“Parsons and tyrants friends take note. We have born your oppreshuns long enough. We will have our parish rights or else Bloodie Bones will drink your blood.”
When Lord Oldfield encloses Barcombe Wood, depriving the people of their ancient rights to gather food and fuel, the villagers retaliate with vandalism, arson and riot. Then Lord Oldfield’s gamekeeper, Josh Castle, is murdered during a poaching raid. Dan Foster, Bow Street Runner and amateur pugilist, is sent to investigate.
Dan’s job is to infiltrate the poaching gang and bring the killers to justice. But there’s more to Castle’s death than at first sight appears. What is the secret of the gamekeeper’s past and does it have any connection with his murder? What is Lord Oldfield concealing? And did someone beside the poachers have a reason to want Josh Castle dead?
As tensions in Barcombe build to a thrilling climax, Dan will need all his wits and his fighting skills to stay alive and get to the truth.
A gripping historical thriller – I’m longing for a sequel already!
Debbie Young, Author and Book Blogger
Bloodie Bones: A Dan Foster Mystery was joint winner of the Historical Novel Society Indie Award 2016.
Bloodie Bones was also a semi finalist in the M M Bennetts Award for Historical Fiction 2016.
Bloodie Bones is a Discovered Diamond Book of the Month
Bloodie Bones: A Dan Foster Mystery is the Discovered Diamond Book of the Month for January 2017. All books selected as a Book of the Month will automatically be shortlisted for the Book of the Year Award, to be announced in December 2017.
“Bloodie Bones is a fantastic novel. It is beautifully written with a smooth seamless flow to the story with a faultless style oozing the ability of a very talented writer. Many scenes are so realistic you could almost be there watching, like a fly on the wall or as if seeing the action on a movie screen. The characters are highly engaging – 100% believable, and the author’s detail of research evokes a genuine feel of the era.” Read the full review here.
Bloodie Bones achieved a Chill With a Book Readers’ Award
This means that the novel has been read by a panel of readers and assessed on the following critiera: whether or not it has strong and engaging characters; if it is well written; has a page-turning plot; has a satisfying ending; and whether readers would recommend it to their friends.
Awesome Indies Approved
Bloodie Bones has been awarded a place on the Awesome Indies list of quality independent fiction.
“Lucienne is a masterful storyteller, skillfully weaving history, culture and the social customs of the period into thestory in a natural manner…The characters were magnificently portrayed. Dan Foster, the protagonist, is totally captivating…” Awesome Indies
Read the full Awesome Indies review here.
Historical Novel Society Indie Reviews Editor’s Choice
Bloodie Bones has been selected as an HNS Indie Reviews Editor’s Choice. Selection as an Editor’s Choice means that the novel is automatically longlisted for the HNS Indie Award 2016.
“Bloodie Bones is a terrific novel and was very difficult to put down. It is amazingly well written, with a smooth expert hand and faultless flow…The main characters are engaging and believable…It had a thriller feel that kept me turning the pages…I loved this book, highly recommend it and eagerly await the second Dan Foster novel.”
You can read the full HNS Indies Review here.
Killer Nashville’s Book of the Day
Bloodie Bones: A Dan Foster Mystery was Killer Nashville’s Book of the Day on 29 March 2016. “Bloodie Bones will have you staying up until the early hours of the morning!”
To read the full review see the Killer Nashville website
Other Reviews
“Reviewing books makes one ask, ‘What makes a book so great you want to read it over and over?’ Each reader would have a different answer. I have a few key criteria and Bloodie Bones topped each one…I love Dan Foster and I am thrilled that this is the first in a series. I will have to read Bloodie Bones over and over while waiting for the next instalment!”
Read the full Whispering Stories review here.
“A wonderfully thrilling historical mystery…the final denouement was both surprising and believable. I particularly like how as a reader we can figure out the perpetrator at the same time as Dan, rather than elements being hidden from us. Dan is a brilliant character…He’s not perfect and I really like that…his whole character has a Dickensian feel which complements the story really well.” LitNerd
“Customs, language and thought patterns of the time are well portrayed and together with the excellent mystery make for a solid and compelling historical mystery read.”
Read the full review by Christoph Fischer here.
“I loved this book and really look forward to reading more Dan Foster mysteries. This series could just be my new favourite series! Bravo to Lucienne Boyce for bringing to life a wonderful character in Dan Foster.”
Read the full review by Brook Cottage Books here.
“I thoroughly enjoyed Bloodie Bones; it really is an outstanding book filled with suspense and mystery. I will definitely be looking out for book number 2 to see what adventures are next for Dan Foster.”
Read the full review by The Book Magnet here.