Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Candace Robb has Owen Archer at a turning point in his career. His former employer Archbishop Thorsby of York has died and Owen has been approached to represent Prince Edward in York and the North. Also he has a chance to be in charge of law in York. It is 1374; the king is aging and his son Edward is sick. People start dying in York; could it be because of old crimes of the past? Read Conspiracy of Wolves to find out.

I am so happy to read a new Owen and Lucie book. Owen is choosing between two jobs while solving a couple of murders. Chaucer is back as his scribe and Jasper is working with Lucie.
Goodreads

Candace Robb has returned to her popular Owen Archer series set in medieval York. Owen is bored with retirement and both he and his wife are happy when he is asked to investigate the deaths of two popular residents of the city. Hoban Swann the son of Bartolf Swann was found dead in the woods near York. His throat has been slit, but his body also had been savaged by dogs. His father Bartolf is murdered only a few days later, stabbed through the heart. Near his body are the paw prints of a very large dog.

But are culprits dogs? Soon rumors are flying that the canines are wolves, long extinct in this part of Yorkshire. And who is the figure seen with the animals? Is there an element of the supernatural at work here? Archer is a practical man, but even he cautions his family and friends to be extra wary on the streets of York and the nearby countryside.

I have not read an Archer mystery for years and I remember why I liked them so much. The historical setting of York is very satisfying, as is the introduction of real people like Chaucer and the Black Prince. However, I felt overwhelmed by the number of characters who have little or nothing to do with the plot. It is as if the author felt compelled to reintroduce every single person, alive or dead, who featured in her previous books. Too much of a good thing…

The mystery is enjoyable and I hope that Owen will appear often in his new career as captain of the city of York.

Well, I should have known, as I didn't care for the last book, either, though once upon a time i loved Candace Robb's books. There were too many incidental characters, too many points of view for me to really dig into the book. Well written and well researched, but the story itself lost me.

My goodness, just how brilliant is this book? Full disclosure; I was at first a bit tentative about reviewing this, mainly because with it being book eleven in the Owen Archer series, I did worry that I had come into the series way too late to truly be able to enjoy it, I didn’t know if the previous stories were linked in anyway or if I would be missing out on anything by not reading the previous ten books; but I loved the sound of this so much that I just went for it and oh, boy am I pleased that I did, this is amazing – how has this series past be by for so long? H

I really didn’t need to worry about not enjoying it or not being able to follow the story, if I didn’t know this was apart of a series, I would have read it like a stand-a-lone, but saying that I am eager to read more of Owen Archer – who is a stunning hero, my god how much have a fallen head over heels for this one eyed, marksman and medieval detective? Be still my beating heart, it is definitely a moment for a #DoubleSigh 😉

Set during the 14th century in York, after the brutal death of Hoban Swann; a member from one of the most prominent families in York, Hoban’s father asks Owen Archer to help and investigate what happened. Owen is currently grieving after a friends death, but not knowing where his future lays, Owen accepts the case. It first appears as though the victim has been attacked by something dog or wolf like, as his wounds could only come from such a savage beast, yet Owen has other idea’s, from his first look over the body he soon realises that the killer must be human, and then when another body is discovered and Owen thinks that these two attacks must be connected some how…but how? – Well, I ain’t going to tell you, am I? 😉 So with his friend Geoffrey Chaucer (Yes, the very one, and no not the Paul Bettany one either ;-)) honestly, Chaucer is a hoot, the way he irritates the hell out of Owen with his constant babbling and writing is very funny, there is quite a bit of one eye rolling from Owen.

I do love the relationship between Owen and Chaucer, when I first met them I would never have thought that they would have such a great if odd friendship, I don’t know if Chaucer has been a constant fixture thought the series, but from this I would say he has because there is such a ease between them, I really love how these two are written a fictional character and a real man from history good friends. I love it.

As the investigation progresses Owen think that healers apprentice Alisoun knows far more then what she says and going from the way the story opened I would have to agree with him, I do really like Alisoun, she is a interesting character she is trying to learn the ways of the healer and yet she is unsure of how to make her own way in that world, I love how her character develops through the story.

Anyone who follows my reviews will have an idea of what the book is like, as I am a bit of a creature of habit and do tend to stick very closely to what I like, I love a good historical mystery, I love following the investigation and trying to guess where the story is leading some times you can guess where there the investigation is going, but this one took me by surprise. I first though this person was involved then quickly changing my mind to that person – honestly I would have found most of the cast of characters guilty for something, and then; boom this mind-blowing ending that made me sit back and go “Woah, that was unexpected!”

Overall this is a seriously great, edge of your seat, page turning mystery that grabs you from that very first sentence. It has a real edginess to it that is not for the faint hearted, the writing is some of the best I have come across it is very clear that Candace Robb has a passion for the era and these stories, as you can feel it in the words the details are incredibly accurate everything from the clothing to the dialogue is bang on the mark with historical accuracy. While reading and as you delve deeper and deeper into the mystery you feel the tension that swirls around Owen’s shoulders as he tries to find out what is going on, and for me that is the perfect historical, I love that realism.

A brutally, realistic and edgy mystery that you won’t wish to end.

This is the first book of the series that I've read, and it took me a while to click with the characters and work out the 'normal' band of characters, and those who were involved in the conspiracy.
I imagine that fans of the series would not have had the same problems and would have been able to leap right in.
The reimagining of York is detailed and enjoyable and the solving of the murder(s) is well done, even if the author relies a little too much on the 'I can't tell you now, but I'll tell you later,' scenario to build tension.
Overall, an enjoyable read. Not perhaps as easy to jump in and out of the world of Owen Archer as other medieval mysteries, but I will certainly be looking for some of the earlier books now.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my review copy.

It was great to be back to reading a new Candace Robb historical mystery featuring Owen Archer.
It's a fascinating, entertaining and engrossing read that kept me hooked till the last page.
I love the fleshed out characters, I was happy to meet them again, the well researched historical setting and the plot.
The mystery was great and kept me guessing.
A fun read and a very good reading experience.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Severn House and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

This book was received as an ARC from the Author, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own


Conspiracy of Wolves is the latest installment in the gripping series of Owen Archer mysteries. Set in the medieval 14th century York, Owen is still mourning the loss of his patron and facing uncertainty of his own future. Archer is called to investigate a horrific murder of one the members of a prominent family. Hoban Swann was brutally attacked and the father of the deceased has asked Owen to step in and use his expertise to investigate.
A rumor in the city, that vicious wolves are lurking in the woods and has caused the wounds and death of the recently departed. Owen teams up once again with Geoffrey Chaucer, who is in York on a secret mission on behalf of Prince Edward.
Archer has a hunch after closer expectation that all is not what it seems to be.
He most discover clues and a motive but when another murder occurs. He knows their maybe a link between the two.

Once again Candace Robb manages to draw you in a thrilling mystery. This superb well-written read here with absolutely fantastic characters that totally captivated and fascinated me. The character relationship between Archer and Geoffrey Chaucer is written so memorable, Chaucer is always amusing thorn in Owen’s side.
You will enjoy their banter and the way the author has created splendid dialogue between the two of them them.
Another sub character worth noting is the healer apprentice, Allisoun who questions her instincts and is still learning to follow her inner voice.
Owen has lot on his plates with murders to solve, and a new Archbishop of York. Also there are new political intrigues and secrets for Owen to navigate through.

The author has created a plot that was intricate and kept me engaged from start to finish. The novel is both character driven and intriguing mystery. You will be completely vested in this unforgettable read.

Candace Robb writes some of the best a complex, suspenseful, atmospheric mysteries.


Conspiracy of Wolves is the eleventh novel in the Owen Archer series, but it can be read as a standalone.


—-




marksman and medieval detective? Be still my beating heart, it is definitely a moment for a #DoubleSigh
Set during the 14th century in York, after the brutal death of Hoban Swann; a member from one of the most prominent families in York, Hoban’s father asks Owen Archer to help and investigate what happened. Owen is currently grieving after a friends death, but not knowing where his future lays, Owen accepts the case. It first appears as though the victim has been attacked by something dog or wolf like, as his wounds could only come from such a savage beast, yet Owen has other idea’s, from his first look over the body he soon realises that the killer must be human, and then when another body is discovered and Owen thinks that these two attacks must be connected some how…but how? – Well, I ain’t going to tell you, am I? So with his friend Geoffrey Chaucer (Yes, the very one, and no not the Paul Bettany one either ;-)) honestly, Chaucer is a hoot, the way he irritates the hell out of Owen with his constant babbling and writing is very funny, there is quite a bit of one eye rolling from Owen.
I do love the relationship between Owen and Chaucer, when I first met them I would never have thought that they would have such a great if odd friendship, I don’t know if Chaucer has been a constant fixture thought the series, but from this I would say he has because there is such a ease between them, I really love how these two are written a fictional character and a real man from history good friends. I love it.
As the investigation progresses Owen think that Geoffrey Chaucer ( knows far more then what she says and going from the way the story opened I would have to agree with him, I do really like Alisoun, she is a interesting character she is trying to learn the ways of the healer and yet she is unsure of how to make her own way in that world, I love how her character develops through the story.
Anyone who follows my reviews will have an idea of what the book is like, as I am a bit of a creature of habit and do tend to stick very closely to what I like, I love a good historical mystery, I love following the investigation and trying to guess where the story is leading some times you can guess where there the investigation is going, but this one took me by surprise. I first though this person was involved then quickly changing my mind to that person – honestly I would have found most of the cast of characters guilty for something, and then; boom this mind-blowing ending that made me sit back and go “Woah, that was unexpected!”
Overall this is a seriously great, edge of your seat, page turning mystery that grabs you from that very first sentence. It has a real edginess to it that is not for the faint hearted, the writing is some of the best I have come across it is very clear that Candace Robb has a passion for the era and these stories, as you can feel it in the words the details are incredibly accurate everything from the clothing to the dialogue is bang on the mark with historical accuracy. While reading and as you delve deeper and deeper into the mystery you feel the tension that swirls around Owen’s shoulders as he tries to find out what is going on, and for me that is the perfect historical, I love that realism.
A brutally, realistic and edgy mystery that you won’t wish to end.
***

***

Owen is called to investigate when Hoban Swann is found dead, apparently killed by wolves. It becomes apparent that it was murder and the killer was human not beast. When another murder soon follows rumors begin to spread that wolves roam the streets of the city. Owen and those he trusts, and a few he doesn’t, must find who is behind the killings and why.



I had given up hope that there would be any more books in this series so was very excited to see a new Owen Archer. I was not disappointed! Once I started reading I found it hard to put down and finished in one day. Not only are there murders to solve, but with a new Archbishop of York, there are new political intrigues for Owen to navigate. This resulted in a plot that was intricate and kept me engaged throughout.

After a period of retirement, Owen Archer is now questioning his abilities, which gives the character more depth. Geoffrey Chaucer is back to be an often amusing thorn in Owen’s side. I really enjoyed the focus on Allisoun, her progress as a healer, questioning her instincts and learning to follow her inner voice.


Thank you to Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours and the publisher, Severn House, for providing me with a advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

#aconspiracyofwolvesblogtour

#CandaceRobb #AConspiracyofWolves #historical

A Conspiracy of Wolves by Candace Robb is Book 11 in the Owen Archer series. That means there are 10 previous books in this series. Ten! I’m shocked that it’s taken me this long to discover this series (I love historical fiction set in this era) but to be fair, the previous book was published back in 2008, so there has been a bit of a gap.

I’m going to assume that many of the characters in A Conspiracy of Wolves have already been introduced in previous books, but this book reads really well as a standalone. There’s enough of an introduction that I felt comfortable with the characters and their relationships. I was a little nervous when I first picked up the book because the first thing I saw was the FOUR pages listing all the characters in the book. I was worried it would be hard to keep track of everyone, but it honestly wasn’t.

I really like Captain Archer, the protagonist. He’s strong, handsome, smart and fair – the perfect man to base a book series on. But it’s the supporting characters that make this book even more memorable. From Owen’s equally smart and beautiful wife, Lucie, to the wise Riverwoman Magda, to real-life historical figure Geoffrey Chaucer, every character has something interesting to lend to the story.

When an author is really good at writing historical fiction, it shows. The dialogue, the setting, the details… it needs to feel realistic – so much so that you don’t even notice that you’ve been transported. You can tell that Robb knows her stuff – the book makes 14th century York come alive. But the author doesn’t bog the story down with lots of descriptions or explanations – it’s a perfect balance of giving you enough information to see imagine everything in your mind, but not too much that you feel like you’re being clubbed over the head with a history book.

This character-driven story includes murder, revenge, irrational fears and family loyalties and conspiracies. Normally when I read mysteries, a small part of my brain is busy trying to figure out who did it, but this one had me stumped for awhile and in the end, I think I was enjoying the story so much that I wasn’t trying that hard to figure out the ending.

*** Thank you to the publisher, Severn House, for providing me with a advanced digital copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

Owen Archer's employer, John Thoresby, has died. He is now torn between working for the city of York or being employed directly by Prince Edward. There are advantages and disadvantages to both positions. Meanwhile, bodies are turning up and the citizens of York are talking about wolves roaming the streets of the city. It has been years since wolves were even seen in the forest outside the city. Owen is also trying to keep the prominent families of York happy, but when a body is found with the throat torn out, followed closely by a second, things are getting ugly. Geoffrey Chaucer is in the city on a mission from London, so he teams up with Owen to solve the murders. Conspiracies are being hatched all over York. It has been a long time since I read an Owen Archer book, I am glad to pick this up from Netgalley. The research in this series is perfect, creating a well-crafted historical mystery.

BLURB

1374. When a member of one of York’s most prominent families is found dead in the woods, his throat torn out, rumours spread like wildfire that wolves are running loose throughout the city. Persuaded to investigate by the victim’s father, Owen Archer is convinced that a human killer is responsible. But before he can gather sufficient evidence to prove his case, a second body is discovered, stabbed to death. Is there a connection? What secrets are contained within the victim’s household? And what does apprentice healer Alisoun know that she’s not telling? Teaming up with Geoffrey Chaucer, who is in York on a secret mission on behalf of Prince Edward, Owen’s enquiries will draw him headlong into a deadly conspiracy.

REVIEW

My first foray into the author's Owen Archer mystery series, A Conspiracy of Wolves is a very satisfying, and entertaining whodunit. I enjoyed the camaraderie between Owen and the crew enlisted to solve the grisly murders. The plot kept me intrigued as each new chapter revealed some new information or twist to the case, shedding light on the complex revenge taking place (I can say no more about that). As this is the first of the series that I have read, I was pleased that the author left enough hints in the narrative to give me some of the back story to Owen's life and adventures. Another aspect of the tale is the doings of the village and the folk who live there, a creative way to help the readers immerse themselves in the story. The characters are a joy to read...the author has left nothing out in their development. My only problem (and it's a good one to have) is that I have so many books to read...now I have another series to delve into.  4 Stars  ⭐⭐⭐⭐

When I reviewed the previous book in the Owen Archer series, A Vigil of Spies, nearly four years ago, it read as an ending to the series. I wasn’t certain that it was the ending, but it felt very much like it was. Owen’s patron, mentor and employer, John Thoresby, the Archbishop of York, lies dying throughout the story, only to pass, as he did in history, late in the year 1373.

The story felt like it was closing down. Owen Archer seemed to have finished his metamorphosis from the slightly lost and somewhat resentful ex-soldier that he was at the very beginning of the series in The Apothecary Rose, becoming a trusted agent for Thoresby and protector of the city of York, as well as an experienced investigator and a loving and fulfilled family man.

But Owen is just into middle age, made comfortably well-off by Thoresby’s final bequests and actions, but not nearly ready to settle into a life of leisure – or even a life of merely managing his estates.

As A Conspiracy of Wolves opens, Owen in on his way back to York after a visit to those estates, and pondering his options. Options that seem to be in conflict, a conflict that is pointed out rather insistently when Owen is asked to investigate a murder that seems to have been caused by rampaging wolves.

It’s up to Owen to determine whether those wolves have four legs or two, before hysteria grips the entire city.

The case is murky, and so is Owen’s future. He has to figure out the motive for what becomes a series of murders and attempts at it before he can determine who is behind it all. While at every turn he feels caught between his duty to the city and the request, to be read as an order, that he has received from Court.

He wants to stay in York, but he also wants the access to information and authority that comes with serving the crown. But if he doesn’t solve these grisly murders, neither will want his service – nor could he live with himself.

Escape Rating B: The Owen Archer series is an absolutely terrific historical mystery series. Owen, and his wife Lucie the apothecary, change and grow over the course of their adventures, and the author does an excellent job of exploring the world of 14th century York and the swirl of politics that surrounds the capital of the North. This is certainly a series that deepens as it goes, and will reward readers who start at the beginning. After all, Owen comes to York in The Apothecary Rose to investigate Lucie as a possible murderer. It’s fun to see how they go from mutual suspicion to domestic partnership!

But, as much as I loved this series, I had a difficult time getting into this particular entry. I was very happy to be back in York with these characters, but the beginning of the story felt as murky as Owen’s personal decision making-process.

At the beginning, Owen doesn’t know where he’s going, he doubts what he is doing, and so do we. That the case he’s working on is a confused mess doesn’t help either him or us.

In the 14th century that Owen operates in, forensic science is pretty much non-existent as we know it. He’s forced to rely on observations, his own and other people’s. And while Owen may see clearer than most in spite of the loss of one of his eyes before the series opened, he still only knows what is seen and heard. The body he investigates was meant to appear as though the victim had died from being mauled by a wolf, but he is willing to look deeper – and it doesn’t take much observation – as long as it is detached – to see that under the horrific teeth and claw marks there’s a long, clean gash – the kind made by a sharp knife. Wolves don’t carry knives.

So someone wants it to look like a wolf attacked and wants to get everyone stirred up and suspicious. But of whom – and for what? Owen begins the case with no clue of what and why, only a body.

It takes him a long time – relatively – to learn what this is really all about. Plenty of time and effort for him to doubt himself – even if others do not. And equally plenty of time for pressure to be applied from all sides – to solve the case, and to decide his own fate.

I think that part of my struggle with the story was that I missed the political angles – as does Owen. He misses the authority he used to have, not because he wants power over people, but because it cut through a whole lot of corners. He often feels stymied in his investigation by needing to find allies or seek permission – something he has long lost his taste for.

Once the pieces of the case come together – basically once enough people have died or been attacked that they all stop lying and prevaricating, the conclusion arrives in a flurry of action – and pages.

At the end, Owen does find a way to convince both of his potential masters that they are better off working together through him rather than fighting over his possible service. And his service to the Crown will put him into the thick of the machinations that surrounded the deaths of the Black Prince and Edward III, deaths that set up the decades-long succession fight yet to come. A fight that history has come to call the Wars of the Roses.

This will be grand. Also bloody and messy. But definitely grand.

'Open thine eyes. Trust thyself.'
A word from healer Magda to Owen Archer! A return to the world of the stunning one-eyed Owen Archer, longbow marksman and former Captain of the Guard, solver of mysteries, is a moment to delight in. It's 1374 and the former spy for John Thoresby the Archbishop of York" A new age is dawning, a new archbishop is coming. And with that a new mire of political difficulties. Owen has possibilities offered by York and and Prince Edward. However, at this time the body of wealthy businessmanHoban Swann, son of the Coroner of Galtres Forest, Bartlof Swann, is found with his throat torn out. Archer is called on to determine the cause. Geoffrey Chaucer turns up to play a part. Alisoun, Magda Digby's (a talented healer known as the Riverwoman) apprentice has been staying at Magda's whilst she was away to help any who might turn up. She already has had some dealings with a a client who has a suspicious injury from dogs or something more sinister. As the body count mounts Owen's investigations uncover age old grudges and family divisions. Yet still the mystery eludes him. As Magda exhorts Owen, ‘Magda recognizes the signs, not how or why this or that is revealed to her. She has no answers for thee, Bird-eye. This is thy conspiracy of wolves. Thou hast the charge, Magda merely warned thee. Thy task. Open thine eye.’ So wolves where there are no wolves, people being attacked and killed by some sort of creature resembling a dog, valuable hunting dogs killed and the citizens of York up in arms. I was intrigued by the way Robb opened up choices to Archer for his future and the way that decision becomes focused. I also was fascinated by the journey of Brother Michaelo, the former secretary to Thoresby, Archer's inclusion of Michaelo and the way the Brother takes up the challenges presented to him. The novel explores closure in many ways for Owen and Lucie' as the vistas open up for the future.
A Severn House ARC via NetGalley

I'd not read the earlier books in this series but I now know what I was missing- an interesting medieval mystery set in 14th century York. Owen Archer is at loose ends after the death of John Thorseby, the Archbishop of York but then..Hoban Swann is found with his throat ripped open. While conventional wisdom states that he was killed by wolves, Archer is not so sure. And then there's another murder. He's got some politics to deal with, given there's a new Archbishop but wait- Chaucer is in town, working for Prince Edward and the two of them team up. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A quick and entertaining read.

A rumor runs around the city, that vicious wolves are lurking in the woods. This is, after all, who people think the killer of the coroner's son is. But Owen Archer has a different opinion. Something wild has bitten the man, that's undeniable. But it's not what killed the young man. The perpetrator is a human. And they will soon strike again.

Conspiracy of Wolves is the latest addition to the gripping series of Owen Archer mysteries. Set in medieval York, the story follows Owen Archer's attempts to solve the most recent mystery: the death of the coroner's son. But things aren't straightforward at all. Soon it will become apparent that people keep secrets. With the help of his intelligent apothecary wife, Archer is determined to come to the end of this mystery, putting a stop to the killings.

Once again Candace Robb manages to create an attention-grasping mystery. The reader gets to revisit the characters they've come to know so well, and the plot doesn't disappoint. The story is well written and the mystery not easily solvable: all in all, what a reader wants from their mystery book!

Although part of a series, Conspiracy of Wolves can be read perfectly well as a stand-alone story, so don;t be reluctant to give it a try!

This was my first book in this series and while I occasionally felt a little lost about things mentioned from previous books, that didn't prevent me from following the characters here and enjoying the plot. I liked how well Owen worked with others- including his wife- to solve the case. He was clearly a man who had experience with diplomacy and tact since he was dealing with murders and high-ranking town officials and managed not to strangle anyone himself! The settings were well written, nothing overly described to get in the way of the plot but you still felt comfortable in the York Owen travelled through, as well as the country. This was a well-done book and I would definitely read others in the series in the future.

1374 and in the woods near York Hoban Swann, son of Bartolf Swann the coroner, has been found dead. Swann approaches Owen Archer to investigate. Rumours spread that the killing was done by wolves but Archer deems otherwise. But will this be the end of the killing and what could the possible motive be.
Though I have read a few of the books in the series previously, it can easily be read as a standalone story.
A well-plotted, well-written mystery with as you would expect well-developed characters, most of which are likeable.

My thoughts
I haven’t read any of Robb’s previous novels (mea culpa) but Conspiracy of Wolves works as a standalone. Robb uses backstory well. She’s specific enough that I understood the context of references to the past, but vague enough that she doesn’t give away the solution to a previous series’ title.

I liked Owen Archer & company enough that I’ll seek out previous books in this series. There were so many things to enjoy! Here’s a few:

1. The relevance
Ever heard the saying “The more things change, the more they stay the same”? This ran through my mind several times as I read.

Each time a character referenced the power of wealthy people to escape justice, I nodded my head. Yes, that still happens.

Each time a character expressed fear over pregnancy and childbirth, I nodded again. Yes, modern medicine has helped lessen the risk of childbearing . . . if one has access to it. Not everyone does. Lucie, Archer’s wife, Alisoun, and Magda, all gifted healers, know the dangers of pregnancy. Each time a pregnancy is mentioned (and it’s a reoccurring motif), it’s with trepidation. The healers make great use of their limited resources, all the while knowing their efforts might be too little, too late.

This theme hit me especially hard because of the high maternal death rate in my home state. Recent news reports have shown that a high percentage of women live more than two hours from a hospital and adequate healthcare during their pregnancies. Horrible, but true. It made the characters’ fears feel relevant and real for me, despite the differences in our time periods.

2. The historical research
Robb knows this time period. Her words immersed me in 14th century York, its culture, and its people. She brought it to life in rich detail. I was in awe of her ability to re-create a world of the past without bogging down the story with unnecessary facts or drawing undue attention to her methods. (Great historical fiction writers are rockstars, in my opinion.)

3. Relatable characters
I sympathized and cheered for them. (Well, some of them!) While the time period helps shape their worldviews, these characters’ personalities and relationships show that human nature hasn’t changed.

4. Chaucer
All the characters were great to meet. But having Geoffrey Chaucer (yes, that Chaucer!) as a character was too much fun for me as a literature major. All that gossipy, clever curiosity in his creative mind: it’s delicious fun to see Robb bring the famed author to life and use him in the story. Anyone who’s read The Canterbury Tales will love this.

5. And more . . .
Well-developed series characters who continually reveal new sides of their personalities. Conflicting agendas and suspicions. Tense atmosphere with a delightfully creepy edge. Evocative descriptions. A realistic, rich mystery.

A must-read for fans of historical mysteries.
Thanks to Severn House and Netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Note: Review on meredithrankin.com will go live on July 25, 2019.

When they find a dead body in the woods, they are afraid the wolves are back again. After all, his throat was torn out. Owen isn't sure it was a wolf.

Severn House and Net Galley let me read this book for review (thank you). It will be published on August 1st.

Then another man was knifed to death. Are the deaths tied together?

This is an interesting tale with magic healers, a crime done long ago, a family seeking revenge, and politics and intrigue mixed in here and there. The wolf was not a wolf. Much of what goes on in this story is shadowed and hidden.

Owen and his friends do identify the killers and take them to jail but the ending is sad. That's a lot of death for a small community. Now they have time to heal.