At Some Disputed Barricade
by Anne Perry
Published by Ballantine Books
Click on book
cover to order
at Amazon.com
Reviewed by: Natalie York
"I have a rendezvous with Death
At some disputed barricade."
- Alan Seeger
At Some Disputed Barricade by Anne Perry is the fourth book in Perry's World War I mystery series. The series centers around the Reavely family. Their parents were killed before the start of the war. An apparent car accident turns out to be a murder instead. The man who ordered the murder is known only as the Peacemaker and the family is driven to find his identity.
Since his parents' death, Chaplain Joseph Reavely has taken over as the head of the family. He gave up his teaching job at Cambridge to serve as an army chaplain on the front lines. Hannah has moved back to the family home to wait out the war while her husband Archie is at sea. Matthew Reavely is continuing his work in the Secret Intelligence Service and the youngest family member, Judith, is using her driving skills on the front lines to drive ambulances.
It is 1917 and every one is beginning to realize the war will not be over by Christmas. Moral is at an all-time low. In this fourth installment disaster ensues when their much-loved commanding officer is killed on the Western Front in the Battle of Passchendaele and replaced by an inexperienced, incompetent young major. The new major is killed and Joseph Reavely discovers it was not by enemy fire. Twelve men are charged with mutiny. Judith cannot stand by and watch them hang so she risks her own life to help them escape.
Joseph believes that only one of the twelve charged men is actually guilty of the murder. He is ordered to apprehend them and chases them across Switzerland and into enemy territory in order to prove their innocence.
This is a gripping tale. The thread of patriotism and war makes it a very relevant read for today even though it is set almost 100 years ago. This book can stand alone, but I recommend reading the whole series. Begin with No Graves As Yet and don't stop till you get to At Some Disputed Barricade.
Armchair Interviews says: A wonderful story wonderfully told.
Author's Web site: http://www.anneperry.net