Nevermore: A Medieval Romance (De Wolfe Pack)

HISTORICAL: Mariana de Allerston is a postulate in the infamous Whitby Abbey, not by choice but by her father’s decree. Declaring her willful and disobedient, he has placed her in the care of the Abbess, a woman whose soul is as black as the raven she keeps. Atreus de Norville, a powerful knight from the House of de Norville and kin to the House of de Wolfe, has secretly been meeting Mariana, determined to make her his wife. The time has finally come for them to escape. Mariana returns to the Abbey for her last night, but she is brought before the Abbess where she is condemned for being a child of Satan. Nothing Mariana does will dissuade the Abbess from a brutal punishment that will separate her from her beloved Atreus forever. Can Atreus and Mariana find happiness or is their love doomed to die in a watery grave?

“Nevermore” ratchets up the chills and thrills to deliver a gothic story with a spooky punch! From the start, atmosphere pervades the story with a cloistered Abby perched on a cliff, a horrific storm, ravens, and an evil Mother Abbess. This story was first published in the Halloween anthology, “Upon a Midnight Dreary”. Characterization is light with an emphasis on plot and pacing. Mariana is not a heroine who waits to be rescued–she fights for freedom with grit and desperation. Atreus is decisive in his choice and uncaring of the consequences. The ending comes fast, and readers may wish there was more of an epilogue focused on Mariana and Atreus. “Nevermore” builds the stakes quickly—a spine-tingling tale that can’t be put down!

Tricia Hill