None so Blind

About book:When the truth lies out of sight... West Wales, 1850. When an old tree root is dug up, the remains of a young woman are found. Harry Probert-Lloyd, a young barrister forced home from London by encroaching blindness, has been dreading this discovery.

He knows exactly whose bones they are.

Working with his clerk, John Davies, Harry is determined to expose the guilty. But the investigation turns up more questions than answers and raises long-buried secrets.

The search for the truth will prove costly. But will Harry and John pay the highest price?

My thoughts: This book is a brilliant historical mystery set in 1850’s West Wales. It is the first book in a series about the coroner in the Teifi valley. When an old tree root is dug up and the remains of a young woman are found a young barrister forced home by his worsening blindness has been dreading the discovery. He enlists the help of a clerk and is determined to find out exactly what happened, but the investigation brings up more questions than answers and raises long buried secrets.

Sometimes I am tempted to buy the actual paperback book rather than an eBook and I am glad I did. I try to give my own honest opinion of each book I read knowing that it is all subjective and what is good for me may not be quite right for everyone else, but if you enjoy Historical Fiction then I urge you to give this book a try and immerse yourself in turning the pages of a real book while it swallows you up and takes you on the journey with each and every character.

The background to the story is the Rebecca Riots in West Wales at a time of social unrest and upheaval. This book from start to finish engulfed me in the characters and their quests. The main plot, the discovery of a young woman’s remains and the question as to who murdered her and why lead you through an intriguing complex story but interweaving with many other sub plots that reveal the issues and injustices of the social system in its time.

It was clear that Alis Hawkins had done her research and leads you through this unique and fascinating narrative that grips you from start to finish. The dialogue is excellent and leaves you in no doubt who is speaking, what social standing they have but also reveals the characters and personalities of everyone in the book.

There is also a good sense of West Wales in the period, so much so you feel as if you can see each street, road and hill that are described.

This is a wonderful read, a book to immerse yourself in and I would thoroughly recommend it to those that enjoy not only historical fiction but mystery and crime Fiction.