Listen free for 30 days

  • A Fatal Lie

  • A Novel
  • Written by: Charles Todd
  • Narrated by: Simon Vance
  • Length: 10 hrs and 53 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (25 ratings)

1 credit a month, good for any title to download and keep.
The Plus Catalogue—listen all you want to thousands of Audible Originals, podcasts, and audiobooks.
$14.95 a month plus applicable taxes after 30 day trial. Cancel anytime.
A Fatal Lie cover art

A Fatal Lie

Written by: Charles Todd
Narrated by: Simon Vance
Try for $0.00

$14.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for $32.62

Buy Now for $32.62

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Tax where applicable.

Publisher's Summary

“If there’s ever been a more complex and compelling hero in crime fiction than Inspector Rutledge, I can’t think of one.” (Jeffery Deaver) 

In one of his most puzzling cases, Scotland Yard Inspector Ian Rutledge must delve deep into a dead man’s life and his past to find a killer determined to keep dark secrets buried.

A peaceful Welsh village is thrown into turmoil when a terrified boy stumbles on a body in a nearby river. The man appears to have fallen from the canal aqueduct spanning the valley. But there is no identification on the body, he isn’t a local, and no one will admit to having seen him before. With little to go on, the village police turn to Scotland Yard for help. 

When Inspector Ian Rutledge is sent from London to find answers, he is given few clues - a faded military tattoo on the victim’s arm and an unusual label in the collar of his shirt. They eventually lead him to the victim’s identity: Sam Milford. By all accounts, he was a good man and well-respected. Then, why is his death so mysterious? Looking for the truth, Rutledge uncovers a web of lies swirling around a suicidal woman, a child’s tragic fate, another woman bent on protecting her past. But where among all the lies is the motive for murder? 

To track a killer, Rutledge must retrace Milford’s last journey. Yet death seems to stalk his every move, and the truth seems to shift at every turn. Man or woman, this murderer stays in the shadows, and it will take desperate measures to lure him - or her - into the light.  

©2021 Charles Todd (P)2021 HarperCollins Publishers

What listeners say about A Fatal Lie

Average Customer Ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    15
  • 4 Stars
    5
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    14
  • 4 Stars
    3
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    12
  • 4 Stars
    4
  • 3 Stars
    4
  • 2 Stars
    1
  • 1 Stars
    0

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

didn't hold my attention

not bad but had trouble sticking with it. some of the accents were very spot on however this made it harder to understand. lost interest a few times but finished it eventually.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Janie
  • Janie
  • 2021-02-19

ALMOST RETURNED IT TO AUDIBLE!!!

When I first began to play “A Fatal Lie”, my first reaction was: “WHAT? It’s not Simon PREBBLE!” Obviously I had not realized when I pre-ordered it that he would not be the narrator. Chances are good that had I known he would not be the narrator, I would not have ordered it. But, after getting off to what appeared to me to be a “shaky” start, Simon Vance came into his own as the Narrator. Still not Prebble’s “Hamish” but his “Rutledge” was quite close. So, getting past my initial disappointment, I settled in for the story. And it is quite a story. Although I figured out almost immediately the main players, the hows and wherefores took much longer. It’s a sad story of how, once again, the nicest people, the most innocent, pay the price for the sins and wickedness of individuals far beneath them in every way. There are some immediately obvious truly despicable characters in this tale and then some no less despicable in the end. I wouldn’t say it is my favorite book by the author, but a well told tale for sure. But, will I listen to the next one if Simon Prebble isn’t the narrator once again?? Hmmm...









Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Steven
  • Steven
  • 2021-06-17

Always excellent!

I read complaints about the new narrator before I started listening to this book. It’s always a surprise when you hear a voice that’s new but I really don’t understand the complaints. Simon Vance did an outstanding job and the change didn’t detract from the story at all. Great authors! Great narrator! As always, another winning book!!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for wisconsinclark
  • wisconsinclark
  • 2021-02-18

Continues to be a great read or listen

I especially liked Rutledge being on his own without interference from headquarters. That formula becomes tedious. There are more twists and turns than usual in this edition, but easy to follow. Loved the ending. I enjoyed Simon Vance.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Forest
  • Forest
  • 2021-09-10

Best Yet of Inspector Rutledge's Cases


*First of all, don't be put off by a new narrator, Simon Vance is 5 star, also.
* The authors are slowly moving Rutledge out his PTSD, or so it seems to me.
* I stopped reading to Google the the history of the aqueduct, very interesting.
* Well-developed characters
* Don't start with this book, start at the first one.

I lost the plot at times, I listen at bedtime and sometimes miss things, it's so easy to go back with the Audible app.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Kathleen Warner
  • Kathleen Warner
  • 2021-02-21

Huge disappointment

Convoluted story, mediocre narration. Not up to series standard. Regret pre-ordering. I do not recommend.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Robert
  • Robert
  • 2021-02-19

A Disaster

I am an ardent Rutledge fan. I have all the books in the series. Every year I listen to the previous novels that are "performed" by Simon Prebble., while I wait for the next one. Most of them I have listened to more than 5 times. Simon is one of the top five narrators in the business and is considered a "performer." When I began to listen to this novel I couldn't believe how poorly it had been narrated. No chance it was a performance and in my mind not even a narration. Just a poor read. If they don't get Simon Prebble back or someone that is a "performer" I will no longer listen to any new "Rutledge Murder Mysteries.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for MARTHA LAFORGE
  • MARTHA LAFORGE
  • 2021-02-18

Simon Prebbles is better as Ian Rutledge

I love this series but prefer Prebbles as narrator. Vance is thinner and kind of prissy

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Nena
  • Nena
  • 2021-09-19

Excellent

A very good detective novel. At first I missed the prior narrator, but I got used to him. Simon Vance is one of my favorite narrators anyway. I have all the books in this series. They are all very well written and this one is no exception. Recommend it.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for G Curtis
  • G Curtis
  • 2021-02-22

Fantastic Narrator

Great story, perfect narration. I am going to search for his books from now on!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for stephiemav42
  • stephiemav42
  • 2022-05-15

Salvaged by miles of Ian's backstory

Wow. An astonishing amount of truly stupid characters populated this story. Only made it through because Ian's character is well developed. If this had been earlier in the series, I would not have returned.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

.