A Bitter Truth: A Bess Crawford Mystery (Bess Crawford Mysteries Book 3)

A Bitter Truth: A Bess Crawford Mystery (Bess Crawford Mysteries Book 3)

by Charles Todd

4.3 (1,264)

4.3 stars from 1,264 reviews. Top 87% of Mystery Thriller books we track.

340 pages~5.7 hr readPublished by HarperCollinsPublished 2011-01-01

$1.99Deal86% off peak

Last checked: May 2, 2026

Price history: $1.99 $13.99

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Fans of these authors will like this...

  • Jacqueline Winspear
  • Elizabeth George
  • Anne Perry

Fans of these books will like this...

  • Maisie Dobbs
  • The Punishment She Deserves
  • The Cater Street Hangman

Perfect for you if...

  • You appreciate historical mysteries with strong female protagonists who think their way out of trouble rather than stumble into solutions.
  • You've read Elizabeth George or Jacqueline Winspear and want something with similar period authenticity and character depth.
  • You enjoy mysteries that use wartime settings and social constraints as part of the plot, not just window dressing.

Maybe not for you if...

  • You want fast-paced thrillers where the action moves at breakneck speed. Todd's strength is in layered character work and careful plotting.
  • You're looking for a standalone. This is book three in a series and assumes you know Bess and her world.
  • You prefer cozier mysteries with lighter tones. This deals directly with the trauma and injustice of WWI.

About this book

The third Bess Crawford mystery follows a World War One battlefield nurse who attempts to help a young woman in distress. When the woman is found dead, Bess becomes the primary suspect in a murder investigation, despite her innocence. Set in England during 1917, the novel features well-developed characters and a plot grounded in human nature. It continues the series that began with A Duty to the Dead and An Impartial Witness. Charles Todd is also known for the Ian Rutledge mystery series featuring a shell-shocked Scotland Yard inspector.

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Price History

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Free$7.00$13.99Mar '20Apr '23Feb '25Mar '26
$1.99$13.99

Currently on sale at $1.99 — 86% off peak. Price has dropped 11 times over the last 6 years. Goes on sale roughly every 73 days. Typically stays discounted for 49 days.

Sales Rank

Amazon sales rank: lower number = better selling book. #1 is the bestseller.

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#16,789#260,862#504,934Apr '18Jul '23Jan '25May '26

Currently around #40K in the Kindle store — a steady mid-list seller.

Rating & Reviews

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3.5★4.3★5.0★Aug '23Sep '23Oct '24Oct '25RatingReviews

Currently 4.3★ from 1,264 reviews

Gaining approximately 5 new reviews per month. Rating has climbed from 4.3 to 4.4. Recent readers are rating it higher.

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Free$7.00$13.99Mar '20Apr '23Feb '25Mar '26PredictedMay '26

Actual Predicted

This book is currently discounted at $1.99. It typically returns to around $13.99.

Prices shown in USD from Amazon US. We continuously pull new data to improve tracking. If dates look old, it usually means there has been no significant change since the last data point.

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Charles Todd

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