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    The Shattered Tree: A Bess Crawford Mystery
    The Shattered Tree: A Bess Crawford Mystery
    The Shattered Tree: A Bess Crawford Mystery
    Audiobook9 hours

    The Shattered Tree: A Bess Crawford Mystery

    Written by Charles Todd

    Narrated by Rosalyn Landor

    3.5/5

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    About this audiobook

    World War I battlefield nurse Bess Crawford goes to dangerous lengths to investigate a wounded soldier’s background—and uncover his true loyalties—in this thrilling and atmospheric entry in the bestselling “vivid period mystery series” (New York Times Book Review).

    At the foot of a tree shattered by shelling and gunfire, stretcher-bearers find an exhausted officer, shivering with cold and a loss of blood from several wounds. The soldier is brought to battlefield nurse Bess Crawford’s aid station, where she stabilizes him and treats his injuries before he is sent to a rear hospital. The odd thing is, the officer isn’t British—he’s French. But in a moment of anger and stress, he shouts at Bess in German.

    When Bess reports the incident to Matron, her superior offers a ready explanation. The soldier is from Alsace-Lorraine, a province in the west where the tenuous border between France and Germany has continually shifted through history, most recently in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, won by the Germans. But is the wounded man Alsatian? And if he is, on which side of the war do his sympathies really lie?

    Of course, Matron could be right, but Bess remains uneasy—and unconvinced. If he was a French soldier, what was he doing so far from his own lines . . . and so close to where the Germans are putting up a fierce, last-ditch fight?

    When the French officer disappears in Paris, it’s up to Bess—a soldier’s daughter as well as a nurse—to find out why, even at the risk of her own life.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperAudio
    Release dateAug 30, 2016
    ISBN9780062472625
    Author

    Charles Todd

    Charles Todd is the New York Times bestselling author of the Inspector Ian Rutledge mysteries, the Bess Crawford mysteries, and two stand-alone novels. A mother-and-son writing team, Caroline passed away in August 2021 and Charles lives in Florida.

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    Reviews for The Shattered Tree

    3.5/5

    158 ratings17 reviews

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    • 3/5
      Title: The Shattered Tree (Bess Crawford #8)Author: Charles ToddPages: 304Year: 2016Publisher: William MorrowMy rating is 3 stars.Bess Crawford is serving near the front at a base hospital when a wounded man in a French uniform is found clinging to a shattered tree. He is brought to the hospital for care where Bess hears him speaking German. She is unsure if he is a spy or not. He receives care, but is then sent to Paris to convalesce. Bess also is wounded by a sniper bullet when she is trying to give aid to another soldier. She is also sent to Paris for recuperation. While there, she sees this same soldier again, but this time he is wearing an American uniform. Her curiosity spurs her to start asking questions. Her questions stir up trouble for her, but Bess refuses to give up.As she uncovers an old murder case that has a connection to this soldier, she puts herself in the line of fire again. She is escorted on her investigation by various officers supposedly for her protection, but Bess wonders if they have been sent to watch her activities for other purposes than protection. The action finally comes to a peak with the usual Charles Todd twist that might catch readers by surprise.For me, there was too much time spent looking for taxis, riding in taxis and multiple trips to small villages too many times as well as too many trips to the hospital to visit the former nun/nurse. The plot was good, but getting from beginning to end was tedious. There was not a whole lot of action in the story. I usually really like these mysteries, but I just couldn’t connect with this one very well. I did like the descriptions of wartime Paris and the people of the time. I definitely got a sense of their war-weary lives. I don’t plan on giving up on the series as this book is set near the end of WWI and I am curious to see where Bess will go or what she will do after the war’s end.Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255. “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
    • 4/5
      October 1918 and near a shattered tree stretcher-bearers find a wounded French officer. Bess Crawford becomes suspicious when she hears him speak German. Later the man disappears in Paris where Bess is sent to recuperate after being wounded. She decides to investigate the mans' history.
      Another slow paced well-written mystery in this series.
    • 5/5
      A hum-dinger of a mystery. Though it seems to be just a little beyond Bess' reach, it all eventually works out. It is interesting how she plods along with no input or assistance from her famous father or the Sargeant Major. Many of the characters are like blocks of concrete, unwilling to communicate at all. Comparing this Bess from the earlier Bess, there is much more gumption with the more mature Bess.
    • 3/5
      The Shattered Tree shows Bess Crawford as a determined nurse and investigator. Bess suffers a slight altercation while trying to find an ex-patient. During her recovery, Bess continues her search for a wounded soldier. In this search, Bess encounters an old case in which the wounded soldier is accused of killing a family and has been running all these years. Too many minor characters and confusing names to remember everyone. As always, the description of the country and the individuals provide a vivid picture.
    • 3/5
      This eighth book in Charles Todd's Bess Crawford series puts her in some new situations, which aids her in her investigation into the mysterious German-speaking French officer. We also learn that wartime shortages affected everyone in every walk of life in France and England, and some of the shortages can be surprising. The disputed Alsace-Lorraine area plays a large role in the plot, with its old murders, old border disputes, new wars, new demands, and new spies.For me, The Shattered Tree is not one of the best books in this series that I enjoy so much, mainly because the pace is really bogged down by an extremely convoluted plot. But as the war draws closer and closer to an end, I'm looking forward to learning what's in store for my favorite battlefield nurse.
    • 4/5
      Bess has to produce results in the short time period of her convalescence from a sniper's bullet. It is the last month of the Great War and the generals are still producing massive casualties. Much of the delay is caused by the French demands for onerous reparations; the receipt of which became a rallying cry for the rise of German Nationalism sic, Nazism prior to the next World War.A wounded officer is recovered from "No Man's Land" with strange disabling wounds; possibly a French uniform, who also speaks German in his delirium. Certainly strange enough for Bess to be curious and; we are off into quite a good set of mysteries to unravel. Long ago horrific murders, possible treason and several assaults by knife. including one that reinjures Bess occur as she seeks information while recuperating in Paris. Recalcitrant police work, limited assistance from her usual team and reluctant witnesses require Bess to fly solo on this one. Her persistence finally identifies the correct culprit but requires some theatrical style assistance for his final exposure.
    • 3/5
      This book has a slow start and is lacking a good ending. I find the middle part more enjoyable, especially Bess’ journey to dig more about the identity of the wounded Frenchman. There is not much of a character development, especially the the main antagonist of the story. The author seems to drop “the bomb” in the last few chapter without a better build up. Like the main antagonist wasn’t even mentioned more than a couple of time in the most of the book, just in the last couple of chapters. The side story of Jerome is also lacking, maybe because it is not the focus of the story. Did the parents find him? It is one of the side story that the author left me hanging, just open-ended, no closure. The character of Sister Marie-Luc is very annoying. I know that she is very obstinate and seems to has integrity for saying she will never spill anything to Bess. But I really find it annoying that she still refused to tell Bess what she knows about Philippe even when other lives were in danger. It is opposite of her value for human life, especially after the “death” of Jerome. Moreover, she just couldn’t change her mind, “I don’t want to talk with you, Bess”, “Leave me alone,” “I need you to do this for me, Bess.” Like wtf, make up your mind Sister. And there is Bess. I find her character cartoonic. She acts so independent yet she isn’t. She always has a safety net. And even when Sister Marie-Luc drives her away constantly at first, she still comes. I kinda think she really has a thick face. :))) One of the parts I like is the scene when Ezray walked into the Golden Door and she looks so stunning and everyone turned their heads on her. The scene there is nice, even short, leaves me smiling. The scene after that, meh.Overall, the book is fine. I don’t hate it but I also don’t love it. I hope the author has more build up of some of the characters and has better “closure” on issues brought up in the book.
    • 3/5
      2016, Harper Audio, Read by Rosalyn LandorPublisher’s Summary: adapted from Audible.comAt the foot of a tree shattered by shelling and gunfire, stretcher bearers find an exhausted officer shivering with cold and a loss of blood from several wounds. The soldier is brought to battlefield nurse Bess Crawford's aid station, where she stabilizes him and treats his injuries before he is sent to a rear hospital. The odd thing is the officer isn't British – he's French. But in a moment of anger and stress, he shouts at Bess in German.Bess is uneasy and unconvinced by Matron’s explanation that the soldier is from Alsace-Lorraine, where the border between France and Germany has continually shifted. When the French officer disappears in Paris, it's up to Bess – a soldier's daughter as well as a nurse – to find out why, even at the risk of her own life.My Review:A Shattered Tree is not one of the stronger novels in this series: I found it somewhat convoluted, and relying too heavily on coincidence. I’ve observed this coincidental plot in some of Todd’s other installments in the series, too – disappointing, because I think he is a good writer and capable storyteller. Still, the WW1 setting appeals, and I have enjoyed getting to know Bess, her mother and the Colonel Sahib, and Simon Brandon. Another Bess Crawford book, A Casualty of War, was just published in 2017, and I will certainly see the series through to its conclusion.
    • 4/5
      This was my second book in the Beth Crawford. I do enjoy the backdrop of WWI from the perspective of an nursing sister in the British ranks, albeit someone from the upper-ranks with a host of resources on which to rely. The story was interesting although it seemed to involve an extensive number of twists and deviations that made it somewhat hard to believe.
    • 3/5
      This is an okay mystery set at the end of World War I. Bess Crawford, a nurse at the front of military action, is caught up in a mystery that goes back decades. When an injury sends her to Paris for recuperation, she somehow manages to find herself meeting the people she needs to solve the mystery of an unknown solder’s country. Was he a spy? I found the story a little convoluted and it doesn’t inspire me to read other books in the series.
    • 5/5
      Well done! The actual murder is 18 years old, but is ultimately and satisfactorily tied into the events of 1918 as WW I nears its end. Nurse Crawford unravels the threads of jealousy, betrayal and hatred, exposing the true killer and freeing the wrongly accused to reclaim his life.
    • 4/5
      Bess Crawford is compelled to find a mysterious soldier brought to her aid station for treatment and send on. She's drawn to determine whether he's French or German. When she is later injured and sent to Paris to recover, her hunt for the soldier and his true identity continues. It's never really clear why she has this need to discover what's going on with him -- at first we are led to fear that he's a German spy giving information to help the Germans with the Paris Gun. That turns out to be a red herring and the idea disappears. Then it's on to a story about a pair of brothers from a village near Paris, then it turns out they are not brothers, and so on. Bess's compulsion to investigate becomes slightly annoying -- some might say she's simply a well-connected busybody who puts herself in harm's way. (The novel is slightly too long too - a common complaint of mine).This series is not on a par with the author's Ian Rutledge one. I think that with the war ending, Bess is going to need something to occupy her time if the series is going to continue. (A comparison would be the Jacqueline Winspear's Maisie Dobbs who went from an army nurse to a private investigator and secret agent in later books).The Paris setting was what made this book interesting for me -- how the city managed during the war and so on.In summary, it's not one of the best of the series but still worth reading.
    • 3/5
      After being wounded herself, nurse Bess is on a mission to find a mysterious multi-lingual former patient while she's on the mend in Paris. Is Philippe Moreau a spy, a murderer, or just misunderstood? The plot is more convoluted than necessary, but does portray the hardships of wartime Paris in 1917.
    • 3/5
      Another obscure Charles Todd entry in the Bess Crawford series. Bess, in Paris to recover from a wound, becomes obsessed with a patient in a French uniform who hallucinated in German. The patient recovered and is also in Paris. Lots of driving around, an old murder of a French family and a last minute red herring make this a difficult story to follow. I like the series but am getting discouraged by the very obscure plotting.
    • 5/5
      I received this as a review copy. I have read Todd's Ian Rutledge series but this is the first of his Bess Crawford series. This book was an interesting introduction to the series. Bess is a nurse at an aid station in France. One of her patients appears to be French but in delirium he speaks in German. -- Who or what is he? Bess can't contain her misgivings and when she is sen t to Paris to recover from a wound, she sets out to discover who he is. The story takes you through war-torn France, from Paris to the countryside and back. Who is this mysterious Frenchman -- read the book to find out.
    • 4/5
      Bess is on the battlefield in France when a wounded soldier is brought in wearing a tattered French uniform. He had no boots and while tending to him, she hears him mumbling in German in his delirium. She mentions it to the head nurse who says he’s probably from Alsace on the border. After Bess is wounded and sent to a Paris hospital she sees the soldier wearing an American uniform and is thinking he is German spy. She starts investigating on her own with the help of a Canadian Officer.
    • 3/5
      Title: The Shattered Tree (Bess Crawford #8)Author: Charles ToddPages: 304Year: 2016Publisher: William MorrowMy rating is 3 stars.Bess Crawford is serving near the front at a base hospital when a wounded man in a French uniform is found clinging to a shattered tree. He is brought to the hospital for care where Bess hears him speaking German. She is unsure if he is a spy or not. He receives care, but is then sent to Paris to convalesce. Bess also is wounded by a sniper bullet when she is trying to give aid to another soldier. She is also sent to Paris for recuperation. While there, she sees this same soldier again, but this time he is wearing an American uniform. Her curiosity spurs her to start asking questions. Her questions stir up trouble for her, but Bess refuses to give up.As she uncovers an old murder case that has a connection to this soldier, she puts herself in the line of fire again. She is escorted on her investigation by various officers supposedly for her protection, but Bess wonders if they have been sent to watch her activities for other purposes than protection. The action finally comes to a peak with the usual Charles Todd twist that might catch readers by surprise.For me, there was too much time spent looking for taxis, riding in taxis and multiple trips to small villages too many times as well as too many trips to the hospital to visit the former nun/nurse. The plot was good, but getting from beginning to end was tedious. There was not a whole lot of action in the story. I usually really like these mysteries, but I just couldn’t connect with this one very well. I did like the descriptions of wartime Paris and the people of the time. I definitely got a sense of their war-weary lives. I don’t plan on giving up on the series as this book is set near the end of WWI and I am curious to see where Bess will go or what she will do after the war’s end.Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255. “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”