The Huntress: A Novel (Dark Queen), by Susan Carroll
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Ever since I read Carroll’s “The Dark Queen” I’ve been a fan of her writing. A mix of historical fiction and romance novel, Carroll has a knack for capturing the atmosphere of 1500’s Europe while also showcasing the indomitable personalities of her heroines. The first three novels in this series recount the adventures of the Cheney sisters, who are “daughters of the earth” - called witches by some - skilled in the ancient arts of healing. “The Huntress” shifts focus by telling the story of Catriona O’Hanlon, an Irish warrior woman of sorts sent to England by the eldest Cheney sister. Her quest: to find a young girl who some believe to be a powerful dark sorceress. Cat uses her skills with a sword, her beauty and her wit to accomplish her mission - meeting a handsome gentlemen along the way, of course. “The Huntress” was not as action packed as “The Dark Queen” (a book I finished in one night), but was nevertheless an enjoyable read. I only wish Queen Elizabeth I and her spy master Sir Francis Walsingham had played more active roles in the storyline.
