The Trail of Blood: A gripping historical murder mystery

by A.K. Nairn

It's 1516 and Scotland and England are teetering on the brink of yet another war. So when a torso is found right on the border between the two countries, it threatens to create a bloodbath.French diplomat, Antoine de Lissieu, is dragged in to investigate and reluctantly takes a band of men to the wild frontier region. But he’s shunned by both sides of the divide and plagued by traumatic memories from his past.As time runs out and the bodies mount up, can Antoine catch the culprits and prevent more carnage – or will his own demons catch up with him?If you like C.J. Sansom, S.J. Parris and D.V. Bishop, you’ll love this dark and twisty tale, set in a world of outlaws and warlords.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Fiction, Scotland, British Literature

384 pages, Paperback

Published May 13, 2024

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free advance copy of this book via The Niche Reader. Set on the border of Scotland and England, this historical mystery is full of twists and turns. It’s very rare for a mystery novel to catch me by surprise, but this one did. The identity of the killer is held very close to the chest right up until the end and it was done masterfully.

While it was a bit of a slow starter, it kept me interested and curious throughout. I greatly appreciated the tension between the English, Scottish and French factions and felt that the author did a fantastic job representing historical situations and cultural traditions accurately.

If you’re into a slow burn, that piques the curiosity, this is definitely the read for you.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a time to live in the borderlands between Scotland and England! It really was a lawless time with powerful warring factions and a harsh time for the ordinary folk who suffered from the reiver’s raids. Antoine de Lissieu is tasked with solving a murder mystery. He has a young inexperienced assistant to help him, along with a small number of soldiers. However, nothing is easy to discover and not everyone is helpful. I must say I hadn’t guessed the outcome of this story and it kept me turning the pages until the end. There are some dangerous events and a good number of characters to remember. I found this to be an engaging read. I received a copy via Niche Reader and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Sandra Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book via The Niche Reader and would have left 5 Stars except… the beginning was very slow going because of the vocabulary. It would have helped if the author had either included a glossary or had one of the other characters mention the meaning of the unfamiliar words as in the remainder of the book. The plot is very good. It does drag in places, but not enough to ruin it for me. I also think quotation marks and missing punctuation would be of great benefit. Keep writing, but an editor and proofreader would seriously help.

[Ann Robson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A captivating read

I too live in the Scottish Borders, so the places mentioned are familiar to me .
The story made for compulsive reading, the characters quite believable. Many of the characters being ancestors of current borders families. I look forward to the the next A.K. Nairn book!

[Erato · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a ride!
I loved this world, so dark and brutal but also fascinating. The mystery was just perfect, I did not expect the twists and everything worked out so satisfying and clean. I also appreciate how good researched this book is. A real jewel in the historical mystery genre, cannot wait to read the second book of the series

[RjS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping story and engaging characters.
I loved the research that had obviously been done which gave the book a very accurate sense of time and place.
I received a free copy of this book via The Niche Reader.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Utterly gripping!

Fast paced mystery steeped in historical fact. I both learned a lot and enjoyed the story. Well written and obviously a well researched subject by the author. Here's hoping another book is on its way!

[adeline Bronner · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very nice read (and not only because the lead character is French 😹). The historical background is very interesting and the story gripping. I must say I tried so hard to understand the Ritter’s riddle than when it was revealed I laughed my heart out

[Kaye Brandt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping

Good twists, set in an interesting period of history, and I really enjoyed the characters. I hope there are more to follow.