I loved the Witchfinder's Sister by Beth Underdown. The novel, based on a true story, takes place in England 1645. I enjoyed the historical references and the suspense of what it must have been like to be a woman suspected of being a witch!

I love books about witches and Salem. This is a period piece that I thought I would love more. The pacing was really slow.

I began reading this book and did find it interesting, unfortunately however it was long-winded in places and I did not finish it. I would like to come back to it in the future, but I don't think this one was for me!

I really have mixed feelings on this one. Not quite sure if I even really liked it or not. Didn't hate it, didn't love it either.

I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.

I’ve had this one on my list for awhile and since it is Spooky October I am trying to read some witchy books this month and this one was a great fit. Even though I did not end up loving this one – it was pretty slow for me. It was a well written book but wow was it sad. It was honestly hard for me to get through it because it was just so heavy. Not just because of these poor women that this actually happened to (being accused of being a witch) but also because of everything that Alice had to go through. Losing her husband, all the miscarriages, all the shit she went through with her brother – all of it was just so terrible. This book felt really relevant though with all the people touring Salem this month and the travesties that occurred to women there. I thought this book had a really adept presentation of how fear can develop and grow over time and that development of the “mob mentality” that takes over. There were some good plot twists too that I didn’t see coming. Overall it was a good book, it was just not a book for me right now!

2.5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this reader's copy. In exchange, I am providing an honest review.

It's 1645 and Alice Hopkins is traveling back home after a tragic accident has taken the life of her husband. She is without means and knows that her brother, Matthew, will take her in. Once upon a time, Alice and Matthew were close but the years have put a strain on their relationship and she's unsure of what kind of welcome will be extended to her. What she arrives at surprises, and dismays her. Matthew has become a witch hunter and is obsessed with flushing out all the witches in their town and surrounding villages. It isn't a good look on him. And it's rather terrifying to watch him murder innocent people. As the months pass and Matthew's hunt spreads farther and farther, Alice is caught between obeying him and saving innocent lives. She also goes on a hunt of her own, to find out what started Matthew down this road.

So, Matthew Hopkins was a real person who hunted (for lack of a better word or perhaps that is the best word to use) witches. He was referenced in some resource Underdown was reading and it sparked her curiosity. He was real and what he did was accurate but the rest of Underdown's book, in regards to characters and locations, is fiction. I believe the methods of interrogation described in the book are accurate to some of the ones used in the days of witch-hunting. It's terrifying and rage-inducing because versions are still employed to this day. I almost gave up on the book. I was at least halfway in and it felt so tedious and slow that I wondered if I cared enough to finish it. But I did stick with it because I felt Alice's situation was going to go one of two ways and I was curious enough to find out which way. The last third of the book felt easier to read and in the end, my curiosity was answered. What this book did was ignite my overall curiosity about the history of witch-hunting and murdering people so I'm guessing a deep dive down the rabbit hole of witches and such is in my near future.

Whether in England or Europe or the United States - the witch trials of the 1600's were fascinating to me. How can people believe that their cow died because some woman looked at it? Why was it always women that were accused? This book does an excellent job at bringing attention to the misogynistic beliefs that fueled these despicable trials through a wonderful, engaging heroine. This book, to me, was unputdownable.

I feel bad that this was a DNF for me. The premise was so good, and I normally love historical fiction from this time period - I am a huge Salem buff. However, this was dry and dull, and despite the spookiness promised, all I felt was cold.

This one was just kind of meh for me. Throughout most of the book, I was a bit bored and nothing much seemed to happen. I wasn't that impressed.

Hauntingly good!
This is a fictional account of the Manningtree witch trials in Essex, England, in the 17th century, and of the witchfinder himself, named Matthew Hopkins (a historical figure). What would happen, if Matthew had a sister, a witness of his doings?

Widow Alice Hopkins returns home, penniless and expecting a child from her late husband. She hopes for a living at her family's house (now only her step-brother Matthew living there, as their parents are both dead). Yet, her beloved brother has changed. There was always certain pain in him, certain strangeness, yet Alice had always tried to understood, protect - and the siblings had simply loved each other. But now, there is darkness in Matthew. Together with his strictness, methodicality and certain hate for women - and with fear old and new in the peaceless times; with rich men with no humble attitude towards losses and certain superstitions well living - the situation is ready to be used for some hunt. Witch hunt.

Hundred and six women had died because of Matthew Hopkins. The authoress takes the historical frame and smartly interwoves her take on the story around it. The story is exquisitely written - well-researched, deep and real. I especially like how Alice was written, as she feels real - not some warrior princess of certain tales, but simply a normal woman put into abnormal situation, who goes from shock into horror and then into fight. But her fight is taken realistically (I would probably do the same as her (or maybe even less, who knows?) - while feeling terror, fear and one person's smallness against the crowd. And the darkness of times is also well expressed in the "smaller", domestic matters - as Matthew's doings have their beginnings and the fuel in their home situation.
And the darkness does not stop there - there are hints here and there about something lurking, charms and the reality of the darker powers...

I quite dislike the ending scene, but it is written within the settings and the tone of the story.

I like that the authoress tries quite new approach - not the simple black-and-whiteness, but deeper questions, the way down into the souls to remember and to understand better - what was hidden for a child, might be known to a grown-up. And one needs to grown up with this all this knowledge. Human's smallnesses are seen through civil, even kind lens here (but these lens are not rosy and naive!).
And maybe we can ask ourselves - which kind of witchhunt could be done today? Who might be the victims (even the improbable victims)? Because in every time there are the weak and the silent ones. And the crowds. Wisdom and real (if sometimes tough) love is always needed.

The Witchfinder's Sister takes place in England, in the 1600's, where the Manningtree witch trials were taking place. Ran by a cruel, bitter man, Matthew, terrorizes the poor women. His sister Alice, moves in to his home after the passing of her husband, and gradually uncovers many unexpected truths. Full of surprises, this historical fiction was very good. Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for the e-reader for review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of The Witchfinder's Sister by Beth Underdown.

I really enjoyed the premise of the book and the history and the research that went into it. But it was a DNF for me because it just didn't keep my attention. Is that fair to say? It was just a bit too dry and hard to attach myself to.

A wonderful historical thriller The Witchfinder's Sister was for me. I enjoy reading books about witchcraft and the history of it. This book was right up my alley. I like the story line that was added to some of the facts and truths from that era. Such a tense, sad and scary time for all women then. To think that a lot of this did happen in England and then again in Salem MA.
Thank you NetGalley for a chance to read this!

I will read absolutely anything related to the Salem Witch Trials, but I'm not as familiar with the trials in England. So when I found a book loosely based on the actions of a real witchfinder from 1645, I had to read it. And this book did not disappoint. The characters are so complex that it's not always clear whether you should root for or against them, and the author clearly did her research regarding the way people lived at that time. If you have any interest in the witch trials, whether in America or England, then I highly recommend checking out this book.

“This summer, my brother Matthew set himself to killing women, but without ever once breaking the law.”

Essex, England, 1645. With a heavy heart, Alice Hopkins returns to the small town she grew up in. Widowed, with child, and without prospects, she is forced to find refuge at the house of her younger brother, Matthew. In the five years she has been gone, the boy she knew has become a man of influence and wealth—but more has changed than merely his fortunes. Alice fears that even as the cruel burns of a childhood accident still mark his face, something terrible has scarred Matthew’s soul.

There is a new darkness in the town, too—frightened whispers are stirring in the streets, and Alice’s blood runs cold with dread when she discovers that Matthew is a ruthless hunter of suspected witches. Torn between devotion to her brother and horror at what he’s become, Alice is desperate to intervene—and deathly afraid of the consequences. But as Matthew’s reign of terror spreads, Alice must choose between her safety and her soul.

Alone and surrounded by suspicious eyes, Alice seeks out the fuel firing her brother’s brutal mission—and is drawn into the Hopkins family’s past. There she finds secrets nested within secrets: and at their heart, the poisonous truth. Only by putting her own life and liberty in peril can she defeat this darkest of evils—before more innocent women are forced to the gallows.

Inspired by the real-life story of notorious “Witchfinder General” Matthew Hopkins, Beth Underdown’s thrilling debut novel blends spellbinding history with harrowing storytelling for a truly haunting reading experience."

Witches, England, what's not to like?

In case you've noticed, I'm a little behind on my reviews. Not because I haven't been reading, just that if it's a choice between reading and posting, I usually choose reading. Which puts me on track for my reading year, but regretfully behind here.

So enough about that, let's pretend it's the end of January, when I read this book. Brrr! It's freezing! Perfect time to sit in a cozy chair with a hot cup of tea and a warm blanket and read a scary book about witches. But really, if you're like me, there's no bad time to read about witches. This book, though, was a little different for me. For one thing, it was based on the true story of "Witchfinder General" Matthew Hopkins in Essex, England, 1645. Underdown spins a compelling tale based on his investigations, that are every bit as cruel, gruesome and unethical as you might imagine.

Alice, newly back in town, has her own troubles to deal with even before she starts to unravel the mysteries surrounding her brother, the now-famous Witch Finder. There is a lot going on in this otherwise sleepy town, and everyone seems to have a skeleton (or a witch) in their closet. The author leaves some things a little vague, but she does not spare the reader. This was an uncomfortable story for me to read; I really longed for a little bit of goodness in this world. I think that in her debut, though, Underdown has crafted an intense, often frightening, but ultimately well-told story.

I'm sorry. I don't remember requesting this book. I will see if I still have it and dive right in.

Terrifying true tale of the lengths one man went to to make himself superior and to fight his own insecurity. Knowing that these things really did happen makes you shiver and feel a deep sadness. Excellent storytelling.

I really wanted to like this but just didn't. I found it really slow and I just couldn't finish it.

Great debut novel of Beth Underdown. I disliked Matthew so much I almost felt like he was real. He was a horrible man(witch hunter) he sent those who he thought were witches to death by hanging.



My thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.