When we first meet Jakob von Drachenfels, he’s nervous, and with good reason: he and the rest of the Hexenjäger are on their way to Schloss Kriegsberg Castle to hunt witches. As if that wasn’t bad enough, Jakob is completely unqualified for the job and has only been accepted into the elite witch-hunting squad because he forged a letter with false details of his previous experience. Jakob’s sword-training basically consists of whatever he’s taught himself from a book. But as the party approaches the dreaded castle and their black magic foes, it’s do or die for Jakob. Can he survive one very intense night within Schloss Kriegsberg’s walls, or will this be the end of Jakob’s very short career?

The Scourge of Jericho is exactly the kind of historical novel I like to read – one that has its roots firmly in the factual events of seventeenth century Germany, but also manages to include a healthy dose of dark fantasy. This is definitely one for the horror fans, because the host of malevolent witches and bloodthirsty crusaders will send chills down your spine!

From the moment I picked up this first entry in the Witch Hunter Chronicles I was hooked. Stuart Daly sets the scene so well, from the unforgiving landscape as the Hexenjäger make their trek towards the dreaded castle to the detail in the weapons they wield – it’s hard not to get sucked in! I read it in one sitting because of its breakneck pace, and can highly recommend it to any readers wanting an action-packed novel with a bit of a darker side.