Our WW1 nurse, Bess, with the inflated ego and distain for the lower class has now put her nose in the affairs of new friends and almost becomes a victim herself. News of Simon Brandon's past will shake things up but that's a story for another time. ( )

A very serviceable mystery set in a completely foreign setting (Britain post WWI). This will certainly lead to following this author. And the author is itself a surprise: two people under one name. ( )

The Cliff's Edge is another good outing for Bess Crawford, who's finding it difficult to decide what to do now that the war is over. She fears she's made an irreparable mistake with lifelong friend, Simon Brandon, and this is the major reason why she agrees to go to Yorkshire to nurse an older woman through surgery.

This thirteenth book in the series shows readers how people are (or are not) adjusting to life after World War I. The men who returned are experiencing survivor's guilt, and the injured man Bess is sent to care for has found that his village isn't happy to see him. "When my brother enlisted, half the village went with him. Most of them didn't come home. There's some hard feeling about that."

Bess finds herself in a house filled with people who'd come to celebrate a birthday. Every single one of them seems to have some sort of secret. Every single one of them is economical with the truth. Trying to keep track of them all is like trying to herd cats, but if anyone is up to the task, it's Bess.

I enjoy this series for its "slice of life" feel, its strong mysteries, and the interactions among all the characters. Everything is taken care of by the end of The Cliff's Edge except for the question hanging over the heads of Bess and Simon-- a question that many faithful followers of the series have been wondering about for quite some time. I am very much looking forward to seeing how that progresses in the next book. Bring it on! ( )

Series heroine nursing sister Bess Crawford travels north from Somerset to Yorkshire to tend to a family friend who is recovering from surgery. Upon arrival she is thrown into a maelstrom of violence and murder. She narrowly escapes serious injury when she is attacked and thrown down a staircase. The story comes to a satisfying ending as hidden secrets are revealed and a killer is revealed.

It is a thrilling and suspenseful story that is a worthy addition to the series. Only a few of the series recurring characters appear in it, but there a cast of strong characters which carries the story in their place. The author does a good job portraying the lives of both the aristocracy and ordinary people in the post-WW1 English countryside. The loss of a generation of young men is keenly felt. The life of a large country manor house is always in the background as local colour.
A series regular, Simon Brandon, is missing from this case. At the end there is a strong hint that he will again play a large role in future series entries. Bess sorely misses his support in Yorkshire.
This is a good read and is therefore recommended. It can probably be read as a standalone despite being the 13th book in a series. ( )

Title: The Cliff’s Edge (Bess Crawford #13)
Author: Charles Todd
Pages: 320
Year: 2023
Publisher: William Morrow
My rating is 4 out of 5 stars.
The year is 1919, and WW1 is over. England is just beginning to recuperate. Bess has resigned her position as a surgical nurse, serving as close to the front lines of battle as one can get. She is now at home, living with her parents but finds herself bored. She receives a request from her cousin to aid a friend’s recovery after surgery. Bess agrees and travels to her patient. Shortly after the surgery, the patient receives word that her godson has been hurt. There are no details in the message. The patient begs Bess to travel to the small village where her godson lives to find out what is going on. Bess reluctantly agrees, and leaves with the patient’s paid companion to make the trip.
Upon arrival, Bess discovers that the godson is alive but that his friend has been killed in a fall they both took off of a cliff. The godson is a suspect in the death, even though the doctor thinks the fall is an accident. An inspector with an ax to grind is assigned to the death and immediately rules it as foul play. Bess can tell there is more going on than what she has been told. She asks questions but doesn’t receive many answers, or answers that are partial truths. Then, another body is discovered in the same area, and there is no question that this is a murder victim. Again, the godson is suspected as he surreptitiously left the house at the time of the murder. Bess feels the godson is being condemned without proof, but can she convince the inspector?
Bess Crawford is put in a tension-filled house with no idea of whom she can trust. She is also dealing with the seeming loss of her longtime friendship with Simon Brandon. He was her best friend but now he is barely civil to her. She is a strong woman who puts on her best face to keep an innocent man from being convicted of a crime he didn’t commit with increasing danger to herself. She doesn’t give up until she has answers. I thought I would see more of Simon in this story but to my disappointment, he makes no appearance. I hope this story lines advances or is resolved in the next novel. Other than that subplot, I found the story entertaining and well worth my time.
Note: The opinions shared in this review are solely my responsibility. ( )