What do readers think of An Unmarked Grave by Charles Todd? Write your own review.

Instantly gripping! Initially set in a World War I battlefield hospital, the reader is immediately plunged into the Spanish Influenza and war wounds as seen through a nurse's (Sister Bess Crawford) eyes, then quickly led into murder.

As I was unfamiliar with this series, I was a bit confused at first that Colonel Sahib and Colonel Crawford were one and the same. I also wished for more descriptions of physical appearances of main characters. No doubt all that was well established in earlier books.

An Unmarked Grave has a fast moving plot. The final resolution is unexpected but satisfying. The book is well researched and really lets you feel the frustrations with communication and transportation that were a part of World War I. I intend to read the first four in the series...and future Bess Crawford mysteries, too.

I had a hard time getting through Charles Todds new mystery series an Unmarked Grave. I always find it tough to be interested in one death in a situation where thousands are dead as Charles Todd asks us to do. One murder victim surrounded by thousands of victims of WWI and the spanish flu. I would have also liked a bit more background of his female sleuth, Bess Crawford. Almost felt as if I was missing the first book in the series. I did enjoy the character of the American Captain Barclay.

This book was my first Charles Todd read. The characters are appealing and the setting is well done but it never got off the ground It was a little flat; there was a lot of activity (to France and back) but not much action or forward progress. The resolution of the mystery came out of left field -- if there were clues to assist the reader in solving the puzzle, I missed them. It made for a pleasant afternoon, but I don't think I will go back to the beginning of the series. May give Ian Rutledge a try.

Charles Todd books are favorites of mine, particularly the Inspector Rutledge series. I am having trouble getting interested in their new Bess Crawford series, which follows a British army nurse in France during World War I. As opposed to Rutledge, there is simply not much depth to this character. Moreover, Jacqueline Winspear covers this topic so much better in her Maisie Dodds series.

I had not read any of the prior books in this series, so that may have affected my view of this book. Even though the historical descriptions of the WWI settings in France and England were very detailed, the characters could have been developed a little more.

This being said, it is still an average historical mystery with a couple of twists and some suspense. So if you are looking for an quick and easy, as I call them, "vacation read" (one that doesn't make me think too hard), An Unmarked Grave would be a good choice.

When I received my copy of An Unmarked Grave I was very excited. I had wanted to read both series by Charles Todd, (actually a mother and son team) known for their Ian Rutledge series and then for this series about Bess Crawford, a WWI nurse. The setting is during the Spanish Influenza, a most devastating time in history. Bess is working right in the trenches in England and France, saving lives and overwhelmed with soldiers who have been wounded or have contracted the deadly disease. In the midst of this is a mystery and I believe that while many will enjoy it, I found that I just could not get attached to Bess Crawford, the main character. It may be because I have not read the 3 mysteries that precede this book. It left me rather cold and disappointed. I felt this same way about the Maise Dobbs series, so probably if you are a fan of those you will like this book. I was glad when I finished it and could move on to something else.

I have read most of Charles Todd's books, and I generally enjoy them. However, I think that this installment of the Bess Crawford series is the last that I'll read. This book is a lot like the others, at least in terms of its plot structure, pace, and themes. However, I was left unplussed. It felt formulaic and dull. I am ready for some more character development, but this stalls out in this story. The historical detail and perspective is nice, but I would not recommend this book. There are too many great books out there to waste time on this.