery and an enjoyable story. It appears that a new Madden mystery is coming out in 2017. Looking forward to it.

[Tom Wile · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 really. Was well written but very predictable. The antagonist was revealed early, although not as early as I’m sure the reader figured it out. Then we spent the last third of the book trying to find her. The ending lacked drama and was tied up too quickly for me. John Madden seems to be the main character in the series but played a minor role in the story.

[Liz Barnsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Thank you to the author and publisher for the review copy**

Another John Madden mystery (I am a huge fan of these) and yet another atmospheric, beautifully set and terrifically written "old school" mystery from Rennie Airth.

This time it appears as if there is a mad gunman on the loose - despite repeated attempts to discover a link between the victims, the waters are murky. Enter almost by accident, John Madden, who may unwittingly hold the key to the motive for the crime..but can it be discovered in time to save more lives?

These novels have such a gentle, beautiful flow to them, putting you right into that time and place without effort, a time when the country was mending itself after a horrific war, rationing was still in place and things were difficult all round. There is a definite Christie style and ambience to these stories which for me makes them all the better, especially as I am a huge fan of those ageless tales.

Plot development is always perfectly paced, the characters are all terrifically well drawn, I'm particularly fond of Helen, John's wife...and Billy Styles is one of my favourite policemen. Overall another fantastic read and I really can't wait for the next.

Happy Reading Folks!

[Larry · Rating 4 out of 5]

The crimes that are at the heart of "The Reckoning" are similar but unconnected at first glance. Two men (later more) are executed at close range by a man using a 9mm pistol. Though the men live some distance apart, and seemingly are unknown to each other, the bullets used to kill the men are ballistically identical, One of the men had thought to contact John Madden, now a long-retired police inspector, about something that had troubled him, but had never mailed the note. So Madden is brought into a case being investigated by former colleagues. The setting is either rural Southern England or London. The pace is measured. The characters are rather laid back (except for a female detective constable and the murderer). Things move slowly until the detectives pursue threads in the case that lead to what seems (to me) to be obvious places to start. The slow nature of the investigation pulled me toward giving ther book three stars, but the attractiveness of the main characters (especially Madden) and the furious nature of the motive convinced me that the book deserved better. Note: It's the fourth Madden book.

[Gatorman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent entry in the John Madden series. This tale of wartime injustice and revenge is well-written with fleshed-out characters and a plot that keeps you interested from beginning to end. My only quibble is with the ending, which felt a bit rushed and could have spent more time playing out the expected confrontation between Madden and the antagonist after such a strong build-up. Nevertheless, this a solid mystery from Airth, and fans of the series should not be disappointed. Highly recommended.

[Colin Mitchell · Rating 3 out of 5]

John Maddon is once again called back to help Inspector Billy Styles when his name comes up as a brutal slaying occurs on the south coast and is then linked to another case and further killings. Scotland Yard is obsessed into seeking two people but perhaps they are wrong. They then fail to follow the clues and there is a hint of bureaucracy.

The story links the First War with the second bringing in the poignant episodes of the trials of shell shock sufferers and the stigma for their families. An issue that has still to be properly resolved. Then there are the trained killers of the under cover operators of the second war.

All comes to a police shoot out and Maddon under threat.

Good characters. A little far fetched but produces a readable story.

[Nancy Ellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is 1947 and Detective Inspector Billy Styles brings his former mentor John Madden out of retirement to assist the police in hunting down a murderer who is targeting the members of a court martial held all the way back in 1916. Madden was also a part of that trial, although speaking for the accused, but will that prevent him from being on the killer's list for revenge? The characters in these stories are always very interesting, and this book I found of particular interest because of the background of people trying to get their lives back to normal following the end of World War II, as well as the never-ending memories of World War I.

[Cindi Chipping · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness! I inhaled this one, it was so good. One of the best mysteries I’ve read in a long time. I love the character of John Madden, and how his experiences in WWI continue to affect him. All the supporting characters are great too. I was surprised by some of the twists and turns in this story. And I cried at the end, it was just so heartbreaking. Really showed how things that happen in the past can continue to haunt someone for years and years, and life is never really the same afterwards. Wow.

[Teresa Creek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhh who do I love in England for a murder mystery…John Madden that’s who!

Men are being murdered execution style in the late 1940’s. One man in the small village of Lewes had written an unmailed letter to John Madden and the roller coaster ride starts. John Madden formerly of Scotland Yard is well known for his unimpeachable memory, but the memory of anything to do with this man eludes him. As seemingly unrelated bodies turn up John racks his own brain until yes he finds the one thing that has all these men drawn into a motley circle of circumstances. During World War I John Madden was appointed to defend a shell shocked young man in a court martial that there was no way to win as the young man was sacrificed to make a point. So now who is murdering one by one the men that were involved in this 30 year old travesty of justice and how can he stop him (or her) before the killer makes it to him.

LOVE the John Madden series

[Art · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series, which began just after World War One, has now made its way to the period just after World War Two.

But something that happened during the earlier war may be at the root of a series of murders.

And John Madden is drawn in when an unfinished letter from one of the victims is found to be asking Scotland Yard how to get in touch with Madden.

Working with his former protege, Billy Styles, and newcomer Lily Poole, Madden and the Scotland Yard detectives race to find the connection among the murders and to prevent others from being killed.

This is a top-notch series that continues to grow better.

[May · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read! Thinking that I need to back up to read the earlier mysteries!!

[Tracy Yates · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy mystery read with relatable characters. Set after WWII, dealing with war and it's attending aftermatch. I would like to read the 3 books prior to this one.

[Zeb Kantrowitz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Airth is an interesting author. He has now published four John Madden books over the last fifteen years. He published the first novel in 1999 at the age of 64. The first novel was based in 1921 and Madden was still suffering from his time in the trenches during the “Great War”. The second book in 2004 was based in 1932 and Madden was now an Inspector, and the third in 2009 during 1944 as a Chief Inspector.

This fourth book (published when Airth is 79) finds Madden retired to the life of a farmer/squire in the country. Madden though is only in his early sixties and is enjoying his new life. He is called by one of his old proteges about two murders that have occurred is a short period of time. What makes the murders unusual is that both victims had been shot in the back of the head while kneeling.

During the time he initially spends down at Scotland Yard, another murder is committed. Even though people heard the shots from the first murder, no one saw a , man in the area who could conceivably be the killer. The same is true of the second a third murders. No connection between the three victims can be found except that they were all in the same area of France during the Great War. But there seems to be no overlap in their time at the front. Different units, different times, different specialties; one was an Commander, one a Doctor, and one in the Quartermaster Corp.

Needless to say there is a connection which Madden finds and turns the whole case on its’ head. Any more and it would spoil the plot and ending. Let me say that if you love a well-built mystery, this is one you’ll like. Here’s hoping that Airth hangs around long enough to publish a final novel at 84, and give Madden a finale he deserves.

Zeb Kantrowitz zworstblog.blogspot.com

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking for a good read, I found "The Reckoning A John Madden Novel" by Rennie Airth. I've enjoyed that author's books since his "River of Darkness."

This story turned out to be just what I was in the mood for. The plot was interesting in the manner in which the investigation went about to discover a killer's motive and then to identify and arrest the perpetrator.

Rennie Airth conceived this story where the investigators are senior officials of Scotland Yard and bringing out of retirement, John Madden. Madden has been enjoying his retirement and is active in the operation of his country farm. His gladly accepts when his friend, Det. Inspector Billy Styles, asks for his assistance.

The first person killed had been in the process of writing to Madden about an incident which happened in WWI. As Madden begins helping with the case, he has no recollection of the man or an incident that might be worth killing for.

The writing is literary, speaking about young soldiers going to the front lines in France during WWI, "They all looked like that when they came out to France...they were determined to do their duty. They had no idea what was waiting for them."

We learn about a number of men who are killed in the same manner and with the same weapon. The investigators are tenacious in the manner in which they attempt to stop the murdering as the bodies pile up and newspapers criticize their effort.

It was also interesting to see Madden when he was not an investigator. We watch him help his wife's elderly aunt with her home renovations and see ourselves in similar situations.

Overall, a book I recommend and a story I will tell others not to miss.

[Jill H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the fourth in the John Madden series. Retired from Scotland Yard at the end of WWII and living on his farm, Madden is drawn into a murder investigation by his old c0-workers who often seek his help. It soon turns out that Madden actually has a connection to a murdered man which goes back to his time as a young Army officer in WWI. As seemingly unconnected murders continue, they begin to look like executions by one perpetrator......but how are these victims' lives related...what is the common thread that links these apparent strangers who are being targeted.

The reader will be somewhat surprised as the case starts to unfold and those connections become clear. The premise of this story is a bit different from what one would expect and Rennie Airth knows how to keep it moving and interesting to the final page. A very good read indeed.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Several men are shot suddenly and without warning or clues. All are shot by the same gun. Yet there seems to be nothing linking the men. John Madden, formerly of Scotland Yard, is mentioned in a letter one of the dead men had been writing, but even Madden's famous memory can't recall ever meeting any of them. Then a cryptic comment in a dead man's diary makes Madden realize why he's forgotten--because he didn't want to remember the miscarriage of justice that brought the men together. Unusual 1947 setting.

[Nancy Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely a Force to be Reckoned With
The Reckoning was a gripping mystery set in London and involving Scotland Yard. A series of execution style murders too similar in nature to not be connected baffles the Yard. A retired detective becomes involved when his name is found on an unfinished letter penned by one of the murder victims. This was a great read with some unexpected twists and has the makings of a good movie. The Reckoning did NOT disappoint.

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

An involving mystery about a series of killing immediately after World War 2.

For some reason, ordinary, harmless men are being shot in the back of the head. Scotland Yard is baffled, and they call in ex-inspector John Madden for help.

Not bad, despite some anachronisms.