Rodney Stone

In the prize ring, courage is plain to see. Beyond it, honour is harder to judge.

Set in early nineteenth-century England against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars, Arthur Conan Doyle's Rodney Stone brings together bare-knuckle boxing, fashionable society, and a mystery rooted in the past. Young Rodney leaves the familiar world of Sussex for the glittering circles of his uncle, Sir Charles Tregellis, a polished man of fashion whose connections reach the Prince of Wales. Through Rodney's observant eyes, village friendships and London manners reveal sharply different measures of a man's worth.

At the story's heart is Rodney's childhood companion, Boy Jim Harrison, whose remarkable gifts as a fighter are entwined with questions about his origins. The shadow of Cliffe Royal manor stretches across his life, while the prize ring offers a public test of strength, nerve, and loyalty. Moving between the forge, the drawing room, and the ringside crowd, Doyle gives this historical adventure both sporting excitement and emotional stakes. Its lasting appeal lies in the contrast between social reputation and the courage people show when friendship and principle are put to the test.

What readers find inside:
The Prize Ring - Bare-knuckle boxing and celebrated champions bring the sporting culture of the period to life.A Young Man's Education - Rodney's passage from Sussex into high society tests his understanding of character and class.An Unlikely Guide - Sir Charles Tregellis combines fashionable elegance with cool nerve and unexpected depth.A Hidden Past - Boy Jim's uncertain origins and the history of Cliffe Royal give the adventure its central mystery.Honour and Loyalty - Friendship and moral courage matter as much as physical strength in a world conscious of rank.
A rewarding choice for readers of Regency historical fiction, sporting novels, and classic adventures with a mystery at their heart.

Step into Rodney's world, where the contest outside the ring can be every bit as demanding as the fight within it.