The Viking Sword
An Anglo-Saxon Mystery
Elizabeth Springer
Christmas time is usually a special time for newlyweds however Lord Edwin and Lady Molgiful’s Christmas may not go the way they expect. The setting is AD 879 at Wimborne in Dorset. Edwin is employed by King Alfred as an administrative official. A band of callous gamblers appear to be organizing in nearby Hampton. A man reports the theft of a treasure trove of silver. A precious artifact at Wimborne Abbey has disappeared. Someone burns down a warehouse with a year’s worth of food inside. A musician with a communication from Edwin’s brother vanishes. The skull of woman is recovered in a shallow grave in an isolated spot close to the river. Could anything else go wrong? Of course! On Christmas day a man is found in his locked bedchamber with a Viking Sword in him. Are the crimes connected…
Edwin and Molly attempt to bring back a little semblance of peace and holiday cheer.
I love this action-packed historical mystery. The main characters are fun. This is the second book in this series. A great read!

Thank you NetGalley for the review copy

This was a strong sequel in the Edwin of Wimborne Anglo-Saxon Mystery series, it had that element that I enjoyed and was hooked from the first page. The characters were everything that I wanted and enjoyed getting to go back to this universe. Elizabeth Springer was able to create a strong story and was glad I read this.

I thoroughly enjoyed this cozy historical mystery set in King Alfred's England. The King's reeve Edwin and his wife Lady Molgifu are preparing to celebrate the Midwinter holiday when the bones of a woman are found buried in a shallow grave. Then a treasure trove of silver is reported stolen by a nearby landowner, and a storehouse containing the food for an entire year is destroyed by arson. Are the crimes connected and if so, how? The action is nonstop and will keep you guessing til the end. I loved the characters and period details in ths book and I thought it was very engaging. It is the second book in a series and I have bought the first book to enjoy next and hope to read many more. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book. All opinions are my own.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Elizabeth Springer for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for The Viking Sword. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This is the first book I’ve read by the author. I haven’t read the first book in the series, so I was probably not all the way caught up with the story. I thought there was a lot of good historical background. I enjoyed the writing. I think things were just a bit dry for me. I thought it would feel more like a Christmastime cozy historical book. However, it had more information than story. I think it felt more like telling me instead of showing me. I would check out other books by this author, though.

A medieval murder mystery, along with thefts, slaves and fires make this an arduous case for Edwin to solve on his way back home from court.

This book requires a bit of concentration just because of the names being younger twisters or awkward (but likely appropriate for the time period) and the language not being straightforward. Given that premise however, it is fun to read how a mystery is solved in ancient times.

#netgalley #TheVikingSword

The Viking Sword is a unique mystery based in medieval England. Somewhat of an Anglo-Saxon Poirot, the story tracks a series of mysterious thefts and murders in 879 AD Dorset.
As a fan of historical fiction this title appealed to me but I found the book a bit difficult to get into. Some historical facts seemed fanciful, and some modern sounding names were jarring. I think that this book would appeal to a YA audience, or primarily mystery fans who aren’t too bogged down with historical accuracy.
A light and fun read with a historical twist.

Set in medieval times this engaging murder mystery is enhanced with delightful descriptions of the landscape, towns and the life and times of the period.

Edwin is journeying home from the King’s court in Winchester to the manor he manages on behalf of the crown in southern Dorset. He travels with his brother in law and two young men, 17 year old twins, allotted to him by the King. As he travels home in the midwinter he has a sense of trouble lying ahead. The Christmas Day celebrations are eagerly anticipated, after the advent period of fasting, but is interrupted when a skull is discovered buried by the river. As the 12 day Christmas feast continues Edwin in drawn into investigating a series of local mishaps including suspected murder, stolen treasure, escaped slaves and arson.

The plot unfolds at a good pace with Edwin facing an increasing number of challenges whilst also managing his estate. The characters are well developed and the dialogue engaging. The historic details and an intriguing set of mysteries makes this a thoroughly enjoyable read.

The Viking Sword Is a mystery novel with a medieval backdrop taking place in 879 A.D.. There are some historical details of this period but the gist of the mystery solving of a dead body, a murder, and thefts of religious objects takes hold as the plot unfolds. A great fun read with a delightful cast of characters. Thank you NetGalley (https://www.netgallery.com) for an advanced copy of this very enjoyable novel.