Rating: 
Summary: A Masterpiece of Two Genres.
Review: This is a true gem of a novel that is a masterpiece of two genres, mystery and historical fiction. It is a superbly written, skillfully plotted novel set during the early stages of the Civil War when the North still hadn't realized the enormity of the situation it faced. Owen Parry brilliantly brings to life the era with his detailed and unglamorous portrayals of Washington and Philadelphia. Abel Jones, a wounded Civil War hero, is as interesting a protagonist as any I have ever read in mystery fiction. He has to find his way through corruption, racism and deception to get to the bottom of the murder of a well-loved abolitionist. Along the way, he meets up with several notable figures from the war, including General McClellan and Abe Lincoln himself. There are several twists and the plot moves along at a perfect pace, all leading up to a powerful conclusion. I have read many Civil War books, both fiction and nonfiction, and this easily ranks along side such memorable favorites as The Killer Angels and A Stillness at Appomattox. If you are a fan of mystery and/or historical fiction you must read this novel.
Rating: 
Summary: Hurrah for Captain Abel Jones
Review: Owen Parry in Faded Coat of Blue introduces the reader to Captain Abel Jones a recent immigrant from Wales who serves his new country during the civil war as a way of to express his gratitude. Although injured he continues to work as a clerk until General McClellan asks him to investigate the murder of a prominent young abolitionist. We find Washington D.C. during this time to be a seedy, dirty place where schemers are profiting from the war. At this time there are already dangerous areas of the city which the solid citizen should avoid to remain healthy, wealthy and alive. Characters in this book are interesting and well defined. Jones is a man who believes strongly in honor. He befriends Dr. Mick Tyrone, another man of integrity and meets up again with an old comrade from India Jimmy Molloy, a roguish sort who will delight the reader This is an entertaining read and a good historical mystery for those who are fond of the genre.
Rating:
Summary: The sights and smells of civil war Washington, DC
Review: This well researched and compelling book creates the atmosphere of Washington, DC during the first part of the civil war. The mystery is interesting enough to keep the reader occupied, but it is the description of the times that really engages you. The hero is a man of modest stature and clearly not a genius, but his stiff moral code and unwavering devotion to duty make him a man to admire. Not the most entertaining dinner companion, but a man you would want at your back during a brawl. The author presents the mindset of people of the times. Nationalities are sterotyped, but the author manages to mix in soem humor that lessens the sting. Enjoyable.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful novel, accurate history!
Review: As a reader with a lifelong interest in the Civil War, I was absolutely knocked out by this incomparable novel. I have never found the atmosphere and character of the Civil War era so accurately portrayed--beyond which, the writing itself is superb. Mr. Parry has a flawless ear for dialects--yet he never overdoes it. The book reads very quickly, and leaves the reader hungry for more--as all the best books do. From the portrayal of wartime Washington to the joys and sorrows of a soldier's life, this book rings truer than any other I've read. And Abel Jones is one of the most interesting characters I've encountered in a lifetime of reading. This book is also a mystery, of course, but I valued it just as a terrific story and a wonderful portrait of our past. I do, however, have to take issue with one of the other reviewers who criticized Mr. Parry for mentioning the Thanksgiving holiday a year before it became an official national holiday. In fact, it's Mr. Parry, the author, who's correct. Parry never said Thanksgiving was a national holiday at that point in 1861, only that it was widely celebrated, which was absolutely true. As a former history teacher myself, I can assure all readers that Thanksgiving was very widely celebrated prior to the Civil War, especially in the North. Parry's portrayal of the unofficial celebrations in the Army of the Potomac in 1861 are completely accurate, and the historical records support it. In New England, it was already an established family holiday, with reverential tones. In the Union Army, it was a great excuse for getting drunk. When Lincoln made Thanksgiving a national holiday later in the war, he was simply formalizing a celebration that already had a long tradition. Overall, Mr. Parry's book is incredibly accurate--the details are marvelous and telling--and I personally could not find a single error in this very-well-researched novel. But, ultimately, what matters is just that this is a great read. Were I still teaching, I would use it to lure my students into the realms of history. Bravo!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Civil War mystery
Review: It's always a treat to discover a new author, and a new genre. I've never read a mystery set in the Civil War times before, and I thoroughly enjoyed this one. The detail and sense of place gave me the impression that the author did an enormous amount of research into the personalities and the times. I can't vouch for the accuracy of his Washington scenes, but the narrator is from the Anthracite coal fields of Pennsylvania, where I reside. When the action shifts to Pottsville and vicinity, and discusses some of the historical characters there, I know the author is correct, for I am well acquainted with the geography and streets of Pottsville, and other persons mentioned in the book. The accuracy is comforting, for then I know the author has the research knowledge to be true to the historical record, as far as it is necessary to advance his story. It's well-written, and I look forward to more tales of the exploits of Major Abel Jones.
Rating:
Summary: Ready for the Sequel
Review: I have never read a book before that, from the outset, seemed to be selling the sequel. By the end, it is obvious that Mr. Parry had already written the next one. Much of the first half of this book is a long introduction to the main character - Abel Jones - including his beliefs, personal history and values. At times it touched on tedious. Abel Jones gets chosen, for some unknown reason, by Gen. MacLellan to find the murderer of a well-known abolitionist officer. Once the introductory portion is done, Jones actually gets on the case and the book picks up considerably. The plot becomes the core rather than the character and that plot is fairly good. Mr. Parry captures Civil War Washington very well. His caricatures of the well-known charcters are terrific. One could picture Gen. MacLellan by the author's description and understand his personality perfectly in just the few pages devoted to him. On the last page of the book, the author tells the reader that the adventures of Abel Jones are continued in the next book. That is fitting since the preceding few pages are devoted to his being hired on for more tasks. Athough I did not think so on page 100 or so, I am looking forward to the further adventures of Abel Jones.
Rating:
Summary: Not a Bad Debut at All
Review: The only thing on Captain Abel Jones' mind that Saturday morning was whether or not the shipment of trousers for the troops had come in. But outside a camp on the outskirts of DC, the body of the young abolitionist Anthony Fowler has been found. Jones is surprised when he finds himself chosen specially by General McClellan to look into the matter. McClellan is afraid this will be used to further inflame the new conflict between the states and possibly even make slavery an issue in the war. The press is already blaming spies from the south, so Jones has an uphill battle to find the truth. First, the bad. Best I can tell from my little research, the author made a major historical blunder by his references to and descriptions of Thanksgiving in 1861 when I don't think it was celebrated. If my research is correct, if it was celebrated at all, it wouldn't have been as big a deal until at least 1863, two years after the setting. Finally, there is one chapter in the middle of the book that is devoted to the history of our character. While the information on the Battle of Bull Run is interesting, his childhood, history of his relationship his wife, and his fighting for the British in India seemed to be completely irrelevant to the story told here. There is much to like about this book, however. While not what I was expecting by the heading "A novel of historical suspense," I was completely taken in by the mystery. There are some very well developed red herrings that confused me. Abel Jones is a flawed character with no real idea what he's doing, as he points out numerous times. I felt this was very realistic and refreshing. I had some suspicions as to the murder, but wasn't completely sure until the end. The book has a front porch storyteller first person narration style that draws you in and makes the book fun to read. And the author does a fantastic job of bring both the good and bad of November 1861 to vivid life. Despite my reservations, I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading about the US Civil War. I plan to check out Abel Jones' next adventure myself.
Rating:
Summary: delightfully charming....
Review: I am a lover of almost all types of mysteries, but never before have I read a mystery that takes place during the Civil War. Owen Parry has filled this void with Faded Coat of Blue. This is a delightfully charming book that doesn't gloss over the dark side of war. Abolitionist and Army Captain Anthony Fowler is found murdered on the edge of an army encampment near Washington DC in the early days of the war. General George McClellan chooses unsuspecting clerk, Captain Abel Jones, to investigate the murder. Jones is a transplanted Welshman who has already seen warfare in India as part of the Queen's army. Coming to the US for a better life, he finds himself pulled into the Civil War. Jones can best be described as a plodder. He is not a brilliant man, but a loyal, fair and deliberate one. He has strong Christian values and tries to live his life by them. Jones latches on to this murder inquiry and refuses to let up-even when he discovers the disturbing truth, his life is threatened and his superiors call him off the case. Parry is a master at making us feel that we are living during the 1860's. He fills his book with enough historical fact to be convincing, and has thoroughly researched such topics as The Civil War, the military, immigration, prostitution, disease, food, clothing and general conditions at this point in time. One of the best parts in this book is a conversation that takes place between Abel Jones and Abraham Lincoln. Although such a conversation is totally fictional, Parry has enough knowledge of Lincoln to write a dialogue that could have actually passed from Lincoln's lips. But what makes this such a charming and delightful book is Jones himself. Written in the first person, Jones speaks with the rich and lyrical language of a man from Wales. I will admit that it took me a chapter or two to grow accustomed to this style of speech. But once I did, I was smitten. Jones is also a keen observer of human nature, and some of his observations are priceless. A few that caught my eye include: "War disappoints long before it kills." "The wickedest place in hell should be reserved for those who paint war in glory and cause young men to dream of it." "There is too much puffery and pretense in a novel for me. It is very much a lady's province, and I always suspect the men who write the things of unsound habits." Abel Jones is sometimes a little too rigid and self-deprecating to a fault. But he is an endearing character, nonetheless. Faded Coat of Blue is a book that I hated to see end. But the good news is that Parry is making the exploits of Abel Jones into a series, and Call Each River Jordan, Shadows of Glory and Honor's Kingdom have already been published. They have definitely been added to my reading list.
Rating:
Summary: Solid Start to a Civil War Mystery Series
Review: Parry's Civil War mystery series kicks off with this volume, which introduces Captain Abel Jones, a supply clerk for the Union Army. Jones is a Welshman who served in the British Army in India before immigrating to America and setting up house with his Welsh wife in Pennsylvania. A reluctant enlistee, he joined the Union forces and was severely wounded fighting in the first Battle of Bull Run. Committed to helping the cause, he now battles files in his Washington office, trying to track down missing shipments of greatcoats and the like. A meticulously honest and scrupulous officer, Jones is secretly enlisted by the Army's commander, General George McClellan, to investigate the mysterious killing of a famous and beloved officer. Anthony Fowler was a young, handsome outspoken abolitionist and the son of a prominent Philadelphia family. One dark and rainy night, his body is discovered on the outskirts of a Union camp by a sentry. Several days later, unwilling detective Jones proceeds with due dilligence to investigate the matter, clumsily interviewing witnesses and chasing red herrings. Along the way, we meet a well-developed support cast, including a fellow Welsh telegraph operator, a tough but learned Irish doctor, a roly-poly German landlady with a surprising history, a loveable rogue, and a wide array of posh cads and brutes. The mystery itself isn't bad, but the real treat is is Parry's detailed portrait of Civil War era Washington, D.C. from the boarding houses to the bordellos, eng elegant drawing rooms to dangerous dark alleyways. The story is told in Jones' hand, and his narrator's voice flows quite well. Details are given, but more importantly, the reader is given his opinions, all sprinkled with Welsh idioms and prejudices. In true Victorian form, all races and nationalities are assigned characteristics, and that's just the way it is. Some of these are apt, and some of these are slyly witty ("The Prussian may be diligent and organized, but he'll never make a good soldier."). As the investigation proceeds, Jones' life story is brought to the surface in bits and pieces, so that the reader gradually builds a picture of the man. From his tough childhood in England, to the bloody service in India, some secrets are revealed and some just hinted at. There is a fair amount of foreshadowing, as Parry cleverly teases the reader with hints about further adventures (which appear in Shadows of Glory, Call Each River Jordan, Honor's Kingdom, Bold Sons of Erin and further to come). All in all, it's a nice start to a series sure to satisfy the mystery reader with an interest in the Civil War.
Rating:
Summary: ABEL IS CERTAINLY ABLE
Review: Usually I have an aversion to "historically" based fiction novels, but have been pleasantly surprised with the first in the Abel Jones series. Owen Parry's narrative, in Jones' first person narrative, sparkles with wit, sharp perception of the time and place he shares, and a knack for interesting and well-developed characters. While a murder mystery, it doesn't focus all of its time on the killer, and the perpetrator is easily discovered early on. It is Jones' dedication in exposing the killer that Parry shines. Jones is moral, sensitive, and extremely dedicated. He hates the war, but feels he owes it to his new country (he's originally from Wales), and his wife and young son, as well. His wife, Mary's, advice about the crime is sharp and Parry gives us a couple whose love and devotion is obvious, even though Mary has only one scene in the novel.
Parry also gives us some great supporting characters in Dr. Tyrone, Jones' unexpected ally; Mrs. Schutzengel, the German boarding house manager, with her dedication to a German revolution and her keen cooking skills; Molloy, a former friend of Jones who comes through when needed; and even Abraham Lincoln himself in a marvelous cameo at the book's close. Matthew Cawber, a potential villain, has a wonderful scene with Jones in which he powerfully states his innocence in the murder of the saintly Andrew Fowler.
All in all, a great start; am looking forward to reading the additional two books in this well-constructed series.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
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