To serve his adopted country, Welshman Abel Jones left his beloved Mary Myfanwy back in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. He went to fight for the North. A veteran of Queen Victoria’s India campaign, Abel feels he failed after being injured at the Battle of Bull Run. Abel, however, continues to work for the Northern side of the conflict by performing the job of a clerking officer in Washington DC.

General McClellan, who has just replaced General Scott as the Commander-In-Chief of the Northern armies, becomes very concerned with the publicity surrounding the Fowler murder. He feels strongly that this war is unnecessary, as slavery was dying anyway. Though he plans to win the fight, he worries that radical elements will use Fowler’s death as a rallying cry to eradicate the South in the same manner that Rome salted Carthage. McClellan wants an honest investigation based on facts, not rumors or innuendoes. He consults with Philadelphia lawyer Franklin B. Gowen, seeking a virtuous person to head the inquiries. That assessment leads McClellan to select Abel to make the required review into the murder of Fowler. Abel remains reluctant to handle the case because he lacks investigative experience. McClellan, however, persuades him that his country needs his help. Finally accepting his charge, Abel begins to look into the killing by heading north to the home of Fowler’s mother. At the onset of his inquest, Abel remains unaware of the degree of danger that he is going to find himself in from individuals who believe the end justifies the mean.

Faded Coat Of Blue is more than another Civil War amateur sleuth tale, due to the influx of real people and many factoids that provide authenticity to the novel. Not slowing down the plot one iota, the abundance of facts provides a glimpse into late 1861 that feels so genuine readers will believe they stepped through a time machine. The who-done-it is intriguing and filled with twists and turns that will satisfy historical mystery fans. The characters, however, make the story. Abel is a great protagonist, struggling with what he learns during his investigation. Real people from history play important roles as they blend into the action-packed story line. Tidbits on Scott, McClellan, and Lincoln, etc. augment the thrill of the novel. The rest of the support cast adds layers and dimension that vividly brings the era to life, while propelling the plot to its exciting climax. Readers will want more works from the talented Owen Parry starring Abel, one of the best nineteenth-century detectives to appear in quite a while.