King AEthelbald has ruled the kingdom of Mercia for forty years and is intent in uniting the whole of Britain under one rule. But his power is waning and there
is discontent among his council of nobles at the stability of Mercias future. A conspirator, Torthred, plots against Beornraed, a popular and loyal servant of
King AEthelbald. Though a dangerous figure, Beornraed is plagued by fearful recurring dreams in which a masked killer stalks him. This instability results in
him being exiled by the king, but Beornraed knows Torthred is to blame and seeks revenge upon him and his fellow conspirators. One of the nobles to escape
Beornraed's murderous intentions is Offa, cousin to AEthelbald, and the likely heir to the Mercian throne. He takes refuge in the fenlands and gathers a small
band of faithful men about him as he prepares to claim the crown by unleashing a weapon of fear; the masked figure Beornraed sees in his darkest, most fearful
dreams. The outcome of this war will affect not just Mercias future, but also that of all of Britain. A gripping historical novel with a dark edge, Ross Daniel
Baker's retelling of this story will draw you into the fear and uncertainty experienced by the people living in those chaotic and unsettling times.
