The piper's pursuit

Christy Award--winner Dickerson (The Merchant's Daughter) reimagines the Pied Piper story in this excellent installment to her Hagenheim series, set in 1424 in the German region of the Holy Roman Empire. Katerina, a fiercely private and emotionally guarded warrior-maiden, is determined to protect her townspeople from the evildoings of her stepfather, the town mayor. When the children of the town start going missing and are presumed to be victims of the Beast of Hamlin, the mayor offers Katerina's hand in marriage to anyone who can kill the beast. Katerina, determined to escape from her stepfather, vows to kill the beast herself. She meets handsome but arrogant Steffan, one of the sons of the Duke of Hagenheim, who is intent on winning the prize The two become reluctant partners in their quest, and, along the way, they realize their shared values and learn to trust each other. Both discover that freedom lies in forgiving themselves and in renouncing pride and surrendering control to God. Biblical themes will resonate with Christian readers, and discussion questions that will be of great use to book clubs are also included. Dickerson brings together faith, historical nuance, and a poignant romance to make a strong saga. (Nov.)