Reviewed by Grant Leishman for Readers' Favorite

Northern Shadows (Northern Wolf Series Book 5) by Daniel Greene is a continuation of a series that revolves around the character of Captain Wolf of the Union Army during the American Civil War. At this point in the tale, the Union looks set to win the war, with the surrender of the great Confederate General Robert E. Lee. Captain Wolf and his men are, however, tasked with a vital and dangerous job; to protect President Lincoln from a possible assassination attempt. When Wolf discovers that his nemesis and arch-enemy Marshall Payne may well be in Washington and involved in the assassination plot, he is ready and raring to kill the man he has sworn revenge upon. From the battlefields of the Civil War to the streets of the U.S. capital, Wolf and his men must combat intrigue, double-dealing, and rebels of the highly secretive organization known as the Knights of the Golden Circle who are pledged to uphold the values of the South, the secession, and the right to own slaves. It will be a battle royale to try to protect the President from these men of deep conviction and callous disregard for life.

Northern Shadows was a fascinating read, especially as the focus was on Lincoln’s assassination, which was obviously a pivotal time in U.S. history. Not having read the earlier books in the Northern Wolf series, my first question is always does the author give sufficient background to the characters and the story to enable a reader to pick up this series at book five and enjoy it for its own story? The answer on this occasion is a resounding yes. Author Daniel Greene cleverly fills in the back story to the events and characters outlined in this iteration as the story progresses. The reader quickly comes to understand the reasons for the intense hatred of Marshall Payne and indeed Wolf’s solemn vow to kill the man. Wolf and his men are simple men from the U.S. heartland and it was a pleasure to read their introduction into the corridors of power and what passed for high society in the mid-1800s. The author does a superb job of developing and enriching the characters who form part of Wolf’s band and was certainly not afraid of endowing the main character with flaws of his own that just served to make him more human and less of a superhero. The action is constant, exciting, and full of drama. The author’s easy-going writing style makes this book a wonderfully relaxing read that any history aficionado can relate to and savor. I thoroughly enjoyed this read and can highly recommend it.