The Walrus Mutterer — Mandy Haggith

Northern Britain, Iron Age. Rian, a carefree young woman and promising apprentice healer, is enslaved by a spiteful trader and forced aboard a vessel to embark on a perilous sea voyage.

They are in search of the fabled hunter known as the Walrus Mutterer, to recover something once stolen. The limits of Rian's endurance are tested not only by the cruelty of her captor, but their mysterious fellow passenger Pytheas The Greek â€" and the mercilous sea that constantly endangers both their mission and their lives. A visceral evocation of ancient folklore and ritual, The Walrus Mutterer introduces an unforgettable cast of characters in an extraordinary, vividly imagined Celtic world.

"Utterly compelling…beautifully crafted…paints an exquisite pen picture." Undiscovered Scotland

"Haggith's woman's eye view of the Iron Age feels fresh and distinctive." Alastair Mabbott, Sunday Herald

"An ambitious and imaginative novel … believable and compelling." Jane Bradley, Scotsman

"We see what the world was like…for the Iron Age peoples, particularly the women. The few historical accounts we have of that time seldom feature women… Rian is a compelling heroine. Life for her is often harsh, uncompromising and dangerous, and yet she has insights and wisdom that we moderns may well envy." Margaret Elphinstone

"The Walrus Mutterer transported me to an extraordinary Iron Age world that resonated long after the final page â€" vivid, memorable, and utterly compelling." Helen Sedgwick

"Compelling." Lucinda Byatt, Historical Novels Review

"An immersive evocation of ancient folklore and ritual, this novel's characterisation and fast pace make it a real page-turner which will keep you hooked." Scottish Field