The Forest Lord

Wolf's Head by Steven A. McKay reimagines the Robin Hood legend as grounded historical fiction set in 1321 England. After attacking a corrupt churchman, young yeoman Robin Hood is forced to abandon his Yorkshire home and join a feared band of outlaws in the forests of Barnsdale, where survival depends on violence, loyalty, and constant flight from the law. As betrayal within their ranks leads to a brutal quest for revenge, growing unrest among powerful nobles pushes the country toward open rebellion against King Edward II. This first book in a medieval adventure series blends action, political tension, and the harsh realities of outlaw life, while tying Robin’s fate to that of a Hospitaller Knight.

This is an alternate cover edition for ASIN: B00NF5JN5A

The Knights Hospitaller battle ancient evil in medieval Rhodes as mysterious disappearances and insane devil-worshippers threaten to turn the entire island into a bloodbath...

When three Hospitallers go missing from a local village outraged Grand Master Foulques de Villaret sends the English knight Sir Richard-at-Lee and his trusted sergeant-at-arms Jacob to discover their fate. Met with resistance from frightened locals and rumours of a blasphemous sect performing unspeakable rites beneath the village Sir Richard must overcome not only the devil-worshippers but the faceless, unstoppable demon that stalks his dreams.

Fans of the best-selling Forest Lord books "Wolf's Head" and "The Wolf and the Raven" will enjoy this spin-off novella that sees the much-loved English knight up against a foe that threatens not just his life and his sanity, but God himself!

In the aftermath of a violent rebellion Robin Hood and his men must fight for survival with an enemy deadlier than any they've faced before...

1322. England is in disarray and Sir Guy of Gisbourne, the king's own bounty hunter, stalks the greenwood, bringing bloody justice to the outlaws and rebels who hide there.
When things begin to go horribly wrong self-pity, grief and despair threaten to overwhelm the young wolf's head who will need the support of his friends and family now more than ever. But Robin's friends have troubles of their own and, this time, not all of them will escape with their lives...

Violence, betrayal, brutality and death come to vivid life in The Wolf and the Raven, the brilliant sequel to Amazon's “War” chart number 1, Wolf's Head.

Praise for Wolf's Head

“McKay's gift as a storyteller pulls the reader into a world of violence, passion, injustice and revenge and leaves us wanting more!” Glyn Iliffe, author, The Adventures of Odysseus series

“Reading this book, I felt as if I was transported back to medieval times...the good, the bad and the ugly. This is a thrilling read that kept me captivated from start to finish.” Bibliophile Book Reviews

“...the story is exciting and invites the reader to sit back and enjoy the journey through the forests and villages of northern England.” Hoover Book Reviews

“Wolf's Head took my breath away.” Indian Book Reviews

Sir Guy of Gisbourne is back!

Bent on vengeance against Robin Hood and with a turncoat new lieutenant in tow, an unlikely new hero must stand up for herself...

YORKSHIRE, ENGLAND - 1323 AD

The greenwood has been quiet and the outlaws have become complacent, but the harsh reality of life is about to hit the companions with brutal, deadly force thanks to their old foe, Prior John de Monte Martini.

From a meeting with King Edward II himself to the sheriff's tournament with its glittering prize, the final, fatal, showdown fast approaches for the legendary Wolf's Head.

New friends, shattered loyalties, and a hate-fuelled hunter that threatens to wipe out not only Robin's companions but his entire family will all play their part in the RISE OF THE WOLF.

December, 1323 AD

Holly and ivy decorate the houses while voices are raised in song, but the Christmas cheer is tempered by terror this festive season, as demons haunt a small English village.

Strange thefts; cloven hoof-prints in the snow; a house burned to the ground.
Something evil stalks the icy streets of Brandesburton and former mercenary Tuck must find out what, before it's too late.

As he sets out to solve the mystery the friar prays his faith will protect him. His faith AND his great quarterstaff, for he knows full well – the Devil makes no deals...

This brand new novella from the best-selling author of the Forest Lord series will delight and entertain historical fiction fans looking to escape the madness of Christmas shopping for a little while. Grab a mince pie, warm some mulled wine, and join Friar Tuck on this snowy adventure!

"...a heart warming tale, wrapping the deep meaning of Christmas in amongst
a clever little mystery...” Parmenion Book Reviews

Includes a foreword by Phil Rose, the legendary Friar Tuck from TV's Robin of Sherwood.

ROBIN HOOD RETURNS!

And this time the legendary wolf’s head is working for the sheriff...

After winning his freedom in Rise of the Wolf, Robin – with his faithful lieutenant John Little at his side – now spends his days travelling around northern England dispensing King Edward II’s justice.

When a new band of outlaws appears in Barnsdale, Sheriff Henry de Faucumberg sends Robin and John to deal with them. Before the lawmen can track them down though, Will Scaflock is attacked and another of their old companions murdered in his own home by the outlaws whose leader seems to have only one thing on his mind:
Bloody vengeance!

Will Robin’s reunited gang be enough to defeat this savage new threat that seeks to wipe them out one by one? Or will another old foe provide the final twist that sees England’s greatest longbowman dead and buried?

This stunning conclusion to the bestselling Forest Lord series will delight and entertain readers looking for action packed historical fiction in the mould of Scarrow, Kane and Cornwell!

He wanted to find peace in prayer, but some men serve God best with a sword in their hand.

Will Scaflock wants only to live in peace. He had more than his share of adventure when he went by the name Will Scarlet and fought corrupt authority alongside Robin Hood. Now widowed and alone, and estranged from his adult daughter, he has taken holy orders and sought refuge in a remote Benedictine abbey.

But even there, trouble and violence follow him. The abbot, John de Wystow, is a good man but a weak leader, and easily undermined by a faction of dissident monks. When the rebels, led by Brother Robert de Flexburgh, run riot in the local community—stealing, drinking, fornicating—Scaflock’s old instincts return. Reluctantly taking charge of the abbey’s moral defence, he finds himself embroiled in a series of fierce clashes with de Flexburgh’s rowdy gang.

As the abbey’s tranquillity is shattered, its cloisters stained with blood, Scaflock is forced to reconsider the direction of his life. Has he really left Will Scarlet behind him—or has he simply been running from reality?

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.

Yorkshire, AD 1329
A new religious group moves into an abandoned church just north of the village of Altofts, but when men start dying under strange and suspicious circumstances the local bailiff decides to investigate.

The Disciples of God and their charismatic leader, Lady Alice de Staynton, appear truly holy, but something sinister seems to be going on within the walls of the newly refurbished St Joseph's. Certainly the bailiff, John Little, has his suspicions about some of the warrior-like male acolytes, but are his fears justified? Infiltrating the group seems to be the best course of action, although the volatile Will Scaflock is none too happy about being nominated for the job by Friar Tuck...
Following on from 2019's Faces of Darkness, this standalone new story sees three legendary heroes battling invisible 'Black Lords' and far more dangerous earthly foes, but can they figure out what's really going on in St Joseph's before anyone else dies?
With twists and turns aplenty, and based on real events, historical fiction fans are sure to enjoy this action packed thriller as much as they did the author's previous bestsellers The Druid, Lucia and Wolf's Head.

For generations, stories have been told about the ruined old house in the marsh outside Wakefield. Stories of hidden treasure, sinister night-time cries, and ghostly figures doomed to haunt the lonely estate for all eternity as punishment for some terrible crime.
This winter, it seems the old tales might just turn out to be true…

England, AD 1330
John Little, a bailiff living in Yorkshire, has little interest in ghost stories, having seen enough horrors among the living to bother much about the dead. The strange accounts from his fellow villagers have everyone talking though, and it’s not long before he’s asked to accompany a group of curious locals on nocturnal visits to the house in the marsh.
There are more worrying concerns in northern England however, as autumn gives way to winter and rumours of rogue bailiffs attacking, and even murdering people in their own homes, begin to circulate.
Along with his friends - ill-tempered Will Scaflock and the renowned friar, Robert Stafford - John is drawn inexorably into a dangerous adventure that will leave yet more people dead and only add to the eerie legends which will pass into English folklore for centuries to come.
Can John and his companions uncover the truth about the house in the marsh and its terrible secrets? And will they be able to forever exorcise the ghost haunting Wakefield, or will this Christmas be anything but merry?

Following on from Faces of Darkness and Sworn to God , this action-packed new novella is sure to brighten up even the frostiest winter nights for fans of Bernard Cornwell, Simon Scarrow, and Conn Iggulden!

PRAISE FOR STEVEN A. McKAY
"...the historical detail is seamlessly melded into a plot bursting with adrenaline and suspense...To my mind this novel is everything historical fiction should be and more ." - JAMES VELLA-BARDON, author of The Sheriff's Catch
"as a storyteller McKay is up there with the best of them ." - David's Book Blurg
"Can you hear that? No? Nothing? Yeah, nothing at all, because that silence is the sound of all the Historical Fiction competition – so far behind Steven A. McKay these days, that you can’t hear them!" - STEVE DENTON/SPEESH READS
"Dark age adventure at its gripping best." - MATTHEW HARFFY, author of Wolf of Wessex
" Lucia is a story that is at once desperate and uplifting, a story that touches you deep in your soul . If you only read one more book this year, it should be Lucia ." - Sharon Bennett Connolly, author of Silk and the Sword

TWO EXCITING WINTER TALES IN ONE COLLECTION!
England, c. AD 1330
Winter fast approaches in East Yorkshire and the dark, cold nights have brought more than just frost to the newly founded Haltemprice Priory. An oppressive pall hangs over the area like a smothering blanket, prompting one of the anxious monks to seek help from an old friend.
Robert Stafford, a friar from nearby Wakefield, has some experience in dealing with strange mysteries, having helped solve a number over the past few years. As he settles into Haltemprice however, things begin to escalate and the friar fears he might have bitten off far more than he can chew this time. Calling on his friends Will Scaflock and the bailiff John Little to work with him it seems they may face more than just earthly enemies as they battle the gloom crushing the spirit, and perhaps the very life, from the inhabitants of the priory.
One monk with a library of eldritch books seems to know much about the progressively more deadly troubles afflicting windswept, frostbitten Haltemprice, but is he a lunatic, a heretic, a murderer, or perhaps something even more terrifying?

The Heretic of Haltemprice Priory is the ideal story for a frosty winter evening beside the fire, but if that's not enough, this collection also includes a second, bonus tale, The Christmas Hunt!
Will Scaflock has gone missing after chasing three outlaws off his property and, as the day draws to a close with no sign of his return two old friends arm themselves and set out into the blizzard to find him. There's sure to be a Christmas miracle in this fast-paced, snowy adventure, but it might not be what John Little and his friends expected!