The first Major Abel Jones Civil War mystery. “Immensely rewarding . . . irresistibly readable . . . finely wrought . . . a genuine novel of ideas.” —The Washington Post

Winner of the Herodotus Award

In this winning blend of history and mystery, Owen Parry brings to life the story of Abel Jones, a Welsh immigrant and Union army officer. Jones finds himself mysteriously chosen as a confidential agent to General George McClellan. No stranger to the cruel paradoxes of war, he is asked to investigate the death of Anthony Fowler, a young volunteer captain shot through the heart. Set against the backdrop of battles and bordellos, of the intrigues of war-time Washington and the elegant mansions of old Philadelphia, Faded Coat of Blue paints a deeply moving portrait of the United States in the midst of our harshest trial.

Fowler’s murder is blamed on the Confederates, but whispers haunt the death of the fallen martyr, leading Abel Jones from the blood of the battlefield into a web of secrets and sinister relationships where evil and good intertwine . . . and where heroes fall prey to those who cherished them the most.

“A marvelous historical fiction work for Civil War buffs and for mystery lovers who simply appreciate a novel rich in language.” —St. Louis Post-Dispatch

“Impeccably researched and energetically written . . . thoroughly believable . . . exciting, heartbreaking.” —Chicago Tribune

“Jones’s narrative voice is a feast of fine language . . . ingeniously authentic.” —Publishers Weekly

Lines of Fire