“A Pattern of Lies” is the seventh book in the Bess Crawford Mystery series, written by well-known author Charles Todd. Bess Crawford is a nurse on the front lines of France during World War I. When she requests leave to visit family, she is reunited with Major Mark Ashton, a soldier to whom she grew close. When Ashton insists Crawford come visit his family, Crawford learns that the Ashton Gunpowder Mill, owned by Philip Ashton, exploded and killed hundreds of men. Rumors fly that the owner had something to do with it, and he is arrested during Crawford’s visit. Now Crawford is asked to help clear the Ashton name, all while serving her country in France. Even though I didn’t read the other books in this series, I understood what was going on throughout the book and wasn’t lost in the plot. Todd writes as if he were actually there, making the reader feel as if he or she were as well. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a thrilling adventure.
