Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
From New York Times bestselling author Melanie Dickerson comes a fresh reimagining of the classic Pied Piper tale.
A plague of rats. Children going missing. A giant beast attacking just outside the walls of Hamlin. And one young woman determined to save her town.
Katerina's stepfather, Hennek, is neither a good father nor a good husband, but he is the mayor of Hamlin. Could he somehow be causing the misfortunes that have befallen her beloved town? The evidence points to a beast of unusual size--a wolf, perhaps, or a large dog--killing people who venture too far from town. But does that explain the disappearance of so many children, many of whom seem to have gone missing from inside the town walls?
Steffan knows he must reconcile with his father, the Duke of Hagenheim, but he's not sure he's ready. In the meantime, he roams from town to town seeking adventure and reward. When he hears of a giant beast terrorizing the town of Hamlin and an equally giant reward that includes gold, money, and the mayor's daughter in marriage, he heads to Hamlin. Steffan plans to kill the beast, rid the town of its rat infestation, and take the reward--everything except the girl in marriage. However, when he meets Katerina, he's not so sure. Perhaps his plans need changing.
Katerina is hunting the Beast of Hamlin for herself, determined to win liberation from her conniving and controlling stepfather. When she finds one of the children who has been missing for many months, dirty and wandering around the woods, the mystery only seems to deepen. Katerina will have to team up with Steffan, the handsome but brash duke's son who infuriates her--he's the only one in town who isn't controlled by the mayor. Danger dogs them from both man and beast. Can Katerina and Steffan stop the "Pied Piper" from stealing every last child from Hamlin? Or will their interference create an even worse fate?
Synopsis
Melanie Dickerson reimagines the classic Pied Piper tale with new intrigue and romance.
In 1424 Hamlin, Katerina faces threats from all sides. An outbreak of rats has overtaken the town, a mysterious beast of unusual size appears to be stealing away the village's children, and her stepfather, the mayor of Hamlin, is a dark presence inside the walls of her own home. Katerina is determined to hunt and kill the Beast of Hamlin herself before more lives are lost.
When Steffan, the handsome but brash duke's son with a less than admirable reputation, comes to town seeking glory and reward, Katerina reluctantly decides he might be the ally she's been looking for--the only person in town she can trust not to be under the influence of her stepfather. But there's more to Steffan than she suspects, and she finds herself drawn to him despite her reluctance to trust any man.
Katerina and Steffan must stop the enemy from stealing every child of Hamlin. Will Steffan be able to overcome his own longstanding issues to help the beautiful and brave Katerina? Or will their interference create a worse fate for them all?
Synopsis
A plague of rats. A giant beast outside the village walls. A host of missing children. And one young woman determined to save her people.In 1424 Hamlin, Katerina faces threats from all sides. An outbreak of rats has overtaken the village, a mysterious beast is on a killing rampage of the village's children, and her evil stepfather is a dark presence inside the walls of her own home. Katerina is determined to hunt and kill the Beast of Hamlin herself before more lives are lost.
When Steffan, the handsome but brash duke's son, comes to town seeking glory and reward, Katerina decides he might be the ally she's been looking for--even though the sweet music he plays on his pipe seems the only gentle thing about him. But there's more to Steffan than she suspects, and she finds drawn to him despite her misgivings.
Can Katerina and Steffan stop the enemy from stealing every child of Hamlin? Or will their interference create a worse fate for them all? Melanie Dickerson delivers another exciting fairy tale journey of intrigue and romance in this reimagining of the classic Pied Piper story.