Spook Johnson is overweight, greedy, sometimes cruel and something of a bigot. But he is a formidable fighter and specialises in hunting down dangerous witches.
Unfortunately, some of the women he imprisons in his cellar are not witches and this causes anger and resentment amongst the locals. Aware that his reputation leaves much to be desired, Spook Johnson hires a scribe, to record his own version of his exploits and thus turn him into a living legend. This scribe is a young noviciate monk from the local Abbey, whose name is Brother Wulf.
When Johnson finally overreaches himself and is overcome by a powerful witch, Wulf sets off in search of the only person in the whole County who might be able to help. He travels to Chipenden to request the help of Tom Ward.
Tom Ward was once apprenticed to John Gregory, the greatest of the County spooks. He is well-trained and very experienced in fighting the dark. But things are not what they seem and Tom is being led into a trap. There is a new threat from the dark that aims to kill Tom and Alice and destroy all that they hold dear.
Joseph Delaney
Joseph Delaney
Is this gonna be a serie
There will be at least two. I am working on the first draft of the second book now
Will there be a French translation?
Will it be better than the third Starblade Chronicles book? I cried when I got to the end of that book, it felt like such a betrayal of the characters that I had fallen in love with as a child. It should have been two books – if not three! It was such a disservice to the power and beauty of your storytelling. Why would you cram so much (brilliant!) content into one book? I have been reading and re-reading and listening to the audiobooks in the Spook’s Series since the first one came out. I love the story and characters and your writing. It seemed like you were bored of writing the Starblade books and just wanted it to end and ploughed in the story you wanted into too short a space. I am so glad you are continuing with the world of John Gregory’s county. Will there be an audiobook for Brother Wulf?
There is usually an audio book with each publication but it may have been delayed by Covid. I will check
You have just cheered me up more than you can imagine. In January this year I was told that the cancer ive been fighting in my lung has travelled to my brain. I’ve been given a brand new chemotherapy which is draining so I have no energy to do much now, so I’ve picked up the wardrobe chronicles again and I’m reading them all. Your stories are incredible and have helped to take my mind away from the hardships in my life right now so I would like to say thank you Mr delaney.
Hello, I am very sorry to hear that and glad that my books have given you some comfort. best wishes Joseph
When will the audiobook come out? I don’t have much time to read. It’s much easier to listen to them
Never mind. I saw the other comment
I miss the spook, I feel like his death was pointless but at the same time it was his time:(
– I love this series loads, never stop writing !
Mr. Delaney can I ask a question. Since Tom is part lamia will he go to the dark after death? It would be sad in the book for him to die and not see Alice after death.
Alice thinks it is more likely that she and Tom will be separated after death. But as the narrative progresses it is valid to ask such questions! It is something that will be dealt with in Wulf 4.
I have read all the other books! Excited to see more content!
Is there going to be another series centered on Tom and Alice later?
joseph just please don’t kill tom or alice,it would be devastating for all of us
Will the main character be more about Tom or not ? And will there be any story’s about Tom ?
Tom is not the main character but he does have a big role to play
Mr.delaney
Im a big fan and ive been sending you mssages from your old blog but it’s gone now. Im really sorry if my comment is little harsh, hope you understand your biggest fan here in philippines
So here it is : starblade chronicles is a bit dissappointing, specially about Tom and alice relationship , i mean how can tom easily forgive alice after just a little saving ,i know that Tom love alice,it’s just that im not satisfied about the way he fogive her and alice explanation to tom ,its a little brief. a lot of your fans think of it too since ive been reading commnts from youtube ,amazon,good readers,my facebook group about your book they think and i too that its all of a sudden,and sudden death of jenny that left my curiosity down, i mean what about her real identity ,the power of her true name, think her character is just made just to die and nothing else.
it would be good to ressurect jnny in this book I would really love it but I love it how alice would react. Wish tom would ditch alice
Hoping that this book would as good as spooks and or even better
Would there be a much more explanation about tom,alice ?and jenny?
Lukrasta should be alive to to get alice back , think they really good in each other.
Alice was my favourite character before even when after she betray tom and went to lukrasta,her explanation and reasons left me unsatisfied and think , think her love for tom is a little selfish
I was also a bit disappointed with the development of Tom and Alice’s relationship – and I wrote the book!
As for Jenny – I feel the same way
But I discover my plots and follow the way the story takes me. Life is tough and then you die. That is a reality we all have to get used to sooner or later. So I also think that fiction should reflect this.
But the story of Tom and Alice continues and the new series (the first book is called ‘Brother Wulf’) is to be published in the UK next month. Tom and Alice both feature and Grimalkin is in the book briefly. There are even some references to Jenny – Tom still feels sad when he thinks about her. But she is still dead.
Thanks for telling me your thoughts!
Just wondering… will there ever be a final conclusion to Tom and Alice’s story at some point?
I do not plan a final conclusion at this moment. It is more likely that Tom and Alice will gradually fade away into the background as a new generation take over the world of spooks. Any story continued long enough results in the death of the protagonists – even if it is from old age! The latest account of Tom and Alice’s life will be published as the second in the ‘Brother Wulf’ Series in May 2021.
Will there be a french translation? And will Aberration be a trilogy?
Yes there will be a French translation of Brother Wulf.
There may be a third Aberrations one day but I don’t have a publishing contract for it and have other things to write.
I really loved the spooks and starblade chronicles, especially tom and alice I think your work is amazing I’ve read both series several times already and it just keeps getting better! Do you think you might consider writing another book that follows tom and alice sometime in the future? The end of the dark assassin left me feeling incomplete because I only saw what tom thought without understanding what alice was thinking so when it suddenly ended without them talking about why she came back I felt lost and disappointed. could you follow tom and alice from both perspectives in a future book kind of like how you switched between tom and jenny in the first two starblade books?
I don’t think I will write another with Tom and Alice as the central characters, but I have continued their story a little in Brother Wulf. Have you read that ?
Yes I have and I like it a lot, but I miss Tom and Alice and was also disappointed that we didn’t see more of why Alice did the things she did that were so out of character for her. The explanation she gave in dark army was totally incomplete and didn’t explain the things she said in fury of the seventh son, could we see more from her mind in the future? I like the new series but it’s no comparison to Tom’s story which was just really brilliant. I really hope you at some point reconsider and write more books about Tom and Alice, they’re so good and they also have so much more to explore about them, is Tom part of the dark now and why did Alice do the things she did and so many other questions. I bet a ton of fans would love a last Tom and Alice book to answer some of the hanging questions and finish their story. It feels unfinished and unsettled because it seems like you rushed the Starblade Chronicles, especially dark assassin. Anyways, thank you for those incredible characters and I hope you think about it! Many people would love just one more book to complete the story. Stay healthy
Will we sée Grumalkin a lot ? Can John Gregory ne back? Will there have New Arena 13?
Grimalkin makes a brief appearance and no, John Gregory won’t be returning. Unfortunately there won’t be another Arena 13, my publisher wanted me to write other things. I may go back to it one day but not in the near future.
Will Grimalkin appear in the book?
Yes Grimalkin makes an appearance
Grimalkin is my favorite charachter, please dont leave her out!
Really impatient to have the books in my hands!
Love the Spooks series.I am 61 and like the scare and fantastic and we’ll researched contet!
Hello,
First off I’d like to say thank you for these stories, characters, and this world. I’m currently 23 and have been reading these books for the past 13 years and they have been such an enjoyable, reliable, thrilling, and helpful consistency.
Regarding Brother Wulf, I was wondering if there any plans that you knew of for a physical US release. I’ve noticed on amazon that they have a kindle option but nothin for hardcover.
Thanks Again.
Unfortunately Brother Wulf hasn’t been picked up by an American publisher yet. I hope it will one day. You can purchase a paperback through Amazon now.
Mr Delaney
Please do not separate Tom and Alice I love stories about them. Can they be married ? I can not wait to your new book !!!
I think your writing has strengthened significantly since/through the Spook’s Apprentice books and I enjoyed reading the Starblade Chronicles. The final installment felt…. compacted. I think the plot points were strong but I feel like you had something grander in mind, and were constrained by the trilogy length. My best guess to this would be the publisher…. but I can’t imagine you’d be able to comment on that. Regardless, engaging even to an older reader, and I’m glad to see writing in this universe is still enjoyable to you. I read these as a kid and came back to them during the quarantine lull as a college english major/aspiring writer and found them still enjoyable. I think the theme of self belief is actually a powerful one. Good shit overall
thank you for returning to reading the series and for your honest comments which I believe to be sound and correct observations
Hello, Mr. Delaney!
Due to an early delivery I’have already received “Brother Wulf” here in Germany earlier.
I’m happy that you have returned to the Pendlewitch universe! I’ve to be honest, I’ve not really kept track of your other book series but I’m all for more stories in that special world. I do understand that the old characters may only play second fiddle to new ones. That’s alright!
I just wonder how you came to choose a young monk as your new protagonist? That should be interesting. Funny thing is, right now I see the new remake of “The name of the Rose” as a TV series on German TV.
Though I still hope to get one day a book series about Grimalkin’s exploits in her first missions as a witch assassins. Or a book about witches today (just think about all the opportunities they would have in the new world with technology, nuclear plants, computers, secret services and mobiles). Heck, considering the current situation witches may be the only people who could be crossing borders with their broomsticks! 😉 (Which leads me to the question why your witches didn’t fly yet? They should – they could fight their clan wars above the clouds!)
In any way, Mr. Delaney, keep your good spirits up, I press my thumbs for a successful launch of the new series and stay healthy!
Thank you for your continuous hard work! Your books are the best!
Many greetings,
Dieter from Berlin
Yes I thought a young monk would be an interesting character and remember that John Gregory spent time being trained as a priest (It refers to it in ‘The Spook’s Tale). I read ‘The Name of the Rose’ years ago. A good writer – I enjoyed the book and the film is good too.
Witches don’t fly in my books? {WARNING SPOILER} In the new one – In ‘Brother Wulf’ a witch flies – so that’s a first but there is a good reason why she is able to do so.
Thanks for your email and glad that you enjoyed the books. Keep safe too and keep reading.
Best wishes,
Joseph Delaney
Mr. Delaney. In the Starblade series you seemed to be setting up some later plot lines in the castle in Poland. I assume it was Poland. But in the attic of the castle there seemed to be some developing plot lines. And then they didn’t go anywhere. Did I imagine that?
Yes you are correct in assuming that the country is based upon Poland. I think I did deal with some of the plot lines they encounter in the castle (over the course of the whole three-book series) but you are again correct that they could have been developed further. There is probably another book in there somewhere!
Would mab make an appearance?
Hello again mr.delaney ,its me gail from Phillipines, it’s been 10 years now since i read your book ,i was just in 8th grade back then,and it’s not even first installment it’s attack of the fiend,the fourth book but as i finished I keep looking for the first one and more and more,to be honest i really want to live in spooks world that’s why I keep reading more times than the number of your books in wardstone and starblade chronicles, guess the way you wrote it makes me feel like im living along with tom,mr.gregory and alice , i finished it all in 2017 when i was in college, that’s why i’m so eager to read brother wulf now. But it’s not yet available here now, it’s really frustrating, i only have two hard copies of your book attack of the fiend and the dark army (i mostly read it in ebook)but now ive only got one since the attack of the fiend was washed away by typhoon haiyen, hope all your books would be available here so i can buy it all. have few questions for you since brother wulf is not available yet in my country
Where can i buy ebook copy of brother wulf except for amazon?
How many years past in spooks world since the dark assassin?
Would you come here in philippines for books signing?
Does alice know that tom can transform into lamia?
I am glad that you have enjoyed my books for so long. There are options here for ebooks https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/315013/brother-wulf/9780241416501.html
Since the Dark Assassin until the beginning of ‘Brother Wulf’ about two years have passed. Tom is still working as a Spook and he is still with Alice.
If invited I would go to the Philippines – such an invitation has to come from the publisher in your country.
Yes, by the beginning of ‘Brother Wulf’ Alice knows all there is to know about Tom. She knows about his lamia blood and what he can do.
Not thus far
will there be more adventures of tom ward
Only within the new series Brother Wulf. I don’t think there will be another dedicated book.
Hi Joseph, just wanted to start by saying I’m a huge fan of your work. The last apprentice series is my favourite and I started it in high school so it holds so much sentimental value and nostalgia for me. I didn’t know the star blade series existed until a few days ago and I read them all within a couple days. I’m very exited your branching off and doing stories on other characters in this world, but like the others I hope you sway your mind and give us at least a couple
More books based on Tom, I feel like I’m attached to his character I’ve been reading about him for so long. I have yet to start brother wulf but I see in these comments that Tom and Alice are in them which makes me
Happy, cheers.
Dear Mr. Delaney,
I’ve just ordered your new book and I’m waiting impatiently to read it. I love, love Tom and Alice and can’t wait to read about their life together. I thought when Tom got in touch with his supernatural self that his potential as a warrior against the Dark would be extraordinary. Of course I had the wish to read about his new adventures together with Alice. I will comment on the new book after reading it. Thank you so much for giving us the chance to visit Tom and Alice (and the Boggart). Keep up the great work! Stay healthy too!
Can you tell (a rough estimate) how long we have to wait for the second book? (the book after brother wulf).
It will be out May/June 2021 . There is a small extract here and I will do a reading from it shortly
https://josephdelaneyauthor.com/?p=1051&preview=true
when will the third one be out Mr. Delaney
The Last Spook which is the title of the third book in the series is out in the UK in June 2022.
This is basically a review i wrote on all the spook’s books and i wanted the writer to read it:
Spook’s series by Joseph Delaney, is an amazing work of fiction. The reader simply gets smitten by the magical work of this British writer. I started reading the Wardstone Chronicles and couldn’t put it down till I hadn’t finished all the books in the series. When I had finished the Wardstone Chronicles I craved for more, I was sad that they ended. Then one day I was searching for books on an online store that I stumbled across the Starblade Chronicles (this is trilogy, of the further encounters of Tom Ward; the main character) Oh! How happy I was, and this was not the end then came Brother Wulf, I was more than pleased. The plots were very intriguing and complete, and the best parts were the twists. The twists were on another level. They were beyond prediction. I am a slow reader but when the writer was building up for a scary or deadly scene, my speed increased considerably and I’d realise this after the scene ended! I couldn’t find any holes on the plot and wasn’t bored for a second when I was reading. The characters were build quiet efficiently and left an imprint of their appearance on my imagination, so much so that they were nearly alive! In nutshell; it was complete and amazing.
I would recommend it to anyone who is interested in fiction with a little touch of horror in it and believe me you will not regret.
Why does alice love tom?
Would mab be in the 2nd book of brother wulf?
Would there be a new character?
Mab is not in the second book but there is a new character .https://josephdelaneyauthor.com/?p=1051&preview=true
Great book Mr Delaney! I really enjoyed how Tom and Alice’s story has resumed in this installment. I had read you original series while I was in middle school but have since returned to the Starblade Chronicles and this Brother Wulf during quarantine as a 21 year old in college. Reading them again brought back so many good memories and I thank you for that. I hope to read more stories from the Spook’s universe soon! Will there be a sequel to this latest book? Best wishes and thank you for all the amazing books.
Yes I have just finished writing the second book and have just posted a blog about it.
Mr delaney, if you’re Tom, would you also forgive alice? Why?
If I were Tom I would definitely forgive Alice! After all she had little control over what she did because she had to obey Pan. Had she not done that deal with Pan, she would have been trapped in the dark forever and Tom would never have seen her again. I think Tom should have trusted Alice more but I can’t blame him for being jealous.
Do you think that you will ever make a new spooks bestiary with new monsters
I think there could be a case for a new one but I am not sure that would happen. I always imagined an updated Bestiary but that is a decision made by my publisher
Dear Mr. Delaney,
I’ve been following your books series when I was in quarantine!!
Your series was stunning. I’ve even challenged myself to read 13 series of your book in 2 weeks which I did. It really helped me to be brave against the Dark. I was also the first person in our town library to request your book.
I also loved the idea of publishing your fan’s comments on your novel series.
Actually, I do believe that I could be a good girl spook cause I am left-handed.
Please write more and more I don’t know how to survive without reading your books.
As a fan I have three questions:
DO YOU BELIEVE IN DARK CREATURES?
HOW OLD IS TOM IN BROTHER WULF?
ARE YOU LEFT HANDED?
Hope you are safe.
Rojin-Shariati
In Brother Wulf Tom is about twenty. I believe in dark creatures because I am one myself! No I am not left handed.
Well done reading so many books so quickly, and still liking them at the end!
I started reading the Wardstone series since quarintine started too, and when I finished it I was really sad when I thought there was not any more books. Now that I know there is, I have a new reason to be sad: TOM AND ALICE NEED TO BE TOGETHER! I would really like it if they got together again but I didnt read the other books yet. And please dont spoil how things are going, Its the best series Ive read so far!
Thank you for your books!
Any chance on elaborating on how John Gregory met his bogart and how it became to live in his home? I’ve read this series at least six times, but that is a question I’ve always wondered. I wasn’t sure if we would find out in a back story or something similar. Thank you for writing such a wonderful series and communicating with your fans.
There is quite a full account of this in ‘The Spook’s Bestiary’ where in a short story John Gregory details his confrontation with the boggart and how they came to an agreement. So that is the best place to read what happened. There is no account in the early Spook’s books but. later in the series, we see Tom make his own deal with that same boggart!
I just finished reading Brother Wulf, and I loved it. He makes a great main character and the story was just as good as the others and in some instances better. Wulf is very interesting and I’m excited to find out more about what he is. I also had fun seeing Thomas from another person’s perspective. I am also confused as how Grimalkin is able to do what she promised, and hopefully that is answered in the second book.
This is by far my favorite series, and I hope you are as happy with your work as much as I enjoy it.
The puzzle regarding Grimalkin may be answered in the third book which I am writing now. But in the second book you do find out what Wulf is. Can’t say more as I don’t want to spoil the book for you! Hope you continue to enjoy the books.
I seriously love this series with all my heart, my whole childhood is based around it and everywhere I go I think about it and just what the county(england ) used to look like and im just in love with it and im so so so happy to find another book you’ve wrote! Thanks Joseph I think you’re a really really good author
Glad to hear you enjoy them. Thanks
I am really addicted to reading entertaining books. The !Wardstone” and “Starblade” chronicles are the best I ever read. Right now I am reading “Brother Beowulf”. I started yetserday and will probably finish it tonight. Thank you very much for these great books and please never stop to continue. I am desperately awaiting the second book of “Brother Bewoulf”. And I really hope there is more to come….Keep it up….please!
Best regards froma big fan.
Good to hear you are enjoying it. The next book Wulf’s Bane is out this year, May 6
https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/315269/wulf-s-bane/9780241416525.html
Can’t wait! Have we seen the last of alice and tom as the main characters ?
I don’t think I will write another book with Tom and Alice as the central characters but they do feature in Wulf 3. I don’t have a publishing contract for that yet but I hope it will be published next year.
I really like the Spook’s books and they are my new favorite but I have a few questions regrading witches.
1. Is the difference between simply being a witch and a “full blown witch” that a witch is born as one and if she uses her powers she becomes a “full blown witch”?
2. Does belonging to the dark mean you use dark magic or is it if you are born as a witch you belong to the Dark?(Mam is witch but John Gregory says she belongs to the light)
3. Are there benign withes who belong to the dark and others who don’t?(Agnes Sowerbutts is considered to be a benign witch but she is known to use the dark, such as the nail biting thing, but Mam is benign a witch who doesn’t use the dark apart from mirrors. In other words can you be a benign witch without belonging to the dark?)
4. Is being a benign witch defined by if you use dark magic or not or if you do things for the good of people? (Alice uses the dark but she fights the dark. If it is defined by your use of dark magic then that means every witch who uses the dark for good cant be called a benign witch)
Let’s go right to the heart of your questions. A benign with is one who, by definition, intends good and uses her magic mostly for good outcomes (not just selfish ones). Of course, some witches are somewhere in between. For example Agnes helps people but also (like Alice) uses dark practices – the use of a mirror to communicate.
Alice was born a potential dark witch and led by her associates, family and environment would possibly have become a ‘full blown witch’ who served the dark. Her contact with the Spook and especially Tom took her in another direction.
Of course, Mam is a lot darker than you think – far darker and more dangerous than a witch assassin like Grimalkin. Before she met Tom’s dad she lured young men into the forest and killed them and drank their blood. As Tom’s mam she fought the dark but that was just a small part of her age-long existence.
But yes, you can become a benign witch and not belong to the dark. You can heal people and just use magic only as a last resort and then to help others rather than just yourself.
So what I can tell from that is being benign means being good and that most of them are healers, but being malevolent means you can be evil-malevolent like Bony Lizzie and you can be not-good-nor-bad-malevolent like Alice.
Yes I think this final comment of yours sums things up accurately. Alice is somewhere in between but is essentially good.
Sorry for flooding your comments but I meant to say “…benign it means you are good but if you are malevolent it means you belong to the dark and that it doesn’t define if you are evil or good and if you are malevolent you can be evil-malevolent or…”.
I think benign and malign are categories of witches (used roughly) but within them there are fine shades of grey. A witch like Alice can change and be redeemed.
Hey Mr. Delaney, here is a fan from Brazil. I want to thank you for this incridible world you have created. I’ve been reading the Spook’s books since my teenagehood and more recently, at 29, finished reading the Starblade Chronicles too (loved them all) and wonder my surprise to discover about Brother Wulf. Tks for such gifts.
I am currently reading through it, and I must say I LOVE it. The tensions, the dread created by the blank spaces left out as its from the perspective of a different character, that doesn’t have the incredible feats of strength that Tom has, feels great, making you dying in anticipation of reading the next page, and of course as with all the books written in a manner that is very much akin to a “river” of words. It’s one of the few series, I can pick up and read in a day or two, while completely immersed in the story and the characters. I am not a person that reads a lot, as I found the escapism in fantasy through other mediums, but your books have been one of the sole exceptions to it! Wulf’s Bane is ordered, and can hardly wait to sink my teeth into it as well!
I’ve started with the series when I was 12 and it still captivates me now when I turn 28, thank you!
Will it be translated into polish? I’ve just finished both the wardstone and starblade chronicles, and I just want to know whether the brother wulf would be translated into polish or do i just get straight into its british version.
I don’t think Poland have bought the series but I will check.