The Crow Folk, out on 4th February 2021, is a truly heartwarming, whimsical, humorous folklore fantasy adventure set in 1940s Kent. It's brimming with a cast of colourful characters, a wonderfully vibrant setting and a huge amount of heart. Oh, and plenty of dad jokes. Think somewhere between Terry Pratchett and a Studio Ghibli film, and you've found The Crow Folk.
The story follows our main character, Faye, as she wrestles with the loss of her mother who died when she was a young child. Though her mother left her life far before she was really old enough to remember a huge amount about her, Faye finds herself at odds with desperately wanting to know more about her, whilst at the same time wanting to live her life without any knowledge of who her mother really was. Enter a book that holds many more secrets than Faye was prepared to uncover: her mother's journal, full to bursting with spells and...bell ringing patterns? From this point on there are strange goings on, multiple scarecrows, magic, pumpkins and a fair amount of threat, but still so much heart. How Mark successfully balances a genuine level of threat and suspense with so much joy and humour, I'll never know. On starting this novel, I didn't realise it would be the first in a series. I'm so glad that it is and will rush to buy novel number 2 when it comes out. I would highly recommend The Crow Folk to anyone that loves fantastical stories with magic and joy, and most definitely to anyone that loves Terry Pratchett. You can grab yourself a pre-ordered signed copy, with bonus signed artwork by the incredibly talented Harry Goldhawk, from Coles Books.
I'll be doing a full, video review prior to the book's release, so watch this space!
And Mark, one last thing. I'd love that recipe for jam roly-poly if you've got it to hand?
Find Mark here:
Mark's website: https://markstaywrites.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/markstaywriter
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mark.stay/?hl=en
Check out my video review below where I gush even more for Mark's incredible book!
