Sharon Bolton has quickly become one author that I get excited whenever hear I hear there is a new book coming out. Bolton has become the master of weaving strong female characters with an intriguing mystery and just enough of a dark element to keep all readers on the edge of their seat..

Well done dual time line novel. Set in Lancashire, it's the story of Florence Lovelady who thought she solved a horrible series of murders in 1969 but now, in 1999, discovers that might not be the case. You get a very good sense of place, a lot of creepiness, and an evil villain (seriously- he buries kids alive), and. heroine who finds herself under fire. The town of Sabden hides a lot of secrets- some of which Florence missed as a junior officer but now they are coming back to haunt her. Hard to review without spoilers, this is a tense, well written story that is both a procedural and psychological suspense. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

"Sharon Bolton returns with her creepiest standalone yet, following a young cop trying to trace the disappearances of a small town's teenagers.

Florence Lovelady's career was made when she convicted coffin-maker Larry Grassbrook of a series of child murders 30 years ago in a small village in Lancashire. Like something out of a nightmare, the victims were buried alive. Florence was able to solve the mystery and get a confession out of Larry before more children were murdered., and he spent the rest of his life in prison.

But now, decades later, he's dead, and events from the past start to repeat themselves. Is someone copying the original murders? Or did she get it wrong all those years ago? When her own son goes missing under similar circumstances, the case not only gets reopened... it gets personal.

In master of suspense Sharon Bolton's latest thriller, readers will find a page-turner to confirm their deepest fears and the only protagonist who can face them."

Literal shivers! Could it be a copycat? I know you need to know as much as I do!

The year is 1999 and Assistant Commissioner Florence Lovelady returns to Lancashire for the funeral of Larry Glassbrook, a murderer she arrested 30 years ago. Larry killed three children, burying them alive in caskets he made himself. He also kidnapped and tortured Florence while she was investigating his case. Thirty years ago, Florence made a name for herself with the Glassbrook case, which changed her life forever. Clay effigies were found with each of the children's bodies, suggesting an element of witchcraft. Now, when Florence returns for the funeral, she finds a fourth: of herself. Does this means Florence is in danger? And what does the message Larry sent her from prison mean? Is there still a killer out there?

"I wonder what words his headstone might carry: Loving husband, devoted father, merciless killer."

I'm a huge Sharon Bolton fan, so I was excited to read this one. I hadn't really read the description in a while, so I didn't realize so much of the narrative took place in the late 1960s. I'm usually more of a modern fiction fan, but I found the 1960s portion--narrated by Florence--to be surprisingly engaging and enjoyable. It offered a really detailed look at how women were treated, especially on the police force, and was a true testament to Florence's strength. She was a fascinating, nuanced character who drew me in from the beginning. The book really revolves around her, but she makes it worth it.

The novel is certainly creepy--definitely a good spooky read for the month of October. It can be dark and gruesome. There's a witchcraft portion that sometimes seems a little unbelievable, but I thought it worked well within the confines of the story. There's even some funny moments--made even better by what a great heroine Florence is.

There's an excellent mystery here, which will keep you guessing from the start. The story skips between 1969 and 1999, and the two portions work together seamlessly. I found the tale to be complex, complicated, and just really compelling. There's something about this book that simply keeps you reading. Florence is an awesome character, the story is fascinating and different, and it's just a really enjoyable (if somewhat dark) read. Definitely recommend. 4+ stars.

This was a creepy thriller involving children buried alive in a small town in Lancashire. This place is known as Pendle Hill and is the site of some of the most famous witch trials in England during the 1600s. It was really fast-paced and hard to put down. The writing was well-done and flowed easily. The mystery of who was killing the children was not who I suspected until near the end of the book when I figured it out. There is witchcraft or references to witchcraft throughout the book. It's always interesting to me to read about witches and what they can do. The policewoman on the case was Florence Lovelady and I liked her spunk. She was brave and tenacious in her quest to find the killer even though she was put down by the rest of the policemen because she was a woman. I thoroughly enjoyed the book.

Thanks to Sharon J. Bolton and St. Martin's Press Minotaur Books through Netgalley for an advance copy of this book.

#partner THANK YOU Minotaur Books for gifting me a copy of The Craftsman by Sharon Bolton. OMG GUYS! This book will be the PERFECT read in October! Spooky, witchy, and absolutely chilling! My advice: Preorder this NOW! TELL IT TO THE BEES!

I never read out of my normal genres which are mystery & thriller. Sometimes I can get into romance if it’s really good. So, I’ve never read a book that involved witches before but holy shizzz this was good. Short chapters, a serial killer, and twists oh yesss.

I want to say that for me the witchcraft / witches was not over the top at all. It wasn’t fantasy, this book fits into the mystery / thriller genre 😏

The story opens up with the burial service of Larry Glassbrook, a very known serial killer in the town of Sabden. Thirty years ago, in 1969, he was charged with the murder of three teenagers. Florence Lovelady was the investigator who put him behind bars. In 1999, she comes back to town to witness Larry being put in his grave. After the funeral she decides to visit the house she use live in with... Larry 😳 What she finds in the house has her questioning everything. Is she in danger? Is there a new killer?

I honestly felt claustrophobic while reading the descriptions of the murders. Towards the end, I felt like I was getting slapped left to right with the roller coaster ride I was on. So good!

The story is told mostly back in 1969 and how the case unfolded. Florence is a bad ass cop and I loved her development. Once again I find myself determined to read ALL of Bolton’s books. Highly recommended 5 stars!

The Craftsman is the perfect thriller to read this fall. It’s dark and terrifying and will give you the chills while reading it. I had never heard of Sharon Bolton before but I’m definitely going to be looking up more of her books. I highly recommend picking this one up.

What an addicting, creepy mystery-thriller!

This story opens in Lancashire, on August 10th 1999, with the funeral of Larry Grassbrook. He once called Lancashire home and hasn’t returned since he was convicted of multiple murders 30 years ago. Florence Lovelady has also returned to Lancashire for no other reason than to attend Larry’s funeral. She played a very large role in his capture and has returned for closure of his horrific crimes.

The majority of this story takes place in 1969 centering around the retelling of a serial killer who was targeting teenagers and burying them alive. I love that the story opens in present day, where we meet the convicted killer Larry, and learn who his victims are. Then we are zipped back in time and learn how it all happened.

Now let’s talk about being “buried alive.” Yikes! The mere thought of this gives me chills. I cannot wrap my brain around how terrifying this would be. As horrible as this would be, it takes this story to a whole new level and becomes a race against time.

I did find myself getting irritated with what I saw as a lack of respect for Florence. The police department she was working for was very disrespectful and completely underestimated her because she was a woman. With my growing irritation I cheered her on and hoped she would show all the men that she was every bit as smart and capable as they were.

There is a supernatural element to this story that I was a bit hesitant of, but I am pleased to say it was subtle, not in your face and only added to the dark mysteriousness of the story.

I highly recommended this well-crafted book! It is my favorite Sharon Bolton story to date!

So f’n good!!!

This might be my favorite Bolton book so far! I absolutely loved this one! We start out in 1999 with Florence coming back to town with her son, to the funeral of a murderer. One that she had put away in 1969 after he had killed 3 teenagers. Going back to the killers house she finds something that makes her question things. So we begin with the story of what happened in 1969--flashback. Florence was just 22 years old when she joined the police force and being the time that it was, she wasn't taken seriously. Although, it seemed she was the only one that had any brains to solving the crime!! She gets a lot of flack from the men but that doesn't stop her from being headstrong. She finds herself mixed up with a couple of women who are witches when she is out collecting information. Is witchcraft apart of the killings? I didn't want to put this book down! It will keep you guessing that's for sure!! By the end I was completely blown away. LOVED!!!

*Thank you the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Atmospheric and haunting, this is not a typical suspense novel nor a crime thriller. It's a mystery of sorts, but also a study of witchcraft and the dark arts. I could not put it down after I read the note to the reader."The Craftsman is the story of women, and witches. Of the children we love and must protect. And of the men who fear us."

WPC Florence Lovelady is 22 years old and the only woman on the police when the town of Sabden tries to solve the case of 3 missing teenagers in 1969. Being new and being a woman, she faces discrimination and frustration as she attempts to get involved with the investigation. When it's discovered that one of the victims was buried alive in a casket in a local cemetery, the clues lead to a local undertaker, Larry Glassbrook. He's remanded to prison and the book opens with his funeral and burial in his native Lancashire home 30 years later. Florence has returned to town for the occasion and has brought along her teenaged son, Ben. Events transpire that make Florence question if they actually arrested the right man...NO SPOILERS

The book is divided into two distinct time periods -- 1969 during the investigation of the case and then 1999 when Florence returns. There is so much interesting material within that it's hard to sum up in a synopsis. Whether or not you believe in witchcraft, you will be privy to information that indicates that it is not a lost art and that witches still practice and exist today despite historical evidence that society has tried to get rid of them by foul means for centuries. I was riveted.

The plot is complicated but very tightly woven and will likely leave you with more questions than answers. I understand that this is the first book of a planned trilogy (I hope that's accurate) and I promise I'm going to be first in line clamoring for #2 as I can't wait to learn more about the complex character that is Florence as I feel we've only been given a small glimpse into her psyche.

Different, yes! And I'm always enamored with a unique perspective on the familiar crime and punishment genre. I think this novel will give readers a lot to think about and much to discuss with others who read it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur/St. Martin's Press for this e-book ARC to read and review.

Florence Lovelady is attending the funeral of a killer she put away thirty years ago. Larry Glassbrook was a funeral director who abducted teenagers and imprisoned them alive in caskets he made himself. As she tries to let go of the past, Florence is drawn back into the Glassbrook house where she once lodged with the family. She is chilled to find an effigy that very much like her and wonders how much trouble she is in this time.

This book goes into the past where Florence was just joining the police and trying to make her way as one of the first women to have her job. I had a hard time getting into the first little bit of the novel until I got further in and started to understand what was going on. I really did enjoy the insight of being one of the first female police officers in 1969 and how hard it was to get in with the men currently doing the job. Florence was such a fighter in this novel and I can really appreciate that, especially when you find out what has happened to her. I was unsure about a book with witchcraft, but Bolton did a good job tying it all together.

This case was very complex and this novel kept me on my toes until the very ending and we find out what was really going on. The ending blew me away and I really enjoyed it! I was shocked but who was the actually culprit in this novel and it ends up making so much sense, but I really liked the character throughout the novel and was surprised that I didn’t see it coming. This book is unlike any other book I have ever read and I do recommend it!

Sharon Bolton has written some of my favorite books and I have been eagerly anticipating The Craftsman for quite awhile. Like I have come to expect from Bolton’s books, it was a well done, suspenseful mystery. It was even a little creepy at times. But it definitely took a departure into the supernatural that I was not expecting.

I have to say I was not a fan of the whole witch angle. It would have been one thing to have groups that fancy themselves witches, but Bolton makes the characters credible witches who perform magic. Now, I’ve read a good deal of paranormal books that included witches and been fine with it because there were also things like vampires and werewolves and what-not, and those books were always solidly in the fantasy column. I don’t feel this book is supposed to be considered paranormal at all, though, and that kind of made the conclusions a little hard to take seriously. However, I don’t feel this theme was made really prevalent until the last part of the book, so it didn’t ruin the rest of the book for me, it just made me a little more dissatisfied than I hoped.

The book is broken up into three parts. It starts in 1999 with Florence at the funeral of the serial killer she helped put away thirty years ago. The bulk of the book is the second part, which flashes back 30 years to the investigation. I really have to hand it to Bolton for keeping the suspense high during this time. We already know how the case ended, what atrocities Florence faced, and how her romantic life turned out. But none of that kept me from turning the pages as fast as I could to see what happened next and kind of loving the guy that I knew I shouldn’t be shipping her with. The third part goes back to the “present” (1999) where I felt the events of the synopsis finally kicked in. I thought it was a little bit rushed at the ending, but everything was tied up well enough.

Overall, I enjoyed The Craftsman, but it’s not my favorite of Bolton’s books. I appreciate that she took a chance to write something a little different than normal, but the whole witch thing isn’t really my cup of tea. There were some small twists and turns that surprised me, but most of the reveals I guessed well before they were revealed and one made me super sad (but would be too spoilery to expand upon). However, I do love Bolton’s writing style, the alternating timeline, and the characters. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more from Bolton in the future.

Overall Rating (out of 5): 4 Stars

This book took a bit to grab me, but when it did, it grabbed me hard. It's written well and has some very disturbing, chilling, and thrilling themes, which I absolutely love. Definitely a book that I will warn that must enjoy more disturbing themes, but well worth the read for the chills and thrills!
Will be using in my daily challenges, recommendations, and reviews in Chapter Chatter Pub! Thank you for the opportunity to read before it's release!

THE CRAFTSMAN, Sharon Bolton
FIVE STARS ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What is seemingly a police procedural, set in a late 60s English town, spreads its haunting wings with elements of witchcraft, black magic, voodoo and all around scariness. It’s a perfect campfire ghost story turned freakishly horrifying, in a mad race, fast paced page turner, in search of answers and resolution.
🍁
The CRAFTMAN is beautifully written, with well developed, fascinating quirky characters, haunting village life, and a resolution which will keep you guessing until the explosive ending. 🍁
Bolton highlights the strength of women, even in times of rampant sexism, the intelligence and courage of a woman who will stop at nothing, to save her child. Highly recommended, especially perfect for Halloween reading!
🎃
Definitely one to preorder! Pub date is October 16. Read THE CRAFTSMAN with the lights on. #netgalley #sharonbolton

Thank you @sharonjbolton @netgalley and @minotaur_books for the ARC! •

Women and witchcraft, victims buried alive, the north of England described as "a dark place," coffins and caskets make for a sinister setting but THE CRAFTSMAN did not cast a spell on me. Not my favorite by Sharon Bolton.

4.5 stars

CHILLING!

Superbly crafted psychological thriller about children being buried alive in a small town rumored to have ties to witchcraft. This is an atmospheric, suspenseful, twisty read filled with elements of the supernatural. Witchcraft and gender norms play subtle roles that become more and more pronounced as the book progresses, culminating in a heart-stopping ending!

In 1999, Florence Loveday returns to Lancashire to attend the funeral of Larry Glassbrook--a man who committed horrible crimes that Florence happened to have solved. Florence's return causes her to flashback to her life in Lancashire as a young police officer.

In 1969 Florence Lovelady is a young police officer, who is drawn into the case of a missing 13-year-old girl. Although she gets little respect as she is the only policewoman on the Lancashire force, she goes against the grain and uses her instincts to solve the case. Florence has to battle not only murder suspects but also the men she serves on the force with.

The narrative alternates between 1969 and 1999. In the past, the reader learns of Florence’s involvement in the case, as well as some additional drama that she got involved in. In the present, Florence comes to discover an effigy of herself, which is an element used by those who practice witchcraft, causing her to look deeper at the crime that she thought she solved so long ago. The more and more she investigates and reflects on the past, the more she uncovers about what really happened at the time. There’s a lot of more going on than what initially seems.

The Craftsmen a disturbing, nuanced read that kept me riveted. I found it a little slow in the beginning, but once I got over the initial hump, I was completely sucked in by not only the plot but also by the eerie setting and elements of witchcraft. I don’t usually do the supernatural, but in this case, Bolton handles it with finesse. Florence's character is fascinating; she makes some very intriguing choices, some of which shocked me in the end!

Beware: This is a suspense filled, tension-packed reading experience. I found myself in a state of panic for the last 10% and it took a bit of time before I could calm down. What I loved about this book is that it doesn’t play off of the obvious; it's clever, multilayered, and surprising. I appreciated the original plot and loved reading the juxtaposition of witchcraft and gender roles. I highly recommend!

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review.

Copy furnished by Net Galley for the price of a review.

The ins and outs of coffins and caskets, clay effigies, abandoned bee hives, and the wonder of small things.  Patterns, phases of the moon, and a librarian with big yellow teeth and frightening eyebrows.  Thirty years have passed since a serial killer was put behind bars, and now he is dead.  So why are doubts resurfacing now?  A most satisfying ending, last two lines were pure magic.  The author knows her craft well, and for me this was a spellbinding read.

"The Craftsman is the story of women, and witches. Of the children we love and must protect. And of the men who fear us." -Sharon Bolton

Holy Crap! This is the rare book which had my mouth hanging open at the end! SHOCKING!

The Craftsman is a perfectly crafted tale in which Bolton carefully molds her story of murder, sexism, witches, legend and mystery. In 1999 Assistant Commissioner Florence Lovelady has returned to Sabden with her fifteen-year-old son, Ben, for the funeral of master carpenter and funeral director, Larry Glassbrook. Thirty years ago, Florence arrested him for murdering three local teens by burying them alive with clay effigies in the caskets he made. His funeral is not the typical one. Instead of mourners weeping for the deceased, the funeral is attended by those who are happy he is dead and enjoy spitting on his casket.

Florence, who often visited Larry in prison many times over the years has come back to see him put to rest and to visit the home where she lodged while she worked with the Lancashire police force. Coincidentally the home she rented a room in, was owned by Larry Glassbrook and his wife, Sally. While examining the old home and grounds, she finds a clay effigy of herself, complete with a missing finger. One that she lost thirty years earlier. She begins to look back to 1969 when she investigated the case and those who were suspects and those who helped with the investigation.

In 1969, Florence was a member of the Lancanshire police force. She was constantly being put in her place and reminded that she was not one of the boys. Many members of the force did not like that she had a college education, was clever, smart and spoke her mind. She was constantly being asked to make tea and do menial tasks to remind her of her "place." The team especially did not like that she made suggestions concerning the missing teens and how to find them. DC Tom Devins appears at times to be the only one on the force who respects her input and opinions although he frequently cautions her about how others perceive her.

What begins to feel like a cut and dry police procedural becomes even more interesting when Florence hears drums in the distance and eventually learns that there is a coven of witches in the town. HUH? What, you may ask witches??? Yes, witches and two of them befriend Florence and remind her that she must trust someone. Here is where some might think the book is going to go off into the deep end, but here is where the magic happens (pun intended). Yes, you need to suspend some disbelief, but everything worked perfectly for me in this book. Bolton seamlessly blends the paranormal into her criminal investigation brilliantly.

The town of Sabdem is made up of quirky and interesting characters who may or may not know what is going on. There was a lot of fear in that town during 1969 when teens went missing and the police could not come up with a suspect until Larry Glassbrook's arrest. As Florence finds the clay effigy of herself in 1999 she begins to wonder who put it there? Why? Did the police miss something all those years ago? Is she in danger?

I was drawn into this book form the very beginning. My advice - read the Author's note before beginning the book. Bolton talks the infamous Pendle Witch Trials and the legend of how a witch is baptized twice first in the church and then in dark water. She talks of her interest in witches and with women who "stand out from the crowd and who are punished by that same crowd for daring to be different."

I read most of this book in one day as I could not put it down. I was riveted to this story and refused to quit reading until I had finished the book. By the way, I love the last names in this book - Lovelady and Glassbrook. The writing is stellar, and the plot is extremely well thought out and clever. I enjoyed how the Author had a character whisper one sentence to another in the book and while I read it I thought "awe, that's sweet" and then the end came, and I realized that that the sentence meant something else entirely and I thought "HOLY CRAP!". As I mentioned, my mouth was literally hanging open at the end due to my surprise! I did not see that coming at all!!!!

This book has a little bit of everything - drama, murder, suspense, mystery, romance, witchcraft, etc. Bolton combines it all perfectly and the town itself is eerie, spooky and atmospheric.

In case I haven't' been clear, I loved this book!

I can’t believe that I have never read this Author before, I see myself binge reading her other books in the near future!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press- Minotaur Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Sharon Bolton has climbed her way up my favorite list of authors! Sharon does it again with this one my friends!

As always, what a unique and extremely well written web of suspense that Bolton has crafted here with elements of supernatural and witchcraft! I LOVED the aspect of supernatural. I couldn't get enough!!

To all my Bolton fans out there... this is one that you DEFINITELY don't want to miss! Talk about supernatural on crack! Sharon.... you amaze me with your talent and how easily your words capture your readers in such a dark yet poetic way.

In 1999, Florence Loveday returns to Lancashire to attend the funeral of Larry Glassbrook. Larry Glassbrook was a man that committed awful crimes in which Florence had solved. Florence's return causes her to start having flashbacks to her life as a young police officer.

In 1969, the novel explores how Florence's career took off as a young police officer trying to solve a missing case of a 13 year old girl.

The novel alternates between 1969 and 1999.... somehow connecting with Florence's past and the present. Presently, Florence finds an effigy of herself, which is something that those who delve deep into witchcraft use. What exactly does this effigy mean? Loveday soon realizes that the crime she thought she solved so long ago..... may not be what it appears to be.

The Craftsman is such a brilliant web of supernatural, lies, and witchcraft that keeps you wondering what goes bump in the night.

I found it slow and confusing for the first 30 percent... I couldn't keep track of the alternating between present to past... I think this could have been presented a bit more smoothly. But, once I got past the initial beginning I was hooked!

I think what I loved the most about this was the supernatural aspect. Bolton truly handles the witchcraft and supernatural elements with such finesse. AND. that ending... holy shit! Talk about... throwing me for a loop! Damn Bolton.... thanks for adding that unexpected twist at the end!!

Huge thank you to Netgalley and Minotaur books for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest thoughts.

4.5 eery stars!!

Expected publication date: 10/16/18
Published to GR: 9/3/18.

Florence(Flossie)Lovelady has returned to Sabden, Pendle Hill in Lancashire, a small town where she began her police career. 30 years ago, when she was young and green, someone was not only abducting children, they were also burying them alive. The man convicted of these horrific crimes in Larry Glassbrooke, who also harmed Florence physically and mentally. Larry has died in prison and Florence comes back to 'the scene of the crime' for his burial.
Even though Larry confessed to the crimes, he would never divulge the why, leaving Florence with many unanswered questions. The story moves between the now and when Florence was a young WPC. She was the lone woman on the police force and she endured ridicule and male chauvinism on a daily basis. Determined to do her job, she is instrumental in discovering the fate of Larry's victims though it earns her no praise from her colleagues or the townsfolk.
There was so much to love about The Craftsman. A killer and a killer mystery, witchcraft, a woman determined to succeed in a male-dominated field, questions about Larry and his confession and an eerie setting. Everything came together in a way that kept me flipping pages and the ending was stunning. A new author for me, but one I plan to read again(and again).
I received a DRC from St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books through NetGalley.