Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for ‘The Bloodless Boy’ – a fabulous historical crime novel that is out in paperback on 14th July.
I am absolutely delighted to be opening this tour – thanks to Nikki at Melville House Press for inviting me onto the tour and for my copy of the book for review. As always, opinions are entirely my own.
From the Publisher:
In 17th century London, a murder investigation by intrepid scientists Harry Hunt and Robert Hooke uncovers shocking revelations in this first, gripping thriller in the Hunt and Hooke series.
The City of London, 1678. New Year’s Day. Twelve years have passed since the Great Fire ripped through the City. Eighteen since the fall of Oliver Cromwell and the restoration of a King. London is gripped by hysteria, and rumours of Catholic plots and foreign assassins abound.
When the body of a young boy drained of his blood is discovered on the snowy bank of the Fleet River, Robert Hooke, the Curator of Experiments at the just-formed Royal Society for Improving Natural Knowledge, and his assistant Harry Hunt, are called in to explain such a ghastly finding—and whether it’s part of a plot against the king.
They soon learn it is not the first bloodless boy to have been discovered. Wary of the political hornet’s nest they are walking into—and using scientific evidence rather than paranoia in their pursuit of truth— Hooke and Hunt must discover why the boy was murdered, and why his blood was taken.
‘The Bloodless Boy’ is an absorbing literary thriller that introduces two new indelible heroes to historical crime fiction. It is also a powerfully atmospheric recreation of the darkest corners of Restoration London, where the Court and the underworld seem to merge, even as the light of scientific inquiry is starting to emerge…
My Review:
I absolutely love a well-written historical murder mystery – and this is a very well-written historical murder mystery. It’s hard to believe this is a debut – the plotting is confident, the plot well-handled and there is evidence of tonnes of historical research.
I’d be first to admit Restoration London isn’t my historical period of choice. Indeed, it’s a time I’ve only visited before through Andrew Taylor’s excellent ‘Ashes of London’ series (well worth a look). That, and Horrible Histories’ rather excellent ‘Charles II: King of Bling’ song (Google it and thank me later!) Still, in Lloyd’s capable hands, Restoration London becomes vividly alive and I even started to get my head round some of the complex political web of the era.
Against this intriguing historical backdrop, we get the story of mysterious deaths that end up being investigated by the Royal Society – and specifically Robert Hooke and his assistant, Harry Hunt. It is Hunt that primarily becomes our focus through the mystery – and he makes an interesting guide as he takes the more adventurous path than his (slightly cantankerous) scientific senior partner.
The setting is a definite strength of the novel – the mystery unravels against a backdrop of political intrigue, treasonous acts and a society divided along religious lines. There is a sense of unease and danger throughout, enhanced perfectly by Lloyd’s brilliant evocation of a harsh London winter – the snow falling on the banks of the River Fleet accompanying the discovery of the boy’s body is (quite literally) chilling. The investigation sees dark winter nights, precarious and icy walks, snow and shadows and the search for warmth in a tough and uncaring city. All beautifully written and immersive – it’s like walking alongside Hooke and Hunt through the cellars of Gresham College, into the seediness of Alsatia and the various darkened rooms where plotting takes place…
I’d recommend this to anyone who likes their fiction packed with authentic detail – Lloyd knows his stuff and there is plenty of information on historical figures, events and scientific methods. It reads convincingly, making it difficult for readers to figure out where the divide between history and fiction falls – surely, the mark of great historical fiction!
Although this blog tour celebrates the paperback publication, it’s worth mentioning that the hardback book is gorgeous. Each chapter heading has a fancy title and image, plus the endpapers are also illustrated on a striking red background.
About the Author:
Robert J. Lloyd grew up in South London, Innsbruck, and Kinshasa (his parents worked in the British Foreign Service), and then in Sheffield, where he studied for a Fine Art degree, starting as a landscape painter but moving to film, performance, and installation. While studying for his MA degree in ‘The History of Ideas’, Lloyd came across Robert Hooke’s Diary which helped inspire the ideas and characters in The Bloodless Boy. He lives in Crickhowell in the Brecon Beacons. This is his first book.
If you’d like a copy of this brilliant book, the beautiful hardcover is available here on my affiliate link – thanks for supporting my blog with any purchases:
If you can wait until next week for the paperback, my affiliate link is here:
