After the bloody Battle of Jelling, Denmark’s throne lies empty and chaos reigns as Jarls jostle for power.
Sven survives the bloodshed only to return home to find Ribe sacked by those he trusted and Charles, a pawn in a much bigger political game, kidnapped.
Consumed by the loss of Charles, Sven is shocked by the arrival of the Abbess Hildegard, daughter of his nemesis King Louis of East Francia, who seeks the whereabouts of Charles, her son, and also the cross of Charlemagne.
But whilst others want revenge for the chaos Sven has caused, Denmark burns and Sven must stand in the shield wall one more time if he is to survive and rescue his grandson.
Outnumbered and outmaneuvered, Sven and Charles must put their fate in the hands of the gods if they ever want to see each other again.
Thor’s Revenge is the third book in the Charlemagne’s Cross series by Donovan Cook. I have read the previous two books.
Thor’s Revenge begins immediately after the previous book’s events, with Sven the Boar recovering from the events of the great battle. At the same time, conspiracy and secrets continue to swirl around him and his grandson, Charles.
In book 3, we learn more answers to the secrets and also meet a few new characters who have previously been alluded to but not ‘seen’ on stage, as it were.
The many threads take a while to get into, but when I did, I flew through the story, really enjoying how well they connect. I also greatly enjoy the ‘light’ touch adopted for the competing religions of paganism and Christianity. Questions are asked by those of both faiths, especially Sven and Charles, who can perhaps see that not everything is as black and white as might be believed. The conniving members of the royal family in East and West Frankia add a layer of ‘sophisticated’ conspiracy above that of the more ‘immediate’ concerns of Sven and Charles.
There are also several battles and fights, and I’m looking forward to Book 4, where I hope we may find some resolution for Sven and Charles.
It is a fine addition to the series that develops depth as the story progresses and has an ending, making me desperate to read more. So, get on with it Donovan:)
Fans of the genre will delight in the continuing tale of Sven the Boar and Charles.
Donovan Cook is the author of the well-received Ormstunga Saga series and the Charlemagne’s Cross series, both of which combine fast-paced narrative with meticulously researched history of the Viking world and are inspired by his interest in Norse Mythology. Donovan was born in South Africa but raised in England.
I’m delighted to welcome David Fitz-Gerald and his new book, Lighten the Load, Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail (book 2), to the blog, with a series trailer.
Lighten the Load, Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail Series Trailer
Here’s the blurb
After a devastating tragedy, Dorcas Moon faces brutal choices in the unforgiving wilderness.
An unsolved hometown murder casts a foreboding shadow over the journey. Mounting responsibilities weigh heavy on Dorcas’ shoulders while navigating the trail along the Platte River. Family, friends, and neighbors can’t seem to get along without her help.
The gruesome trail exacts a heavy toll. A sweeping grass fire blazes across the prairie. A doomed wagon careens down a treacherous hill. A fellow traveler is gored to death while hunting buffalo. Each disaster pushes the pioneers to the brink. Amidst the chaos, Dorcas grapples with the realization that she must dump her precious cook stove and her husband’s massive safe. The oxen can no longer haul the heavy weight of unnecessary cargo.
When her daughter mysteriously disappears while the wagons are at Fort Laramie, Dorcas Despairs. She is desperate to help her daughter when the troubled youth is found in the arms of a Brulé man in Spotted Tail’s village.
Secure your copy of Lighten the Load and delve into an unforgettable saga of empowerment, sacrifice, and the haunting echoes of the American frontier. Rejoin Dorcas Moon on the adventure of a lifetime as she confronts the challenges that shape her destiny.
This title is available to read on #KindleUnlimited
Meet the Author
David Fitz-Gerald writes westerns and historical fiction. He is the author of twelve books, including the brand-new series, Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail set in 1850. Dave is a multiple Laramie Award, first place, best in category winner; a Blue Ribbon Chanticleerian; a member of Western Writers of America; and a member of the Historical Novel Society.
Alpine landscapes and flashy horses always catch Dave’s eye and turn his head. He is also an Adirondack 46-er, which means that he has hiked to the summit of the range’s highest peaks. As a mountaineer, he’s happiest at an elevation of over four thousand feet above sea level.
Dave is a lifelong fan of western fiction, landscapes, movies, and music. It should be no surprise that Dave delights in placing memorable characters on treacherous trails, mountain tops, and on the backs of wild horses.
The thrilling new historical adventure from New York Times bestselling author Boyd Morrison and expert medievalist Beth Morrison. Fox and Willa find themselves on a dangerous quest for the treasure of the Templar Knights.
A Perilous Quest. A Deadly Legacy.
Italy, 1351. English companions, knight Gerard Fox and the resourceful Willa, have come through a death-defying journey across war-torn Europe. Now looking towards a future together, they must first find a way to reconcile with their difficult pasts.
In a small village between Florence and Siena, Fox and Willa are caught up in a deadly ambush. After rescuing Luciana, the target of the attack, they take refuge in her opulent villa and learn her heartbreaking story – a tale of loss, deception, and a burning desire for freedom.
Soon, Fox and Willa are involved in a perilous quest to save Luciana’s family legacy. To do so, they will have to solve a mystery that points the way to the fabled lost treasure of the Knights Templar.
‘Complete with mysteries, secrets, and adventure, rich in detail, delivering exactly what a reader craves. This writing duo knows all the right chords to touch.’ Steve Berry, #1 New York Times bestselling author ‘A mesmerizing sequel to the hugely entertaining The Lawless Land…. There is action galore. What a ride!’ Elizabeth George, #1 New York Times bestselling author ‘Any lover of historical mysteries or great tales of adventure will find much delight in this novel!’ James Rollins, #1 New York Times bestselling author ‘A triumphant follow-up to The Lawless Land, with a puzzle that will dazzle fans of The Da Vinci Code. There’s so much breathtaking excitement that the book should come with an oxygen tank.’ Lee Goldberg, #1 New York Times bestselling author
The Last True Templar is a thrilling journey through fourteenth-century Italy, taking our two heroes to Siena, Florence and Venice (and somewhere else, but spoilers) as they attempt to assist Luciana in her bid to finally solve the mystery of her father’s last letter, sent to her over forty years ago, and which it’s believed, will lead to the lost Templar treasure.
And they’re not alone, for as with all good thrillers, there is another side to this story, and someone else wants to get their hands on the Templar treasure just as much as they do: Luciana’s ruthless husband.
This is an Italy in recovery following the devastation of the Black Death, where few, it seems, have been left unscathed. Ironically, two Englishmen, Gerard and Armstrong, are most involved in the hustle and bustle of the quest, with the aid of some quick-witted and intelligent women.
This story is well-grounded in the historical architecture of the time, as our characters race to solve clues, riding from city to city, some loyal to Luciana’s husband and some to Luciana, all needing to look at or visit various important buildings – many of the well-known ones still being built, or heavily renovated. There is intrigue aplenty. Those characters trying to stop Gerard, Willa, and Luciana are ruthless and ambitious, and all this while Gerard and Willa are trying to determine their future.
This is book 2 in the series – I haven’t read book 1 – I don’t necessarily think you need to read the first book to enjoy this one, as we’re given snippets of what’s happened before, but this is very much an isolated ‘quest’. And I did enjoy it. The Last True Templar is very much in the mould of a Dan Brown thriller, only set in the distant past, with an eye to what the cityscapes would have looked like in 1351, and with three feisty women to ensure the narrative never gets bogged down in more purely violent bouts between our two sides.
A rollercoaster of a journey, it’s sure to appeal to fans of historical fiction, historical mysteries and old-fashioned action and adventure stories- (as well as to fans of The Curse of Oak Island:))
Meet the authors
Boyd Morrison is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of twelve thrillers, including six with Clive Cussler. His first novel, The Ark, was an Indie Next Notable pick and was translated into over a dozen languages. He has a PhD in industrial engineering from Virginia Tech. Follow Boyd on: @BoydMorrison IG: @BoydMorrisonWriter http://www.facebook.com/BoydMorrisonWriter
Beth Morrison is Senior Curator of Manuscripts at the J. Paul Getty Museum. She has curated major exhibitions including ‘Imagining the Past in France, 1250-1500’, and ‘Book of Beasts: The Bestiary in the Medieval World’. She has a PhD in the History of Art from Cornell University. Follow Beth on: @BethMorrisonPhd IG: @BethMorrisonWriter http://www.facebook.com/BethMorrisonWriter
A body in a hospital isn’t so unusual. Unless they’ve been murdered!
1916, London: Keen to support the war effort, bookshop manager and sometime amateur sleuth Hannah Merrill has taken a volunteer role in the library of the nearby military hospital. But arriving at the hospital one cold winter’s morning, she is horrified to find the body of a dead soldier in the library.
What’s more, a beautiful young nurse confides in Hannah that she thinks she’s being followed, and then she abruptly disappears. Hannah can’t shake the suspicion that the two cases are connected, but she can’t solve the case alone. She’ll once again need to call upon her delightful, demanding, only-occasionally devious aunt, Violet. The two women know they must find the missing nurse before it’s too late… but they don’t realise they’re now both in the killer’s sights.
Murder in the Library is the second book in the Miss Merill and Aunt Violent cosy crime mystery series. I have read the first book.
Events begin quickly in this one when Hannah finds a body in the hospital library where she volunteers. Although she doesn’t intend to, Hannah quickly finds herself embroiled in the investigation to uncover who killed the dead man and why. Along the way, she finds herself involved in a few tricky situations as the toll of World War I begins to be felt in Britain.
All the familiar characters from Book 1 reappear, and I’m enjoying the relationships that are developing between Aunt Violet and Hannah.
The mystery is intriguing, although it seems to be resolved fairly quickly. Although, fear not, for there is more at play and more to uncover.
It’s a really enjoyable historical mystery. Hannah is a fun character, as is her aunt, and I’m enjoying reading about the two women flouting the social constraints of the era.
It’s sure to appeal to fans of a good historical who dun it.
Anita Davison is the author of the successful Flora Maguire historical mystery series. Previously published by Aria, she is writing a new cosy mystery series for Boldwood, the first title of which, Murder in the Bookshop, will be published in August 2023.
Japan’s decision to attack Pearl Harbor has gone down in history as a short-term victory with catastrophic long-term consequences.
The Japanese leadership, already bogged down in an unwinnable war in China, were aware that they were hopelessly out matched by the industrial might of the United States. However, they believed there was no other option.
Japan had no natural resources, a growing population to feed and was encircled by Russia, Britain, France, the Netherlands and the United States; who were all furthering their interests in the Far East. Japan felt it needed to expand and increase its power base to avoid being swallowed by the Western powers and to develop as a great power in their own right.
This led to their invasion of China in the 1930s and the annexing of French Indochina in 1941. In response the United States imposed stiff economic sanctions that cut Japan’s supply of oil and raw materials. This left the Imperial Navy with only enough oil for a year. The Japanese government and military therefore saw a war with America as inevitable and an act of national self-defence that had been imposed upon them.
Imperial Japanese Navy, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Takeo Yoshikawa in his memoir Japan’s Spy at Pearl Harbor stated that, ‘in the final analysis, the U.S. was the underlying cause of this war… The war finally broke out because you (Americans) did not understand Japan.’
The decision to go to war therefore originated from what was seen as two choices, to either face the humiliation of curtailing their imperial ambitions and exist as a client state of America, dependent on their iron-ore and oil. Either to become a third-class nation as Prime Minister Tōjō put it or to come out fighting.
Richard Overy argues in Blood and Ruins, The Great Imperial War 1931-1945, ‘The decision was taken with a fatalistic acceptance that fighting was preferable to humiliation and dishonour.’
Japan was already a highly militarised society and at a war footing, where as they viewed America as unprepared and unwilling to fight because of its culture of isolationism.
U.S. Navy, Office of Public Relations, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Nonetheless it was clear that war could not be waged on conventional lines. Japan would need to knock the United States out in one decisive engagement, destroying the morale of America and making it impossible for them to conduct war in the Pacific by forcing a stalemate. This, along with the growing pressure for America to fight the Germans on a second front in Europe, would be too much even for a power such as America and they would quickly make peace. That, at least was the strategic thinking behind the attack on Pearl Harbor and much of Japan’s long-term military thinking.
It was a terrible risk, but it presented a great opportunity. If Japan could destroy the American fleet at Pearl Harbor, the raw materials of Southeast Asia was there for the taking.
Such a complex operation would need careful planning and precise information about the disposition and defences of the US Fleet. That in itself risked exposing the whole plan. This is a major plotline of my novel Rising Tide, as seen through the eyes of Takeo Yoshikawa.
Here’s the blurb
November 1940.
Lieutenant Daniel Nichols, a former pacifist turned crusader, is wounded taking part in the Royal Navy’s carrier born air raid on the Italian Battle Fleet in Taranto.
Six months later Sándor Braun, a British double agent, escorts a Japanese delegation around Taranto and discovers that they are planning a similar attack. But what will the target be?
Nichols, now unable to fly, joins the Naval Intelligence Division, despite growing rumours that his nerve has gone. He debriefs Braun in London and sees the implications of his discovery. Britain cannot afford to suffer further setbacks in the far East.
Nichols convinces his superior officer, Ian Fleming, to allow him to travel to Lisbon in a bid to identify the target before it’s too late. The former airman uses the rumours about his lack of moral fibre as cover and poses as a deserter, with information to sell about the Taranto raid.
Braun helps Nichols to gain the confidence of German and Japanese Intelligence officers – and he is recruited to fly to Hawaii and spy on the US Navy.
Convinced that the Japanese plan to attack Pearl Harbour, Nichols travels to America to inform the FBI, but his warnings fall on deaf ears.
Nichols takes matters into his own hands and ventures to Hawaii, with the intention of preventing a catastrophe.
But will the Englishman’s intervention prove too little, too late?
Writing historical fiction combines the first great love of Alan Bardos’ life, making up stories, with the second, researching historical events and characters. He currently lives in Oxfordshire with his wife… the other great love of his life.
There is still a great deal of mystery and debate surrounding many of the events of the First World War, which he explores in his Johnny Swift historical fiction series. The series starts with the pivotal event of the twentieth century, the Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The second book ‘The Dardanelles Conspiracy’ is based on an attempt by Naval Intelligence to bribe Turkey out of the First World War. In the third book ‘Enemies and Allies’ Johnny is employed as a useful idiot to flush out a traitor working to undermine the Allies.
His new World War 2 series follows Daniel Nichols, a former pacifist turned crusader, as he moves from the Fleet Air Arm to Intelligence and Special Operations. The first book ‘Rising Tide’ is set against the backdrop of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor; as Nichols is embroiled in a conspiracy to keep the USA bogged down in the Pacific and out of the war in Europe.
As Valentine’s Day rolls around, Martha Miller finds herself unusually melancholy at the state of her own love life. With husband Stan still missing and with her growing feelings for Vicar Luke still shrouded in secrecy, there’s only one place Martha can go – famous local beauty spot, Lovers’ Leap.
Legend has it that those with a broken heart throw themselves off the bridge that spans the river, but Martha is certainly not about to do such a thing! But it looks like someone else has had other ideas…. Because there in the river, Martha finds a body. But is this misadventure, a moment of lovesick madness, or is foul play afoot? Martha knows one thing…the villagers of Westleham have another crime to solve! Let the investigation commence! Find out if Martha and Luke can catch the killer in a brand new Martha Miller mystery from bestselling author Catherine Coles.
My Review
Death at Lovers’ Leap is a welcome return to the village of Westleham and Martha Miller (and her trusty dog). An innocent walk quickly turns to tragedy for Martha, as she ends up, not only coated in mud from head to toe, but discovering the body of one of the local young men.
As ever, Martha is determined to discover the culprit, and with the aid of the vicar, Luke, and her two trusty nosy neighbours, she begins to do just that, uncovering a web of deceit which extends even to the grave.
Death at Lover’s Leap is another really well thought out cosy mystery, where a cup of tea is never far from the lips of our characters, and where the privations of post-war Britain are kept firmly in mind.
A delightful mystery. I’ve been reading Catherine Coles books for a good few years now. Martha is a great creation, and this is another really good addition to the series. Fans of cosy crime will really enjoy the mystery.
Catherine Coles writes bestselling cosy mysteries set in the English countryside. Her extremely popular Tommy & Evelyn Christie series is based in North Yorkshire in the 1920’s and Catherine herself lives in Hull with her family and two spoiled dogs.
Helen Bygrove, manageress of the Beach Hotel since her bullying husband was conscripted, is called to the foyer on the arrival of Detective Inspector Toshack. There’s recently been some libellous letters sent, and accusations have been flying around as to who’s been sending them.
In the foyer, Helen was alarmed to see that Sergeant Gardener was with him. Standing behind him were WPC Amanda Lovelock, who used to be her bookkeeper, and Constable Twort, who’d retired originally a few years before the war. A feeling of dread crept up her body and she had a bitter taste in her mouth. Surely they hadn’t concluded that someone from the hotel had written the letters. Could it be one of the new chambermaids, as Edie had suggested? Did Miss Harvey know something, and that’s why she’d turned up at the carol concert?
‘Inspector,’ she greeted him. ‘How may I help you today?’
The inspector opened his mouth to respond but was cut short by both front doors being pushed open. Lady Blackmore was fussing as she entered, along with around a dozen people Helen recognised from the businesses in Beach Town. Cecelia was nowhere in sight. The looks on their faces suggested they weren’t here for pleasure.
Lady Blackmore opened with, ‘Well, that decides it. The hotel crest was on my latest letter. Now try and tell me the letters did not originate from this hotel.’
‘And on mine!’ cried Norah Johnson, who as Norah Daniels had once been a chambermaid at the hotel. Before the dairy farmer’s son had made her pregnant and they’d had to marry. ‘Just because I used to work ’ere and had to marry my Jim, don’t give you no permission to send me letters calling me names like trollop.’
‘That’s what I was about to tell you,’ Toshack told Helen. ‘More letters have been received, but this time on hotel notepaper.’
‘And what have I ever done to you?’ said Mrs Riddles, the postmistress from Norfolk Road. ‘Calling me a stinking cow of a liar, just because I took my last letter to the police station.’ She pointed towards Helen.
‘I’ve never done any such thing,’ said Helen, feeling a weight in her chest. ‘And why on earth would I send anonymous letters on hotel paper.’
‘But they’re not anonymous,’ said the landlord of the New Inn, also on Norfolk Road. ‘They’re signed H.B. That’s you innit?’
‘That’s even less likely then,’ said Edie, coming forward.
‘No, it’s to double bluff people, Miss Harvey here reckons,’ said Norah Johnson. ‘And it makes sense. It’d be the best defence in a courtroom.’
‘That’s enough of that now,’ said Inspector Toshack. ‘If you’d all kindly leave me to carry out my job – ’
‘We want to make sure you do carry out your job,’ said Miss Harvey. ‘Not like last time.’
‘I used to think you were a decent sort,’ said Norah, ‘when I worked for you. Thought it was ya ’usband what was the silly bugger. I guess now ’e’s gone away you’ve taken over his meanness too.’
‘That’s enough of that, young woman,’ Sergeant Gardner warned.
‘And this accusation about her ladyship,’ said the landlord. ‘What proof have you got that her companion is her daughter.’
‘We don’t need to mention the details,’ Lady Blackmore whimpered, her hands covering her cheeks.
‘Mine had that ridiculous claim too,’ said Mrs Riddles. ‘I can quote it exactly, I can. ‘Lady Millicent Blackmore can’t keep her vile secret any more, it said. We can all see the likeness between her and Cecelia, and we know that she’s really her bastard child, born out of wedlock.’
Lady Blackmore let out a strangled cry of anguish. ‘Of course that’s not true! I am only ten years older than Cecelia. How could she be my daughter? Whoever heard of anything so absurd?’
‘I agree,’ said Helen. ‘And I would never say such a thing.’
‘Not to our faces,’ said Norah. ‘Makes me wonder what you said be’ind our backs when I was working ’ere.’
‘I’m warning you,’ said the sergeant.
‘What, only me?’ said Norah. ‘What, ’cause I’m the trollop ’ere, eh?
It seemed to Helen that the scene before her was diminishing, and the sound fading. She had an acid taste at the back of her throat. Was she still in bed, dreaming?
The gathering mob started to talk over each other, provoking both Sergeant Gardner and Inspector Toshack to censure them. The sergeant went with, ‘Quiet now!’ while the inspector went with the more polite, ‘Would you all calm down now.’
The double instruction had the desired effect and the incensed chatter ceased immediately.
‘Now, unless you want to be arrested for disturbance of the peace, I suggest you all vacate the hotel,’ said the inspector, stretching up to his full height. ‘And if I receive any reports that you’ve returned to cause trouble, I will spare no time in sending one of my officers to your abodes. Is that clear?’
There were several mumbles of assent, before each of them turned to exit. Lady Blackmore charged out of the door first, almost knocking Norah Johnson over. The rest followed on, subdued, apart from Miss Harvey. She stood, defiant, for several seconds, glaring at Helen. She was the last of them to leave.
Helen was grateful that nobody had emerged from either dining room during this scene, though she had no doubt that the throng that had gathered today would soon pass around news of the latest letters.
‘Mrs Bygrove,’ said Toshack. ‘Mrs Bygrove?’
‘Hm?’ She came to. ‘Sorry, what did you say?’
‘I said, could we go somewhere more private.’
‘Of… of course. Edie, I’m leaving you in charge.’
‘Yes, madam.’
Helen took a deep breath, determined to pull herself together. But she was badly shaken. ‘Come this way.’ She led the four police officers to the staff area, stopping in the corridor. ‘We’ll go to my office.’
‘No, this will suffice,’ said the inspector. ‘WPC Lovelock, you know the building. Show Sergeant Gardner the way.’
‘Yes sir,’ she said with little enthusiasm. She opened the door to the stairs, that led to the staff living quarters.
‘What are they doing?’ said Helen.
‘Carrying out a search.’
Here’s the blurb
Can Helen save the hotel… and her reputation?
Helen Bygrove is managing the hotel, now that her husband has been conscripted. Against all expectations, Helen and her team are doing marvellously, despite the shortages brought by war. Even the exacting Lady Blackmore agrees. But then the calm is shattered when poison pen letters are sent to prominent townsfolk and Helen finds herself the target of a police investigation. Is someone trying to ruin Helen, and the Beach Hotel? And can she rely on the handsome but taciturn Inspector Toshack to help her? When her husband, Douglas, is invalided out of the war he is determined to take back control of the hotel and things go from bad to worse.
How can she ever escape his bullying? Is she a fool to hope that she may have a second chance at love?
Francesca has enjoyed writing since she was a child, largely influenced by a Welsh mother who was good at improvised story telling.
Writing under both her maiden name, Francesca Capaldi, and her married name, Francesca Burgess, she is the author of historical novels, short stories and several pocket novels. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association and the Society of Women Writers and Journalists.
The first novel in the Wartime in the Valleys series, Heartbreak in the Valleys, was shortlisted for the Romantic Novelists’ Association Historical Award 2021. Both the Valleys series and the Beach Hotel series are published by Hera Books.
Francesca was born and brought up on the Sussex coast, but currently lives in Kent with her family and a cat called Lando Calrission.
Happy book birthday to the wonderful Son of Mercia, the first book telling the story of young Icel in early ninth-century Mercia (fans of The Last King will have met Icel before, but it’s not necessary to have read the later series to enjoy Son of Mercia).
The series is now a massive six books long, and I’m busy working on book 7, which doesn’t have a title just yet (or does it?)
I thought today would be a great day to shine a light on all six books featuring young Icel. He’s endured a lot. He’s grown into a young man, but it’s good to remember how we first met Icel – scared, hungry and desperate to evade Lady Cynehild. How times have changed for him.
I love writing the stories of young Icel. He’s a fabulous character, and indeed, the more I write him, the better he becomes. And those with ‘eagle’ eyes (did you see what I did there), will have started to notice more and more Icel appearing in the later, The Last King books.
Tamworth, Mercia AD825.
The once-mighty kingdom of Mercia is in perilous danger.
Their King, Beornwulf lies dead and years of bitter in-fighting between the nobles, and cross border wars have left Mercia exposed to her enemies.
King Ecgberht of Wessex senses now is the time for his warriors to strike and exact his long-awaited bloody revenge on Mercia.
King Wiglaf, has claimed his right to rule Mercia, but can he unite a disparate Kingdom against the might of Wessex who are braying for blood and land?
Can King Wiglaf keep the dragons at bay or is Mercia doomed to disappear beneath the wings of the Wessex wyvern?
Icel is becoming a warrior of Mercia, but King Ecgberht of Wessex still holds the Mercian settlement of Londonia and its valuable mint.
King Wiglaf of Mercia is determined that the last bulwark be reclaimed from his sworn enemy to complete his rehabilitation as Mercia’s rightful ruler.
In the heart of the shield wall, Icel suddenly finds himself on the wrong side of the battle and thrust into the retreating enemy stronghold where he must take on the pretence of a Wessex warrior to survive and exact a cunning plan to bring down the Wessex force cowering behind the ancient walls.
His allegiances are tested and the temptation to make new allies is overwhelming but Icel must succeed if he’s ever to see Tamworth again and bring about King Wiglaf’s victory, or will he be forced to join the enemy?
Oath sworn to Wiglaf, King of Mercia and acknowledged as a member of Ealdorman Ælfstan’s warrior band, Icel continues to forge his own destiny on the path to becoming the Warrior of Mercia.
With King Ecgberht of Wessex defeated and Londonium back under Mercian control, the Wessex invasion of Mercia is over.
But the Wessex king was never Mercia’s only enemy. An unknown danger lurks in the form of merciless Viking raiders, who set their sights on infiltrating the waterways of the traitorous breakaway kingdom of the East Angles, within touching distance of Mercia’s eastern borders.
Icel must journey to the kingdom of the East Angles and unite against a common enemy to ensure Mercia’s hard-won freedom prevails.
A mercy mission in the heart of Wessex is beset with deadly, bloody dangers.
Tamworth AD831
Icel’s profile continues to rise. Lord of Budworth and warrior of Mercia, he’s acknowledged by King Wiglaf and his comrades to keep Mercia safe from the ravages of Wessex, the king-slayer of the East Angles, and the Viking raiders. But, danger looms. Alongside Spring’s arrival comes the almost certain threat of the Viking raiders return.
When Lord Coenwulf of Kingsholm is apprehended by a Viking and held captive on the Isle of Sheppey in Wessex held Kent, Icel is implored by Lady Cynehild to rescue her husband.
To rescue Lord Coenwulf, Icel and his fellow warriors must risk themselves twice over, for not only must they overpower the Viking raiders, they must also counter the threat of Mercia’s ancient enemy, the kingdom of Wessex as they travel through their lands.
Far from home and threatened on all sides, have Icel and his fellow warriors sworn to carry out an impossible duty
A deathbed oath leaves the lives of two infants hanging in the balance… Tamworth AD833
After successfully rescuing her husband Lord Coenwulf from the Isle of Sheppey, Icel hears the deathbed confession of Lady Cynehild which leaves him questioning what he knows about his past, as well as his future.
In the unenviable position of being oath sworn to protect their two atheling sons when Lord Coenwulf is banished for his treason against the Mercian ruler, King Wiglaf, Icel is once more torn between his oaths and the life changing secret he now knows.
When the two children are kidnapped, Icel, good to his word, and fearing for their safety, pursues their abductors into the dangerous Northern lands.
He fears whose powerful and deadly royal gamesmanship is behind the audacious attempt on their young and innocent lives.
Alone in the Northern lands, Icel finds himself facing his worse fears.
Can he rescue the children from their captor, or will he fail and lose his own life in the process?
A King’s command. A warrior’s quest for the truth… Tamworth AD835
Following Icel’s epic rescue of Lord Coenwulf’s children from their almost certain death, King Wiglaf is forced to call upon Icel’s loyal services once more.
Furious that the conspirators behind the audacious move to snatch the children have yet to face justice, he despatches Icel to hunt down the enemy of Mercia and discover who seeks to conspire against the throne.
The dangerous mission will take Icel into the heartland of enemy-held Wessex to Winchester and onto Canterbury. As the web of lies and deceit grows, Icel must battle to discover the truth whilst keeping himself and his allies safe.
But those who conspire against the King have much to lose and will stop at nothing to prevent Icel discovering the truth. Once more, Icel’s life is endangered as he tries to protect Mercia from her enemies who threaten Mercia’s kingly line.
Set in the troubled years at the end of the Mercian supremacy, with the advent of the true First Viking Age just around the corner, The Eagle of Mercia Chronicles allow me to explore the kingdoms of Saxon England at the time, while ensuring my focus remains on Mercia, the kingdom in the’Midlands’ of England, with which I’m quite obsessed.
And choosing to write about a very strong character from my The Last King series, also allows me to play with my readers expectations. Icel is a fabulous creation, and one I’m incredibly proud of and pleased that my readers love so much.
Yes, these are bloody and brutal tales, but at the heart of them is a ‘coming of age’ story as young Icel learns about himself, as well as the truth of his heritage and birth.
If you’ve not yet tried The Eagle of Mercia Chronicles, then now is the perfect opportunity. Enjoy.
I’m delighted to welcome David Fitz-Gerald, and his new book, A Grave Every Mile, with an excerpt.
Excerpt from Chapter 3
First day on the trail, April 15, 1850
Our three teams of oxen, led by Hardtack and Scrapple, stand ready to do their job. It takes a while before it’s our turn to begin pulling, with fifteen wagons ahead of us. When the wheels of the wagon before us begin to turn, Larkin cracks the bullwhip and shouts, “Hi-yah!” He snaps the whip again, and the poor beasts lumber forward.
The broody hen squawks in her box. Straps hold the cage in place on a shelf on the wagon’s exterior. Ridge, the devil-eyed goat, blats in protest as the rope that ties her to the back left corner of the wagon drags her along. I can’t see Blizzard, tied to the other corner of the wagon. The children and I begin on foot, following closely behind Larkin.
I hate it when people are cruel to animals. I should hold my tongue, but I cannot. “Must you snap that whip so sharply? It’s barbaric. We should thank the oxen, not whip them.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Dorcas. I’m not whipping them. I’m whipping the air above them. You know that. We can’t get to Oregon if the oxen don’t move. Don’t carry on like a child.”
Of course, he’s right. Somehow, dressing a deer doesn’t phase me. I can snap a chicken’s neck and pluck its feathers, but the idea of hurting beasts of burden saddens me. “Couldn’t you just tap them lightly on the rump rather than scare the poor creatures?”
“Look, see, we’re already falling behind. We need to drive the oxen faster if we want to get to Oregon before winter.”
“But…”
“That’s enough, Dorcas. Don’t pester me anymore.”
My molars tighten against each other. I know a woman shouldn’t bicker, argue, or nag. Usually, Larkin doesn’t complain about having a garrulous wife. Still, it rankles when he tells me not to pester him.
After walking alongside for half an hour, Dahlia Jane says she is tired. One mile down, one thousand, nine-hundred and ninety-nine miles to go. I lift the child into the wagon. Fortunately, she is content to play quietly by herself.
I walk for a while beside Blizzard. He always seems to listen and understand me when I share my troubles, worries, and complaints. His coat is sleek beneath the palm of my hand. I can never resist stroking his neck. “We’ll take a ride together soon. I promise.”
Dahlia Jane hasn’t moved from her nest in the back of the wagon, so I return to walk with the other children. I’m surprised to find Christopher where Larkin was. Larkin is missing. I glance about and don’t see him anywhere. Andrew smiles and says, “Nature calls.” Rose slaps her forehead and looks at her hand to see if she squashed a bug. Christopher seems to have mastered snapping the bullwhip above the oxen, and it makes me cringe even more than when Larkin does it.
After half an hour, Larkin tells Rose it’s her turn. She had been complaining about boredom and appears to have come alive as Larkin calls out her name. “Alright, Rose. Here is the whip. Hold it high and flick it hard with your wrist so that it snaps in the air above the kine.”
Rose asks, “What if I accidentally hit them with it?”
Larkin answers, “Don’t worry. It will not hurt them. They have thick skin and dull nerves.”
I can’t help but say, “Larkin, how do you know how they feel? Please don’t beat our animals.”
Larkin replies, “We’ll try, but the children must learn how to drive them. If you can’t bear to watch, may I suggest you visit our neighbors?”
“Very well, then.” It doesn’t make it any better knowing they whip the beasts while I’m gone, but I pluck Dahlia Jane from her burrow and wander back to the next wagon.
Here’s the blurb
Embark on a harrowing trek across the rugged American frontier in 1850. Your wagon awaits, and the untamed wilderness calls. This epic western adventure will test the mettle of even the bravest souls.
Dorcas Moon and her family set forth in search of opportunity and a brighter future. Yet, what awaits them is a relentless gauntlet of life-threatening challenges: miserable weather, ravenous insects, scorching sunburns, and unforgiving terrain. It’s not merely a battle for survival but a test of their unity and sanity.
Amidst the chaos, Dorcas faces ceaseless trials: her husband’s unending bickering, her daughter’s descent into madness, and the ever-present danger of lethal rattlesnakes, intensifying the peril with each step. The specter of death looms large, with diseases spreading and the eerie howls of rabid wolves piercing the night. Will the haunting image of wolves desecrating a grave push Dorcas over the edge?
With each mile, the migration poses a haunting question: Who will endure the relentless quest to cross the continent, and who will leave their bones to rest beside the trail? The pathway is bordered by graves, a chilling reminder of the steep cost of dreams.
A Grave Every Mile marks the commencement of an unforgettable saga. Start reading Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail now to immerse yourself in an expedition where every decision carries the weight of life, death, and the pursuit of a brighter future along the Oregon Trail.
David Fitz-Gerald writes westerns and historical fiction. He is the author of twelve books, including the brand-new series, Ghosts Along the Oregon Trail set in 1850. Dave is a multiple Laramie Award, first place, best in category winner; a Blue Ribbon Chanticleerian; a member of Western Writers of America; and a member of the Historical Novel Society.
Alpine landscapes and flashy horses always catch Dave’s eye and turn his head. He is also an Adirondack 46-er, which means that he has hiked to the summit of the range’s highest peaks. As a mountaineer, he’s happiest at an elevation of over four thousand feet above sea level.
Dave is a lifelong fan of western fiction, landscapes, movies, and music. It should be no surprise that Dave delights in placing memorable characters on treacherous trails, mountain tops, and on the backs of wild horses.
I’m delighted to welcome Michael Dunn, and his new book, Anywhere But Schuylkill to the blog, with What’s Love Got To Do With It?
What’s Love Got To Do With It?
As most readers know, a little romance always spices up a story, regardless of the genre. So, for my guest post today, I thought I’d write something about love and romance, in honor of Valentine’s Day.
In my recent historical novel, Anywhere But Schuylkill, my protagonist, Mike Doyle, is in love with a girl named Hannah, who happens to be his sister Tara’s best friend. This is troubling enough for him, since he cares deeply for his sister and doesn’t want to harm her friendship with Hannah. But Mike also works for Hannah’s father, who happens to be a gangster, and he has told Mike to keep his hands off his daughter. And to complicate matters further, Hannah’s mother is incredibly hot, and she likes to flirt with Mike when her husband isn’t around. At the same time, Tara is in love with Mike’s friend Johnny Morris, who their Uncle Sean thinks is a ne’er-do-well. And Uncle Sean is not someone you want to anger.
As a writer, I found these romantic minefields a lot of fun to create. But I also had to do a lot of research, because courtship rituals in the 1870s were so different than today. We’re talking about a small town, rural, and very traditional. There was, of course, a common trick I could exploit that transcends time period: Hannah could sneak away from her protective parents to be with Mike by pretending she was visiting her best friend, Tara. And Tara could sneak away from Uncle Sean, pretending to visit Hannah, but actually run off to meet with Johnny Morris.
This trick will only get you so far as a teen (the adults are usually sharp enough to catch on and will eventually tighten the reins). Likewise, it will only get me so far as a writer, since you modern readers are even sharper than a gilded-age parent. So, let’s talk about the research that helped me make these romances seem more authentic, and true to the era and setting.
One of the first things to consider is that none of these kids went to school. They were too poor and either had to stay home and help with the chores or go out and work for someone else to help support their families. Mike and Johnny Morris worked at the colliery. Tara and her mother worked for a neighborhood washer woman. And Hannah took care of her younger siblings, so her mother could help at the tavern. This left Sunday church as one of the only times and places where teens with strict parents could regularly meet, free of their usual burdens. While there wasn’t much courting that could occur in church, kids could chat before and after mass, and there were plenty of opportunities for lusty thoughts and teen imaginations to run wild.
There were also holidays, and community events, where teens might be able to sneak away from parents and chaperones long enough for a dance, or perhaps something a bit more illicit. Bonfire Night was one such holiday. Celebrated on the evening of June 23, Bonfire Night was historically connected to St. John’s Night, but, like many religious holidays, was likely an appropriation of an older pagan ritual. This would explain the date’s proximity to the summer solstice, and its May Day-like rituals, such as bonfires, which are lit at sunset, and kept going until long after midnight. Typically, there is food, alcohol, song and dance, creating a socially acceptable milieu for courtship. However, it is also a family-friendly event. The pious take embers home to ward off disease and evil spirits. Parents tell stories about the fairies, and kids get to stay up as late as they want because, if they fall asleep on Bonfire Night, the devil is sure to take them. Younger kids beat drums and blow tin whistles. They light sticks on fire and throw them into the air, while teens and young men challenge each other to leap across the fire. The flicker and spark of the flames tell whether they’ve been naughty, particularly in the romance department, and this can be a great source of amusement, or embarrassment.
Another popular holiday for young folks was Halloween. But an Irish-American Halloween in the 1870s was quite different than what most of us have experienced, particularly in terms of romance. The holiday often involved food, games and rituals to divine the future, particularly with regards to matrimony. For example, a traditional (and yummy) Halloween dish was colcannon, a casserole of mashed potatoes, milk, onion and kale, served with lots of butter, if one could afford it. The cook would hide prizes in the colcannon. The person who found a ring hidden in their serving was supposedly the next to get married. Alternatively, they might scoop the first and last spoonful of colcannon into a girl’s stocking, and hang that from a nail in the door, and her future husband would be the next person to enter through that door.
Another Halloween treat was barmbrack, a sweetbread filled with fruit, and sometimes hidden prizes. In this case, finding a hidden ring foretold of an impending romance, whereas a thimble meant you would never get married.
Supposedly, if a girl ate an apple while combing her hair in front of a mirror at midnight on All Hallows Eve, she would see her future husband gazing back at her. If she walked out into the night, blindfolded, and was led to a cabbage patch, she could predict the size and shape of her future husband by the size and shape of the first cabbage she picked. And if she peeled an apple and let the shavings fall to the ground, she might be able to discern her sweetheart’s initials.
Mumming, or guising, was another tradition that the Irish brought to the U.S., and that continues to be practiced in parts of Pennsylvania. Mumming involves dressing in costume and marching from door to door, performing rhyming plays, usually humorous, and often in exchange for food, treats, or even booze. It may have been the origin of the contemporary tradition of trick-or-treating. It was also common for mummers to dress in drag. One typical character was the darling Miss Funny, generally a man in drag, who demanded kisses or treats from audience members. And, instead of pumpkin Jack-o-lanterns, mummers carried hollowed out turnips, carved into grotesque faces, with lumps of burning coal inside to illuminate their way. For a fascinating history of Irish mumming, check out Henry Glassie’s, All Silver and No Brass (1975).
There are other kinds of love that are important in stories, too. For example, the desire to be loved, or the fear of being unlovable, can help explain a character’s motivations and actions. It can even help liven up a character that hasn’t been fully fleshed out yet, that feels too one-dimensional. This was initially the case with my villain, Uncle Sean, who felt like the epitome of a cruel, abusive parent. Indeed, Mike’s little brother, Bill, even says that the only two emotions Uncle Sean can feel are anger and rage. But when I added back story about Sean’s adoration of Aunt Mary, and his belief that she was the only one who could love him, “tetters and all,” he started to seem more like a real person, someone who felt pain and longing, and who struggled with his own insecurities.
This brings us back to my original premise, that a little love or romance helps spice up a story. Obviously, there is the salacious angle, like Hannah’s mom flirting with Mike. But much more important to the craft of writing is how love and romance can be exploited to enrich the side plots and add dimension to the characters. But what I find most interesting of all, is how both reading and writing about fictional love and romance can help us better understand our own real-life relationships with these emotions. What kinds of choices do we make in life to find love? To maintain love? To avoid being jilted or abandoned? And how do these choices affect our ongoing relationships with those we love, like friends and family members?
Here’s the blurb
In 1877, twenty Irish coal miners hanged for a terrorist conspiracy that never occurred. Anywhere But Schuylkill is the story of one who escaped, Mike Doyle, a teenager trying to keep his family alive during the worst depression the nation has ever faced. Banks and railroads are going under. Children are dying of hunger. The Reading Railroad has slashed wages and hired Pinkerton spies to infiltrate the miners’ union. And there is a sectarian war between rival gangs. But none of this compares with the threat at home.
Michael Dunn writes Working-Class Fiction from the Not So Gilded Age. Anywhere But Schuylkill is the first in his Great Upheaval trilogy. A lifelong union activist, he has always been drawn to stories of the past, particularly those of regular working people, struggling to make a better life for themselves and their families.
Stories most people do not know, or have forgotten, because history is written by the victors, the robber barons and plutocrats, not the workers and immigrants. Yet their stories are among the most compelling in America. They resonate today because they are the stories of our own ancestors, because their passions and desires, struggles and tragedies, were so similar to our own.
When Michael Dunn is not writing historical fiction, he teaches high school, and writes about labor history and culture.
MJ Porter 