The New York Times–bestselling author discusses the creation of their beloved English police inspector and his long-running mystery series.

Scotland Yard’s Insp. Ian Rutledge made his debut in 1996 with Charles Todd’s historical police procedural A Test of Wills. Many years and cases later, the shell-shocked World War I veteran has won over readers far and wide. But how did such a troubled yet wise character come to be?

Writing together as Charles Todd, the mother-son duo of Caroline and Charles Todd, share insights on creating their sleuth and the New York Times–bestselling series. In this essay, they discuss their mutual enthusiasm for history and storytelling, as well as their influences. They share the story of their fateful trip to a Revolutionary War battlefield that inspired them to write a novel together. They also talk about creating Rutledge and his world, working together, and, of course, historical research. Inspector Rutledge fans won’t want to miss this.

Praise for Charles Todd and the Inspector Ian Rutledge Mysteries

“You’re going to love Todd.” —Stephen King, Entertainment Weekly

“The melancholy tone that distinguishes the Rutledge series is a reminder that war never ends for the families and friends of lost loved ones. It just retreats into the shadows.” —The New York Times Book Review

“Todd’s Ian Rutledge mysteries are among the most intelligent and affective being written these days.” ―The Washington Post Book World

“Evocative . . . An absorbing mystery.” ―Orlando Sentinel

“[A] profound and insightful rendering of a Britain between the wars.” ― Hartford Courant

“Exceptionally clever plot . . . As always, Todd . . . deepen[s] their crafty whodunit with a moving exploration of their astute sleuth’s inner torments.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review