The Harwood Mysteries Book 6
Antony Barone Kolenc
Loyola Press
ISBN 9780829457209
eISBN 9780829457216
ASIN B0DG7TXVNW
This is the final book in the Harwood Mysteries. I have really enjoyed the 6 novels and also the three short stories in the same world published as the Lucy Mysteries. The author has indicated the series will conclude with this sixth volume. This story is historical fiction set in medieval England in the middle of May 1188 A.D., about 6 months after the previous story. The description of the volume is:
“In this captivating climax to the award-winning Harwood Mysteries series, Xan must unravel his most perilous mystery yet. Xan, Christina, and Lucy undertake a dangerous voyage across treacherous seas so that Xan can confront Moorish pirates who are holding Uncle William for ransom. When the friends encounter a sinister evil force, their faith and friendship is put to the ultimate test. Set at the dawn of the Third Crusade, their adventure is brimming with peril and intrigue.
Will a malevolent figure from their past thwart their mission?
Are demonic forces at work outside the city walls?
Will Xan and his friends fall prey to the dark forces that threaten to consume them?”
If you have already read the other Harwood Mysteries you will be familiar with many of the characters in this must read story. This volume is in a way the darkest in the series, but it is also one with much hope. Tony in the author’s note at the front of the volume this time states:
“With each new book in The Harwood Mysteries series, my characters, along with my readers, have grown in age and maturity. Hence, this sixth in the series, The Devil’s Ransom, which contains themes that are more mature than topics in its predecessors, is intended for a slightly older audience. To help guide young readers through the varying degrees of light and shadow in this story, detailed historical notes providing context to key events and actions within these pages can be found at the back of the book. I encourage parents and teachers to read this book in tandem with their youth—the conversations will be interesting and fruitful, to be sure.
Ultimately, this is a tale about the struggle between good and evil. While I do not want to give anything away about what unfolds in the chapters ahead, I leave you with this assurance from Sacred Scripture: If God be for us, who could be against us? (Romans 8:31). The answer is at the heart of this novel. I hope you enjoy it—hold on for a thrilling ride!”
I would agree this is for a more mature reader, or to be read through with your child and discussed as you go. There is a case of possession, and a lot of spiritual warfare. Xan and his friends make some mistakes, and learn to apologize and seek restoration. We encounter 2 previous foes, one who has appeared across the series. We also have the juxtaposition of Xan and his friends being in Muslim controlled territory as opposed to being at home in England. There is even a meeting with the Governor of Xelb one Isa ibn Abi Hafs ibn Ali. Xan again finds himself between a rock and a hard place. He is given a task several large guards could not complete. He is forced into this for a reason he cannot say no. But he has learned to trust in God, even if he makes mistakes along the way.
This story contains elements of Jesus’s encounter with the demoniac, an exorcism, and spiritual warfare on many levels. Tony has done a masterful job of finding balance between telling a new tale and staying true to historical fact and places in this conclusion to the series. This volume and series are well researched and the author’s note at the beginning is essential reading. The characters are very well written, it is a solid plot with a few twists and interesting subplots woven well into the story. It also contains a huge surprising cliff hanger ending. The story moves at a good pace. With travel by land and sea, and a visit to a far off city. It was a very hard book to put down.
It was great to watch Xan’s and Christina’s growth in this story and their interactions with and others on the journey. It was also wonderful to watch Lucy and Christina’s friendship grow and the interactions with Lucy’s adopted brother. This story and the main Harwood series is marketed for Middle grade readers but are great for tweens and teens, and by the ends of this I would say the series is excellent for young adults as well. I am in my fifties and I loved them. This is another well written story and one that will leave you desperate for more stories set in this world. Antony ‘Tony’ Barone Kolenc is a retired Lieutenant Colonel from the U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate General's (JAG) Corps. He currently teaches law. In this story and series, he has shown that he has great skill as a story teller in both long and short form fiction. It is a historical fiction story guaranteed to entertain, readers young and old alike. It is a great story in an excellent series. I can easily recommend the book and the series.
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2024 Catholic Reading Plan!
Books by Antony Barone Kolenc:
The Harwood Mysteries:
Shadow in the Dark
The Haunted Cathedral
Books by Antony Barone Kolenc:
The Harwood Mysteries:
Shadow in the Dark
The Haunted Cathedral
Harwood Short Stories:
The Lucy Mysteries:
…
Incarnate Series:
Incarnate
…
Incarnate
…
Other Books:
Penny and the Stolen Chalice
…
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