Member Reviews

The setting of this story in Viking times on Orkney. A start of a new series starts on a high with the finding of a body buried with an eagle. Ketil arrives undercover as a trader from Norway he must reach Thorfinn The Earl of Orkney. He is surprised to find Sigrid a friend from childhood finder of the strangers body. The historical setting really draws you in with the hard life of barter and exchange of goods. There is plenty of red herrings when the bodies pile up. Finding out friend or foe will become a matter of life or death for Ketil and Sigrid. I cannot wait to try other books in the series.
Thank you NetGalley and (publisher, kobo Writing Life) for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

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The Tomb for an Eagle plot revolves around the alleged appearances of the spirit of the traitor Rognvald who was executed on the orders of Thorfinn Sigurdarson, lord of Orkney. The book's protagonist, Ketil, returns after a long absence, to find himself mixed up in the investigation of a murder. Thereafter, the plot is complicated by the appearance of more bodies and failed attempts at assassinations, political plots and hidden rivalries.
It is a book that becomes easier to read as the reading progresses, although it must be recognized that sometimes the names of the characters are a little difficult to remember and locate in the story. Despite this, it is an excellent mystery novel, set in the era of the Vikings, with a very good development of the characters and the places where the action takes place.

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This period in history, of which I consider myself to be fairly widely and well read, should have provided the perfect backdrop for murder and skullduggery, with a plethora of characters to choose from for both perpetrator and victim. However, the story was so slow to start that it really did fail to capture my full attention, and the characters themselves felt flat, almost but not quite, one dimensional. I skipped through pages, hoping that - when the body is found - that things would pick up; sadly they did not.

For me, I would rather take on the real man; though I applaud the author for taking on a larger than life character and choosing a different period in time in which to set their story (hence the two stars). There is a book two (see below for details), however, I won't be pursuing this series.

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This book is a story of mystery, intrigue and will have you gripped from the first chapter, the story weaves through and has you engaged right to the last word. The writing draws you into the story and feels that you are living the twists and turns all the way through story, I was completely enthralled and was kept guessing all the way through to the end.

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The setting is Orkney in the Viking times, and on the day that Ketil Gummarson arrives, Sigrid, a widow, discovers a body. Probably dead for some months. On seeing the body Ketil knows who it is, but why was he killed. Where did the rumour start that the long dead Rognvald Brusason has come back from the dead to claim Orkney for his own.
Sigrid and Ketil investigate.
A very enjoyable, well-written historical mystery with its twists of plot, and with its very likeable and well-developed main characters.
I look forward to reading more in the series, of which this book is a very good start.

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