Books

Bloodie Bones

A Dan Foster Mystery (1)

“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, 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 wth 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.

Bloodie Bones was joint winner of the Historical Novel Society Indie Award 2016; semi-finalist in the M M Bennetts Historical Fiction Award 2016; a Discovering Diamonds Book of the Month; Chill With a Book Readers’ Award; Awesome Indies Book Award; Killer Nashville Book of the Day.

Find out about the history behind the book

Dan Foster and the Pugilists (pdf document)

Dan Foster and the Bow Street Runners (pdf document)

Buy now

Series: Fiction, The Dan Foster Mysteries

Formats available: Paperback, Ebook

First published: 07/05/15

Reviews for Bloodie Bones

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.

(Read the full review here.)

Leslie Hockin, Historical Novel Society

Bloodie Bones is a fantastic novel. It is beautifully written…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.

Discovering Diamonds

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 review here.)

Whispering Stories

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

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 here.

The Book Magnet

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 here.

Brook Cottage Books

Books

Bloodie Bones

Reviews for Bloodie Bones

Related Blog Posts

Pugs, Bruisers and the Fancy: The Language of Pugilism

The Bristol Boys: The Bare Knuckle Champions and The Hatchet Inn