Books

The Fatal Coin

A Dan Foster Mystery (prequel novella)

He heard a noise behind him, turned and glimpsed Bailey, pistol in hand. That was all he had time for. Something exploded in front of his eyes. He plummeted into darkness.

In the winter of 1794 Bow Street Runner and amateur pugilist, Dan Foster, is assigned to guard a Royal Mail coach. The mission ends in tragedy when a young constable is shot dead by a highwayman calling himself Colonel Pepper. Dan is determined to bring the killer to justice, but the trail runs cold.

Then Dan is sent to Staffordshire to recover a recently-excavated hoard of Roman gold which has gone missing. Here he unexpectedly encounters Colonel Pepper again. The hunt is back on – and this time Dan will risk his life to bring down Pepper and his gang.

The Fatal Coin is a prequel novella to Bloodie Bones, the first Dan Foster Mystery (joint winner of the Historical Novel Society Indie Award 2016). Awesome Indies approved, a Discovered Diamond.

Note: The Fatal Coin was first published as an ebook with SilverWood Books in 2017 and is available from them. The paperback edition was published in 2022 with a new cover.

Find out about the history behind the book

The Fatal Coin: and Making Money (pdf document)

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Series: Fiction, The Dan Foster Mysteries

Formats available: Paperback, Ebook

First published: 15/05/17

Reviews for The Fatal Coin

The protagonist is a likable, if rough-around-the-edges, detective who gives as much guff as he gets…The author has a gift for painting beautiful set pieces that jump to life in the reader’s imagination…The world which Dan inhabits complements him perfectly, and it’s easy to imagine him emerging from the fog, ready to engage in fisticuffs with whomever opposes him…I give The Fatal Coin 5 stars.

Read the full review here.

Awesome Indies

[A] superb tale…The whole story, indeed the entire series, is like delving into a rich, satisfying and gloriously indulgent box of hand-made luxury chocolates…Whether Fatal Coin is your first encounter with Dan Foster, or a venture into discovering more about him, this is a most excellent read, highly enjoyable and most highly recommended.

Read the full review here.

Discovering Diamonds

If you haven’t already come across the wonderful Dan Foster, the Bow Street Runner, pugilist, and detective with a difference, this is a great way to get to know him in this stand-alone quick-read novella…As with all Boyce’s novels, the cast of characters is an interesting and well-developed mix, and the historical context and setting brought vividly to life without the reader ever feeling like they’re having a history lesson. Boyce’s gift for creating a sense of place shines as ever…Looking forward to his next adventure already.

Debbie Young, Author

A novella to whet the appetite before Lucienne Boyce treats us to another full length Dan Foster crime mystery, this is a great read. Just the right length, the plotting is tight, the characterisation terrific and the outcome satisfying.

Suzie Grogan, Writer and Researcher

Lucienne Boyce has once again managed to bring to life a period in history that is opened up to the reader with rich language and beautiful descriptions. Her knowledge of this time period is evident but is interwoven so beautifully into the story that the book flows along, never once feeling boring or overloading the reader with historical facts…A fantastic read from Lucienne Boyce and up there with my recommended reads.

Read the full review here.

Brook Cottage Books

I warmed to Dan, his character felt firm but fair, a diamond but a bit rough round the edges, Dan is a well rounded and blended character who you can’t help but believe in…For a short piece of written work Lucienne manages to bring the book to life, no over indulgence of history, descriptions of historical features, the prison, the vicarage and surrounding rural Staffordshire everything felt tangible, I had a real sense of being part of the story, as if I was there, feeling it, seeing it.

Read the full review here.

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