No Shred Of Evidence, Todd - B

                                   This is the 18th book in this series about Inspector Ian Rutledge of Scotland Yard.  The series is one of the best expositions I've read of the depth of despair that cloaked England in the immediate aftermath of the Great War. This time, there are five young woman under the microscope. Their world was shattered as brothers, friends, fiancees and husbands failed to return. In their 20's, they had long lonely lives to look forward to. One theme that struck me here was a focus on the English class system. There are two gentlemen, certainly not aristocrats, but more like landed gentry, who treat Rutledge with the utmost disdain. There is also some class resentment from the poor that I haven't sensed before.  The actual crime story is a bit weak, but all in all, this remains a wonderful series.