Read my #BookReview of Hidden Masterpiece (Soli Hansen Mysteries, Book 3) by Heidi Eljarbo @HeidiEljarbo @maryanneyarde

 

Hidden Masterpiece

(Soli Hansen Mysteries, Book 3)

By Heidi Eljarbo

Publication Date: 15th September 2021. Publisher: Independently Published. Page Length: 260 Pages.

Genre: Historical Fiction, Historical Mystery, Dual Timeline

In this riveting third book in the Soli Hansen Mysteries series, a woman’s courage to follow her conviction during a horrible war leads her to the portrait of a young Jewish heiress painted three centuries earlier.

Norway 1944. Art historian Soli Hansen has gone undercover to rescue masterpieces and keep them from falling into the hands of Nazi thieves. Working with a small resistance group led by her best friend Heddy, Soli will stop at nothing to thwart the efforts of the invaders of their scenic country. Trust and loyalty mean everything when working against a merciless enemy.

Riddles and clues lead the way to a mysterious work of art. It’s a race against time, but Soli and her network refuse to give up. However, when news arrives that her sweetheart Nikolai is missing in action, she strives to concentrate on the demanding quest.

From the streets of Oslo to the snow-covered mountains and medieval churches of Nume Valley, Soli takes risks larger than her courage, trying to preserve and hide precious art. But she must decide if it’s all worth losing the man she loves.

Antwerp 1639. Fabiola Ruber’s daughter, Annarosa, wants to honor her mother’s last wish and have her portrait done by a master artist who specializes in the art of chiaroscuro. Her uncle writes to an accomplished painter in Amsterdam and commissions him to paint his beloved niece.

Struggling with religious and social persecution, the Jewish Ruber family uproots once again and travels northward. On the way, they will sojourn in Amsterdam for Annarosa’s sitting in the master painter’s studio. But will they make it there? None of them can foresee the danger of such a journey.

Book Rating:

📚📚📚📚📚⭐ = A book in a million

📚📚📚📚📚 = I could not put this book down. I Highly Recommend it.

📚📚📚📚 = A really great read.

📚📚📚 = It was enjoyable.

📚📚 = It was okay.

📚 = Um...! 😕

My Review

Hidden Masterpiece

(Soli Hansen Mysteries, Book 3)

📚📚📚📚📚⭐ = A book in a million

*This review contains spoilers.

Nothing beats the feeling of falling in love with a book! I must admit, I did fear that I would be jumping into the deep end when I agreed to read Hidden Masterpiece (Soli Hansen Mysteries, Book 3) by Heidi Eljarbo as I have not read the previous two books. Thankfully, it soon became very clear that this novel stood very firmly on its own. The author gives her readers enough information to catch up with the story so far without weighing the book down with excessive "catch-up" details. 

The story follows Soli Hansen, an art historian who is also a member of the Oslo Resistance Group. However, Soli is not interested in spying or blowing things up, instead, she brings an altogether different skill to the table—she can help the resistance save as many paintings from the Nazi thieves as she can—the Nazis are pillaging the precious artwork of the countries they occupy. With determined dedication, Soli does everything she can to locate and hide a portrait by the famous 17th Century artist, Rembrandt van Rijn.

This novel ticked all of my boxes. It has a compelling protagonist, a complicated villain, a mystery to solve, a love interest, and a healthy dollop of patriotism and defiance. The occupied city of Oslo has been brought painstaking back to life. The writing was so good that I fancied I was walking the streets next to Soli, pretending not to look over my shoulder and hoping I could pass the German occupiers by without bringing attention to myself. This constant threat made me feel very nervous, and I wasn't even there!! That is how good the writing is. It really did feel like I had fallen through time, and I wasn't so much reading this book as being an active observer.

Soli is my kind of heroine—the accidental kind. She is a scholar, not a resistance fighter, and tries to stay clear of anything violent, although that doesn't always work out for her! She is obsessed with art, and when she stares into a painting, she manages to block out the horrors around her, or at least, put it to one side for a moment. Her excitement at discovering the picture she is searching for was endearing and for some reason, I found it quite entertaining as she tries to make herself invisible while hugging a guitar case at the same time:

(*spoiler: the painting is inside the case.)

Without further hesitation, Soli put on her coat, hat, and boots and grabbed the guitar case. “Please excuse us, we need to collect eggs from the hen house.” 

Heddy’s father took a step toward her and smiled wryly. “Do you need your guitar to do that?” 

Connie stepped forward and handed Soli a basket. “Of course. The chicken will produce more eggs if we sing to them.” 

See what I mean!! Soli and that guitar case are glued to each other! 

Soli is also a woman deeply in love and she spends a lot of time worrying about her sweetheart, Nikolais. But despite her concern, and maybe even because of it, she is determined to continue with the mission and secure the painting's safety.

This novel is split into two timelines. Initially, I was a little confused as to why the author decided to do this as Soli's story is enthralling, but I soon came to understand why the reader also needed to follow Annarosa's story as well. I thought Annarosa's story, the woman in the painting, really made this story unforgettable. Annarosa is a gentle soul, determined to marry for love and desperately missing her mother. She is also very intelligent and this intelligence means there is more to this story than meets the eye. The painting, the ledger, everything is seemingly connected to Annarosa, and because of this there is a kind of fatalistic feeling to her story—Annarosa is a Jewess and her family are facing constant persecution because of their faith. They are forced to uproot and the journey ahead of them is uncertain. This, of course, is a very familiar theme in Europe during World War II, although no one would know where this persecution would end, and no one does in this book. The resistance has no idea what has happened to the Rubers family. But as a reader, we know that they are more than likely dead, and that they will never look upon their beloved collection of paintings again.

If you like a good historical thriller, then this novel is well worth checking out. This book is without a doubt, one of the best books I have read this year. This novel really is a book in a million!

You can find this novel on Amazon. It is also available on #KindleUnlimited

Heidi Eljarbo is the bestselling author of historical fiction and mysteries filled with courageous and good characters that are easy to love and others you don't want to go near.

Heidi grew up in a home filled with books and artwork and she never truly imagined she would do anything other than write and paint. She studied art, languages, and history, all of which have come in handy when working as an author, magazine journalist, and painter.

After living in Canada, six US states, Japan, Switzerland, and Austria, Heidi now calls Norway home. She and her husband have a total of nine children, thirteen grandchildren—so far—in addition to a bouncy Wheaten Terrier.

Their favorite retreat is a mountain cabin, where they hike in the summertime and ski the vast, white terrain during winter.

Heidi’s favorites are family, God's beautiful nature, and the word whimsical.

Social Media Links:

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Read my #BookReview of Widdershins (Widdershins, Book 1) by Helen Steadman, narrated by Christine Mackie #Audiobook #BlogTour #CoffeePotBookClub @hsteadman1650 @maryanneyarde

 

Widdershins

(Widdershins, Book 1)

By Helen Steadman

Narrated by Christine Mackie

Publication Date: 25 June 2021. Publisher: Impress Books. Audiobook Length: 8.5 hours. Genre: Historical Fiction

The new audio book of Widdershins is narrated brilliantly by talented actor, Christine Mackie, from Downton Abbey, Coronation Street, Wire in the Blood, and so on.  

The first part of a two-part series, Widdershins is inspired by the Newcastle witch trials, where 16 people were hanged. Despite being the largest mass execution of witches on a single day in England, these trials are not widely known about. In August 1650, 15 women and one man were hanged as witches after a Scottish witchfinder found them guilty of consorting with the devil. This notorious man was hired by the Puritan authorities in response to a petition from the Newcastle townsfolk who wanted to be rid of their witches. 

Widdershins is told through the eyes of Jane Chandler, a young woman accused of witchcraft, and John Sharpe, the witchfinder who condemns her to death. Jane Chandler is an apprentice healer. From childhood, she and her mother have used herbs to cure the sick. But Jane soon learns that her sheltered life in a small village is not safe from the troubles of the wider world. From his father’s beatings to his uncle’s raging sermons, John Sharpe is beset by bad fortune. Fighting through personal tragedy, he finds his purpose: to become a witchfinder and save innocents from the scourge of witchcraft. 

Book Rating:

📚📚📚📚📚⭐ = A book in a million

📚📚📚📚📚 = I could not put this book down. I Highly Recommend it.

📚📚📚📚 = A really great read.

📚📚📚 = It was enjoyable.

📚📚 = It was okay.

📚 = Um...! 😕

My Review

Widdershins (Widdershins, Book 1)

📚📚📚📚📚 = I could not put this book down. I Highly Recommend it.

John Sharpe’s life didn’t start well. His mother died in childbirth, and his father blamed him, an infant, for causing his mother’s heart to give out. After putting up with the abuse of his father, John finally finds himself under his uncle’s care, and learning about God and the Church. As John grows up, he finds himself engulfed in the need to do as “God” wishes.

Jane Chandler is dedicated to learning the same craft as her mother from a very young age – the art of the healer, learning the uses of herbs and how they can help to heal. As Jane grows into a young woman, she finds her eye drawn towards a young man in her village, and he is drawn towards her.

Widdershins is another word for anticlockwise, a direction seen as unlucky. A direction that witches may walk in, as they carry out their enchantments. It may seem strange, ridiculous even, to think that such a thing as walking in a specific direction would lead to your death, but in a time of superstition, where if a tale could be spun, someone could hang, such a thing would not be overlooked.

This book perfectly depicts the horrors faced by people in the 1600s, especially so those accused of witchcraft, or who are seen as being on the opposite side of the law. There are dark themes in this novel, and you need to be prepared, going into it, for the abuse that was so easily doled out to these so-called witches. I absolutely hated John, who becomes a witchfinder, and my hatred for him was increased by the first-person perspective – we see through his eyes the hatred and the pure evil, which just goes to show that sometimes those doing the accusing have more evil in them than those being accused.

I do wish that I had read the print version of this novel, rather than listening to the audiobook. While the narrator has done a fabulous job, I have never been one who likes being read to, and I know I could’ve read the book much quicker than it took to listen to the audiobook. Eventually, I sped up the playback, so I could get through it at what I deemed a reasonable pace, although I do not want to let this affect my rating – the story and the descriptions were utterly sublime, and no detail has been spared from the page.

This is a book that will draw you in and keep you entranced and desperate to find out what happens next.

You can pick up your copy of this book on Amazon UK, Amazon US, Amazon CA, Amazon AU, Audible, Blackwells, Waterstones, Kobo, iBooks, iTunes, Foyles, Book Depository 

Dr Helen Steadman is a historical novelist. Her first novel, Widdershins and its sequel, Sunwise were inspired by the Newcastle witch trials. Her third novel, The Running Wolf was inspired by a group of Lutheran swordmakers who defected from Germany to England in 1687.

Despite the Newcastle witch trials being the largest mass execution of witches on a single day in England, they are not widely known about. Helen is particularly interested in revealing hid-den histories and she is a thorough researcher who goes to great lengths in pursuit of historical accuracy. To get under the skin of the cunning women in Widdershins and Sunwise, Helen trained in herbalism and learned how to identify, grow and harvest plants and then made herbal medicines from bark, seeds, flowers and berries.

The Running Wolf is the story of a group of master swordmakers who left Solingen, Germany and moved to Shotley Bridge, England in 1687. As well as carrying out in-depth archive re-search and visiting forges in Solingen to bring her story to life, Helen also undertook black-smith training, which culminated in making her own sword. During her archive research, Helen uncovered a lot of new material and she published her findings in the Northern History journal.

Helen is now working on her fourth novel.

Social Media Links:

Website •  Twitter • Facebook • Instagram • Amazon Author Page • Goodreads • YouTube

Christine Mackie has worked extensively in TV over the last thirty years in well-known TV series such as Downton Abbey, Wire in the Blood, Coronation Street, French & Saunders and The Grand. Theatre work includes numerous productions in new writing as well as classics, such as A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Comedy of Errors, Richard III, An Inspector Calls, and the Railway Children. In a recent all women version of Whisky Galore, Christine played three men, three women and a Red Setter dog! 

Social Media Links:

IMDB for Christine Mackie

A final word from Christine Mackie

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Read an excerpt from The Book Boyfriend by Jeanna Louise Skinner #TheBookBoyfriend #BlogTour #CoffeePotBookClub @jeannalstars @UKRomChat @maryanneyarde

 

The Book Boyfriend

By Jeanna Louise Skinner

Publication Date: 27th October 2021. Publisher: Violet Gaze Press/Saga Egmont. Page Length: 340 Pages. Genre: Paranormal/Time-Travel Romance

Let us find solace in the quiet…"

Emmeline always dreamed of being an author, finding comfort in words and between the pages of her beloved romance novels, but a mental health diagnosis leaves her blocked and unable to write. Then she inherits a crumbling, second-hand bookshop from a mysterious old friend and Emmy discovers that magic is real and maybe her fantasies about the heroes in her favourite historical romances aren't so far-fetched after all.

A handsome stranger–wielding a sword as dangerous as his Tudor past–appears in Emmy's bookshop asking for help. Together they must race against time itself to lift the curse imprison-ing him in an ancient book. But when growing threats to her safety are proved real and not an-other symptom of her illness, Emmy must learn to trust her own voice again. Can she find the words to save Jonathan and her shop before tragedy strikes on the fateful final page? 

Romance-addict Emmy may be, but this damsel is about to kick distress into the Ever After.

Trigger warnings:

Mental health issues, panic attacks, grief, references to abuse, references to cheating, character taking medication, references to therapy, references to suicide, references to section, references to body image references, misogyny.

Excerpts

1568

A cold breeze creeps at my neck as I slip into St Martin’s Lane. I yank the cords of my cape tighter around my throat, but a trickle of fear sweeps down my spine as I try to rid myself of the unsolicited feeling the action conjures. Would I be for the Hangman’s noose or beheaded if caught? Peering through the soft settling fog, my eyes tighten. Are the shadows around the base of the cathedral moving? I should have brought a torch, but the flames would attract attention. 

Looking skyward, I can just make out the silhouette of the incomplete South Tower; black against the inky sky like the heart of a witch. Horses hooves on cobbles clip-clop into the distance and the thick stench of ale and piss assault my senses. I take one last glance back down the alley and duck through the door of The Ship Inn, hopeful Lady Catherine has undertaken as much heed getting here as myself. To say her summons surprised me, is an understatement, and I remain unconvinced she will attend, and that this is not a hoax – or worse, a trap.

I shuffle through sawdust and goodness knows what other debris littering the floor to make the bar, stooping as is my custom. The beamed ceiling is low, and I have been caught out before. Most buildings are not built for giants of six feet. It is perhaps why I am happiest outdoors, where I can be free to stand up straight and tall without fear of concussion, or my own home, Powderham Manor, with its high ceilings and airy, capacious rooms. 

Laughter now fills this room. A circle of men is grouped around a large wooden table in the centre of the inn. Cards are strewn across the table, and sovereigns and medallions glint like gold teeth inside a decayed mouth in the candlelight. The faces of Exeter’s rich and powerful in varied states of intoxication leap out at me. They are accompanied by several young ladies who are not their wives. My eyes widen a fraction in greeting. It is out of a mutual, unspoken treaty that we do not disclose each others’ nighttime proclivities. There is danger, yes, but the tales that could slip from my mouth are as equally - if not more - dangerous for these men should they ever think to unmask me.

I order a flagon and signal to Tom, the innkeeper. He nods, and I make my way to the back of the room, careful no one pays me heed. The shouts and guffaws from the crowd grow ever bawdier as the game progresses, and a fiddler in one gloomy corner struggles to make his melody heard above the din. I sip at my beer, watching the foamy scum on top dance and wobble as I place the tankard down on the rough table. The taste of hops is strong on my tongue, recalling the last time I was here, six months ago, when Lady Catherine, wife of The Marquess of Somerset, told me our affair was over. I gulp the rest of my ale and wipe my mouth with the back of my hand, hungry to taste hops on her lips once more. 

It is almost midnight when Tom nods again and I smile, standing too fast, banging my head on a beam. Thankfully, the bar is all but empty now. Exeter’s great and not-so good have dispersed like wraiths in the night with their entertainment for the evening, many a good deal poorer than when they first arrived. No-one but Tom notices as I wince and rub at my forehead. 

“Every time, without fail. I shall have to put up a sign for you.” His voice dances with amusement but his eyes are deadly serious. He is no fool. He understands the gravity of our actions. “She’s ’ere, but I don’t know how long for. She seems troubled.”

He sets down the tankard he is drying with an old rag onto the bar top, and kicks over a heavy looking wooden barrel with ease. The stone steps beneath it are revealed, curving in a downward spiral out of sight. With a smile of thanks, I hurry to them. My footsteps echo into the encroaching silence as I descend. 

Lady Catherine is waiting for me in the cellar below. Her beautiful countenance is flushed, eyes fevered, but whether from fear or desire I cannot discern. Shadows wax and wane across her face and bosom in the candlelight. The room is simply furnished with a small wooden table and two chairs. She has already poured the wine that Tom has left for us. I take it as a good omen.

“I did not think you would come,” she says with a whisper quite unlike her usual direct manner. 

“I thought I was strong enough to do this alone. The plan has changed.” 

My fingers ache to touch her. I hesitate, shocked by my own reaction. To think that after all this time she could still…

You can pick up a copy of this book from Amazon UK, Amazon US, Amazon CA and Amazon AU This novel is available to read on #KindleUnlimited

Jeanna Louise Skinner writes romance with a sprinkling of magic. The Book Boyfriend is her debut novel and she is currently working on a prequel. She has ADHD and CRPS, a rare neu-ro-inflammatory disorder, and she is passionate about writing about people underrepresented in Romance, especially those with disabilities and chronic health conditions. She’s also the co-creator of UKRomChat, a much-lauded, Romance-centric live Twitter chat. She lives in Devon with her husband, their two children and a cat who sounds like a goat. 

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Read an excerpt from Fair Mountain Christmas (Heartwarming Christmas) by Heidi Eljarbo Holiday #heartwarmingchristmas #BlogTour @HeidiEljarbo @maryanneyarde

 

Fair Mountain Christmas

(Heartwarming Christmas)

By Heidi Eljarbo

Publication Date: 4th October 2021. Publisher: Independently Published. Page Length: 98 Pages.. Genre: Sweet Romance, Holiday Fiction.

Nostalgia and Christmas miracles burn bright in this uplifting and heartwarming story about new beginnings and falling in love under a blanket of stars.

Fair Mountain, December 1972.

A few days before Christmas, Juni’s editor gives her a writing assignment that throws her far outside her comfort zone. She and her terrier, Leo, retreat to her grandparents’ old cabin in the Norwegian mountains in hopes of inspiration. But the trip turns into a heart-wrenching and emotionally challenging encounter. 

Memories of Juni’s childhood seep in as soon as she enters the cabin, and as for the writing assignment…what does she know about what children need for Christmas?

Juni’s focus changes when handsome Henry Norheim from Moose Lodge down the hill unex-pectedly shows up outside her cottage door. His dedication to family, traditions, and Christmas celebration is contagious, but for Juni, coming out of her lonely shell is easier said than done.

As Juni’s deadline draws closer, and the snowflakes softly swirl down on Fair Mountain, she has to face up to her past, open her heart, and dare to take a step forward.

Will the miracle of Christmas live up to its promise of hope, goodwill, and love this year?

Excerpt

The wrought iron candlestick with four holders caught Juni’s attention. Advent, the period of preparation for the birth of the Christ child, had come and gone. She put the advent holder on the kitchen counter. How had she failed to remember? The tradition was to light one candle the fourth Sunday prior to Christmas Eve. Then two the next Sunday, until the last sabbath day before the celebrations when all four candles were lit. She found four candles, placed them in the holder, then lit three of them.

The three candles reminded her of the thrill of anticipation when she was young. Counting the days until Christmas Eve along with the preparations for the celebration had been just as exciting every year.

Leo was napping on his blanket after their walk. He lifted his head and squinted her way to see what she was doing.

“I forgot about advent. Better late than never, Leo boy,” she said and stroked his head.

Juni was not working on dinner or any other snack, so Leo put his head back down.

She picked up the last item in the box. This was her favorite. A snow globe Pa had bought for Juni at the Moose Lodge Christmas festival. She held the glass ball in her hand, turning it over again and again. Like magic, snow swirled around like a blizzard then calmed down and floated in peaceful array on a young girl and boy singing carols. The girl had long dark hair and bangs like her. And the boy was… No, her imagination was playing tricks on her. Still affected by meeting Henry Norheim earlier, she looked closer. Didn’t the little guy resemble him?

“This goes right here on the table for now,” she told Leo. “No need to decorate the entire cabin. We’re going back to town soon enough.”

Leo whimpered.

She gave the dog a sideways glance. “You don’t agree with me?”

Juni sat for a moment. What was she afraid of? Did the decorations remind her of how much she missed her grandparents? Was it too painful to go back in time in order to move forward? If Leo could speak, she was sure he’d tell her to invite the spirit of the season into the cabin and not let the memories connected with the place tug at her natural apprehension.

She stood. “Come on, boy. We need to go find a branch or something to put the ornaments on.”

Wide awake and ready, Leo jumped up and stretched his legs. He was not one to dismiss a walk or five.

They went outside and cut down a branch from a fat spruce. She would not stay in the mountains long enough to bother with a full tree, but a single, deep-green bough would display the ornaments in a proper manner.

Juni placed the branch on the chest of drawers in the living room and fastened the decorations. She plugged in the cable for the lights and took a step back, her arms folded and a smile on her face. Yes, her friends in town provided good times, movies, and fun parties. But what washed over her now was a mood she could only describe as joy. When did she last feel this way? When she’d painted the walls in her small apartment? Bought those expensive shoes on display in the store window? Sure, those moments had given her satisfaction, but this… This was pure happiness.

You can pick up your copy of this book on Amazon. 

This novel is available to read with #KindleUnlimited subscription.

Heidi Eljarbo is the bestselling author of historical fiction and mysteries filled with courageous and good characters that are easy to love and others you don't want to go near.

Heidi grew up in a home filled with books and artwork and she never truly imagined she would do anything other than write and paint. She studied art, languages, and history, all of which have come in handy when working as an author, magazine journalist, and painter.

After living in Canada, six US states, Japan, Switzerland, and Austria, Heidi now calls Norway home. She and her husband have a total of nine children, thirteen grandchildren—so far—in addition to a bouncy Wheaten Terrier.

Their favorite retreat is a mountain cabin, where they hike in the summertime and ski the vast, white terrain during winter.

Heidi’s favorites are family, God's beautiful nature, and the word whimsical.

Social Media Links:

Website, Newsletter, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, BookBub, Amazon Author Page, Goodreads

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Book Review - After Gáirech by Micheál Cladáin @Phil_Hughes_Nov @maryanneyarde

 

After Gáirech

By Micheál Cladáin

Publication Date: 30th September 2021. Publisher: PerchedCrowPress. Page Length: 370 Pages. Genre: Historical Fiction.

The battle of Gáirech is over; the armies of Connachta, Lagin, and Mumu are destroyed! Survivors are ravaging The Five Kingdoms of Ireland!

While working to resolve the Kingdoms’ issues and bring peace, Cathbadh is murdered, dying in his son Genonn’s arms. Genonn vows to avenge the death of his father. 

For his revenge to work, he needs Conall Cernach and the Red Branch warriors of Ulster. But Conall is gone, searching for the head of Cú Chulainn. Genonn sets out to find him, aided by the beautiful Fedelm, the capricious Lee Fliath and the stalwart Bradán.

Book Rating:

📚📚📚📚📚⭐ = A book in a million

📚📚📚📚📚 = I could not put this book down. I Highly Recommend it.

📚📚📚📚 = A really great read.

📚📚📚 = It was enjoyable.

📚📚 = It was okay.

📚 = Um...! 😕

My Review

After Gáirech

📚📚📚📚 = A really great read.

Irish mythology is often overlooked, or perhaps it is better to say there is so little known about the ancient tribes for Irland that not many authors have dared to compose a story set during this time. Also, this period is surrounded by myths and an almost embedded ancestral understanding of what we think a Druid was - dark magicians to be feared. Micheál Cladáin has come away from this perspective and penned a novel that is more akin to the historical truth.

I did initially really struggle with the opening chapters of this novel, so much so that I put the book aside and read another. But, I am never one to give up on a book so before I picked it up again I decided to do a little research (thank goodness for Wikipedia). Once I had some understanding of this era and, more importantly, The Ulster Cycle, I picked this novel up again, and I am so glad I did!

This story is compelling and on the second reading, I found it near on impossible to put down. I thought the characters were depicted with a historical brilliance, and I certainly enjoyed immersing myself in the history.

All in all this novel was a really great read, but if you are not familiar with the era then I do advise you spend a little time researching this period before you start this book.

You can pick up your copy of this book on Amazon UK, Amazon US, Amazon CA and Amazon AU. This novel is also available on #KindleUnlimited.

Micheál Cladáin studied the classics and developed a love of ancient civilizations during those studies. Learning about ancient Roman and Greek cultures was augmented by a combined sixteen years living in those societies, albeit the modern versions, in Cyprus and Italy. As such, Micheál decided to write historical fiction, trying to follow in the footsteps of such greats as Bernard Cornwell and Conn Iggulden. Because of his Irish roots, he chose pre-Christian Ireland as his setting, rather than ancient Italy or Greece.

Micheál is a full-time writer, who lives in the wilds of Wexford with his wife and their border terriers, Ruby and Maisy.

Social Media Links:

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Book Excerpt - THE AMBER CRANE by Malve von Hassell @MvonHassell @maryanneyarde

 

THE AMBER CRANE

By Malve von Hassell

Publication Date: 25th June 2021. Publisher: Odyssey Books. Page Length: 268 Pages. Genre: Time-slip Historical Fiction / Young Adult

Chafing at the rules of the amber guild, Peter, an apprentice during the waning years of the Thirty Years’ War, finds and keeps a forbidden piece of amber, despite the risk of severe penalties should his secret be discovered.

Little does he know that this amber has hidden powers, transporting him into a future far beyond anything he could imagine. In dreamlike encounters, Peter witnesses the ravages of the final months of World War II in and around his home. He becomes embroiled in the troubles faced by Lioba, a girl he meets who seeks to escape from the oncoming Russian army.

Peter struggles with the consequences of his actions, endangering his family, his amber master’s reputation, and his own future. How much is Peter prepared to sacrifice to right his wrongs?

Excerpt

Excerpt from Chapter 1 - CRANES IN FLIGHT

Peter pulled his coat tighter around himself against the wind. Occasionally he stepped into a depression filled with water, but it did not bother him. The sound of the waves soothed him; he felt as if he could breathe more easily. He dreaded the weight of his father’s unhappiness, the lingering sadness over his brother’s death, and the weaving and rocking from side to side his sister engaged in when she was upset. There was no room for Peter in any of this. 

To get out of the wind for a while, Peter crawled into a little hollow beneath exposed roots of a stand of scraggly pine trees. Riding along a path on top of the dunes, the beach watchman would patrol the area, on the lookout for people gathering amber. The tide was going out but the sea was churned up by the storm, and gusts of wind continued to whip across the water. Occasionally the spray from breakers hitting the beach tickled his face and his lips tasted salty. The smell of the sea and the incessant slap of the waves onto the shore gave him the feeling of being worlds away from Master Nowak’s disapproving frown or his father’s gloomy dissatisfaction. 

Absorbed in watching the shimmer of the water in the glow of the setting sun, he felt his thoughts calm down. Perhaps he could find a way to escape from all this. He began to dream of journeying far away, perhaps to the city of Königsberg, the heart of the amber trade. It would be marvelous to come upon a hidden cache of amber somewhere along the fabled amber beaches outside of Königsberg. Of course, he knew there was nothing more unlikely. He thought of the tales told by amber fishers who claimed to have seen large chunks of amber floating in the waves. Whenever they got closer, reaching out with their nets, it all vanished. 

Peter ran his hand back and forth over the sand and the exposed gnarly pine roots near his legs, then stopped, wincing. He had cut the sensitive area between thumb and index finger. 

Thumping sounds made him raise his head. The silhouette of a horse and rider loomed against the darkening sky—the beach watchman, cantering along the path on top of the dunes. 

Peter squeezed farther back into his shelter, his foot digging into the sand. The ground reverberated as the rider thundered past his hiding place. Sliding down as if a sinkhole had opened up beneath him, Peter grabbed onto an exposed pine tree root to keep from making noise and attracting the watchman’s attention. The horse started and snorted as if sensing Peter’s presence. The rider cursed, kicking the horse, and within moments, passed by. The sounds of the hooves in the sand faded away. 

Peter was still clutching the root with one hand when he felt a lump underneath the other. Slowly he sat up and tried to pull his find out of the sand, tugging until it was free. He shook it to dislodge some of the sand. The clump smelled bad; it was nothing but rotted netting, with barnacles and small shells caught in its coils. Disappointed, he raised his hand to toss it away. 

Then Peter hesitated. The dark stringy strands reminded him of the nets used by the amber catchers. He could feel something firm inside the tightly twisted mess of rope and knots, and worked his fingers into the tangle, pushing and pulling until he was able to pry it apart. A salt-crusted stone with a rough, cracked surface fell onto the sand in front of his feet. He picked it up to take a closer look. There actually were two pieces, a longer one, about the length of his palm, curved around a smaller one, like a mother cradling a baby in her lap. When he prodded the clump with a little twig, the pieces came apart. These were not stones. They were too light. 

Amber.

Instinctively Peter closed his hands over his find and glanced around to see whether the watchman was coming back. The tops of the distant pine trees waved in the wind. The beach was deserted, and the only sound other than the surf was the raucous screeching of the cranes. 

After a moment, Peter relaxed, opening his hands to study the lumps. Dull, crusted with salt, unpolished, they did not look at all appealing. But he had worked with Master Nowak long enough to know at least one of them to be a unique and unusually large piece of amber. On the amber market, it would fetch a high price. 

The smaller piece was just large enough for a lady’s pendant. Peter could see it with his mind’s eye as clearly as if he had spent hours working on it—a perfect little heart with a warm dark-golden glow. He put it down and picked up the other one.

It was almost as long as his hand and half as wide in the middle. In the workshop, he rarely handled or worked on pieces larger than those used to make rosary beads. He poked at the crusty surface with his fingernail. He turned it this way and that. It made him think of a tall bird, perhaps a crane. Its oblong shape seemed curiously alive, as if a bird was waiting underneath the crust, dreaming inside its dark golden nest. 

It rested on the palm of his hand, its secret hidden. He should throw it back. Someone might have seen him walking toward the beach. It would be awful if he were caught. He would have to count himself lucky if he only got flogged. He should throw everything back into the sea immediately. The watchman might come circling back any moment. He closed his hand firmly on his find and lifted his arm. Then, as if pulled down by a tremendous weight, his arm dropped. Just for a night. He would keep it just for a night. Tomorrow he would take it back. 

 

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Malve von Hassell is a freelance writer, researcher, and translator. She holds a Ph.D. in anthropology from the New School for Social Research. Working as an independent scholar, she published The Struggle for Eden: Community Gardens in New York City (Bergin & Garvey 2002) and Homesteading in New York City 1978-1993: The Divided Heart of Loisaida (Bergin & Garvey 1996). She has also edited her grandfather Ulrich von Hassell's memoirs written in prison in 1944, Der Kreis schließt sich - Aufzeichnungen aus der Haft 1944 (Propylaen Verlag 1994). She has taught at Queens College, Baruch College, Pace University, and Suffolk County Community College, while continuing her work as a translator and writer. She has self-published two children’s picture books, Letters from the Tooth Fairy (2012/2020) and Turtle Crossing (2021), and her translation and annotation of a German children’s classic by Tamara Ramsay, Rennefarre: Dott’s Wonderful Travels and Adventures (Two Harbors Press, 2012). The Falconer’s Apprentice (namelos, 2015) was her first historical fiction novel for young adults. She has published Alina: A Song for the Telling (BHC Press, 2020), set in Jerusalem in the time of the crusades, and The Amber Crane (Odyssey Books, 2021), set in Germany in 1645 and 1945. She has completed a biographical work about a woman coming of age in Nazi Germany and is working on a historical fiction trilogy featuring Adela of Normandy.

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