Blurb:

Meet Lord Jon Willem Legray, Witchfinder General to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth the First. Summoned to London to investigate the sightings of a flying witch, Legray soon finds himself in a fight with horrors beyond imagination. After all, it's never a good idea to stir a demons' nest.

Review:

Mike Shackle’s The Last War trilogy has taken the world by storm, with a pioneer in the field such as Glen Cook describing it as ‘Likely the next Game of Thrones’. Praise doesn’t really get bigger than this, right? And although I haven’t had a chance to get into that series yet (it’s on my TBR, best believe!), I just wouldn’t be able to forgive myself if I’d have missed out on his upcoming one as well. So I did the most logical and no-brainer thing possible – sign up for an advanced copy of The Witchfinder Chronicles 1, Part 1 of a 12-part series exclusive to the author’s website. No surprise that it turned out to be an absolutely amazing decision! And hence, I would like to thank the author for providing me with a digital advanced reader copy of an explosive opening chapter to a brand new series.

What’s it about?

Welcome to London, England… August, 1585.

Not really the best place to be considering you could be hit by poop flying out the window. Also not to forget the smelly streets as a result of it. But that’s nothing compared to what the real problem is all around the country… witches, demons, evil, and magic… all vying to grasp the nation, and eventually the whole world, in an inescapable hold… and this is nothing but the beginning of it all…

Behold – Lord Jon Willem Legray, Witchfinder General to Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth the First. The only person foolish enough to battle evil creatures for a living. That’s the job, and as they say, somebody’s gotta do it… for there is no one better.

His latest mission takes him to London for an investigation into the reported sightings of a witch seemingly responsible for a number of disappearances. Carrying the Sword of Saint George, the most famous weapon in all of England, Legray is not only suitably equipped to deal with evil as a whole, but also has years of experience in doing just that. But the Witchfinder, of all people, is well aware of the fact that:

When it came to the devil’s work, one could never be too careful.

What turns out to be a mere investigation and a potential light work for someone of Legray’s caliber soon turns out to be a whole heap lot more than what the Witchfinder could’ve bargained for.

He may have been killing the unnatural and ungodly for decades, but he’d never underestimate the creatures or what they were capable of. The day he did that would be the day he died.

Was this to be that day? Blood, gore, evil magic… and nothing but pure horror. Has Legray finally met his match? And just to reiterate… this is nothing but the beginning of it all…

The good

• To put it simply – everything from start to finish. No two ways about it whatsoever.

• For a novella (and also being the very first part of a new series), this was an incredible start, I must say. Read it in one straight sitting. Not only did I absolutely devour it fully, but the immediate craving that I had for the next part was immense! And that just sums it up how much I loved it.

• The writing, the characters, the plot, and the setting all were excellently done. Really, really enjoyed it all.

• The evil depicted in the form of monsters was brutal, dark, and so much fun to read. More of that please!

• The ending was great, and it just left me wanting for more instantly.

The “not so” good

If you couldn’t already tell, I have literally nothing to say in this matter (and rightly so!).

Highlights

How about the whole novella itself?! Go read it NOW!

Other info.

There’s a note on the author’s website which I would like to include here:

Why Buy Direct from the Author?

• A much higher proportion of the cost goes directly to the writer rather than Amazon or other online retailers.

• Your support allows me to spend my days writing and therefore I can give you more stories more often.

Also to point out is the following:

• Each episode is CAD$1.49. That's about 95p and USD$1.10.

And after reading the above, I just have to ask you one question – What are you waiting for, then?! Go grab your copy ASAP!

Final thoughts

What Evil Lurks by Mike Shackle is a PERFECT start to a highly promising new series. I just can’t say enough good things about it! If you’re looking for a short yet super engaging read involving witches, demons, and evil alike; a strong protagonist who’s as memorable as he’s a total baddy, and an overall fun time with a well-executed plot plus setting alongside an addictive narration, then look no further than Part 1 of The Witchfinder Chronicles. And if you have a closer look while browsing through the author’s website, you might be able to spot the following:

'A short yet SUPER FUN read! A POCKET DYNAMITE! Honestly... I.NEED.MORE!!!' - Indyman

I couldn’t have put it better myself (pun totally intended!). Seriously, go get yourself a copy right now!