Rating: 
Summary: Fantastic
Review: I burned my way through this novel in one night. It was fantastic research wonderful prose and an engaging plot. I cannot wait for the sequel.
Rating:
Summary: an enormously satisfying reading experience
Review: While FADED COAT OF BLUE will undoubtedly appeal to history and mystery buffs alike, it transcends the particulars of interests and genres and is ready to grab the heart and feed the imagination of every kind of book lover. With his Captain Abel Jones, Owen Parry delivers that most precious of gifts to a reader: a character you learn with, grow with, come to genuinely know and deeply care about. And what a package Parry wraps his gift in: a gripping tale and evocation of a time and place, in flawlessly beautiful writing.At the conclusion of this most satisfying reading experience, yet another gift is presented: the reader is spared the usually inevitable sadness of bidding farewell to a beloved character and is instead filled with anticipation because Parry promises a future reunion with Abel Jones. Highly recommended to anyone, anywhere, who yearns for a fine book.
Rating:
Summary: great historical mystery
Review: Anyone who likes their mysteries intelligent,well written and charactered by believable people, will love this book.The atmosphere of pre civil war Washington makes you feel that the author must have lived there.The historical figures are accurate and Able Jones is a great window to their characters.A must read---I CANNOT WAIT FOR THE NEXT BOOK!
Rating:
Summary: Exciting, accurate...and beautifully written!
Review: I enjoyed this novel immensely. With a background in history, I tend to be picky about details. I did not find one error in the historical setting of this book, which indicates a great deal of research. I suspect the author may be a moonlighting historian himself. The atmosphere is just terrific--you can smell and feel Civil War Washington--and the plot kept me guessing until the very end. But the best parts of the book were the characters--even the secondary figures seem vivid and convincing--and the quality of the writing. Although the book is easy to read, the language is poetic. I'm not an expert on accents, but they rang true to me, as well. Great dialog. The historical figures live and breathe, but Abel Jones, the narrator, is the real treasure of the book. A great personality, quirky, cantankerous, and quietly admirable. In summary, this book is first-rate from page one to the end, and well worth picking up, whether or not you normally read mysteries or historical fiction. I noticed it because of the review in the Washington Post and was not disappointed. I await the next book in the series. A fine reading experience!
Rating: 
Summary: My favorite contemporary author with a new pen name
Review: A great civil war period piece. True to the times and events with an engaging murder mystery as the heart of the novel. Intriguing characters that will make a great team for future intrigues. Good read for a lazy day or a quiet night.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Read, Entertaining and Educational
Review: As a recent transplant to the east coast I have tried to learn more of our Civil War heritage. As fiction I never expected to learn about this time in the life of our country from Faded Coat of Blue. My only expectation was to be entertained. I was that and much more. Faded Coat of Blue is a gripping story of intrigue that held me from start to finish. Owen Parry's account of Civil War Washington DC was a bonus I did not expect. Seldom do the history books provide us a glimpse of the seedy side of these times. Yet these were times that shaped the fabric of those who lived them. Owen Parry has interwoven his story of intrigue around these times. I for one feel fortunate to have read Faded Coat of Blue. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the Civil War era or lovers of good mysteries. Neither will be disappointed.!
Rating:
Summary: Can't wait until the next book
Review: How good it was to reach the end of this book, the time where you don't want to leave, and find this is the first in what I hope is a series. There may be a few historical liberties but as Jones would say let that bide. The best book I've read this year, apart from "Gates of Fire" and "Hearts in Atlantis". The author invents a narative style where paragraphs end in revelation and set the seen for the next part. This keeps the interest going thoughout the book. The main character is so well developed that you feel he is an old friend. A great read. Buy this book.
Rating: 
Summary: More Reviews of FADED COAT OF BLUE
Review: From The Washington Post Book World "...imensely rewarding novel of Civil War Washington. ... a genuine novel of ideas: a provocative examination of moral values and history...[a] mature and finely wrought tale."
Rating:
Summary: New Historical Blockbuster Writer
Review: Owen Parry is a new historical novelist to watch. In "Faded Coat of Blue", Parry (pseudonym of an established writer of both thought-provoking non-fiction and modern thrillers) has produced a moving and evocative protrait of Civil War-era Washington. The murder mystery carries the story along, but the book is really the chronicle of the love affair of a Welsh immigrant Indian Army veteran for his new country. Accurate in portraying time and place, the prose often becomes lyrical, conveying the touch, feel and smell of the era. As Owen Parry, the writer has achieved a new "voice", displaying a storytelling skill rarely matched. Students of American history will gain new insights into our past through the eyes of the protagonist, Abel Jones. Owen Parry and Abel Jones will be names to watch as this continuing Civil War saga unfolds in the coming years.
Rating:
Summary: Great character, can't wait for more of his adventures
Review: This book introduces Abel Jones, a reluctant detective who is assigned the investigation of a mysterious murder during the Civil War. What I liked about Jones is that he is so real. He goes through a lot of difficulty and struggle trying to solve the murder, and does not back down when he comes up with results his superiors don't like. His character has a lot of depth and real humanity, and really cares about what he is doing, and about his adopted homeland (he is an immigrant from Wales). At the very end of the book there is a reference to Jones' future adventures, and I am really looking forward to them! Great read!
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