It’s AD797, and warrior-monk Hunlaf and his crew are on a voyage to Cyprus to acquire an important Christian relic before it falls into the hands of Byzantium’s scheming Empress Eirene. Hunlaf’s crew receive unexpected help as they seek their treasure, but soon find themselves betrayed. About to leave for home empty-handed, the adventurers instead […]
Swords in the Snow by Matthew Harffy and Steven A McKay
December, 1330. When thieves snatch a priceless holy relic from a Pontefract church, Friar Tuck and the bailiff, John Little, set out through snowbound Yorkshire to recover it. The relic is the only hope for a gravely ill girl. But the hunt soon turns bloody. From frozen dales to the mud-slick streets of York, John […]
Dominion of Dust by Matthew Harffy
AD 797, and we’re in Cyprus. Warrior-monk Hunlaf and his crew are on a voyage to acquire an important Christian relic before it falls into the hands of Byzantium’s scheming Empress Eirene. Hunlaf’s crew receive unexpected help as they seek their treasure, but soon find themselves betrayed. About to leave for home empty-handed, the adventurers […]
Shadows of the Slain by Matthew Harffy
It’s AD652, and after surviving dark intrigues at the Frankish royal court, Beobrand is finally able to undertake the mission his queen set him: to escort a party of pilgrims to the holy city of Rome. Yet Beobrand’s life is never easy. His party includes a scheming churchman whose ambition is boundless, and a mysterious […]
Dark Frontier by Matthew Harffy
In 1890 Lieutenant Gabriel Stokes of the British Army left behind the horrors of war for a role in the Metropolitan Police. Though he rose quickly through the ranks, the squalid violence of London’s East End proved just as dark and oppressive as the battlefield. With his life falling apart, and longing for peace and […]
Christmas reading 2024 – top historical books to give or to treat yourself to
We asked eight much-loved authors to each recommend a couple of historical books for Christmas 2024 to give, receive, or treat yourself to — fiction and non-fiction. There are ideas for history-loving children and teens as well. We hope these suggestions help to inspire your Christmas reading. Sharon Bennett Connolly For fiction, it has to […]
Shadows of the Slain by Matthew Harffy
AD652, and after surviving dark intrigues at the Merovingian court of Frankia, Beobrand is finally able to undertake the mission his queen set him: to escort a party of pilgrims to the holy city of Rome. But Beobrand’s life is never easy. His party includes a scheming novice churchman whose ambition is boundless, and a […]
Early medieval Rome: the changing face of the Eternal City
By the 7th century, the ‘grandeur that was Rome’ had faded, thanks to wars, sackings and plagues. Power had shifted eastwards. Yet the lure of the Eternal City drew pilgrims and tourists along an ancient route, says Matthew Harffy, author of Shadows of the Slain. He describes early medieval Rome for Historia. Shadows of the […]