Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    Out of the Dawn Light
    Music of the Distant Stars
    Mist over the Water
    Ebook series9 titles

    An Aelf Fen Mystery Series

    By Alys Clare

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this series

    Healer Lassair returns to England and uncovers a secret that puts the lives of everyone she knows in grave danger, in the final Aelf Fen medieval mystery.

    It is the summer of 1100, and after seven long years away in Spain, Lassair is finally going home. Back to her beloved mentor Gurdyman. Back to her family. And back to young lawman Jack Chevestrier, who Lassair hopes still carries the same deep feelings for her as she does for him.

    Before she can reunite with her loved ones, however, Lassair has a long-overdue task to perform. Old flame - and king's spy - Rollo Guiscard left her a chest before he died, and it is finally time for her to collect it. But the chest contains more than gold, and soon Lassair is caught up in a web of danger and deception that threatens not just her own life, but the lives of everyone she holds dear.

    And this is not the only peril Lassair must face. For although she's left the south behind her forever, the south is not done with her yet . . .

    Gripping, tense and moving, the last installment of the Aelf Fen series provides both a twisty and compelling historical murder mystery and a hugely satisfying end to Lassair's story, which began over a decade ago with OUT OF THE DAWN LIGHT.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSevern House
    Release dateJan 1, 1975
    Out of the Dawn Light
    Music of the Distant Stars
    Mist over the Water

    Titles in the series (9)

    • 2

      Mist over the Water
      Mist over the Water

      Mist over the Water

      Alys Clare
      3/5 - 2 ratings
      3/5 - 2 ratings

      'This page-turning historical thriller from one of Britain's most talented popular fiction authors ticks all the boxes' - Booklist Starred Review The second in a brand-new medieval mystery series from the author of the popular Hawkenlye series On Ely Island, the Normans are proclaiming their authority with the construction of a magnificent cathedral. When Morcar, fishing for eels nearby, is attacked, his cousin Lassair is sent to nurse him. Morcar tells Lassair a frightening tale of assassins in the dark and a brief vision of horror. Then the killers strike again, and, as the secret hidden within the walls of Ely Abbey claims more victims, Lassair is forced to face a challenge that she fears is far beyond her . .

      'This page-turning historical thriller from one of Britain's most talented popular fiction authors ticks all the boxes' - Booklist Starred Review The second in a brand-new medieval mystery series from the author of the popular Hawkenlye series On Ely Island, the Normans are proclaiming their authority with the construction of a magnificent cathedral. When Morcar, fishing for eels nearby, is attacked, his cousin Lassair is sent to nurse him. Morcar tells Lassair a frightening tale of assassins in the dark and a brief vision of horror. Then the killers strike again, and, as the secret hidden within the walls of Ely Abbey claims more victims, Lassair is forced to face a challenge that she fears is far beyond her . .

    • 1

      Out of the Dawn Light
      Out of the Dawn Light

      Out of the Dawn Light

      Alys Clare
      3/5 - 3 ratings
      3/5 - 3 ratings

      'a well-crafted plot that builds to a chilling climax' - Publishers Weekly Starred Review A medieval mystery from the author of the Hawkenlye series It is 1087 and William Rufus has just ascended the throne; England lies under a harsh new militaristic regime. Rebellion is in the air and, in the shadows, secrets are muttered that men will kill for. On her sister’s wedding day, Lassair meets an attractive and enigmatic stranger who brings a breath of the glamorous and fascinating outside world to her backwater Fenland village. Young and confident, when Lassair is asked to use her unique talents to help locate a mysterious treasure she accepts with barely a hesitation – despite the grave consequences should the mission be discovered. But after a night-time march across East Anglia, Lassair begins to understand the danger she is in. For this is no ordinary treasure hunt; the object of the perilous search is five hundred years old and has a terrifying power of its own . . .

      'a well-crafted plot that builds to a chilling climax' - Publishers Weekly Starred Review A medieval mystery from the author of the Hawkenlye series It is 1087 and William Rufus has just ascended the throne; England lies under a harsh new militaristic regime. Rebellion is in the air and, in the shadows, secrets are muttered that men will kill for. On her sister’s wedding day, Lassair meets an attractive and enigmatic stranger who brings a breath of the glamorous and fascinating outside world to her backwater Fenland village. Young and confident, when Lassair is asked to use her unique talents to help locate a mysterious treasure she accepts with barely a hesitation – despite the grave consequences should the mission be discovered. But after a night-time march across East Anglia, Lassair begins to understand the danger she is in. For this is no ordinary treasure hunt; the object of the perilous search is five hundred years old and has a terrifying power of its own . . .

    • 3

      Music of the Distant Stars
      Music of the Distant Stars

      Music of the Distant Stars

      Alys Clare
      4/5 - 2 ratings
      4/5 - 2 ratings

      The new Lassair mystery from the author of the Hawkenlye books Very early one summer morning, Lassair slips out of her Fenland village on a deeply personal mission and discovers the body of a young woman, hidden where it has no place to be. The girl's identity is quickly discovered but, as she wonders who killed her and why, Lassair swiftly becomes mystified and frightened. Why did a sweet natured seamstress have to die? Suspicion soon creeps uncomfortably close to home; then another body is found . . .

      The new Lassair mystery from the author of the Hawkenlye books Very early one summer morning, Lassair slips out of her Fenland village on a deeply personal mission and discovers the body of a young woman, hidden where it has no place to be. The girl's identity is quickly discovered but, as she wonders who killed her and why, Lassair swiftly becomes mystified and frightened. Why did a sweet natured seamstress have to die? Suspicion soon creeps uncomfortably close to home; then another body is found . . .

    • 4

      Way Between the Worlds
      Way Between the Worlds

      Way Between the Worlds

      Alys Clare
      3/5
      3/5

      'A must for historical mystery afficionados' - Booklist Starred Review Come to me! I need you! These are the words that bring apprentice healer Lassair awake one morning in the spring of 1092, shaking and trembling, covered in sweat despite the chill night. It is not the first time she has had such a dream, and Lassair – who is growing more aware of the strange power within her – knows that something in the spirit world is trying to reach her. Something increasingly insistent and threatening. Soon, Lassair is certain that one of her loved ones is in terrible danger – but who? Travelling from Cambridge, where she is studying under the tutelage of an extraordinary man, she returns to her backwater Fenland village – to hear the dreadful news that a nun at Chatteris Abbey has been murdered. The same nunnery where her beloved sister, Elfritha, lives. Could the urgent summons have come from her? Lassair immediately sets off, full of fear, but the danger she will have to face may be greater than she is ready for . . .

      'A must for historical mystery afficionados' - Booklist Starred Review Come to me! I need you! These are the words that bring apprentice healer Lassair awake one morning in the spring of 1092, shaking and trembling, covered in sweat despite the chill night. It is not the first time she has had such a dream, and Lassair – who is growing more aware of the strange power within her – knows that something in the spirit world is trying to reach her. Something increasingly insistent and threatening. Soon, Lassair is certain that one of her loved ones is in terrible danger – but who? Travelling from Cambridge, where she is studying under the tutelage of an extraordinary man, she returns to her backwater Fenland village – to hear the dreadful news that a nun at Chatteris Abbey has been murdered. The same nunnery where her beloved sister, Elfritha, lives. Could the urgent summons have come from her? Lassair immediately sets off, full of fear, but the danger she will have to face may be greater than she is ready for . . .

    • 5

      Land of the Silver Dragon
      Land of the Silver Dragon

      Land of the Silver Dragon

      Alys Clare
      4/5
      4/5

      'A cracking good read that is recommended for all collections' - Booklist Starred Review A traveller's gory tale strikes a little too close to home for Lassair . . . Apprentice healer Lassair isn’t too alarmed when a travelling peddler relates a grisly tale of a red-bearded giant breaking into a woman’s home and caving in her skull like an eggshell; peddlers, she has observed, tend towards the dramatic. But her attitude changes when she learns that the dead woman is a distant relation. The incident makes Lassair’s family uneasy, for the intruder seemed to be searching for something. What could it be? Lassair has no idea. But as the stranger grows increasingly desperate, his search brings violence to her very home.

      'A cracking good read that is recommended for all collections' - Booklist Starred Review A traveller's gory tale strikes a little too close to home for Lassair . . . Apprentice healer Lassair isn’t too alarmed when a travelling peddler relates a grisly tale of a red-bearded giant breaking into a woman’s home and caving in her skull like an eggshell; peddlers, she has observed, tend towards the dramatic. But her attitude changes when she learns that the dead woman is a distant relation. The incident makes Lassair’s family uneasy, for the intruder seemed to be searching for something. What could it be? Lassair has no idea. But as the stranger grows increasingly desperate, his search brings violence to her very home.

    • 6

      Blood of the South
      Blood of the South

      Blood of the South

      Alys Clare
      4/5 - 1 rating
      4/5 - 1 rating

      Apprentice healer Lassair encounters a mysterious veiled noblewoman who brings unexpected peril When Lassair encounters a veiled noblewoman on the quay at Cambridge one morning, set on by an angry mob, she assumes involvement with her will be brief. She has no idea that the woman, alone but for her infant child, brings both mystery and peril. Then a devastating flood hits the fens, and among the wreckage and debris washed up at Aelf Fen is a body; Lassair, in the company of a sheriff's officer, wonders if she is dealing with murder . . . Meanwhile, in the south, Lassair’s partner Rollo is moving with relief towards the conclusion of his mission for King William in the Holy Land. But then disaster strikes, and, with the mighty forces of an emperor on his heels, abruptly he turns from hunter to hunted. In order to escape alive, he risks help from a stranger, and embarks on a voyage that turns out to be far more dangerous than he could ever have imagined.

      Apprentice healer Lassair encounters a mysterious veiled noblewoman who brings unexpected peril When Lassair encounters a veiled noblewoman on the quay at Cambridge one morning, set on by an angry mob, she assumes involvement with her will be brief. She has no idea that the woman, alone but for her infant child, brings both mystery and peril. Then a devastating flood hits the fens, and among the wreckage and debris washed up at Aelf Fen is a body; Lassair, in the company of a sheriff's officer, wonders if she is dealing with murder . . . Meanwhile, in the south, Lassair’s partner Rollo is moving with relief towards the conclusion of his mission for King William in the Holy Land. But then disaster strikes, and, with the mighty forces of an emperor on his heels, abruptly he turns from hunter to hunted. In order to escape alive, he risks help from a stranger, and embarks on a voyage that turns out to be far more dangerous than he could ever have imagined.

    • 9

      City of Pearl
      City of Pearl

      City of Pearl

      Alys Clare
      4/5 - 1 rating
      4/5 - 1 rating

      "Clare produces another winner … this magical adventure story, full of joy, danger, and sadness, will draw both Clare's crime-fiction fans as well as fantasy readers" Booklist Apprentice healer Lassair uncovers the secrets of the mysterious City of Pearl in the compelling new Aelf Fen medieval mystery. October, 1093. At her mentor's urgent request, Lassair is accompanying Gurdyman across the sea to Spain. But why is he so insistent on embarking on this difficult and dangerous journey just as winter approaches? And why does he seem so afraid? Could there be any connection to the vagrant found lying dead outside his home, a single pearl clutched in his outstretched hand? As the pair reach the remote mountainous regions of northern Spain, Lassair will be tested as never before. Hot on her trail is Jack Chevestrier, the young lawman who loves her. But who is it who's trying to kill him ... and why? This richly detailed medieval mystery will appeal to fans of Ellis Peters, Susanna Gregory and Simon Beaufort.

      "Clare produces another winner … this magical adventure story, full of joy, danger, and sadness, will draw both Clare's crime-fiction fans as well as fantasy readers" Booklist Apprentice healer Lassair uncovers the secrets of the mysterious City of Pearl in the compelling new Aelf Fen medieval mystery. October, 1093. At her mentor's urgent request, Lassair is accompanying Gurdyman across the sea to Spain. But why is he so insistent on embarking on this difficult and dangerous journey just as winter approaches? And why does he seem so afraid? Could there be any connection to the vagrant found lying dead outside his home, a single pearl clutched in his outstretched hand? As the pair reach the remote mountainous regions of northern Spain, Lassair will be tested as never before. Hot on her trail is Jack Chevestrier, the young lawman who loves her. But who is it who's trying to kill him ... and why? This richly detailed medieval mystery will appeal to fans of Ellis Peters, Susanna Gregory and Simon Beaufort.

    • 7

      Night Wanderer, The
      Night Wanderer, The

      Night Wanderer, The

      Alys Clare
      4/5 - 1 rating
      4/5 - 1 rating

      Eleventh century Cambridge is rocked by a series of brutal murders. Called out to attend a body found on a lonely stretch of river bank, its throat torn out, apprentice healer Lassair is sceptical of the sheriff’s verdict that this was the result of a wild animal attack. But when a second body is discovered, similarly mutilated, rumours engulf the town that the legendary demon known as the Night Wanderer has returned to wreak havoc. Determined to stop the fear spreading and prove that the killer is human, Lassair and lawman Jack Chevestrier investigate. If they could only find out what links the victims, they would be one step closer to discovering the Night Wanderer’s identity – and what it is he really wants. But when the killer turns his sights on Lassair herself, can she survive long enough to find out?

      Eleventh century Cambridge is rocked by a series of brutal murders. Called out to attend a body found on a lonely stretch of river bank, its throat torn out, apprentice healer Lassair is sceptical of the sheriff’s verdict that this was the result of a wild animal attack. But when a second body is discovered, similarly mutilated, rumours engulf the town that the legendary demon known as the Night Wanderer has returned to wreak havoc. Determined to stop the fear spreading and prove that the killer is human, Lassair and lawman Jack Chevestrier investigate. If they could only find out what links the victims, they would be one step closer to discovering the Night Wanderer’s identity – and what it is he really wants. But when the killer turns his sights on Lassair herself, can she survive long enough to find out?

    • 10

      Lammas Wild, The
      Lammas Wild, The

      Lammas Wild, The

      Alys Clare
      0 ratings
      0 ratings

      Healer Lassair returns to England and uncovers a secret that puts the lives of everyone she knows in grave danger, in the final Aelf Fen medieval mystery. It is the summer of 1100, and after seven long years away in Spain, Lassair is finally going home. Back to her beloved mentor Gurdyman. Back to her family. And back to young lawman Jack Chevestrier, who Lassair hopes still carries the same deep feelings for her as she does for him. Before she can reunite with her loved ones, however, Lassair has a long-overdue task to perform. Old flame - and king's spy - Rollo Guiscard left her a chest before he died, and it is finally time for her to collect it. But the chest contains more than gold, and soon Lassair is caught up in a web of danger and deception that threatens not just her own life, but the lives of everyone she holds dear. And this is not the only peril Lassair must face. For although she's left the south behind her forever, the south is not done with her yet . . . Gripping, tense and moving, the last installment of the Aelf Fen series provides both a twisty and compelling historical murder mystery and a hugely satisfying end to Lassair's story, which began over a decade ago with OUT OF THE DAWN LIGHT.

      Healer Lassair returns to England and uncovers a secret that puts the lives of everyone she knows in grave danger, in the final Aelf Fen medieval mystery. It is the summer of 1100, and after seven long years away in Spain, Lassair is finally going home. Back to her beloved mentor Gurdyman. Back to her family. And back to young lawman Jack Chevestrier, who Lassair hopes still carries the same deep feelings for her as she does for him. Before she can reunite with her loved ones, however, Lassair has a long-overdue task to perform. Old flame - and king's spy - Rollo Guiscard left her a chest before he died, and it is finally time for her to collect it. But the chest contains more than gold, and soon Lassair is caught up in a web of danger and deception that threatens not just her own life, but the lives of everyone she holds dear. And this is not the only peril Lassair must face. For although she's left the south behind her forever, the south is not done with her yet . . . Gripping, tense and moving, the last installment of the Aelf Fen series provides both a twisty and compelling historical murder mystery and a hugely satisfying end to Lassair's story, which began over a decade ago with OUT OF THE DAWN LIGHT.

    Author

    Alys Clare

    Alys Clare lives in the English countryside where her novels are set. She went to school in Tonbridge and later studied archaeology at the University of Kent. She is also the author of the Hawkenlye, Aelf Fen and Gabriel Taverner historical mystery series.

    Read more from Alys Clare

    Related to An Aelf Fen Mystery

    Related ebooks

    Historical Mystery For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Trend Spotting

      Apr 22, 2022

      Trend Spotting
      1 min read

    • Article

      Watching The Detectives

      Dec 30, 2020

      Watching The Detectives
      5 min read

    • Article

      Stories Amid The Storeys

      Jul 8, 2022

      Stories Amid The Storeys
      2 min read

    • Article

      The Mystery Of The Winter Dress

      Mar 23, 2022

      The Mystery Of The Winter Dress
      7 min read

    • Article

      The Legend of Sugar Brown

      Jan 30, 2024

      I was on Grandpa’s porch when I heard an unusual sound coming down the gravel road. I ran over to the fence to greet the approaching sound. My 6-year-old eyes grew wide with excitement as I saw a farm wagon that had rubber tires instead of iron rims

      4 min read

    • Article

      Looking Into A Medieval Pendant With Neutrons

      Mar 2, 2023

      In 2008, a gold-plated pendant was discovered in Mainz, Germany. Researchers believed that the pendant was around 800 years old, and that something was hidden inside it. However, trying to physically open it could damage the artefact. Therefore, they

      1 min read

    • Article

      A Royally Good Start

      Jun 10, 2021

      A Royally Good Start
      6 min read

    • Article

      Fit For A King

      Dec 13, 2020

      Fit For A King
      2 min read

    • Article

      Delightful Display

      Nov 30, 2021

      Delightful Display
      1 min read

    • Article

      HISTORY OF Cubic Zirconia

      Jul 30, 2020

      HISTORY OF Cubic Zirconia
      4 min read

    • Article

      Haunted King’s Lynn

      Jan 27, 2022

      Haunted King’s Lynn
      9 min read

    • Article

      Must an Author’s Wishes Be Honored After Death?

      Oct 24, 2017

      Authors once turned to fire to be rid of writing they didn’t want the world to read. Terry Pratchett took a slightly more creative – and modern – route. He ordered that his hard drive be crushed by a steamroller after his death.

      1 min read

    • Article

      Highland FLING

      Nov 19, 2020

      Highland FLING
      7 min read

    • Article

      Andrew Caldecott

      Jul 17, 2019

      Andrew Caldecott
      3 min read

    • Article

      Drinking With The UNDEAD

      Oct 27, 2020

      At this time of year, it’s usually wonderful running a pub, seeing the regulars crowd in for a glass of their favourite tipple and some Christmas cheer! I’ve been running The Rose and Crown in Tewin, Hertfordshire, since August 2017, with the help of

      4 min read

    • Article

      City of Culture

      Oct 15, 2021

      City of Culture
      6 min read

    • Article

      Shetland Beauties

      Apr 29, 2021

      Shetland Beauties
      3 min read

    • Article

      Stay In Touch!

      Aug 12, 2021

      I loved the lace cardigan pattern from issue 181 so much that I knitted two! The first one I knitted in the recommended yarn (Sirdar Dapple) in shade Cherry Blossom. I then knitted another in Stylecraft Life shade Cardinal Red. It really is a beautif

      4 min read

    • Article

      Through The Looking Glass

      Sep 9, 2021

      IN THE Bible, it says God made man in His own image. So, does this mean that He invented mirrors before He invented men? Agnes Secret-Side, Sheam The AB of C says: “Not necessarily, Agnes. God may well have invented some other sort of reflective obje

      2 min read

    • Article

      The Voice Of A Female Golden Age

      Jan 19, 2023

      The Voice Of A Female Golden Age
      10 min read

    • Article

      Saturday, June 13

      Jun 4, 2020

      Saturday, June 13
      1 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for An Aelf Fen Mystery

    3.5/5

    71 ratings1 review

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 4/5
      I have enjoyed reading this series very much. The setting of the story so far back in time allows a lot of space for imagination. She describes the conditions of life at the time somewhat believable although I think she skirts around the hardnesses of life quite a bit.
      The life of Lassair is of course not realistic, but then that has not been the intention . Her life allows us to see a lot of the world she lives in, and the crime solving broadens her universe as well as giving us a puzzle and some excitement, and it moves the stories forwards.
      But I think that especially as Lassair gets older she becomes too much a woman of our time or a contemporary woman’s ideal and dream of a woman in a world that is largely unknown to us. I would have loved if the way she saw the world was more different from ours. It is there and then gone again, and especially our scientific ways of dealing with healing and crime scenes feels off.
      A historian should be able to put a little more historical knowledge into the books, knowledge about the everyday life of the time and place. To me a historical novel ideally shows us the truest possible picture of the time even when it uses fiction, with all that that allows, as a means to do so.
      The books are entertaining and easily read. They are very suited to be audiobooks.