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Trailing the Hunter

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Opposition, courage, and determination.
Not the most pleasing qualities for a young, eligible woman.
But to some, her strength could mean life or death.

1661 in Norway.
Clara Dahl has made a decision. She has seen the dread and sorrow witch-finder Angus Hill has caused in her hometown and sets out to find him. Her goal is to fight the wrongful and wicked misconceptions about witch hunting. But the witch-finder’s influence is strong. How can she warn the villagers of something they don’t understand?

Clara’s heartfelt desire is to protect and rescue the women who are in danger without causing more harm. As Clara develops secret plots to thwart the plans of the notorious witch-finder and works to help the villagers, she finds friendship and the possibility of true love.

From the bestselling author of Catching a Witch comes the continuing story of a brave, unwavering woman who defends the innocent. Set during a tumultuous time in history, Trailing the Hunter will captivate readers.

291 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 30, 2019

20 people are currently reading
135 people want to read

About the author

Heidi Eljarbo

19 books101 followers
HEIDI ELJARBO grew up in a home full of books, artwork, and happy creativity. She is the author of historical novels filled with courage, hope, mystery, adventure, and sweet romance during challenging times. She’s been named a master of dual timelines and often writes about strong-willed women of past centuries.

After living in Canada, six US states, Japan, Switzerland, and Austria, Heidi now calls Norway home. She lives with her husband on a charming island and enjoys walking in any kind of weather, hugging her grandchildren, and has a passion for art and history.

Her family’s chosen retreat is a mountain cabin, where they hike in the summer and ski the vast white terrain during winter.

Heidi’s favorites are her family, God's beautiful nature, and the word whimsical.


If you would like to know more, please visit:

Official Author Website:
https://www.heidieljarbo.com/
https://www.facebook.com/authorheidie...
https://no.pinterest.com/heidieljarbo/


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5 stars
23 (48%)
4 stars
19 (40%)
3 stars
3 (6%)
2 stars
1 (2%)
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1 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
Profile Image for Lori (on hiatus, life is crazy busy)).
452 reviews164 followers
October 12, 2021
I loved this story! It's rich with history and full of one woman's passion to destroy all misconceptions of the evil witch hunters ways of determining whether someone is a witch or not. The writer took you into the story and painted a vivid picture of what it was like during the witch hunts. I loved the MC and her empathy for human beings. She was strong and didn't give up on her beliefs.
Profile Image for Randi Annie Framnes.
146 reviews283 followers
August 4, 2020
Under cover of teaching children to read, Minister’s daughter Clara Dahl is following witch hunter Angus Hill to Berg, South Eastern Norway. She intends to stop his activity of hunting down and declaring innocent women witches, to have them burned. In her work to keep others safe, Clara gets an ally in local nobleman Christian Ivershall.

Trailing the Hunter by Heidi Eljarbo is continuing the theme from book 1, Catching a Witch. The story is set in South Eastern Norway 1661 and is about minister’s daughter Clara Dahl as she travels from her home town to settle in small village Berg (modern day Halden). Under the cover of teaching children to read, Clara is on a mission to save the lives of innocent women. English witch-finder Angus Hill is in town eager to blame village women for anything from too much knowledge of herbs to unattractive moles. He starts with convincing town councilmen to support the witch hunts, and with their approval the hunts begin again…

Main character minister’s daughter Clara Dahl is philanthropically minded and extremely well educated for a woman of the 1600s. She seems quite independent and has a mindset resembling a woman of today. I find it impressive how she manages to gather a group of trusted friends to help her cause.

Supporting character Christian Ivershall is an ex-soldier who has been born into privilege and is Lord of the Manor Ivershall. He seems to have a lot of local influence and filters every decision through what is best for the village and its people. He is as impressive as he is kind, which is why he is my favorite of this story.

I find the writing of this story to be both descriptive and vivid. I particularly enjoyed descriptions of village environments of 1661 Berg. Some extensive research of lifestyle and conditions in South Eastern Norway and area around Fredrikstad at the time must have gone into writing this story. The descriptions and character building of the women knowledgeable about herbs, healing and midwifery was a particular favorite. The story is told from different characters’ perspectives which I enjoyed a lot and I feel added depth to the plot. The story reads like a standalone but includes hints to characters and events in Catching a Witch.

My favorite part of the story was the vivid descriptions of Clara’s luxurious and abundant dinner at Ivershall, while the worst part was description of the chase of a pregnant woman through the woods. I appreciated the dramatic effect and it probably was a good element in a story from 1661. I very much enjoyed the author’s research notes at the back.

Conclusion: This is the captivating story of a strong, capable and caring woman who fights against a witch hunter for the lives of innocent women in 1661 South Eastern Norway.

Anyone who like historical fiction genre would enjoy Trailing the Hunter with its descriptions of life in the 1600s.
Similar authors to explore might be Catherine Taylor and Anne Easter Smith
Thank you to author Heidi Eljarbo for gifting me this book in return for my honest review.

Rating: 4 stars / 5
Profile Image for Amy Bruno.
364 reviews565 followers
November 15, 2019
Clara Dahl is new to town and eager to set up a little school to teach the children from the village how to read, but that's not the only reason she is there. A ruthless witch-hunter, Angus, is on the way to the town and Clara knows the horrors he is bringing. Angus terrorized the town where she used to live and convicted and burned some of her friends as witches. She wants to stop him before he can do that to another village, and to more women.

With the help of her friend, Peter, she sets up the school and soon begins to speak to the people in town to warn them of Angus and what he is planning to do. It's a hard sell as superstition runs rampant and people are quick to blame their misfortunes or failing health on 'witchcraft'. When Clara meets the local Lord of the town, Christian, and his mother she finds valuable allies as they work together to expel Angus and save the women he is accusing.

Clara is a fantastic heroine - tough and clever. I also adored Christian's mother and Siren - they were great!

Despite not having read the first book in the series, Catching a Witch, I wasn't lost at all so this works perfectly well as a stand-alone. I will be picking up the first book though because I'm super curious as to what happened to Clara in that one.

Well-written and exciting, I thoroughly enjoyed Trailing the Hunter!
Profile Image for Lori.
1,892 reviews134 followers
October 15, 2019
Once again Heidi has done an awesome job!! I was loving every minute of this book and didn't want it to end!
Even though this one does have a charming feel all it's own, I still feel that Christian and Clara have a story to tell!
Our Clara once again has a heart of gold! She's irresistible, loveable and enigmatic!! (I think that's how you spell it)! I admire her very much. Always wanting to help other our dear Clara does!
I've met many new people in the town of Berg.
The way this author wrote this book I really felt like I was on the town of Berg with Clara at my side. Heidi knew what she was doung when she created this character.
Even though I had a hard time with Ivershall I still felt it was a place full of loving and caring people and that it was to me a safe place.
And yes, that awful Angus Hill is back with full vengeance! Evil man! I so didn't like him! He could've been Satan himself in the flesh! Now, that's a scary thought indeed!
John Plywell certainly didn't help matters any! I absolutely hate it when someone causes FEAR! It can make people do mean things to others that they wouldn't normally do! Like bullying exactly like that!
Christian is my hero!! Wonderful, kind Christian who always manages to turn up to help someone in need! No one knows he is there until he is! Kind of like my hero Zorro!
I enjoyed this story so much I hooe there is more to come from this new to me author!
I strongly recommend this book!
My thanks to #HistoricalVirtualTours #AmyBruno #HeidiEljarbo NO Compensations were received all opinions are my own!
Profile Image for Robert Yokoyama.
237 reviews10 followers
March 15, 2020
I did not know that witch hunting happened in Norway. This is a theme that makes me wonder about the history of witch hunting in Norway, but also in different places like Holland and Massachusetts. I can enjoy this book as a work of fiction without thinking about the historical background of the country though.

I love the character of Clara Dahl. She is a fictional character, but she resonates with me because of her passion to help young women learn how to read. I spend a lot of time at work tutoring young women and men in reading. so the character of Clara is very endearing to me. I am a big advocate of getting more women to be reading tutors, so I love Clara's sense of equality that women can be just as good as men in teaching.

This book alludes to a conflict between Norway and Sweden in the seventeenth century. I am motivated to learn more the historical conflict between the two countries being a fan of history I love how the romance develops between Clara and the main male character in the book. His name is Christian. I like how both characters are attracted to the personality of the other person. This is such an entertaining book.
Profile Image for Laura Ruetz.
1,383 reviews75 followers
August 1, 2021
This book just pulled me in. Clara arrives to a village just ahead of a witch Hunter. Can she save the women of the village? Clara is a compelling, complex character and one that I was instantly drawn to. I enjoyed the writing style of this book, and the way that the story unfolds. From the friends and allies that Clara finds, to the witch finder himself, Angus, the characters are all complex and well-written.
Profile Image for Christie Powell.
Author 29 books71 followers
February 16, 2022
I was enthralled by this story. The characters drew me on. Parts of it are truly heartbreaking, though thankfully the torture and burnings are mentioned instead of described. I loved that the main character remained optimistic about human nature despite everything. Well worth reading.
Profile Image for Christina.
Author 14 books327 followers
October 18, 2019
Smart and engaging. I thought this paranormal historical romance about a witch hunter a fresh change to my usual reading. Likable, strong character. I’m glad to have read and can recommend to those who enjoy historical-fantasy.
Profile Image for Elizabeth Fellows.
176 reviews14 followers
January 29, 2022
Trailing The Hunter

1661 Norway
This story takes you back to 1661 Norway, in the years around the rule of Oliver Cromwell in England. It was a time when many folks lived hard difficult lives, and when hardships hit they would believe something or someone else was behind it. They believed in Witchcraft, and blamed other folks fast. A lot of folks were illiterate, and there were men who would broadcast stories of witchcraft, partially a form of entertainment. By doing this, many townsfolk were condemned by evil men, who thought they had God god given right to destroy women.
Clara was from a religious Lutheran educated family, who could read and write. She was on a mission to discredit and stop these witch hunters. She tried to get townsfolk not believe all the derogatory things being said by Angus Hill, an evil man. He was on a witch hunt, and believed all women were inferior and needed to be beaten regularly., that women were the instigators of evil.
The processes and accusations were horrendous. The witch hunters went to great lengths to ensure that they got their way. It was an awful time of mistrust, ignorance, belief systems, and even showmanship, agony and pain prevailed. This book is fascinating, The author gets the reader to understand and feel the angst of townsfolk. This book is interesting and written with compassion.
Profile Image for Heidi.
Author 19 books101 followers
Want to read
June 12, 2021
Opposition, courage, and determination.
Not the most pleasing qualities for a young, eligible woman.
But to some, her strength could mean life or death.

1661 in Norway.
Clara Dahl has made a decision. She has seen the dread and sorrow witch-finder Angus Hill has caused in her hometown and sets out to find him. Her goal is to fight the wrongful and wicked misconceptions about witch hunting. But the witch-finder’s influence is strong. How can she warn the villagers of something they don’t understand?

Clara’s heartfelt desire is to protect and rescue the women who are in danger without causing more harm. As Clara develops secret plots to thwart the plans of the notorious witch-finder and works to help the villagers, she finds friendship and the possibility of true love.

From the bestselling author of Catching a Witch comes the continuing story of a brave, unwavering woman who defends the innocent. Set during a tumultuous time in history, Trailing the Hunter will captivate readers.
2 reviews
November 13, 2025
I love Heidi’s books, I have read them all. This book is captivating and scary. Captivating because of her thorough research which brings the story of the time of witch hunts to life in an amazing way. Scary because it actually happened.
Reading Heidi’s books is more like hearing the voices in your head and watching the characters interact behind your eyelids. She brings everything to life with her excellent writing style.
Profile Image for Donald Rosier.
9 reviews1 follower
August 29, 2021
Page turner

Book was very interesting and informative about the history of accusing women of being witches or trolls. After reading several books about the American history of women being accused of witchcraft, it was interesting to read about this from other countries.
Profile Image for LUAYNE.
1,953 reviews5 followers
March 30, 2021
Wonderful

A great story of prejudice, ignorance, superstitions, and loyalty. The story also shows how courage can enlighten and overcome evil. Good read.
17 reviews
August 10, 2021
Well witten, heartfelt. With touch of tragedy .

This story touched, reached out my heart. How people believed in witch craft in times of past. It showed touch of compassion.
10 reviews
March 22, 2022
First book I have read by this author and I enjoyed it. Easy to read and you could imagine the fear of women accused of witchcraft, they must have been frightening times.
18 reviews
April 2, 2022
Trailing the Hunter

Very spellbinding story that was hard to put down. I loved the mix of the history of witch hunting with a tender love story. 5 stars from me!
Profile Image for Gwendalyn Anderson .
1,058 reviews51 followers
October 30, 2019
This book was received from the Author, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own

1661 in southeastern Norway.

Clara Dahl has made a decision. She has seen the dread and sorrow witch-finder Angus Hill has caused in her hometown and sets out to find him. Her goal is to fight the wrongful and wicked misconceptions that have led witch hunting.

Clara is all to knowing that the witch hunter, Angus Hill fans the fame of witch hysteria everywhere he goes. Hoping to be be one step ahead of him. By arriving head of Angus Hil In the village of Berg.

This vividly rich historical mystery fiction, that will draw the reader into the challenges facing woman during the 1600-1700’s Europe. Sweet and courageous, Clara Dahl is hopping to prevent innocent women from being burned by an witch hunter. Set in the back drop of a village in Berg, Norway 1661. The authors meticulous research is interwoven in historical and captivating fiction to create a riveting novel. A wonderful page turner that unfolds perfectly, and keeps you glued to the pages.

I loved Clare’s determination to protect the townspeople from vile, Angus Hill’s accusations. Her compassion and willingness to sacrifice and help people in a different level of caste system than hers. She is courageous for stepping out of the norm of the woman of her day.

Struggling at the bonds placed on woman, she takes on the task of educating young children which normally is only reserved for males. Education is usually only for the upper class and not the average person. Overall it closes the gab between the privileged and underprivileged, it also help blanket the flames of superstition by giving logic to natural occurring events.

A wonderful suspenseful, entertaining read, with the perfect amount of light romance that didn’t overshadow the main objective of the plot-line. The cast of characters, were engaging and the writing was fluid. Wonderful narration, along with brilliant dialogue and suspense, that keeps the reader vested all the way through until the end.

A dark and tumultuous times, when superstition along with malicious gossip and greed can lead to death. A deeply thoughtful stirring storyline that was heartwarming, but also tragic. The author masterly sets the character conflict with precision in this riveting storyline.
Profile Image for Stephanie.
1,477 reviews37 followers
November 18, 2019
A witch hunter is on his way to the small town of Berg, Norway in 1661.  Clara Dahl is already a few steps ahead of him.  Clara has seen the destruction and murder that Angus Hill imposes on a town after he decided that several of Clara friends are witches and burned them at the stake.  On her way into Berg, Clara notices a young and heavily pregnant woman escape from imprisonment.  Clara follows her into the woods offering help.  She can't find the woman, but does find Christian of Ivershall, the Lord of Berg.  Christian helps Clara and Clara finds a friend in Christian and his mother Dorthea.  Once Clara is set up in town as a teacher, she sets on her mission to educated the women of the town of Angus Hill's true nature.  With help from Dorthea, Clara is able to reach a few women in town.  However, some women have their own motives and will use the witch hunter for their own gain.
Trailing the Hunter is a historical fiction novel that shows the impact and destruction that one person with their own agenda and air of authority can inflict on a town.  I had no idea that this book was a continuation of Clara's story from Catching a Witch, which I haven't read.  I had no problem getting a sense of Clara's past experiences with the witch hunter and the Clara's motivation for following him.  I loved Clara's character from the very beginning, she was determined, motivated in her cause and had a well thought out plan for how to help.  Her compassion allowed Clara to connect with and care for the young women that Angus typically accused and give them the skills to stay out of his grasp.  Angus Hill's character showed just how easy it is for one person to infiltrate and poison the minds of people against one another just by using confidence and authority, something that still happens today.  Through the writing I was also able to get a sense of life in 17th century Norway, the towns, dress, politics and religions were all part of the intriguing plot.  The suspense of the witch hunt along with a bit of romance made Trailing the Hunter an intriguing historical fiction read.
This book was received for free in return for an honest review.
Profile Image for Carole Rae.
1,624 reviews42 followers
November 10, 2019
I didn't know this was technically book 2, but it works as a standalone and you really don't have to read the other one. This caught my eye right away. First, by the cover. Second the summary.



The story follows Clara Dahl. She has seen the onslaught and sorrow the witch-finder, Angus, has caused. She decides it is time to end this and find the man. However, his influence and power is larger then she originally thought. She wants to protect and rescue the women who are in danger.



The beginning was a little slow for me, but then I was hooked and read this in a couple of sittings. I had to know what was going to happen! I was soooooo worried about everyone.



Darn that witch-finder and his partner! Evil, evil men.



I liked Clara a lot and bless her heart. All she wants is to help people and teach kids. I was worried about her and all the women. So scary that any woman could be accused and arrested. Doesn't matter...rich, poor, old, young. Anyone is suspect especially if a woman shows any sort of spirit. How no one can see this and understand this blows my mind. If everyone stood up against these terrible men and women then none of the tragedy would happen!



Loved Christian too. I was a wee bit suspicious of him at the beginning, but I didn't trust anyone to be honest.



There was a sprinkle of romance here, but it didn't take over the story which I liked. It's not the focus and there are much bigger things at stake so I'm glad it was just in the background.



LOVE, LOVE that cover!!



Overall, this was a good read. I enjoyed it even though I was scared for everyone and suspicious of everyone at the same time. I am curious about the other book. I recommend this if you are looking for a good historical with a touch of fantasy and romance. I'll stamp this with 4 stars.
7 reviews2 followers
October 18, 2019
Trailing the Hunter by Heidi Eljarbo is the courageous story of Clara Dahl who tries to prevent innocent women from being burned by a witch hunter. Set in Norway in the 1600's the author creates a wonderful village of characters who soon have your interest and heart. Clara is easy to love and her desires to do good and sacrifice for others is refreshing. The story is a page turner with twists and turns. (Some outcomes made me sad.) The story is written well and the narrative flows. I also found it educational about a time in Norway that I had little knowledge about. Clara is a heroine and this story is one I want to share with my mother, daughters and granddaughters, for this is a story about challenges women face and their drive to protect. 
Profile Image for Jane Blanchard.
Author 11 books53 followers
January 14, 2020
Trailing the Hunter by Heidi Eljarbo continues the story of Clara Dahl (Catching a Witch). The story is standalone, yet I recommend reading them in order to fully appreciate Clara’s character and to understand how tenacious Angus Hill (the witch hunter) is in his pursuit of possible witches.

This story shows how easily a charlatan can persuade a town to turn against its citizens and friends. This witch hunter uses greed, ignorance, and fear to incite the local townspeople, create turmoil, and promote witch trials and burnings.

Though set in the 1600s, this story’s lessons are pertinent in modern times. I highly recommend this compelling read.
6,171 reviews
November 8, 2019
Trailing the Hunter is a great read by Heidi Eljarbo. I loved Clara Dahl from the start. She is such a brave and courageous woman wanting to save others from being accused of witchcraft. I do not think I have read anything before set in seventeenth century Norway. It quite interesting and fascinating meeting the people of the area. It was full of suspense, action, twists and turns that I love in a book.
I am giving Trailing the Hunter four and a half stars. I highly recommend it. I loved it.
I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
2 reviews1 follower
October 18, 2019
Heidi gave me an advance copy for my honest opinion. I’m so glad she did. She brought an intriguing period of history to light with a variety of characters and vivid interactions between them. Trailing the Hunter has something for all readers: history, adventure, romance, and more. I’d recommend this book to any of my friends who enjoy reading.
120 reviews
October 27, 2019
I really enjoyed Trailing the Hunter. Despite a few technical problems (such as 'pale' instead of 'pail,' the book draws you in. I felt as if I was peeking into the community of Berg as I read this book. The characters are interesting and the story well thought out, and contained some surprises. I recommend it!
Profile Image for Tifani Clark.
Author 10 books26 followers
October 31, 2019
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Trailing the Hunter by Heidi Eljarbo. Right away I was pulled in by the unique Norwegian setting and the strong characters. The attention to historical detail and surprising plot twists kept me reading to the last satisfying page.
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