Blog Tour and Book Excerpt for "Raven's Hill"

DK Marley
1 day ago
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Book Title: Ravens Hill

Series: The Atheling Chronicles, Book #5

Author: Garth Pettersen

Publication Date: April 15, 2025

Publisher: Tirgearr Publishing

Pages: 308

Genre: historical mystery, historical fiction

Any Triggers: some graphic violence, discussion of molestation

Ravens Hill

The Atheling Chronicles, Book #5

by Garth Pettersen

Blurb:

When Harald, the second son of King Cnute, returns from fighting the king's enemies in Northern Wales, he expects his life to return to normal⸺farming in the Midlands, overseeing his few tenants, evening walks with his beloved Selia⸺an idyllic life, far from the power-mongering of King Cnute's court. But the king has other plans for Harald and his wife—he grants them a large landholding, a gift they cannot refuse.

On arriving at their new holding, Ravens Hill, Harald and Selia receive a tepid welcome⸺from belligerent housecarls, a conniving steward, an uncompromising abbess, bitter at not adding their estate to her abbey lands, a priest with roaming hands, and a grieving daughter of the previous landholder, who has entered the nunnery.

Harald and Selia wish to improve the lot of their tenant farmers but they face obstacles at every turn, and Harald’s generosity is seen as weakness. They also learn the lands come with an unexpected millstone—an unsolved murder.

And then the trouble begins.

[Fans of Bernard Cornwell will love Ravens Hill—part of the award-winning Atheling Chronicles series.]

Buy Links:

Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/u/317MEw

Publisher’s Author Page with series links: http://www.tirpub.com/gpettersen

Author Bio:

Garth Pettersen is an award-winning Canadian writer living in the Fraser Valley near Vancouver, BC, Canada where he and his wife board horses.

Pettersen has a BA in History from the University of Victoria and is a retired teacher. His short stories have appeared in anthologies and in journals such as Blank Spaces, The Spadina Literary Review, and The Opening Line Literary 'Zine.

Garth Pettersen's historical fiction series, The Atheling Chronicles, is published by Tirgearr Publishing and is available through most online outlets. Book #4 in the series, The Sea’s Edge, received a first-place Incipere Award. Book #5, Ravens Hill, was released on April 15, 2025.

Author Links:

Website: http://www.garthpettersen.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/garpet011

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/writeandride/

Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/garth-pettersen

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/garthpettersen

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15059599.Garth_Pettersen

Book Excerpt:

Word of our arrival must have been relayed for a middle-aged nun in gray homespun greeted us and bade us follow. From a stone church we heard the melodious voices of the nuns chanting a responsorial.

“Lovely,” said Selia. “There is much to be said for the religious life.”

“At least I’ll know where to find you, when you tire of me.”

“Ha!” was her reply.

The church was the only stone building. All others were timber-framed, wattle-and-daubed, thatched roof structures of various sizes serving various functions. Our guide led us into a building where groaning-board tables and ale-benches proclaimed a dining hall. The nun bade us sit and wait while Abbess Burchwen finished prayers. Some moments later, the sister returned with beakers of ale. The two housecarls who had accompanied us, remained outside, according to the routine, and I asked if their thirst could also be slaked. The sister nodded, keeping her gaze downward.

“At least you know the ale is good here in your future home,” I jested, raising my beaker.

Selia shook her head. “Have no fear, husband. I know where my home is. It is wherever you rest your arrogant head.”

“Ah, the correct answer. I should have posed it as a riddle. I am that which—” I was about to continue my nonsense when the abbess entered the hall with two young nuns trailing. She dressed in gray homespun wool like the other nuns—a loose tunic and over-the-head apron belted at the waist—a scapular, I believe it to be called—and her head covered by a linen cæppe. The Abbess also wore a large silver cross around her neck, which I assumed indicated her position. She approached us, walking with both vitality and authority.

“Well come, Harald Atheling and lady Selia,” she said. Her voice was husky and her manner purposeful. “I trust I have not kept you waiting overlong.” The Abbess had a broad, plain face that contained no particular feature of beauty. I hoped on further scrutiny I would discover a warm smile or bright eyes that glittered like stars. I was to be disappointed.