The Witch Hunter's Tale

Publication date: January 6, 2015

St. Martin's Press

Formats: eBook, Hardcover

Pages: 320

Series: Book Three, The Midwife Mysteries Series

Genre: Historical Mystery

Sam Thomas takes readers back to Puritan England with midwife Bridget Hodgson, hailed by the Cleveland Plain Dealer as "one of the most fascinating detectives in contemporary mystery fiction."

Winter has come to the city of York, and with it the threat of witchcraft. As women and children sicken and die, midwife Bridget Hodgson is pulled against her will into a full-scale witch-hunt that threatens to devour all in its path, guilty and innocent alike.

Bridget—accompanied once again by her deputy Martha Hawkins and her nephew Will Hodgson—finds herself playing a lethal game of cat and mouse against the most dangerous men in York, as well as her sworn enemy Rebecca Hooke. As the trials begin, and the noose begins to tighten around her neck, Bridget must answer the question: How far will she go to protect the people she loves?

*****REVIEW*****

I recently read and reviewed The Harlot's Tale, which is the previous book in Sam Thomas' mystery series dealing with the 17th century English midwife Bridget Hodgson.  You can find that review on this blog here. Now that I was caught up on the lives of Bridget and other significant characters, I could go on to read the latest book in the series which I received from the publisher via Net Galley in return for this honest review.

In The Harlot's Tale, Bridget had begun to develop into a kinder and more compassionate individual, but her principles are still very important to her.  In  The Witch Hunter's Tale, Bridget is tested to the breaking point during a witchcraft hysteria that is orchestrated by her ambitious Puritan nephew, Joseph Hodgson.  Bridget has to ask herself whether she values her integrity more than the lives of the people she cares about most. 

In the context of the witchhunt which impacts the entire city, the murder of a prominent alderman at the beginning of the book, seems to recede into the background.  There is very little investigation of the murder.  Events overtake Bridget, and she can only take defensive action against them.  The truth about the murder does eventually surface and it is an important plot development, but neither Bridget nor her resourceful servant Martha can be said to be responsible for uncovering the truth.  

There are few surprises in this novel.  I have read numerous books about Puritan witchcraft hysterias.  They are very similar in their progression and the motives of those who instigate them.  As usual, politics and class antagonism played prominent roles in this witchcraft hysteria. 

The strengths of The Witch Hunter's Tale are its dramatic intensity and Bridget's continuing character growth.  If there is a next novel in this series, it will be absolutely astonishing because there is no single predictable path for Bridget Hodgson in the aftermath of this book.  That's really rather marvelous because she has the freedom to shape her own life for the first time.   I was glad to see a proper resolution that is still open ended.

                                           

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About the Author

Sam Thomas is an assistant professor of history at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. He has received research grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Newberry Library, and the British Academy. He has published articles on topics ranging from early modern Britain to colonial Africa. Thomas lives in Alabama with his wife and two children.

For more information please visit Sam Thomas's website. You can also find him on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

The Witch Hunter's Tale Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, February 9

Review at With Her Nose Stuck In A Book

Spotlight at What Is that Book About

Tuesday, February 10

Review at Flashlight Commentary

Spotlight at The Lit Bitch

Wednesday, February 11

Review at Build a Bookshelf

Friday, February 13

Spotlight at A Literary Vacation

Monday, February 16

Review at Book Babe

Spotlight at Let Them Read Books

Tuesday, February 17

Review at The Emerald City Book Review

Wednesday, February 18

Review & Interview at Back Porchervations

Friday, February 20

Spotlight at Passages to the Past

Monday, February 23

Interview at Mina's Bookshelf

Spotlight at Historical Fiction Obsession

Tuesday, February 24

Review at A Book Geek

Wednesday, February 25

Review at A Chick Who Reads

Spotlight at CelticLady's Reviews

Thursday, February 26

Review at Beth's Book Nook Blog

Spotlight at Brooke Blogs

Friday, February 27

Review at So Many Books, So Little Time

                                                         
                                               
                                             

A Touch of Stardust Takes Us to Pre-WWII Hollywood and the Set of Gone with the Wind

I'm not a Clark Gable fan and didn't watch or even read Gone with the Wind. But I do love most old movies. I'm a huge Colbert and Grant fan and looked forward to going behind the scenes in 1939 Hollywood.

It's not a bad story, but while I loved Alcott's previous titles, I found I didn't enjoy this one near as much. That's partly my fault. This is def geared at Gone with the Wind fans, and I'm not one. But it's also partly the telling of the tale. There's two different stories going on. The first is a young woman trying to find herself and make it as a screenwriter in Hollywood. Her parents want her back home and she must learn to stand up for herself and say, "Hey, I'm an adult..." She faces the usual struggles a woman back then would have faced trying to make it in the male-dominated industry, sexual harassment, prejudice, etc.

The Gables

The second story is Clark Gable and Carole Lombard's marriage/romance. The studio has to buy off his ex-wife; he and Carol are buying a ranch complete with bear rugs...

I felt like the book couldn't make up its mind who it was about and honestly, putting a small-town girl's romance next to Gable and Lombard's made it really diminish. Not to mention I didn't like the hero (Andy) at all. He was patronizing, always calling her "kid"; he was negative and just overall annoying. I wanted Julie to just move on and quit mooning over him.

Frances Marion

I did enjoy all the interesting tidbits though about this movie I've never seen: Vivien's cleavage trouble; Clark's bad breath and fake teeth and voice training and refusal to cry. I liked learning about screenwriting, about the groupwork, about the rewriting of duds. Learning about Frances Marion was another treat I took from this, a screenwriter who was also the first female to win an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. I love the role she plays as a mentor and helper to Julie.

But something didn't click for me between the two tales. No matter how often Julie went to Carole's and had the movie star serve her a scotch, the stories felt way too perpendicular, not parallel, and I think I'd have enjoyed this more had it just been one romance, one focus: the Gables, maybe even Carole's life and struggles to make it, with no Julie at all. As it was, going back and forth, focusing on one then the other, each story felt as though it was missing something, that it wasn't quite concluded.

I received this via Edelweiss. Photos are all courtesy of Wiki Commons.

The Reading Radar 2/14/2015

Curious about and spotted it via GR Giveaways: A Habit of Resistance by Fernando A. Torres.

A Habit of Resistance, is the story of a quirky group of nuns who progress from having a small gun club to joining the French Resistance during WWII. René who is from a small town, in provincial France, flees to Paris, only to find that it has been overrun by the Nazis. He returns to his hometown of Brassac to discover that the fiancé he abandoned on the night of their wedding, has joined the local convent. René finds himself mayor of the town he abandoned, when the former officeholder flees to avoid working with the Vichy government. His return causes his fiancé, Noele, to re-examine her decision to become a nun; while he must decide with whom he will collaborate. The offbeat nuns must wrestle with how far to expand the margins of their vows, in hopes of saving their town and themselves. A Habit of Resistance is a work of personal denial and redemption.

***

Found out about this one via the author's newsletter and though I rarely stray into contemporary fiction anymore, I like this author enough to give it a go: Mercy Killing by Kathryn Johnson. Plus it sorta makes me think of The Americans, the KGB TV show I like so much.

FOR LOVE, JUSTICE . . . AND TO SAVE HER MOTHER'S LIFE,
MERCY O'BRIEN WILL DO ANYTHING! EVEN IF IT MEANS SACRIFICING HERSELF.

Artist and Washington, D.C. socialite Mercy O'Brien Davis married for love and gave up a promising job as a Smithsonian curator to support her husband's diplomatic career. But while accompanying him to Mexico City, she learns her famous photo-journalist mother has disappeared without a trace in Ukraine. Desperate to find her, Mercy runs afoul of the U. S. State Department and stumbles into a maze of lies, crime, and international intrigue. When she appeals to her husband for help in locating her mother, he is strangely reluctant.

With her marriage already on shaky ground in the aftermath of her husband's infidelity, and the U.S. government ignoring her entreaties on her mother's behalf, Mercy accepts help from a mysterious American agent who enlists her to spy on sexy cattle baron Sebastian Hidalgo, suspected of heading a Mexican crime cartel. Hidalgo is determined to keep her from discovering his darkest secrets, even as he lusts for her. Manipulated by the men in her life, and their hidden agendas, Mercy wonders if there's anyone she can trust, and what price she will have to pay for her mother's safe return.

***

And movie/TV series I'd love to get my hands on: Anzac Girls.


Arriving in Egypt to serve in World War I, a group of idealistic young Australian and New Zealand nurses are full of romantic notions. All too soon, however, they are faced with convoys of the dead and wounded from the doomed Gallipoli campaign. Realizing that war is not quite the "splendid adventure" they thought it would be, they rise to meet the challenge, finding love, heartbreak, and lasting friendship along the way.

Based on the book by Peter Rees and drawing on the real nurses' letters, original journals, and historical records, this acclaimed Australian miniseries follows five unsung heroines through the traumatic war years. A "beautifully shot, multilayered drama" (The Sunday Telegraph, Australia), it "brings these little-known stories vividly to life" (The Daily Telegraph, Australia). Georgia Flood, Caroline Craig, Anna McGahan, Antonia Prebble, and Laura Brent head an ensemble cast of more than 1,200 actors and extras in this breathtaking and stirring production.

***

Spotted on NG and of course I must have it: A Flying Affair by Carla Stewart.

Award-winning author Carla Stewart returns to the 1920s in this vivid historical novel about a female pilot navigating love and life.

Daredevil Mittie Humphreys developed her taste for adventure on horseback, on her family's prosperous Kentucky horse farm. But her love of horses is surpassed by her passion for the thrill of the skies, especially since the dashing pilot, Ames, first took her up in his plane.

When handsome British aviator Bobby York offers her flying lessons, he is equally surprised—and beguiled—by Mittie's grit, determination, and talent. Soon, Mittie is competing in cross-country air races, barnstorming, and wing-walking. But when Calista "Peach" Gilson, a charming Southern belle, becomes her rival in both aviation and in love, Mittie must learn to navigate her heart as well as the skies.

Bridge To Destiny by April Marie Libs

What a book.... This story will touch you from the inside and leave you feeling emotional in all sorts of ways. I must admit, when I first started the book, I had to put it down. Not because it was bad, but when I'm faced to think about death, it sends me into a panic attack. For me, I struggle not knowing what comes next. Just the idea that one day I won't be alive frightens me. I set this story aside for a little and read a few other books, but I knew I would come back to the story--don't get me wrong. Once I was ready to continue the story, I didn't turn back.

The heroine Avery goes through so much in her life. More heartache than one woman should go through. And when love did come knocking on her door again, I couldn't blame her for rejecting it. To lose a husband and go through almost losing her daughter months later, I'm not sure I could ever let someone in again myself. When Avery does let Nick in and finds she is attracted to him, then she has to deal with guilt--as though she is cheating on her deceased husband.

If you're looking for a sappy, light romance, you're not gonna get that here. Instead you're going to read a story that's going to get you thinking. How would you handle the cards that were given to Avery? This story will make you think. This story will probably even make you cry. But this story is one worth reading and having as a keeper on your bookshelf to share with friends.

The writing was good. The story flowed well. At times, I felt a few scenes dragged, but it might have just been my comfort zone. We spend a lot of time with her daughter Hannah as she's in the hospital. The auther makes this real, and as the reader I felt like I was going through it all with Hannah and Avery--which may be why I wanted to see Hannah go home so bad. I wanted out of the hospital myself. lol

Lacey's Rating:

About The Book:

Avery Lawson’s life, once so perfect, spins out of control, not once, but twice in twelve months. Not only does she lose the only man she has ever loved, fate threatens to take her next greatest treasure, her four-year-old daughter, Hannah.

BRIDGE TO DESTINY is a heartwarming story that chronicles the struggles a single mom has to endure with her tenacious, headstrong daughter who is fighting to regain all of her motor skills from a head injury. During her daughter’s recovery, Avery stumbles into an unforeseen relationship with her neurologist, Nathan Banst, first professionally, and then personally, when she sends him an inappropriate text message after a night out drinking. Although mortified, this pushes Avery into a more personal relationship with Nathan, but is it too soon after her husband's death?

Girl Runner by Carrie Snyder: A Story of an Olympic Runner or Dysfunctional Family?

1928 Amsterdam. The first Olympics at which female athletes are permitted to compete in track and field events.

That sentence right there says I should have loved this book. And that bit was interesting. I loved reading about the race, the hoopla after, about how it was determined the race was too hard for women merely because (just like some of the men) the lady winner falls to the ground when it's over. She's tired, overwhelmed with emotions...whatever. People read things into it.

Sadly, the Olympic race takes a mere two pages. The aftermath a few more pages. Training? Barely mentioned. We know what she wore, that she rain around a track with a lady named Glad for two years, by a factory. We know chocolate people sponsored it. And frankly, that's it.

This book isn't so much about a woman running in the Olympics but a dysfunctional family. About Edith, Olive, George, Robbies dying, a dad obsessed with woodwork, a mother midwife, and dead siblings seen through walls. It's weird and uninteresting. I got tired of it. I really didn't care about this heroine's childhood on a farm in Canada, about Edith, or graveyards full of little Smarts.

I was so bored I abandoned this one at 54%. The Olympics were over.

The modern bits were not the least appealing either, as this ridiculous girl old-people-naps Ms. Smart from a nursing home. Lots of rambling and uninteresting memories as they get stuck in the mud and all.

Had this been strictly about women running, the relationships they form as they run together, compete together, training for the Olympics, and the Olympics themselves, I'd have stuck with it and most likely loved it 'cause there's nothing wrong with the writing itself, but it digressed too often into boring family life and lost me.

All I've got are these legs, trained for speed, this mind, trained to conquer a circle of track.

I received a digital ARC of this via Edelweiss.

Surviving Valentine’s Day: Pauline Parril’s Advice for Married Women by Pauline Daley-Parril

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What Makes a True Warrior? The Truth is Revealed in Warrior of the Egyptian Kingdom by Stephanie Jefferson

"Protecting lives is what a warrior does. A warrior that is strong never takes a life if there is another choice."

This is the third book in the Princess Kandake series. PK is a Nubian warrior/princess/future queen. Her father has chosen her to rule the throne after his passing, over two brothers. The setting is historical, I'd like to say ancient Egypt times. And in this book, Kandake goes on an adventure to Egypt, a huge task at hand: determine why Egypt is asking for Nubia's help, decide if they really need it, and examine the young prince's ability to rule. Worse comes to worse, she may need to rule Egypt herself one day.

In Egypt, she must stop an uprising, heal the Pharaoh, instruct the prince, and save a young Nubian/Hebrew girl from abuse. All the while she faces Egyptian men's scorn over the fact she has so much power and also argue with idol worshipers that she is NOT Sakhmet, daughter of Ra.

I loved this story. Kandake does not disappoint. Once again she manages to solve everything in the manner of a warrior and future queen and impart some lessons as she does so. And even better, there was very little of Tabiry, her sister in this book. I really really dislike that girl.

Young readers will also get a look into Egyptian and Nubian life and customs. It's a wealth of information imparted in a most entertaining way.

Oooh, did I mention that Kandake chooses her future husband in this one? The romance is minimal and never overshadows the theme of girl power.

I noticed something in this installment, though. Lots of things are repeated over and over, such as her list of suitors and their pros and cons. It was repeated nearly word for word twice in different areas and while I realize this was weighing on her, I already knew one was soothing and one was hard working. The reason this came to annoy me is that it happened quite a bit, the repetition of things/conversations/facts. Also confusing to me was just who solved the problem of the Pharaoh's poisoning? I thought it was Kandake, who tried the poison herself, but later Naomi acts like she has solved it and everyone around her acts like she did too. Again, it felt like repetition. And why did Kandake wait so long to help the Pharaoh?

You can read my reviews of the previous two Kandake books here.

I received this from the author via Smashwords in exchange for an honest review.