Review of The Running Wolf by Helen Steadman

 

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Today is my stop on the Random Things blog tour for The Running Wolf by Helen Steadman.

I have really enjoyed all of the books that I’ve read by Helen Steadman and was thrilled to join the blog tour for her latest novel.

Begining in 1687, The Running Wolf is the story of Herman Mohll, a master sword maker from Solingen in Germany, who risks his life by breaking Guild oaths to move his family to England.

The book alternates between the Mohll family settling in England and over a decade later when we find that Herman has been put in Morpeth gaol after being accused of smuggling.

Was Herman really smuggling and why does one of Queen Anne’s closest advisors have such an interest in this case?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and was fascinated to learn about the seventeenth century swordmakers. The author has done a fantastic job of bringing this era vividly to life

This is definitely one for historical fiction fans.

4 stars

Thank you to Random Things Tours for including me. Check out the banner below to follow the other stops on the tour.

About the Author

Helen Steadman's first novel, Widdershins and its sequel, Sunwise were inspired by the 1650 Newcastle witch trials. Her third novel, The Running Wolf is about a group of master swordmakers who defected from Germany to England in 1687. Helen's fourth novel, God of Fire, is a Greek myth retelling as seen through the eyes of Hephaestus, perhaps the least well known of all the Olympians. Helen is particularly interested in revealing hidden 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 research and visiting forges in Solingen to bring her story to life, Helen also undertook blacksmith training, which culminated in making her own sword.