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The Figurehead
Steam challenges sail for mastery of the seas, new continents open and the world brims with opportunities for people to be as good—or as evil—as they choose. But in Aberdeen Scotland, tall ships rule and greed by any other name is still commerce.
When the body of a local shipwright is found on the beach, no one, least of all the customers he cheated and the women he abused, seems at all surprised. When the constabulary fail to exercise due diligence it falls to wood-carver, John Grant, to ferret out the secrets and half-truths of the mysterious death. As John scrutinizes the events surrounding the apparent ‘accident’, his wood-carving skills catch the attention of William Anderson, a rich merchant—and his daughter Helen.
His commission to carve a figurehead combining the features of two women results in his discovering startling and interconnected chains of events that confirm his worst suspicions. Intertwined with the evolving tale of blackmail, intrigue and death, John’s relentless pursuit of the truth tests his relationship with everyone he knows and cares about as, simultaneously, he struggles to resist the pangs of unexpected love.
When the body of a local shipwright is found on the beach, no one, least of all the customers he cheated and the women he abused, seems at all surprised. When the constabulary fail to exercise due diligence it falls to wood-carver, John Grant, to ferret out the secrets and half-truths of the mysterious death. As John scrutinizes the events surrounding the apparent ‘accident’, his wood-carving skills catch the attention of William Anderson, a rich merchant—and his daughter Helen.
His commission to carve a figurehead combining the features of two women results in his discovering startling and interconnected chains of events that confirm his worst suspicions. Intertwined with the evolving tale of blackmail, intrigue and death, John’s relentless pursuit of the truth tests his relationship with everyone he knows and cares about as, simultaneously, he struggles to resist the pangs of unexpected love.
- GenresMystery
248 pages, Paperback
First published May 20, 2010
6 people are currently reading
50 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
July 25, 2011
What a great historical mystery! I loved it! It kept me entertained throughout the story. Many of the characters had great depth & I felt as if I knew them. The ending has an awesome little twist that I wasn't expecting.
January 31, 2012
Almost forty years a sailor, I approached Bill Kirton's novel, The Figurehead with a degree of familiarity with tall ships, shipwrights and their tools. I expected a comfortable sojourn in the shipyards of Aberdeen. It being winter, I needed a dose of salt water to flavor the read I chose for escaping the stresses of the pre-Holiday madness. What better choice of period than the pivotal years just before sail gave way to steam; oak to steel and rivets? What better place than the wharves of Aberdeen? None I could imagine.
The Figurehead served me very well, indeed. Mr. Kirton not only spun a good tale of murder with unexpected twists and nasty turns, he did so in a masterful way. His command of the language is such that he is able to create memorable wordplay on almost every page. He illustrates his character's lives and motivations with only a dash of narrative, but each word is so well chosen that none intrude to break the spell.
The remarkable sense of immersion, into the world of the Scottish shipyard and the nature of the commerce that kept the mallets swinging was complete. Each time I laid the book down it was with the smell of tar and oakum lingering. But each time I picked it up again, I effortlessly slid right back into it. His wonderful use of the cadence of the Scottish-flavored English made the ride even more enjoyable.
His characters, from John Grant, the master carver of the book's namesake, through the apprentices and associated family members, to the shipping master himself and his unusual daughter, are each brought to life in degrees. These held my attention each step of the way and revealed those qualities necessary to full understanding in a masterfully restrained manner. At no point was I overwhelmed by the author's own voice wearing through the story and intruding. I was able to carry a sense of discovery through the entire book.
The author, a highly respected playwright, is also a novelist of rare skill and vision. The story of John Grant's driven, conflicted investigation came to a satisfying conclusion, yet in the last page, the author also managed to move this reader close to tears with an artful addition of a simple, yet revealing literary reference.
The Figurehead is a surprising, satisfying book and a memorable read for anyone with an interest in ships and the sea of course, but also for anyone who might want to see how it's done, the right way.
The Figurehead served me very well, indeed. Mr. Kirton not only spun a good tale of murder with unexpected twists and nasty turns, he did so in a masterful way. His command of the language is such that he is able to create memorable wordplay on almost every page. He illustrates his character's lives and motivations with only a dash of narrative, but each word is so well chosen that none intrude to break the spell.
The remarkable sense of immersion, into the world of the Scottish shipyard and the nature of the commerce that kept the mallets swinging was complete. Each time I laid the book down it was with the smell of tar and oakum lingering. But each time I picked it up again, I effortlessly slid right back into it. His wonderful use of the cadence of the Scottish-flavored English made the ride even more enjoyable.
His characters, from John Grant, the master carver of the book's namesake, through the apprentices and associated family members, to the shipping master himself and his unusual daughter, are each brought to life in degrees. These held my attention each step of the way and revealed those qualities necessary to full understanding in a masterfully restrained manner. At no point was I overwhelmed by the author's own voice wearing through the story and intruding. I was able to carry a sense of discovery through the entire book.
The author, a highly respected playwright, is also a novelist of rare skill and vision. The story of John Grant's driven, conflicted investigation came to a satisfying conclusion, yet in the last page, the author also managed to move this reader close to tears with an artful addition of a simple, yet revealing literary reference.
The Figurehead is a surprising, satisfying book and a memorable read for anyone with an interest in ships and the sea of course, but also for anyone who might want to see how it's done, the right way.
January 16, 2012
Book Review “The Figurehead” by Bill Kirton.
Publisher: Pfoxchase Publishing.
Genre: Crime/Romance
"Aberdeen, Scotland 1840--Return to an age where sail was being challenged by steam, new continents were opening, and the world was full of opportunities for people to be as good--or as evil--as they chose. When the body of a local shipwright is found on the beach, neither the customers and suppliers he cheated nor the women he seduced are surprised. But the mystery intrigues wood-carver John Grant, who decides to seek out the murderer.
His work and his investigations bring him into contact with William Anderson, a rich merchant-and his daughter Helen.
Commissioned to create a figurehead that combines the features of two women, John eventually uncovers a shocking tale of blackmail and death as he struggles to resist the pangs of unexpected love."
This book is a marvelous intertwining of crime thriller and tender romance. Author Bill Kirton has the artist’s gentle touch, weaving a story rich in detail against a background of well-researched fact about the shipbuilding world of Scotland circa 1840.
The characters force you to care about them; you cannot read this author’s work and not want things to go well. John Grant and his lovely Helen struggle with their feelings and because this is so well written, you the reader struggle right along with them.
Bill Kirton’s plotting is meticulous, there was not one moment when I questioned the intertwining of romance and crime, it was done so cleverly, luring me into the intrigue, and fast paced delivery of a beautifully constructed crime/thriller. The romance is gentle, subtle, and satisfying to a romantic heart. Never mawkish, and not once interrupting the flow of the tapestry of words that Bill Kirton has crafted.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough. If you are looking for a book that truly entertains you, one of those that you will not hesitate to recommend to friends, do yourself a favor, grab this book. You will not regret it.
Publisher: Pfoxchase Publishing.
Genre: Crime/Romance
"Aberdeen, Scotland 1840--Return to an age where sail was being challenged by steam, new continents were opening, and the world was full of opportunities for people to be as good--or as evil--as they chose. When the body of a local shipwright is found on the beach, neither the customers and suppliers he cheated nor the women he seduced are surprised. But the mystery intrigues wood-carver John Grant, who decides to seek out the murderer.
His work and his investigations bring him into contact with William Anderson, a rich merchant-and his daughter Helen.
Commissioned to create a figurehead that combines the features of two women, John eventually uncovers a shocking tale of blackmail and death as he struggles to resist the pangs of unexpected love."
This book is a marvelous intertwining of crime thriller and tender romance. Author Bill Kirton has the artist’s gentle touch, weaving a story rich in detail against a background of well-researched fact about the shipbuilding world of Scotland circa 1840.
The characters force you to care about them; you cannot read this author’s work and not want things to go well. John Grant and his lovely Helen struggle with their feelings and because this is so well written, you the reader struggle right along with them.
Bill Kirton’s plotting is meticulous, there was not one moment when I questioned the intertwining of romance and crime, it was done so cleverly, luring me into the intrigue, and fast paced delivery of a beautifully constructed crime/thriller. The romance is gentle, subtle, and satisfying to a romantic heart. Never mawkish, and not once interrupting the flow of the tapestry of words that Bill Kirton has crafted.
I cannot recommend this book highly enough. If you are looking for a book that truly entertains you, one of those that you will not hesitate to recommend to friends, do yourself a favor, grab this book. You will not regret it.
June 3, 2011
Profound, detailed, incredibly written, "The Figurehead" is definitely a kind of book one wants to go back to again and again, despite knowing the ending.
Bill Kirton's meticulous research and masterful narrative create a setting to completely absorb the reader and place one in the midst of the events, traveling through the story along with the characters and being captivated by their thoughts, emotions and pursuits.
An absolute gem!
Bill Kirton's meticulous research and masterful narrative create a setting to completely absorb the reader and place one in the midst of the events, traveling through the story along with the characters and being captivated by their thoughts, emotions and pursuits.
An absolute gem!
September 21, 2015
Bill Kirton’s gripping novel revolves around a leisurely-paced mystery that allows readers to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of dockside life of the Aberdeen of 1840. The complex characters are skillfully drawn, and the city itself is so vividly presented that it becomes a major entity in the drama.
Violence and depravity are tempered by glimpses of devotion and budding love, and little is exactly as it seems.
Violence and depravity are tempered by glimpses of devotion and budding love, and little is exactly as it seems.
March 5, 2018
The Likeness is a sequel to the enormously popular book by this author: The Figurehead. In that book, the readers were introduced the port city of Aberdeen in the mid-19th century and to three of its citizens: the woodcarver John Grant; William Anderson, a rich merchant; and his headstrong daughter Elizabeth.
The story begins with the discovery of the battered body of a young woman in the muck near the wharves where the Aberdeen fishermen bring in their catches. The body is painfully thin and is clothed in the rich garb of someone not normally found in that area.
Grant is doubtful that the town’s constable – who is short-sighted, lacks intelligence, and has a nasty personality -- will ever discover what happened to her, and decides to take on the task of finding her killer. At the same time, he accepts a commission to create a figurehead to feature onstage in the melodramas of a newly-arrived theatre group, a commission paid for by a demanding patron.
The love that developed between John Grant and Helen Anderson in the previous book grows stronger and more evident in this one. Helen wishes to become an integral part of her father’s shipping business, an unheard-of thing in those times, and eventually her father acquiesces. This puts her in direct conflict with a merchant wishing to do business with her father -- the patron who paid Grant’s commission and an insulting character.
The story weaves in and out of Helen’s challenges in a male-dominated society, Grant’s investigations, and their love story. It proceeds at a leisurely pace, as befits the times, and is filled with historic details of the theater and actors, the city, and most especially Aberdeen’s busy port. The descriptions of waterfront and the wharves, the ships, and the workers there were compelling, and I read some of them twice for enjoyment. The author has captured the sights, the smells, the city and the societal norms in vivid detail.
Helen as a character is quite unique to her age. I wonder if such women – running businesses and rejecting the restrictions of conventional courtship and marriage, especially the idea that a woman is the property of her husband –actually existed at that time. Certainly, her role is one that will appeal to feminists of all ages. I was particularly drawn to the description of her three-day journey on one of her father’s ships, designed to carry passengers to Canada. It gave further insight into Helen’s intelligence and the plight and strength of those immigrating to North America.
John Grant is kind, thoughtful, intelligent, and certainly amenable to all of Elizabeth’s modern ideas. As a man of his time, I would have liked him to be more resistant. The only tension between them is just a misunderstanding.
The mystery of the woman’s death is far more complex than at first view, and the twists and turns of Grant’s investigation left me puzzled to the very end.
All in all, a successful meshing of historical romance and mystery, with rich detail of a bygone era, by an author who knows how to weave a good story.
The story begins with the discovery of the battered body of a young woman in the muck near the wharves where the Aberdeen fishermen bring in their catches. The body is painfully thin and is clothed in the rich garb of someone not normally found in that area.
Grant is doubtful that the town’s constable – who is short-sighted, lacks intelligence, and has a nasty personality -- will ever discover what happened to her, and decides to take on the task of finding her killer. At the same time, he accepts a commission to create a figurehead to feature onstage in the melodramas of a newly-arrived theatre group, a commission paid for by a demanding patron.
The love that developed between John Grant and Helen Anderson in the previous book grows stronger and more evident in this one. Helen wishes to become an integral part of her father’s shipping business, an unheard-of thing in those times, and eventually her father acquiesces. This puts her in direct conflict with a merchant wishing to do business with her father -- the patron who paid Grant’s commission and an insulting character.
The story weaves in and out of Helen’s challenges in a male-dominated society, Grant’s investigations, and their love story. It proceeds at a leisurely pace, as befits the times, and is filled with historic details of the theater and actors, the city, and most especially Aberdeen’s busy port. The descriptions of waterfront and the wharves, the ships, and the workers there were compelling, and I read some of them twice for enjoyment. The author has captured the sights, the smells, the city and the societal norms in vivid detail.
Helen as a character is quite unique to her age. I wonder if such women – running businesses and rejecting the restrictions of conventional courtship and marriage, especially the idea that a woman is the property of her husband –actually existed at that time. Certainly, her role is one that will appeal to feminists of all ages. I was particularly drawn to the description of her three-day journey on one of her father’s ships, designed to carry passengers to Canada. It gave further insight into Helen’s intelligence and the plight and strength of those immigrating to North America.
John Grant is kind, thoughtful, intelligent, and certainly amenable to all of Elizabeth’s modern ideas. As a man of his time, I would have liked him to be more resistant. The only tension between them is just a misunderstanding.
The mystery of the woman’s death is far more complex than at first view, and the twists and turns of Grant’s investigation left me puzzled to the very end.
All in all, a successful meshing of historical romance and mystery, with rich detail of a bygone era, by an author who knows how to weave a good story.
March 15, 2018
Poor old Bessie Rennie found herself in great trouble as a result of stealing a watch from the dead body of Jimmie Crombie, the shipwright, on the Aberdeen beach. Had she murdered him, or did he drown? The local Watch are useless, but John Grant, figurehead maker and ship carver, is determined to find the murderer even if Jimmie deserved his fate.
William Anderson, wealthy ship owner and trader had commissioned Crombie to build him a new ship, so he is concerned about completing the build, while his independently minded daughter, Helen, not a typical rich young lady of 1840, wants to help her father in his business as well as solve the murder. Inevitably, Helen and John Grant are drawn together as she models for the figurehead for her father’s ship and they begin to share their investigations.
Events slowly reveal which of Jimmie’s enemies might have wished him dead, as the author shows the comfortable gentrified life of the Anderson family contrasting with extreme poverty among the fisherman, thieves and prostitutes. While John is able to span the lives of both communities, Helen takes dangerous risks in seeking out the company of Jimmie’s widow, Jessie. The picture of 19th century Aberdeen is vivid and convincing, while John’s strong, calm personality is a good foil for the impetuous determination of Helen Anderson.
This is a story full of realistic characters, whom we grow to care for and a lifestyle full of passion and suffering. After an unpredictable twist, the mystery draws to a satisfactory, logical conclusion, but the relationship of Helen and John is still uncertain, leading us on to the following book. The well-researched background story of this busy port raises questions to be answered about the business practices of William Anderson and his provision of passages to the colonies so I look forward to reading “The Likeness.”
William Anderson, wealthy ship owner and trader had commissioned Crombie to build him a new ship, so he is concerned about completing the build, while his independently minded daughter, Helen, not a typical rich young lady of 1840, wants to help her father in his business as well as solve the murder. Inevitably, Helen and John Grant are drawn together as she models for the figurehead for her father’s ship and they begin to share their investigations.
Events slowly reveal which of Jimmie’s enemies might have wished him dead, as the author shows the comfortable gentrified life of the Anderson family contrasting with extreme poverty among the fisherman, thieves and prostitutes. While John is able to span the lives of both communities, Helen takes dangerous risks in seeking out the company of Jimmie’s widow, Jessie. The picture of 19th century Aberdeen is vivid and convincing, while John’s strong, calm personality is a good foil for the impetuous determination of Helen Anderson.
This is a story full of realistic characters, whom we grow to care for and a lifestyle full of passion and suffering. After an unpredictable twist, the mystery draws to a satisfactory, logical conclusion, but the relationship of Helen and John is still uncertain, leading us on to the following book. The well-researched background story of this busy port raises questions to be answered about the business practices of William Anderson and his provision of passages to the colonies so I look forward to reading “The Likeness.”
March 24, 2019
John Grant carves figureheads for the wooden ships being built in Aberdeen. When the shipwright on his latest boat is murdered, it's up to John to find the murderer. There's a lot of possible suspects as Jimmie Crombie was an extremely unlikeable man. Meanwhile, the ship's owner, William Anderson, wants John to carve a figurehead after Elizabeth Anderson, his wife. Elizabeth schemes with her daughter Helen for John to model Helen instead. Helen is also interested in the murder, an unusual position for a woman in that time period.
I enjoyed this book very much. It is well-written and true to the period and setting. I learned a lot about wooden shipbuilding and the age of sail. All the characters are interesting. They come from all walks of life but display the resilience and hard work as well as poverty and crime. I especially liked the part about the young apprentice who decides to emigrate to America. This book is a true slice of life in the early part of the nineteenth century.
I highly recommend The Figurehead.
I enjoyed this book very much. It is well-written and true to the period and setting. I learned a lot about wooden shipbuilding and the age of sail. All the characters are interesting. They come from all walks of life but display the resilience and hard work as well as poverty and crime. I especially liked the part about the young apprentice who decides to emigrate to America. This book is a true slice of life in the early part of the nineteenth century.
I highly recommend The Figurehead.
November 30, 2025
Intrigue and Heart on the High Seas
I was completely drawn into the bustling streets and harbors of Aberdeen. The mix of greed, mystery, and human ambition made every scene pulse with tension. John Grant is a quietly compelling hero, his sharp mind and artistry make him the perfect detective in a world where danger lurks behind every corner. I felt the suspense tighten as secrets unfolded, and the subtle romance added real heart to the story. This is a book that keeps you thinking about morality, love, and the lengths people go to protect or betray—one another.
I was completely drawn into the bustling streets and harbors of Aberdeen. The mix of greed, mystery, and human ambition made every scene pulse with tension. John Grant is a quietly compelling hero, his sharp mind and artistry make him the perfect detective in a world where danger lurks behind every corner. I felt the suspense tighten as secrets unfolded, and the subtle romance added real heart to the story. This is a book that keeps you thinking about morality, love, and the lengths people go to protect or betray—one another.
October 9, 2018
The Figurehead by Bill Kirton has received a Chill with a Book Readers' Award.
www.chillwithabook.com
"A well written mystery story that transports you to the streets of Aberdeen in the 1840’s."
Pauline Barclay - Founder of Chill with a Book Awards
www.chillwithabook.com
"A well written mystery story that transports you to the streets of Aberdeen in the 1840’s."
Pauline Barclay - Founder of Chill with a Book Awards
January 14, 2019
This book has received a Discovering Diamonds Review:
Helen Hollick
founder #DDRevs
"The technical side of things, how to build a watertight wooden ship, how to make rope and the almost sensual way to carve a figurehead, the most important part of a sailing vessel, is spot on"
Helen Hollick
founder #DDRevs
"The technical side of things, how to build a watertight wooden ship, how to make rope and the almost sensual way to carve a figurehead, the most important part of a sailing vessel, is spot on"
April 11, 2019
We are proud to announce that THE FIGUREHEAD by Bill Kirton is a B.R.A.G.Medallion Honoree. This tells readers that this book is well worth their time and money!
July 19, 2013
The Figurehead is a beautifully written murder mystery set in Aberdeen, Scotland in the mid-1800's. The author’s knowledge of ships and shipping definitely shows throughout the story. What I enjoyed most was that he took an obscure occupation – a person who carves figureheads on ships – and created an entire tale around him. The characterization was splendid, with each character, minor or major, never perfect, always leaving a shred of doubt in my mind as to their true motivations. And you’ll never guess the ending…This is story telling at its finest, written so vividly you can see the details.
February 15, 2016
338pgs, Historical Romantic Suspense, Scotland 1840, the body of a local shipwright is found on the beach, neither the customers and suppliers he cheated nor the women he molested are surprised. A wood carver takes interest in solving the mystery. He, uncovers a sordid tale of blackmail and death as, he struggles to resist the pangs of unexpected love.
February 12, 2013
Extraordinary historical fiction as well as a crime drama. Intensely romantic also. A great read on many levels.
August 6, 2025
Awesome Indies Book Awards is pleased to include THE FIGUREHEAD by BILL KIRTON in the library of Awesome Indies'
Seal of Excellence
recipients.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews