What do you think?
Rate this book
The Forest Lord #4.2
Faces of Darkness
When a young noblewoman is brutally assaulted in her own manor house, two former outlaws decide they must solve the mystery, before things go too far…
CROFTUN, NORTHERN ENGLAND
WINTER, AD 1328
Lady Isabella de Courcy is found alone in a room bolted from the inside, unconscious, and with a dagger forced through her hand, but this is just the latest in a line of similar, terrifying incidents. For months now, she’s been stalked by some shadowy tormentor yet, bafflingly, the attacker has never been clearly seen by anyone, even Lady Isabella, and he seems to leave no trace of his movements.
Can the bailiff, John Little, along with the legendary friar, Robert Stafford, uncover the truth and, more importantly, will they be able to save the troubled victim before she ends up dead?
This new standalone novella from the author of The Druid sees the return of two much-loved characters from the Forest Lord series and is based on a shocking real-life case which remains, to this day, unsolved.
CROFTUN, NORTHERN ENGLAND
WINTER, AD 1328
Lady Isabella de Courcy is found alone in a room bolted from the inside, unconscious, and with a dagger forced through her hand, but this is just the latest in a line of similar, terrifying incidents. For months now, she’s been stalked by some shadowy tormentor yet, bafflingly, the attacker has never been clearly seen by anyone, even Lady Isabella, and he seems to leave no trace of his movements.
Can the bailiff, John Little, along with the legendary friar, Robert Stafford, uncover the truth and, more importantly, will they be able to save the troubled victim before she ends up dead?
This new standalone novella from the author of The Druid sees the return of two much-loved characters from the Forest Lord series and is based on a shocking real-life case which remains, to this day, unsolved.
138 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 13, 2019
105 people are currently reading
100 people want to read
About the author
Steven A. McKay
52 books446 followersI was born in 1977, near Glasgow in Scotland and live in Old Kilpatrick with my wife and two young children. After obtaining my Bachelor of Arts degree I decided to follow my life-long ambition and write a novel. The Forest Lord series now has four novels, and various short spin-off tales.
My new book "The Heathen Horde" is the first in a brand series following Alfred the Great. It comes out on October 26 2023 so please check it out and pre-order if you can!
I play guitar and write all my books while listening to extreme metal.
In 2022 I started a podcast with fellow historical author Matthew Harffy. You can subscribe to Rock, Paper, Swords! on all the usual podcast outlets and also find the audio on Youtube every fortnight.
My new book "The Heathen Horde" is the first in a brand series following Alfred the Great. It comes out on October 26 2023 so please check it out and pre-order if you can!
I play guitar and write all my books while listening to extreme metal.
In 2022 I started a podcast with fellow historical author Matthew Harffy. You can subscribe to Rock, Paper, Swords! on all the usual podcast outlets and also find the audio on Youtube every fortnight.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
December 22, 2019
*** 3.75 ***
December 15, 2019
Great little tale.
Wonderful story, based on truth. I think it could have been a longer tale, but thoroughly enjoyable read. Looking forward to the next tale.
Wonderful story, based on truth. I think it could have been a longer tale, but thoroughly enjoyable read. Looking forward to the next tale.
January 13, 2020
Steven A. McKay has delivered a gem of a story! I really thought McKay had shelved for good Robin Hood and his gang for new pastures.. turns out there’s still some stories left to be told and I couldn’t be happier.
We are back with Friar Tuck and Little John who are about to stumble upon a mystery.. and let's be fair we all know Tuck.. he’s not one to walk away without getting to the bottom of things.
Little John in his role as bailiff is out to collect a fine and Tuck comes along for the journey. They soon learn of the plight of Lady Isabella, who is being terrorised and things seem to be escalating! There’s one issue though.. there’s no witnesses and no evidence that the individual exists..but there must be someone right?
John and Tuck do due diligence and secure the area.. with no issues found they go on their way… only to be called back as another frightful event has occurred.
It soon becomes clear that not everyone believes the stories they are being told by Lady Isabella.. things don’t add up.
Tuck is a good judge of character and soon seems to be getting somewhere.. you can see the cogs start to turn once the oil gets the gears going and it leads to a fast paced and gripping ending that packs a punch.
What I really enjoyed about this book.. it’s a perfect little mystery but with the authors fun and gritty edge.. and Tuck and John were the perfect duo. You’d be forgiven for raising an eyebrow.. you either want modern-day mysteries or straight up historical fiction right?..can you mix them? McKay certainly knows the recipe!
I’m going to put it out there now… I love these little novellas.. Can we have Will Scaflock back in the next please :).
Faces of Darkness offers an intriguing plot based around a real life event, balanced with wit from both Tuck and John.. add in the perfect pace and you’ve got a winner!
McKay knows what his readers want.. everything he offers us is pure brilliance and while we may not see the gang around that much it was so good to be back!
We are back with Friar Tuck and Little John who are about to stumble upon a mystery.. and let's be fair we all know Tuck.. he’s not one to walk away without getting to the bottom of things.
Little John in his role as bailiff is out to collect a fine and Tuck comes along for the journey. They soon learn of the plight of Lady Isabella, who is being terrorised and things seem to be escalating! There’s one issue though.. there’s no witnesses and no evidence that the individual exists..but there must be someone right?
John and Tuck do due diligence and secure the area.. with no issues found they go on their way… only to be called back as another frightful event has occurred.
It soon becomes clear that not everyone believes the stories they are being told by Lady Isabella.. things don’t add up.
Tuck is a good judge of character and soon seems to be getting somewhere.. you can see the cogs start to turn once the oil gets the gears going and it leads to a fast paced and gripping ending that packs a punch.
What I really enjoyed about this book.. it’s a perfect little mystery but with the authors fun and gritty edge.. and Tuck and John were the perfect duo. You’d be forgiven for raising an eyebrow.. you either want modern-day mysteries or straight up historical fiction right?..can you mix them? McKay certainly knows the recipe!
I’m going to put it out there now… I love these little novellas.. Can we have Will Scaflock back in the next please :).
Faces of Darkness offers an intriguing plot based around a real life event, balanced with wit from both Tuck and John.. add in the perfect pace and you’ve got a winner!
McKay knows what his readers want.. everything he offers us is pure brilliance and while we may not see the gang around that much it was so good to be back!
January 7, 2020
A brilliant short novella. Friar Tuck and Little John get involved in what is actually a modern true story, but Steven does a fantastic job of them solving the mystery in their own inimitable way. It kept me glued from first word to last. With the mention of Will Scaflock at the end, I am waiting in anticipation for next years book!
January 27, 2021
3.75🌟
Friar Tuck and Little John sleuthing around northern England? Yes please! Looks like I am starting a new series. Perfect pandemic escapism.
Friar Tuck and Little John sleuthing around northern England? Yes please! Looks like I am starting a new series. Perfect pandemic escapism.
December 19, 2019
OK Goodreads - I don't care what you say - there is a paperback version of this book available - it's not available only as one of your precious electronic books. And why do you have me down as having read it twice? Oh well......
This is, I believe, Steven McKay's fifth novella featuring characters first introduced as members of Robin Hood's band of merrye men in the "Forest Lord" series, which, if you haven't read it, you need to since it's one of the best Robin Hood series to be published in years. This one features two of the characters, Friar Tuck and Little John with a cameo appearance from Will Scaflock (Scarlett) towards the end.
Based on actual, more current events, this is a mystery involving an abused wife and some mysterious goings-on. To say more would amount to a spoiler and that takes all the fun out of reading it.
It's obvious although the author has gone on to other endeavours (since he's in the UK, we get British spelling - sorry spell check!) and if you haven't read his more recent efforts featuring a very unlikely hero - a Druid - you might want to pick those up as well. It's obvious though, he has a fondness for the heroes of Sherwood since these novellas pop up periodically. Here's a vote for more in the future, but let's have more of Will in at least one of those!
Highly recommended for Steven McKay fans, Robin Hood fans, and people who just like to escape into the pages of a good book.
This is, I believe, Steven McKay's fifth novella featuring characters first introduced as members of Robin Hood's band of merrye men in the "Forest Lord" series, which, if you haven't read it, you need to since it's one of the best Robin Hood series to be published in years. This one features two of the characters, Friar Tuck and Little John with a cameo appearance from Will Scaflock (Scarlett) towards the end.
Based on actual, more current events, this is a mystery involving an abused wife and some mysterious goings-on. To say more would amount to a spoiler and that takes all the fun out of reading it.
It's obvious although the author has gone on to other endeavours (since he's in the UK, we get British spelling - sorry spell check!) and if you haven't read his more recent efforts featuring a very unlikely hero - a Druid - you might want to pick those up as well. It's obvious though, he has a fondness for the heroes of Sherwood since these novellas pop up periodically. Here's a vote for more in the future, but let's have more of Will in at least one of those!
Highly recommended for Steven McKay fans, Robin Hood fans, and people who just like to escape into the pages of a good book.
December 16, 2019
Little John and Tuck are back, after many adventures with Robin Hood and then their own personal challenges, they come together to try and solve the strangest mystery they have faced! Lady Isobella is being stalked, but by a mysterious assailant that nobody has caught even a glimpse of, the seemingly mad man can strike at will with impunity despite the the house being turned into a fortress. Just as the clever Friar and his huge companion begin to think there maybe something else at play, the situation turns deadly.... will even the wily Tuck and the hardman with a heart John Little be up to the challenge. Based on a modern day mystery..... this short story is perfect for a dark and stormy night, although make sure all the doors are locked before you start! Perfect pacing and a genuine sense of menace together with a chilling author's note this a perfectly compact dark thriller.. .
April 30, 2020
A novella rather than a novel so a little short for such a great and easy to read story. A brilliant idea from Stephen to keep familiar characters alive while at the same time coming up with something different from the story these people normally appear in.
I found it a very easy and comfortable read and often skipped sleep to find out what the mystery was. Those of you who are faster readers than me may possibly read it in one sitting as it only took me a few days and I'm not a particularity fast reader. I would highly recommend it though, and look forward to more like this as they allow the author to concentrate on the new stuff while able to slip back into comfortable, well known characters to tell a slightly different tale as and when he wants/inspiration strikes.
I found it a very easy and comfortable read and often skipped sleep to find out what the mystery was. Those of you who are faster readers than me may possibly read it in one sitting as it only took me a few days and I'm not a particularity fast reader. I would highly recommend it though, and look forward to more like this as they allow the author to concentrate on the new stuff while able to slip back into comfortable, well known characters to tell a slightly different tale as and when he wants/inspiration strikes.
December 16, 2019
A good story!
Enjoyed this, despite my antipathy to novellas. Steven McKay has come far in his writing since the early days of Robin Hood! This was an odd, but true story that at least had an end to it. Helping solve the mystery were Little John and Friar Tuck from the Robin Hood days, a disparate pair if ever there was one! Well worth reading.
Enjoyed this, despite my antipathy to novellas. Steven McKay has come far in his writing since the early days of Robin Hood! This was an odd, but true story that at least had an end to it. Helping solve the mystery were Little John and Friar Tuck from the Robin Hood days, a disparate pair if ever there was one! Well worth reading.
September 7, 2020
An okay story but not much more than that. It's a 'Locked Room' type mystery featuring Friar Tuck and Little John (the very same who were in Robin Hood's outlaw band - as we are reminded oh so many times). Doesn't take much in the line of detective work to know who's responsible but it's ok if you're looking for a quick read you may well enjoy it
Read
January 14, 2021Friar Tuck and Little John
The only negative thing I can say about this author's work is that it was just not long enough. I breezed through the mystery and did not have a clue who "done it" until the end. Nicely written, with attention to detail and attempts of humor. Thank your editing staff (Mum and Wife) for the great job, well done. Thanks again.
The only negative thing I can say about this author's work is that it was just not long enough. I breezed through the mystery and did not have a clue who "done it" until the end. Nicely written, with attention to detail and attempts of humor. Thank your editing staff (Mum and Wife) for the great job, well done. Thanks again.
January 26, 2021
Great author!
I have read almost everything written by Steven A. Mackay over the last few months. Once starting his stories I find it hard to put them down! The characters are likable and entertaining, bringing both tears and joy to my eyes depending on what I’m reading. I look forward to seeing more works from this author, hopefully soon!
I have read almost everything written by Steven A. Mackay over the last few months. Once starting his stories I find it hard to put them down! The characters are likable and entertaining, bringing both tears and joy to my eyes depending on what I’m reading. I look forward to seeing more works from this author, hopefully soon!
April 4, 2025
This series of shorter mysteries stories with Friar Tuck and Little John are very entertaining. I read this one, and immensely enjoyed it, in one sitting. This almost reads like an impossible crime but the two sleuths certainly know how to get to the bottom of things.
Great sense of place and characters. If you want a small diversion from the author's Robin Hood stories, this one is a winner.
Great sense of place and characters. If you want a small diversion from the author's Robin Hood stories, this one is a winner.
February 11, 2020
I loved this book. I’m a fan of Stephen’s other books and was pleased to see another book with the characters from his Forest Lord books.
The pace was great and the story had that great element of mystery about it. Bravo
The pace was great and the story had that great element of mystery about it. Bravo
February 21, 2020
Praise for Faces of Darkness
Having read the forest lord series including the novellas I can strongly recommend Faces of Darkness. The author is a strong favourite of mine, not just for his stories but his interaction with his readers and listeners. Keep the books coming Steven.
Having read the forest lord series including the novellas I can strongly recommend Faces of Darkness. The author is a strong favourite of mine, not just for his stories but his interaction with his readers and listeners. Keep the books coming Steven.
April 24, 2020
Great Read!
I really enjoyed this mystery, which featured Friar Tuck and Little John, of Robin Hood fame. Well written, interesting & humorous repartee between characters ~ I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.
I really enjoyed this mystery, which featured Friar Tuck and Little John, of Robin Hood fame. Well written, interesting & humorous repartee between characters ~ I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.
December 24, 2020
Great fun
Nailed it. Got it spot on. The writing is good, characters really work. Absolutely no cliches, unlike this. And communicates with his readers, what is missing? Another blooming book!! Although I didn't mean blooming
Nailed it. Got it spot on. The writing is good, characters really work. Absolutely no cliches, unlike this. And communicates with his readers, what is missing? Another blooming book!! Although I didn't mean blooming
January 1, 2025
Faces of Darkness -
This was a fun yet very short read. Entertaining but very light hearted. The fact that Little John and Friar Tuck were main characters brought back memories of younger days.
This was a fun yet very short read. Entertaining but very light hearted. The fact that Little John and Friar Tuck were main characters brought back memories of younger days.
December 25, 2019
Excellent read
McKay weaves the wonderful characters of Friar Tuck and Little John into a great suspenseful plot. Highly recommended for those who enjoy historically based suspense.
McKay weaves the wonderful characters of Friar Tuck and Little John into a great suspenseful plot. Highly recommended for those who enjoy historically based suspense.
December 27, 2019
Excellent little mystery, hopefully the first of many.
January 7, 2020
Great read
Really enjoyed reading this short story, I have read all the authors other titles and can highly recommend his books. Keep up the good work Steven.
Really enjoyed reading this short story, I have read all the authors other titles and can highly recommend his books. Keep up the good work Steven.
January 8, 2020
Loved it
Loved reading about Tuck and little John, great story, would love to read more about them, so keep out of the shadows Mr McKay and get your imagination running.
Loved reading about Tuck and little John, great story, would love to read more about them, so keep out of the shadows Mr McKay and get your imagination running.
January 12, 2020
Another great read.
July 5, 2020
An intriguing novella with a couple of favourite characters showing their heads and some new ones too.
November 8, 2020
A short but intriguing read, a Medieval whodunnit.
I particularly liked the characters, who displayed real personality, especially Friar Tuck and Little John.
I particularly liked the characters, who displayed real personality, especially Friar Tuck and Little John.
December 25, 2020
Loved it
To start with I wasn't sure at the beginning but the more I read the more I couldn't put it down. I would definitely recommend this book
To start with I wasn't sure at the beginning but the more I read the more I couldn't put it down. I would definitely recommend this book
January 4, 2021
Very easy read
Enjoyed the easygoing way the story was written, characters were clear and well written, will have a read of the next one too. Thanks.
Enjoyed the easygoing way the story was written, characters were clear and well written, will have a read of the next one too. Thanks.
February 9, 2021
A gripping who done, I couldn't put this one down.
May 2, 2021
A jolly good read
A great mystery and the hero's come to save the day. The heroine is saved and justice is served on the villain.
A great mystery and the hero's come to save the day. The heroine is saved and justice is served on the villain.
August 5, 2021
A True Mystery
Easy to read. A good mystery that while a tiny bit predictable, nevertheless kept you wondering. I’ll read more with these characters.
Easy to read. A good mystery that while a tiny bit predictable, nevertheless kept you wondering. I’ll read more with these characters.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews