Men of Bone

Thomas Berrington Tudor Mystery #1

by David Penny

1501: London, England

Can a man turn his back on all hope to protect those he loves?

Returning to an England now strange to him Thomas Berrington falls foul of a thieves’ guild. Reacting instinctively to protect a stranger, Thomas becomes their target. When the bonemen come to inflict punishment he is forced kill one of their number.
As he leaves London in the company of Arthur, Prince of Wales, heir to the English throne, Thomas expects no grave consequences for his actions. It’s a mistake that might get both him and his companions killed.

Sent to England by the Spanish Queen to watch over Catherine of Aragon on her marriage to Arthur, Thomas intends the duty to be short-lived. But he hasn’t reckoned on the bonemen, who are spreading their influence ever wider. As danger mounts, Thomas is no longer sure he is the man for the task but has no option but to fight, as he always has. For the innocent, for justice, and for his life.

Politics and crime collide in Tudor England in a new series of adventures for Thomas Berrington. Join Thomas on his latest journey. Order The Bone Men now.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Historical Mystery, Tudor Period, Thriller, Fiction, Adventure

309 pages, ebook

First published October 11, 2021

About the author

Born in London in 1950, David Penny began writing at a tender age after moving to Mid Wales. Initially obsessed with all things science-fiction he read avidly and wrote even more. His first publications came at the age of seventeen in small fanzines. At the age of twenty-three a short story was accepted by Galaxy magazine – his first payment for writing. This was followed by appearances in the UK magazine Vertex. At the age of 24 his first novel, The Sunset People, was accepted for publication by Robert Hale and David was taken on by the Leslie Flood Literary Agency. Three other science fiction novels followed: Starchant, Out of Time and Sunshine 43.

David enjoyed a dissipated and wasteful (but not wasted) youth, doing little other than writing, growing his hair (a pursuit sadly no longer available to him) and following an alternative lifestyle. Into such an idyllic existence real life rudely interrupted, and David spent the next 35+ years in a variety of jobs, eventually running his own software company.
As the years wore on he missed writing more and more, and eventually returned to it.

The Red Hill is his first novel in 35 years and introduces the surgeon-detective Thomas Berrington.

Reviews

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit confused on titles within this series as I have read a few of the Thomas Berrington books previously but they seem to have been re-ordered or re-named? So...when I chose this book called number 1, I knew I had met this character in previous books. Not for me to worry further.
This episode has Thomas returning after many years to his native England where he is supposed to focus on supporting Catherine of Aragon who will come over to marry Prince Arthur, both of whom he has a close relationship with. But then all sorts of nastiness happens with an abundance of physical violence due to greedy, evil criminals (the bonemen) and bigger than life characters.
Why in the world did I like this?
I suppose the author is a sorcerer of sorts. Must be. I really like the main character but not so much the violence. How many times can a body be slammed around? Oh well.
15th Century

Kindle Unlimited

[Colin Mitchell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thomas Berrington has returned to England after 47 years as a physician, soldier and friend of Queen Isabella and her daughter Catherine of Aragon. Trouble follows Thomas and he is like a medieval Jack Reacher. Where he goes so does fighting and multiple deaths, with little damage to him or his followers. Somewhat far-fetched. Some good research has been undertaken to highlight the descriptions of London and Ludlow of the times. I will probably follow up on this series in the future. 3 stars.

[Susanna Duffy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little too much violence in this for me. I fail to see why it was necessary. I don't mind grisly bits but, in this book, there's scarcely any space left for the story

[Pat K · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded up.
I liked the story, and though it wasn’t a long book, it felt like it was. A bit too much fighting.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

The audiobook kept me going on a long road trip. If I was reading this I most likely would have abandoned it before finishing.

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't always remember to look for more books from a series I enjoyed, and then...Kindle reminded me via an ad for this book. It was probably the fastest acquisition I've made for years. Thomas Berrington? Back? A new series starring my favorite detective/warrior/doctor? No way was I missing this one!!
And it didn't disappoint.
Thomas is 60 now, with grown children, and he has remained a constant in the lives of the Spanish monarchs, Isabella and Ferdinando, and their children. Now, Catherine (affectionately known as Cat in the royal family and Thomas's extended (and not always related by blood) family), is 16 and about to be married to Arthur, the 15 1/2 year old Prince of Wales, in an alliance sought by both Spain and England.
Thomas has gone on ahead. He has found the inn where a message had been sent for him earlier. He asks about a barber, and about the latest fashion for men, which is to go beardless and have shorter hair that reaches the shoulders. There are 2 barbers, and Thomas is seen to by the female. Before his hair is fully cut, people start leaving as men come in, men wearing red felt hats. One presses the male barber to the wall, throat around his neck, and the other rips the woman's bodice - and Thomas stands and stops him. He defeats 2 of them, trying not to kill them, and finds the barbers both angry at him. They say their lives are worthless now, murder a certainty, preceeded by rape for the female. They don't realize how long Thomas has been out of England. He is thoroughly puzzled, so they explain the bonemen to him - the name taken from their habit of leaving a bone behind as a warning or a calling card for the person responsible for a death. The woman has already packed her tools, and helps the man pack his. They depart for Oxford, where they believe the bone men have not yet penetrated. On his return to the inn, he asks about the bone men and gets quite a bit of infornation. He follows one crew, watches as they dump their take into a sack on a wheelbarrow, followed by several other groups who do the same. He follows Wheelbarrow Man to London Bridge, pays the toll, hangs around doing touristy gawking, then goes past the house where Wheelbarrow Man entered. The door is still open, and as he goes past, an angry man slams the door, telling him to move along, there is nothing of interest there. But Thomas has seen the tables stacked with coin and the industrious money counters at their work.
Thomas has other fish to fry, though, mainly a letter to be given to the king regarding Catherine of Aragon's trip to meet and marry Prince Arthur. While he is there waiting for the response, he sees a familiar face - one of the 2 ambassadors from Spain to England, the one he likes, and they exchange a brief greeting. Thomas is called in for an audience with the king and queen, plays chess with the king and Prince Henry, called Harry by his family and friends. Harry is impetuous and freespirited while Arthur is serious and careful, listening before he speaks. Arthur also lives hard by Wales, near where Tom grew up. Tom goes to I have a look at his old home, and someone tries to chase him off, but Thomas still knows English law and is able to get them out of his hair. He goes over to visit the brickyard, wondering if his true love, the only one except the now-prior who stood by him when he was falsely accused of murder at the age of 13. He fled the country and joined his father in a battle that saw most people dead, including his father, leaving him alone in a strange land. He wandered around, uncertain what to do, and was taken in by the Moors. The full account of those years, the ones that led up to the defeat of the Moors in Spain after 700 yr of conquest, is available in the initial books about Thomas, including how he came to know the King and Queen of Spain.
At any rate, Tom has been gone 47 yr. He soon finds himself surrounded by 3 strapping young men armed with large pieces of lumber that make excellent clubs. He asks them to ask their mother, Bel, about him, and gives them his name. She tells the boys Tom is a friend and they return to their work. And so he and the girl he loved have a reunion. There is another in the works. Thomas had a little sister 3 yr old to his 13 yr., and for her safety and care, he dropped her off with her aunt, who ran a bakery. Now she is grown with 2 daughters who help her with the bakery...and she remembers his dropping her off. Another reunion.
But something familiar is starting in the area - more bone men, this time in green felt hats, seemingly under the control of the Justice of the Peace, who is obviously incapable of managing any such enterprise, being that his talents are vanity, cruelty, greed, and being a fool.
In the meantime, as Tom continues his investigations, his family has reached England's shores and followed him to Ludlow, where Arthur's castle is located. He now has help. As he explains the bone men and the new group setting up in Ludlow and Lemsford, his old home town, and tells them what he has so far discovered, including the incompetent front man, he has the help he needs. The real brains behind the group stun Tom when he discovers them - Pip, his paramour sent to seduce him, and the man she really loves. Pip tries to kill Amal, whom her lover had already raped. Amal is Thomas's daughter and a physician in her own right, and Belia, another wife to Tom (Amal's mother died in childbirth) and an able assistant as well as a very experienced herbalist, was to be the next victim, except Tom and co. intervened. The problem with Pip's plan was, the only firearms were primitive and dangerous black powder weapons and the one Pip tried to use on Amal and Belia blew her right hand off. Thomas and Amal managed to cauterize the wound and save Pip's life, but put her in a dungeon with the figurehead. Not long after, they found Pip gone and the man hanged in the cell.
Pip had confessed her true parentage; she was the daughter of an Englishwoman who waited on the queen, and Pip and the queen had grown up together. Her father, however, has a name that is both Jewish and Arabic, and he runs the bone men in London. Her real name is Spanish, not English.
The royals have demanded Tom's presence for Cat's sake, but in between the reception and the next day's wedding, Tom and his friends - who've discovered a lot about the house in which Tom saw the counting tables - attack the house. They did make it to the wedding. And there, the first book in the Tudor Mysteries series ends.

[Andrew Kramer · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is the 10th in a series of books about Thomas Berrington, a physician/warrior who was born in England but moved to Spain at an early age in the mid 15th century. His roots are strongly Moorish/Spanish, yet he has to return to England after 47 years to protect Catherine of Aragon on her journey (once she reaches England) to marry Prince Arthur. The novel is a historical fiction that uses the time and location as a backdrop to the story.

It is an entertaining read up to a certain point. There are only so many Thomas prevailing against five enemies incidents before the novel starts to become unrealistic. At one point, Thomas, his son, two close friends, and a few townsmen take on 160 Welsh mercenaries. The stuff of Hollywood but not what I'm looking for in a historical fiction novel.

[Helen Hollick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first I have read of author David Penny, and apparently Men Of Bone is the first in a new series which continues on from a previous adventure/mystery series about the same characters, and in particular the protagonist, sixty-year-old Thomas Berrington.

The book is set at the time of Catherine of Aragon’s betrothal and marriage to Henry VII’s eldest son, Arthur – I enjoyed his inclusion – and it was a nice change to have a Tudor story that was not Henry VIII or Anne Boleyn!

It was obvious from the first chapter that this was a continuation of a previous series, as the narrative throughout included quite a few references to Berrington’s backstory of his early life in England, and his subsequent adventures in Spain serving Queen Isabella. On the whole this backstory element did not hinder this present story: there were enough facts to understand Berrington’s past and therefore his present involvement with both the Tudor and Spanish courts, but some of the references were a little tedious as they were often repeated but not fully explained. No spoilers, but his relationship with the Spanish Queen and the princess Catherine, for instance. Would someone like Berrington really be so close to both of them? But then, as I have not read the previous books, I cannot say – although I did feel this was, maybe, a little far-fetched. As also was Berrington’s fighting ability. For a sixty-year-old man he was remarkably fit and agile, even after a severe beating by his enemies, but then, this is fiction.

I’m not sure that this qualifies as a mystery as such – I realised at least one ‘baddie’ right from the start (maybe the red-herrings were not well enough hidden?) – but the plot was interesting and the characters were intriguing. The detail and description of Tudor England was well researched and written. There was some violence and a rape – an area where I did feel the victim's later reaction was too calm, too accepting of what had happened. (And was a rape even necessary for the plot?) Perhaps, though, her violation will be explored more in the next book?

There were a few typos in the e-book edition I read, and Aunt Joan turned into Aunt Jean then back again, plus I spotted a few continuity errors, however, none of these detracted from the story.

So, a good romp worth reading, set in a different Tudor period to the norm, with engaging characters and no need to be familiar with the original series. Readers of Berrington’s past will particularly enjoy catching up with his family and his ‘present’ adventures.

Originally Reviewed for Discovering Diamonds

[JacLynn Zohfeld · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most of the other reviews of this book are full of spoilers but I won't give a synopsis just my opinion.
There is a lot to like in this.first of the Thomas Berrington Mysteries. The main character has honed his surgical skill in Spain while studying under gifted Moorish physicians. Thomas is gallant, honorable and.brave. Good qualities that lead.to bad things when coming back home to a much changed and more criminally organized England
Thomas has important.duties to perform for the first Tudor king, Henry VII. Thomas.tries.to be more circumspect and only attend to his commission but he gets into a confrontation with a group of slimey street thugs. At their leader's request, they are extracting "Protection" money from the community businesses. A practice that Thomas feels is deeply unfair to the London hardworking folk.
Thomas is a man of honor, he can't let that stand so, he's (in the words of William Wallace) off to pick a fight.
Lots of daring do ensue, most of it dealing with sharp pointy things. It does appear that Thomas knows his way around pointy things.
His name should be Tom "Danger" Berrington. He is smart but sometimes villains are smarter and one crooked scheme after another try to pull Tom away from his special task.
There's murder, mystery, and even more daring do. There's political intrigue at court, seduction, deceit, corrupt politicians (go figure), marauders, and lest we forget it's England, there's s Priory close by.

[Terry Halligan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thomas Berrington the protagonist in the first book of a long series by David Penny is a very interesting figure. He is 60 years of age but with the physique of a much younger man. He is very tall, which was very unusual at that time when 5ft 6in was considered tall. Thomas has been sent to his country of birth by the Spanish Queen to prepare the way for Catherine of Aragon who will marry King Henry v111. Thomas, upsets a guild of thieves "The Bonemen" and has to resort to violence to protect himself and a stranger.
This violence was regrettable but at least necessary. There is a lot of violence in this book which is not for the squeamish and even I, as a person who reads a lot and was impressed with the writing in general found the level of violence somewhat excessive. Perhaps it was symptomatic of the Tudor age the book was set in. Anyway, the quality of the writing in general and the research the author must have made in order to deliver such an engrossing series of historical mystery books is commendable and I strongly recommend this book.

[Christopher Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a mixed bag. In one sense, its very well written and engaging. The main character is interesting and varied, and the plot pretty well developed. The setting is interesting (early Tudor England just after the civil wars), and its fairly well done in terms of history. Sort of.

On the other hand, its yet another historical drama set in a time period deeply steeped in religious culture and presumption of religion without anything but a few vague side references. Literally no one is religious, even the allegedly religious types like the Prior. No one has any sort of moral judgment of others, nothing anyone else is seen as wrong, just distasteful or threatening.

Then there is the combat. Thomas Berrington is sixty years old (a very ancient fellow in the setting) and comfortably is able to defeat five armed men at a time without taking a scratch then later defeats an army of mercenaries with a few buddies and villagers. Overall I don't really want to read any more in this series, which is too bad because the setting is ripe for a detective series.

[Anne Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

Men of Bone (Thomas Berrington Tudor Mystery)
by David Penny

This is the second David Penny I have read the 3rd one first and found I loved it.

I love history, and I find reading a novel with a basis on fact keeps my brain working.

Thomas Berrington arrives in England ahead of Catherine of Aragon soon to be wife of the prince of Wales Arthur, eldest son Henry v11.

Tom has been sent by Catherine's mother Isobel of Spain to watch over her daughter. He finds his way to London and a chance sends him to the barbers where he encounters The Bone Men. They call on business's demanding money, if the owner does not pay then they take payment in other ways, seeing this happen in front of him Tom reacts, This leads to beatings and attempted killing.

I found the book easy to read. The story compelling and I have ordered the second book in the series.

[Christina Kirby · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read from this series. And, the first time I have met Thomas Berrington, and his family and friends and dog. It is very rare that I read a book so quickly, and really want to read it. But, to be honest, I couldn’t put it down. I was totally enthralled by the tale and the various twists and turns it took. The descriptive writing made me feel an empathy with the characters. The author describes the locations well, and I felt I was really there in the moment. Fantastic. It was refreshing that the royal families didn’t dominate the tale, and really became just a side line to the drama unfolding. I have two other books in this series to read, and I am looking forward to these. Catching up with Tom and his gang and dog, will be a pleasure.

[Soozee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tom Berrington has had a very interesting life, moving from England to Spain when very young, learning to be a physician, marrying and having children. Now in his sixties he returns to England to prepare the way for the arrival of Katherine of Aragon, due to marry Prince Arthur.

However, on his first day he falls foul of an extortion mob, the bone men, who are shaking down local businesses for protection. He moves to Ludlow to see the prince, and once again finds a branch of the same mob setting up, and he is determined to stop them. The result is an interesting tale, firmly set in Tudor England.

I enjoyed it very much and look forward to the rest of the series, as well as the tales of his Spanish adventures.

[Collete Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

I have followed Thomas Berrington from the first book Red Hill. The stories are fantastic and detailed through out, his friends and strange way of life he leads with them give a unique way into the middle ages that had me spell bound. Details of fact and fiction go hand in hand with these excellent stories,love, hate, passion, battle of wits and body turn them into a real page turner, I am looking forward to all the next books in the series. I highly recommend to lovers of historical fiction to give them a read, you won't be disappointed. Hats off to you Mr David Penny.

[Mary Walsh]

Thomas Berrington returns to England after many years in Spain to accompany Catherine of Aragon to her meeting with Prince Arthur of England for her marriage. Almost at once, Thomas finds trouble or it finds him, leading to a mystery concerning what turns out to be a large-scale protection racket. He upsets some powerful people and I was relieved when he was joined by Will and Amal and Jorge, Belia and Usaden and the dog Kin.
An exciting tale and Thomas is filled with memories of his home town and the people that he knew there. The emotions he feels and the homesickness for Spain are all to evident.

[Barbara M Gaffney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hard to put down

Thomas Berrington is an unforgettable character, but its the tight plot and focused point of view that keeps the reader enthralled. So many historical novels keep shifting from one setting and point of view character to another, and the reader tires of the shifts. Everything is told from Berrington's wise and intelligent perspective. The supporting characters are original and compelling, the settings fascinating and skillfully drawn. I enjoyed this book immensely as I have all the previous Berrington novels.

[Cherylbestlife · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay

I always enjoy being reunited with Thomas and family. I’ve wanted Thomas to return to England and find his sister for a while. So, I was excited to read this book. However, I would have liked more from the reunion of Thomas and Agnes. I also wanted to experience more of England and the culture as with Moorish Spain in previous books. The mystery was okay, but could have been better. Overall, I enjoyed the book, but I think mainly because of my love of the characters.

[Paul J · Rating 5 out of 5]

A familiar character in a new locale

Thomas Berrington returns to his birthplace and steps back into his own.

Penny makes Thomas fit in and make a fifference wherever he land.

A great visit into the life of a long term friend.

As always too short and too long a wait for the next fulfilling taste

[Anna_Adrian Payne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Couldn't put it down

I loved this book id read some of his previous books based in moorish Spain and like those but this book i enjoyed even more.
David Penny's writing is always easy to read and I find straight way you're hooked in the story and the characters the places he brings it all alive.

[Mary Neese · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it

Well researched novel set in Tudor England just when Catherine of Aragon is due to arrive to wed Prince Arthur. It is a very interesting take on the people who accompanied her and the politics of the time. I read it in two days and have pre ordered the next in the series.

[Mark Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thomas Berrington has returned from Spain, where he had all sorts of exciting adventures, to Tudor England where we can expect he’ll have many more. This first of the series maintains the high quality of the Spanish books and Thomas Berrington and his entourage are an engaging bunch. In this story they battle villains in the Welsh borderlands. Recommended

[Judy Kelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5. Apparently the author has a new series with the same characters, but set in Henry VII’s England, rather than in Moorish Spain and subsequently Ferdinand and Isabella’s as in the first series. Largely mindless reading without any deep historical context other than the marriage of Catherine of Aragon to Prince Arthur.

[Gerald S Walton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent!

This is the first book by David I have read and was not disappointed. His character Thomas Berrington, was likeable from the outset and developed very quickly. An extremely enjoyable read with many twists and turns and excellent story line. I can't wait to start book two in the series,highly recommended!

[Glyn Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sent to England by the Spanish Queen to watch over Catherine of Aragon on her marriage to prince Arthur, henry the 8th successor to be, thomas is soon in investigative mode. He meet some very nasty characters the bone men and this is the main stream of the story. There are many twists and turns to follow before we get to the end of the story. So this time we are back in england and not very far from where thomas was born(no spoilers. So just red the story and ENJOY.

[ELzabeth Livingstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

Started to read wondering if the author would keep Thomas as in all his previous adventures . Once again from the beginning the characters and storyline never fsiled. Excellent!

[09/01 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Back home

Brilliant twist on the Andalucian saga. Thomas in England mixing with royals , and as usual trouble is brewing. New adversaries and loves. Who is a friend or ally? Brilliant read.

[Ayesha Pagano · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy that the story goes on.

I really enjoyed the book and was sad it ended. It was hard to put down for the most part. Not the best of David Penny's books, but still very exciting & interesting.

[Cindy Jacobsen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in the 1500s England this is fast paced historical fiction with the amazing Thomas Berrington as our guide. After reading this I’m going back to the initial Thomas Berrington novels to understand his back story. Excited to see there are 9 books before this one.

[Elizabeth Lennon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting,intense,mysterious

Excellent story with amazing characters.
I loved the different ethnic characters and the author touching on cultural differences while showing their humanity be it good or evil which exists in all cultures. I really look forward to book 2 in the series.