"It is August, 1645, one year since York fell into Puritan hands. As the city suffers through a brutal summer heat, Bridget Hodgson and Martha Hawkins are drawn into a murder investigation more frightening than their last. In order to appease Gods wrathand end the heat-wavethe citys overlords have launched a brutal campaign to whip the citys sinners into godliness. But for someone in York, this is not enough. First a prostitute and her client are found stabbed to death, then a pair of adulterers are beaten and strangled. Yorks sinners have been targeted for execution.
Bridget and Marthaassisted once again by Will, Bridgets good-hearted nephewrace to find the killer even as he adds more bodies to his tally. The list of suspects is long: Hezekiah Ward, a fire and brimstone preacher new to York; Wards son, Praise-God, whose intensity mirrors his fathers; John Stubb, one of Wards fanatic followers, whose taste for blood may not have been sated by his time in Parliaments armies. Or could the killer be closer to home? Wills brother Joseph is no stranger to death, and he shares the Wards dreams of driving sin from the city.
To find the killer, Bridget, Martha, and Will must uncover the citys most secret sins, and hope against hope that the killer does not turn his attention in their direction, in The Harlot's Tale by Sam Thomas."
Truly a good read. Even though this is the second in a series, I had not read the first one (but I will get my hands on it) - the characters were so easily defined that it could be a standalone. The individuals played their roles as true people living in the 17th century. Mr. Thomas not only knows his history but included it just wonderful in a fictional midwife's (often turned detective) tale! Instead of just dwelling on the midwife part of the story the whole culture, city, people made this a great murder mystery.
Bridget and Marthaassisted once again by Will, Bridgets good-hearted nephewrace to find the killer even as he adds more bodies to his tally. The list of suspects is long: Hezekiah Ward, a fire and brimstone preacher new to York; Wards son, Praise-God, whose intensity mirrors his fathers; John Stubb, one of Wards fanatic followers, whose taste for blood may not have been sated by his time in Parliaments armies. Or could the killer be closer to home? Wills brother Joseph is no stranger to death, and he shares the Wards dreams of driving sin from the city.
To find the killer, Bridget, Martha, and Will must uncover the citys most secret sins, and hope against hope that the killer does not turn his attention in their direction, in The Harlot's Tale by Sam Thomas."
Truly a good read. Even though this is the second in a series, I had not read the first one (but I will get my hands on it) - the characters were so easily defined that it could be a standalone. The individuals played their roles as true people living in the 17th century. Mr. Thomas not only knows his history but included it just wonderful in a fictional midwife's (often turned detective) tale! Instead of just dwelling on the midwife part of the story the whole culture, city, people made this a great murder mystery.
