Before he was even sure the man was there, the figure darted into the alley, leaving behind only the impression of the tilt of a hat, the flick of a hem, the lift of a heel. A shadow skittering into the shadows.
Two women at opposite ends of the social scale, both brutally murdered.
Principal Officer Dan Foster of the Bow Street Runners is surprised when his old rival John Townsend requests his help to investigate the murder of Louise Parmeter, a beautiful writer who once shared the bed of the Prince of Wales. Her jewellery is missing, savagely torn from her body. Her memoirs, which threaten to expose the indiscretions of the great and the good, are also missing.
Frustrated by the chief magistrate’s demand that he drop his investigation into the death of the unknown beggar woman found savagely raped and beaten and left to die in the outhouse of a Holborn tavern, Dan is determined to get to the bottom of both murders. But as his enquiries take him into both the richest and the foulest places in London, and Townsend’s real reason for requesting his help gradually becomes clear, Dan is forced to face a shocking new reality when the people he loves are targeted by a shadowy and merciless adversary.
The investigation has suddenly got personal.
Death Makes No Distinction is the third Dan Foster Mystery. Bloodie Bones, the first in the series, was joint winner of the Historical Novel Society Indie Award 2016. The Butcher’s Block (which was awarded an IndieBrag Medallion in 2017) is second in the series. The books can be read as stand-alone stories.
“Lucienne Boyce takes us confidently into both halves of London; the magnificent houses and the slums around Covent Garden. A very good read indeed.”
Discovering Diamonds Reviews
BRAG Medallion Honoree
Death Makes No Distinction is a BRAG Medallion Honoree, which means that it has been through an assessment process based on elements such as plot, characters and writing. You can find out more about the IndieBRAG award here.
Death Makes No Distinction is joint DD Revs Book of the Month
Death Makes No Distinction was selected as joint Book of the Month by Discovering Diamonds in September 2019. “The characters are well-drawn, the plot is tight and highlights the difficulties of an ordinary ‘policeman’ trying to make headway in the days when only the intuition, talents and determination of men like Dan Foster could hope to succeed. A very good read indeed.” Read the full review at Discovering Diamonds.
Death Makes No Distinction awarded Chill With a Book Premier Readers’ Award
A Chill With a Book Premier Readers’ Award is given to books that receive exceptionally high evaluations from Chill Readers, with books being assessed for characterisation, quality of writing, and plot. Find out more about the award here.
Death Makes No Distinction has also won Chill With a Book’s Cover of the Month Award for October 2019. The credit for that must go to the lovely design team at SilverWood Books.
“Following Dan Foster as he goes about his role as one of the Bow Street Runners, attempting to keep law and order on the streets of London, always makes for an exciting historical adventure…Beautifully written and intricately plotted Death Makes No Distinction continues this exciting historical series with another compelling murder mystery.”
Read the full review at Jaffa Reads Too.
“Lucienne Boyce’s late 18th-century Dan Foster mysteries move from strength to strength. In this third adventure, our hero – child street-thief turned pugilist turned Bow Street Runner – is confronted by two brutal murders of women…There will be no simple solution to either investigation as he follows clues and suspects from the mansions of Mayfair and the new suburbs of Bloomsbury to the world of the destitute poor in the slums around St. Giles and Covent Garden and the river wharves…Lucienne Boyce skilfully and tangibly evokes Georgian London with her evocative and, at times, visceral, description.”
Read the full review at Historical Novel Society Reviews
“This is an ideal book for those who love historical crime fiction. It’s gritty with a very realistic feel to it and I enjoyed reading it.”
Read the full review at Short Book and Scribes.
“Death Makes No Distinction is a really great mystery/historical fiction. I absolutely love how realistic it is…The pacing is great and I didn’t want to put the book down until it was finished.”
Read the full review at Jessica Belmont.
“An absorbing walk on the dark side of Georgian London, with a likeable detective and heinous crimes.”
Read the full review at Jane Hunt Writer.
“The plot is quite complex but with perfect pace so I could find out gradually more facts and secrets and it kept me intrigued through all the book.”
Read the full review at Behind the Sentence.
Death Makes No Distinction is a superb historical murder mystery with a down to earth and realistic protagonist.”
Read the full review at The Book Magnet.
“A skilfully crafted historical mystery.”
Read the full review at ChezMaximka.
“Lucienne does an amazing job at bringing her characters to life.”
Read the full review at Four Moon Reviews.
“The world of the day is cast into glorious spotlight, bringing the sights, sounds and smells to life. It is a definite page-turner.”
Read the full review at Historical Fiction With Spirit.
“Lucienne has not only written a superb story but the amount of painstaking research she has done stand out and it adds to the story.”
Read the full review at Bertyboy123
“[Dan Foster] is an intriguing character…you can’t help but warm to him.”
Read the full review at Caramerrollovesbooks.
“Death Makes No Distinction is an assured historical crime mystery with a wealth of period detail that is sure to entertain fans of the genre…Engaging, atmospheric, mystery.”
Read the full review at What Cathy Read Next.
“Death Makes No Distinction is a clever, well-written mystery!”
Read the full review at Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews.
“There are plenty of puzzles and mystery to keep the reader intrigued and I was very invested in the outcome of the case. If you enjoy or are looking for a riveting historical crime read then this is is just perfect.”
Read the full review at Books and Emma– The Twist and Turn Book Blog.
“The story was well written and I was engaged throughout. I was impressed with the atmosphere the description created and I’m sure a lot of research has gone into this book which I really appreciated.”
Read the full review at What Rebecca’s Read.
“As a fan of historical crime novels I would say that this is certainly a very good example of a skillfully constructed and well researched book. Dan is a very engaging character and I would be very interested to read the other books in which he features. I recommend this book as a thoroughly engaging historical novel with many elements to enjoy.”
Read the full review at Northern Reader.
“This is a well-written story, beautifully told in glorious detail. A great murder-mystery, or rather, two for the price of one featuring both sides of the track.”
Read the full review at Just 4 My Books.
“Death Makes No Distinction is a gripping mystery, full of authentic detail of the time, and I found myself immersed in the story and setting.”
Read the full review at Cathie Dunn writes.
“It was a dangerous and radical time, but most people only really hear about the wealthy and gentry classes. It’s great to see the gritty reality of the times brought so vividly to life. If you like historical mysteries, I recommend this novel.”
Read the full review at RosieWrites…
“This is the first Dan Foster book I have read, although it will not the be the last.”
Read the full review at The Divine Write.