Well written and well read. I appreciated that the reader seemed not to trip up on the Welsh. (Not being a Welsh speaker, I couldn't say for sure.) ( )

I grabbed the first title without realizing it was a historical murder series, which takes place in Wales in 1850. This is definitely important to the plot, as class, religion, and conquest color every aspect of the story. The writing and the insight into the history of Wales kept me going ( )

Henry Probert-Llloyd is losing his sight and unable to continue his work as a barrister. Although he stands to inherit his father’s estate in Wales’ Teifi Valley, he is unwilling to accept the squire’s life expected of him in the 19th century. Henry is troubled by the suspicious death of a servant girl with whom he had been romantically involved, especially when an inquest deems her death accidental. Henry makes the controversial decision to open an investigation. He enlists law clerk John Davies as his assistant, entrusting him with the secret about his eyesight. John quickly assumes responsibility for guiding Henry through the investigation while giving the impression he is present simply to handle administrative matters.

Readers know from the very beginning that John Davies has more information than he’s letting on. How will this factor into the story? There are many twists and turns to this mystery before all becomes clear. For me, what made this book stand out was its unique setting in the midst of mid-19th century Welsh unrest known as the Rebecca riots. I did a bit of internet searching for context at the beginning, and especially enjoyed author Alis Hawkins’ historic notes at the end of the book. Her detailed explanations of the riots and the legal systems of the day were very interesting and whetted my appetite for more books in this series. ( )

The Teifi Valley in West Wales in 1850. Harry Probert-Lloyd, the son of a local landowner and magistrate, has returned home, as the onset of blindness has meant that he is unable to continue his work as a barrister in London. When farm workers uncover the body of a young woman, possibly that of farm servant Margaret Jones who disappeared seven years previously, Harry has a particular reason for wanting to find out the truth …

The story of Margaret Jones’s death is bound up with that of the Rebecca Riots, which took place in Wales in the 1840s. We touched on this in History at school, but I couldn’t remember any more than that there were men dressed as women tearing down toll gates. [None So Blind] presents a fuller picture of the events of that time, and paints a fascinating picture overall of life in Cardiganshire in the middle of the nineteenth century, with its English speaking landowners and Welsh speaking tenants.

Recommended to anyone who likes historical mysteries. ( )