books you may love: A Hanging At Dawn by Charles Todd

Long-time readers of this blog know how much I love reading Charles Todd's books — their Inspector Ian Rutledge and Bess Crawford series — set in and around the times of WWI.

I don't know what it is about those books that make for such excellent reading. The strong characters displayed by the protagonists is definitely a huge factor. I suppose it's because it's so hard to find such characters in real life anymore that finding them in fiction makes them a rare jewel.

Simon Brandon is a character who works closely with Bess's father, Colonel Crawford, and features prominently in many of the Bess Crawford books, turning up as an unexpected saviour or being the one Bess turns to in times of trouble.

A Hanging At Dawn is a prequel novella featuring Simon as a young and highly underaged recruit in the army. He lost his parents when he was really young and was sent to live with his strict maternal grandfather who withheld his love, leading him to run away from home at the first opportunity.

Simon's seniors approach Melinda Crawford for her opinion, and she manoeuvres to have Simon be put under the supervision of her cousin, Colonel Crawford (Bess's father), who's stationed in India.

And thus the story begins.

It's such a sweet little story, one that's thoroughly enjoyed if you've read several Bess Crawford novels and loved them.

Brandon is implicated in a theft of money and jewels from the retinue of the Maharani's daughter. The Crawford family leaves no stone unturned in getting him freed.

This small novella is packed full of action and twists and turns, and gives us a glimpse of the young boy Simon was before he became the quiet, dashing young man who features in many of the Bess Crawford novels later on.

Here's an excerpt, an early assessment of Simon by Melinda Crawford.

There was nothing personal in his coolness. Simply stated, it was suppressed anger that drove him. Clearly his grandfather had killed any outward display of emotions. And Simon had learned one lesson very well — that feelings were an easy way inside one's armour, a chink that invited unexpected attacks. And so he had hidden any of his so deep that no chinks appeared on the surface. Only the anger showed through.

~ An excerpt from A Hanging At Dawn

The excerpt below takes place after Simon's arrest by an official of the Prince (the man to whom the Maharani's daughter is wedded) and is from when Colonel Crawford is getting a measure of the situation from a Lieutenant on the scene.

"Where is Simon?"

He took a long breath. "We haven't been able to see him. Not since he was led away. I'm told the Prince was furious—he's a jealous man, apparently. Well, she's quite pretty, of course, and from what I've gathered here and there, she's given him no reason for doubting her. It's odd, you know. He's a Prince—he has everything a man could possibly want. A lovely wife, a son, a daughter." He gestured around him. " All this—power and money and position—yet he's doubtful of himself. I don't understand it."

Richard said, "Not too surprising. He's been told all his life, from the moment he was born, that he was the centre of the universe. Perhaps he's learned the truth."

'Well, no. He was the second son, I'm told. His elder brother died of cholera when he was five or six."

"All the more reason to feel he wasn't born to rule."

~ An excerpt from A Hanging At Dawn

A simple story. It's amazing how these prequel stories make the characters more alive, more real to fans of these stories.

Fans of this series have long rooted for Simon and Bess to end up together in marital bliss. No wonder we're all eagerly waiting for the next book in the Bess Crawford series to be published!