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Review of “The Piper’s Pursuit” by Melanie Dickerson

Book Description:

“A fairy-tale journey of intrigue and romance that reimagines the classic Pied Piper story.”

“A plague of rats. A giant beast outside the village walls. A host of missing children. And one young woman determined to save her people.

In 1424 Hamlin, Katerina faces threats from all sides. An outbreak of rats has overtaken the village, a mysterious beast is on a killing rampage of the village’s children, and Katerina’s evil stepfather is a dark presence inside the walls of her own home. Katerina is determined to hunt and kill the Beast of Hamlin herself before more lives are lost.

When Steffan, the handsome but brash duke’s son, comes to town seeking glory and reward, Katerina decides he might be the ally she’s been looking for—even though the only gentle thing about him seems to be the sweet music he plays on his pipe. But there’s more to Steffan than she suspects, and she finds herself drawn to him despite her misgivings.

Together Katerina and Steffan must stop the enemy from stealing the children of Hamlin. But their interference might create an even worse fate for the entire village.”

Praise for The Piper’s Pursuit

The Piper’s Pursuit is a lovely tale of adventure, romance, and redemption. Kat and Steffan’s righteous quest will have you rooting them on until the very satisfying end!” —LORIE LANGDON, author of Olivia Twist and the DOON series

  • Full length clean fairy tale reimagining
  • Includes discussion questions for book clubs

Purchase the book here:

My Review:

I have loved this series by Melanie Dickerson, but was a little hesitant about this book, simply because I’ve never cared for the Pied Piper story.  I should have known, however, that this author can put a great spin on any fairytale, and I ended up very much enjoying this book.  Although there’s some elements of the Pied Piper tale, this book focuses on Prince Steffan and his desire to reconcile with his family (especially his father) and become a person of whom they could be proud.  I loved the elements of the Biblical account of “The Prodigal Son” and watching Steffan become a man of great character.  The author brought the combination of both” Piper” and “Prodigal” together perfectly, and made for an exciting story.  

Katerina is an excellent heroine in this story.  She’s intelligent, brave, loyal, compassionate—and beautiful.  It’s no wonder that Steffan falls in love with her, and seeks  to help Katerina realize she can trust him.  The two go through harrowing experiences together before they find their happily-ever-after.  This is an entertaining clean and sweet story.  You can easily read this book as a stand alone story, but if you have been following the series, you’ll especially enjoy Prince Steffan’s storyline.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.  All opinions are my own.



About Melanie Dickerson

Melanie Dickerson is the New York Times bestselling author who combines her love for all things Medieval with her love of romance and fairy tales. She also loves Regency Romance and has drawn on her Southern heritage to write a romance set in the late 1800s called Magnolia Summer. 

Her books have won the Christy Award, two Maggie Awards, The National Reader’s Choice Award, and the Carol Award in Young Adult fiction. She earned her bachelor’s degree from The University of Alabama and has taught children and adults in America, Germany, and Ukraine. Now she spends her time writing stories of love and adventure near Huntsville, Alabama. Sign up for her newsletter at http://www.MelanieDickerson.com.