Reviewed by Marieke
TITLE: Wolf Hall
AUTHOR: Harper Fox
PUBLISHER: Fox Tales
LENGTH: 19,153 words
BLURB:
Halloween is a wild, weird night in the lonely moorland towns of the north. It’s dark and cold, and cracks can open up in the fabric of the safest world.
Davey Bell has been trying to live safely. He’s struggled through a rough adolescence and has a decent job, a home of his own. He agrees to a meeting with his ex, even though Burdo got him into so much trouble in the past.
But Burdo has plans, armed robbery amongst them. When Davey recoils from his efforts at blackmail, Burdo swears he’ll track him down. There’s something inhuman about Burdo’s rage, and Davey panics and runs from him. The town is small, the darkness beyond it absolute. Davey has lived there all his life, but he takes a wrong turn on the moorland road and is suddenly lost.
It’s the first night of winter, and set to freeze hard. Not much chance of survival for a man without shelter, a man on the run from his past… Then Davey stumbles into the forest, and his fears of Burdo and the cold dissolve to nothing at the sound of deep, bestial growls.
The moon is full. Ancient moorland legends are coming to life in its silvery radiance. Out of the woodland steps a strange young man, and the snarling beasts fall back. He’s offering sanctuary, but at what price? He’s the most beautiful creature Davey has ever seen. If Davey follows him in fascination through the gateway of Wolf Hall, what secrets will unfold before the dawn?
REVIEW:
How to begin with this story…
Davey is a young man, struggling to better his life after being a teenage ‘punk’, for a lack of a better word. He used to have a boyfriend, Burdo, who got them into trouble. The story begins at the moment they meet again after two years of not seeing each other. Burdo has invited Davey for a drink at their old bar.
It soon becomes clear Burdo wants Davey’s help with an armed robbery, and Davey has no intention of getting involved with that. He runs from Burdo, but Burdo comes after him. Then the shit hits the fan. Oh, and the paranormal part starts.
From here on I had trouble getting a good feel of what was happening. The whole thing was chaotic and confusing. Burdo may or may not have turned into a wolf, he may or may not be something paranormal. You think he does, but his reaction to Lowrie is making you think he’s not.
The whole relationship with Lowrie is confusing too. Davey feels attracted to him, and it feels right when they have sex, but still Davey leaves. Lowrie never follows him, even if you just know they are true mates.
You never see or get to hear anything about him being actually a full out shifter, it’s only vaguely implied. Everything is rather vague, actually. Nothing gets fleshed out right. For me, this was very frustrating.
Davey had a lot of potential, he seemed a good guy. Lowrie appeared even sweeter, yet we never get more information about him, or his family. A rather disappointing read for me.
RATING: 
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