Bloodie Bones is set in 1796 and introduces us to Dan Foster, a Bow Street Runner. Bow Street Runners are known as London's first professional police force and Dan is called upon when Lord Oldfield's gamekeeper is murdered during a confrontation with local poachers. Dan adopts the pseudonym 'Dan Fielding' and goes undercover in Barcombe where he is quickly welcomed into the local poaching gang after showing his fighting skills when a boxing challenge comes to town.

As Dan starts to follow clues and hunt for evidence, it becomes clear that the killer could be anyone. So many people could have a motive for wanting Josh Castle out of the way and I certainly had my suspicions about one or two of them. Even local bogeyman, Bloodie Bones, becomes a suspect when threatening notes are left at further scenes of unrest.

I loved the character of Dan; he is far from perfect with his shady past and roving eye. He has had, and still has, quite a hard life but he shows his softer side when he takes young Walter under his wing and tries to keep him on the straight and narrow, with the added benefit of enabling him to get close to Walter's mother, Anna. There are some excellent buried secrets in Barcombe for Dan to unearth which ensured the pages kept on turning repeatedly for 'just one more chapter'.

Full of cleverly placed historical detail, Bloodie Bones is a riveting murder mystery with a keen sense of period. I can close my eyes now and easily visualise the huge mansion, vast woodland and creepy graveyard. The historical facts were cunningly placed in the text like hidden treasure, just awaiting the reader to stumble upon these little golden nuggets. I was amazed when Lord Oldfield actually read The Riot Act to the villagers when they converged on Oldfield Hall. After looking up the Bow Street Runners, I was surprised to see that it was founded by Henry Fielding in 1749, so I loved how Lucienne Boyce used Fielding as Dan's pseudonym.

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.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest opinion. ( )