Bone Rattler by Eliot Pattison

A Murder Mystery of Colonial America

Sep 1, 2009

The French and Indian War, Native American rituals, Scottish bagpipes and British ambition set the stage for a thrilling murder mystery, Bone Rattler by Eliot Pattison.

In the first book of the Bone Rattler series, author Eliot Pattison offers the reader a superb mystery while exploring the ideas of cultural differences and life on the new frontier in mid-18th century America. The horrors of the French and Indian War bring an edge to the story.

Duncan McCallum, a young Scot whose family was slaughtered by the British, finds himself aboard a British convict ship headed for the New World. Duncan was in training to become a doctor before the British arrested him and sent him to the American Wilderness to serve his sentence. A series of murders and apparent suicides among the Scottish prisoners leads the, the ship’s captain to order Duncan to investigate.

One of those killed is a professor who was to tutor Lord Ramsey’s children in the New World. Lord Ramsey is an important land baron who is using the prisoners to further his ambitions in the New World. Duncan is indentured to Lord Ramsey and takes the professor’s place as the tutor.

The shipboard murders and suicides continue to haunt Duncan as new murders occur. Against the backdrop of the French and Indian War, Duncan finds he is terrified and intrigued by the new ways of America which are reminiscent of the old ways of his Scottish heritage. It is difficult to tell who is trustworthy and who is not in the New World. Duncan finds that “true skin” people come in all colors and all faiths.

The story is told through the voices of the exiles and outcasts, giving the reader a gritty experience of the harsh life beyond the main house. Eliot Pattison packs characters and history into the book which require the reader’s attention. With complex and intricate clues, Bone Rattler is an excellent mystery which will leave the reader with questions and curiosity long after the cover is closed.

Pattison is recognized for his ability to link history and political issues while keeping readers enthralled with the mystery and characters he creates. Pattison tells the reader that sometimes “fiction can strike closer to the truth than history texts.” In Bone Rattler, many truths about the people and the politics of the New World are brought to life.

Eliot Pattison uses his deep knowledge of Colonial American history to highlight the seldom explored connection between the Iroquois Indian Nations and the Scottish Highlander immigrants and soldiers.

The British considered the Iroquois and Scotts as little more than barbarians. The British did have a grudging respect for the bravery and warrior traditions of both groups. As the Scotts and the Iroquois found themselves in battle together, they discovered that they shared traditions and beliefs which made for a strong bond between these two peoples.

Another interesting historical fact raised by Eliot Pattison is the relationship between the governance system of the Iroquois Confederacy and the US Constitution. Read more the Great Law of Peace in the New York Times. Jeff Cuttler shares the history of the French and Indian War and the Iroquois confederacy in his article, Iroquois Nations.

The second book in the Bone Rattler series, Eye of the Raven, is scheduled for release in January 2010.

The copyright of the article Bone Rattler by Eliot Pattison in Murder Mysteries is owned by Lynn Brogan. Permission to republish Bone Rattler by Eliot Pattison in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.