4 stars--I really liked it. One of my favorite Sharon Bolton novels.

This book combines a supernatural plot with a police procedural, and is great at both. Florence starts as a female cop in the 60s, and gets thrust in the middle of a huge case involving missing and murdered children. This book examines the case and politics around it--and also the town's secret and historical witchcraft, which Florence becomes enmeshed in. The book spooked me a couple times!

By far my favorite thing about this book is the ending. It's totally brutal and ties together every previous strand of the book (even some that seemed inconsequential). Recommended for those who like some scary paranormal with their mysteries--or those looking for a witchy read.

I received this review copy from the publisher on NetGalley. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review; I appreciate it!

This started well and then stalled for a long while. I should have thrown in the towel because this wasn’t the story for me.

I liked the main character and plot but the action was sorely lacking for the first half of the book. It was sad how poorly treated and patronized Florence was as the only woman on the force. She was clearly brighter than the entire force combined but way too many times we are subjected to reading that she is allowed to tag along for tea making purposes. I don’t doubt these things did happen but move it along...

I went into this story blindly and didn’t anticipate the witchcraft angle when I requested it. (This is not a spoiler as it’s addressed in the author’s foreword to the reader). It was interesting at times but not what I expected. I’m sure that I would have enjoyed it more, regardless of the magical aspect, had it moved along more quickly.

This is my first book by the author and I would try another as I did like the writing style just not this story in particular. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and St. Martin’s Press.

I've been reading Sharon Bolton since Sacrifice, her first book and a chilling tale. Then came the Lacey Flint series and several stand-alones (my favorite is Little Black Lies).

The Craftsman is set in Sabden, the village at the foot of Pendle Hill, famous for the Pendle witches and the resulting trials and executions in 1612. The Craftsman takes some of the best elements from all of the above books and will keep you riveted from first to last.

The book begins in 1999, but moves back and forth in time.

In 1999, Assistant Commissioner Florence Lovelady returns to Sabden for the funeral of Larry Glassbrook. Glassbrook died in prison after having been convicted of three murders. Florence was responsible for his conviction, but her return is not going to offer the resolution she seeks.

In 1969, WPC Florence Lovelady is new to the force and becomes tangled up in a case involving three missing children. The anxiety is high in the community, and when a group of children say they hear voices coming from a grave, Florence is sent to resolve the situation. Although facing prejudice for her gender and education, Florence does have one friend on the force, DC Tom Devins.

In 1999, Florence realizes that perhaps they got things wrong and finds herself and her son in danger.


Witches and folklore add to this harrowing tale. Although billed as a stand-alone, I'd love to see more from Florence, either in her early career or dating from the chilling conclusion. I would also be pleased if Bolton decided to have a spin-off novel involving Avril and Daphne and the local coven.

This is one of Bolton's best, a compelling plot and well-drawn characters kept me glued to the pages.

I read Mist Over Pendle as an R.I.P. read several years ago, and The Craftsman would make an excellent choice for R.I.P. There are dozens of books about the Pendle witches both fiction and nonfiction.

Read in August. Blog review scheduled for Sept. 4.

NetGalley/St. Martin's Press
Mystery/Suspense. (UK) April 15 and (US) Oct. 16, 2018. Print length: 432 pages.

Honestly, my own mind scares the crackers out of me sometimes.

And the extremely talented Sharon Bolton just handed off her latest offering served with a double heaping scoop of CREEP on steroids. She's outdone herself in this one, folks. Welcome to the crackling side of things that go bump in the night.

Assistant Commissioner Florence Lovelady is a bright and shiny twenty-two year old assigned to the police force in Sabden in Lancashire across from Pendle Hill. It's 1969 and women on the force are as welcome as hives on your wedding day. "The Boys" seem to derive pleasure from putting her in her place and motioning to the kettle that needs attention for tea. Then and now, women with intelligence can be a dangerous thing..........

When a call comes in that teenage Patsy Wood is missing, Florence's suggestions for hitting the trail fast and furious seem to hit concrete walls from the higher ups. DC Tom Devins appears to be the only one on the force who has Florence's back. While interviewing children in the neighborhood, Florence is shaken by what they tell her. Last night they heard voices calling out from the cemetery behind their yard. Their father insists that they've always been truthful. But the police scoff at the notion. Here's where we find out just how determined ol' Florence can be.

After tossing and turning in her bed, Florence dresses quietly and leaves the room that she rents from the Glasscock family. She grabs a shovel from the shed. Yep! Florence starts digging her way into the newly dug grave. Tom Devins shows up and helps her with the omnious task. Both know what this could do to their careers.

And here's where the visuals start marching up and down inside the corridors of your mind. What makes the little beads of sweat form on your top lip? The thought of being buried alive! And yes, poor Patsy is discovered in the casket. She never had a chance. Within the casket, they found a clay effigy. (Believe me, this brought back nightmares of True Detectives with Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson.) Then two more teenagers go missing. And just like we all know: After midnight, clowns aren't funny. The creep starts to overflow the surface in torrents.

Fast forward to 1999. Florence is returning to Sabden for the funeral of Larry Glasscock. She's been visiting him all these years after he was convicted of three murders. Larry was part owner of the funeral home and had access to the cemetery at will. His own confession put him behind bars. No other murders ocurred. But something gnaws at Florence. Did they get the right person?

Sharon Bolton slips on her research gloves and presents quite the storyline. She even slides in a coven of witches on the outer periphery that will certainly get your attention. Her character of Florence is amazing. Don't call her Flossie like "The Boys". And don't have her hold up her hand and count how many fingers that she sees. More on that later, dear readers, much later. A stunning read that shouldn't be missed.

I received a copy of The Craftsman through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Minotaur Books and to the talented Sharon Bolton for the opportunity.

Small towns tend to be set in their ways. Being the first female constable in a small town in the late 60's makes life difficult for Florence. She has three strikes against her in the eyes of the locals: her gender, her intelligence, and being an outsider. Shortly after moving to town teenagers started going missing. Florence was deeply involved with the case. Eventually the killer was found or so they thought. Thirty years later, the case still haunts Florence and new evidence makes her question everything she knew.

Florence was a strong female character who didn't back down in the face of adversity. Quite a few people in the town were potential suspects. What was happening to the missing teens was demented. I had figured out who the killer was long before the end, but I didn't have a clue as to why it was happening. Discovering that made the whole sick situation even worse.

This wasn't a book that I raced to get through although I really liked it. There was a slight paranormal twist. It wasn't expected but it worked out well. I absolutely loved the very end.

Sharon Bolton has a little gem on her hands with The Craftsman! When I first heard she was switching publishers in order to write a very different book near and dear to her heart, I was worried. Especially when I heard it involved witchcraft. Not my thing. I found out it IS my thing though when Ms. Bolton writes about it.

This one started out slow for me. The year is 1999, and I felt like I was missing a lot of background (which obviously I was) and was confused early on. Then the book moves into police procedural mode 30 years earlier when our protagonist, WPC Florence (aka “don’t call me Flossie”) Lovelady, tries to break into the man’s world of law enforcement. She must be better than the boys to survive this scene. She is paired with DC Tom Devine at the bottom of the totem pole to work on a strange case of multiple child abductions.

The story takes place in Ms. Bolton’s stomping grounds, The North Country. Witch Country. As always, our author sets the scene beautifully, giving us a rich atmosphere in which to immerse ourselves. If I had to describe it in one word, I would call it sinister, very sinister.
We meet an array of very curious (for us) characters. No cardboard cutouts for Ms. Bolton. I became nicely unconfused during this section and enjoyed the throwback era of policing. Surprisingly, I also enjoyed learning about British witchcraft, which is different than I had imagined.

The timeline is divided into three parts. The first and third parts are set in 1999. The middle part takes place in 1969. This actually works well except for what I mentioned above.

Wow, and the plot! Ms. Bolton shines like Venus when it comes to writing a plotline. She ranks with the very best. Now you have to be ready to take a bit of unbelievability. I have noted this with all of Ms. Bolton’s books, most of which received 5 stars from me. Skirting the edge is just her way, and I’m happy to go with it. And yes, at the end I did have a WTF moment. And that very very end. I’m talking the last couple of sentences. Awesome!

Now I could knock a star off for the weak bit of romance (not too fleshed out, Ms. Bolton), the confusing start (maybe it was just me because I am old), the slowish pace of the middle 1969 section, and the WTF denouement, but I’m not gonna because the plot itself deserves more than five stars. Furthermore, I was guessing right and left the entire way and was bamboozled at the end. So it clearly averages out to at least five stars. So there. I also really appreciate the fact that Ms. Bolton went out on a loooong limb to change publishers and write a story so very personal to her. Kudos to my heroine author! I cannot wait to see what she has up her sleeve for her next book. I highly recommend Ms. Bolton’s works to all thriller lovers.

Many thanks to Net Galley, Minotaur Books, and Ms. Sharon Bolton for an ARC of this novel. All opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way.

I was given an advance readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

This goes way beyond the typical psychological thriller – it's part please procedural, a sprinkle of witchcraft lore, and a healthy amount of northern Gothic. it's a little more than I was expecting, and it's almost too much, but it also kind of works . 3.5 rounded up

4.5 stars

When I’m asked to recommend great crime/mystery books, this author is always on the list. If she wrote a book on installing linoleum, I’d read it. In this outing she branches off in a new direction, adding magic & supernatural elements to the usual mix of crime, mystery & memorable characters.

Florence Lovelady is an Assistant Commisssioner at the Met. Thirty years ago she began as a lowly WPC in Sabden, a northern town in the shadow of Pendle Hill. And it was an infamous murder case there that made her career. Now she’s back. The killer she helped put away in 1969 has finally died in prison & Florence wants to see him go in the ground. Bit ironic as that’s what he did to his victims. The difference is they were alive when he buried them.

As Florence attends the funeral in present day, we get a bare bones history of just what took place all those years ago. We learn she actually boarded with the killer & his family & she can’t resist returning to the now derelict house one more time before she leaves for good. Unfortunately, what she finds there will cause her to question everything she thought she knew & this time it’s her son who will pay.

Not going to blab about the plot too much. As with all Ms. Bolton’s books, it’s best to go in blind for maximum effect. She’s the queen of jaw-droppers & you’ll enjoy it more if you discover things with Florence as she revisits a traumatic past.

The book started a bit slow for me but after the prologue, it shifts to 1969 & we get the full story of Florence’s time in Sabden. From there on it’s a compulsive read as we gradually shift back to events in the present. So many elements contribute to the story. We get a taste of what it was like to be a female cop at that time. The isolation, ridicule & sexism Florence faced on a daily basis will spike your blood pressure. There’s a line in there that goes something like “this is how men act when facing something they fear”. In this case, it’s a smart, resourceful woman who might be a better cop & refuses to just shut up & make tea.

The setting & its history provide the creepy atmosphere that helps propel the story. Witchcraft, brutal murders & a town full of clannish, suspicious people. I couldn’t help but think this place would fit snugly into something written by Stephen King. It’s obvious not all is as it seems in Sabden. There are hints of things commonly known but never spoken of & deeply guarded secrets. The effect is a constant, low level feeling of menace that keeps you slightly off balance & a tad nervy about turning the next page.

Then there are the characters. My favourites included Dwane (not your average sexton) & Avril & Daphne, 2 witches with attitude who I enjoyed much like the nuns in “Dead Woman Walking”. But the star of the show is Florence. What a pleasure to read a female MC who is strong, intelligent & quick on her feet. No histrionics & not given to the dumb decisions that usually have me rolling my eyes in frustration.

It’s so much more than just a whodunit. Personal asides & sub plots flesh out the story & bring the characters to life. From her letter to readers at the beginning, it’s clear this is a book the author has wanted to write for a long time & I hope she’s pleased with the end result. If her goal was to keep me up waaaay too late so I could race through the final pages, mission accomplished. Bring on book #2.

Sharon Bolton’s book The Craftsman will be out in October so add it to your Goodreads list or pre-order on Amazon or where ever you buy books! This sounds like the perfect thriller to read on a dark, cold night:

August, 1999
On the hottest day of the year, Assistant Commissioner Florence Lovelady attends the funeral of Larry Glassbrook, the convicted murderer she arrested thirty years earlier. A master carpenter and funeral director, Larry imprisoned his victims, alive, in the caskets he made himself. Clay effigies found entombed with their bodies suggested a motive beyond the worst human depravity.

June, 1969
13-year- old Patsy Wood has been missing for two days, the third teenager to disappear in as many months. New to the Lancashire police force and struggling to fit in, WPC Lovelady is sent to investigate an unlikely report from school children claiming to have heard a voice calling for help. A voice from deep within a recent grave.

August, 1999
As she tries to lay her ghosts to rest, Florence is drawn back to the Glassbrooks’ old house, in the shadow of Pendle Hill, where she once lodged with the family. She is chilled by the discovery of another effigy – one bearing a remarkable resemblance to herself. Is the killer still at large? Is Florence once again in terrible danger? Or, this time, could the fate in store be worse than even her darkest imaginings?

I haven’t read anything by Sharon Bolton before so this will be my first book by an author people absolutely love for her thrillers. The Craftsman is described as both creepy and scary so this one might have us staying up into the night to finish it.

I think I ought to have found this book to be better written than it was.

In 1999 Assistant Commissioner Florence Lovelady returns to Lancaster to attend the funeral of Larry Glassbook, whom she helped get convicted of murder thirty years ago. The book then returns to 1969 when Florence was a young WPC in the Sabden police force. Florence works only with men as the police hunt for three missing teenagers.

Two themes are explored through-out the story. One is the misogyny faced by Florence as the only woman in the police and the second is that of modern day witchcraft. The chauvinism of the men towards Florence seemed real and accurate. In places,however, the witchcraft seemed contrived.

A vivid sense of place was drawn of the town and the surrounding countryside. Wherever the action took place I was able to visualize the setting.

The ending did not work for me as it really stretched credibility.

Sharon Bolton has long been one of my favourite mystery writers and look forward to each new book. I wish to thank Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy of this book in return for an honest review. Her books are always compelling and thrilling. I have read all the Lacy Flynt series and my favourite are two stand alone novels; Little Black Lies and Daisy in Chains which were very different from each other in plot and atmosphere. The Craftsman was very dark and disturbing and made for compulsive reading on my part. The leading character is police officer,WPC Florence Lovelady, and this is reported to be the first book in a new series.

The setting is Lancaster, in a town where the Pendle witch trials were held centuries ago. Florence is a young police officer in 1969 who endured much harassment from the male officers when she was not being ignored. Young teenagers are vanishing and their fate has been horrific. They were buried alive in caskets already containing the bodies of people recently deceased. Buried with them were clay effigies which resembled the young victims. Florence learns that some young school children have heard a voice calling from within a recent grave. There are now three missing teenagers, but her fellow officers insist they have run away. When the grave from where a voice was heard calling is finally opened it is too late to save the young girl there entombed. Florence figures out where the other two children were buried but knows it is too late too save them. Instead of thanks for her diligence and locating the bodies she is thrown in jail. She perseveres in spite of the contempt and derision of most of the police officers. She has two people who believe in her and support her; Tom,a handsome married policeman and a dwarf who works as a gravedigger. She becomes friends with both, and may be harbouring deeper feelings for Tom. Florence is abducted by an unknown assailant and her finger is amputated. After her rescue the local funeral director and casket/coffin make, Larry Glassbrook, is arrested and charged with the murders mostly through her efforts.

Thirty years later, Florence has risen in the British Police Force. She is respected as their senior female officer. She has had a successful career but is still haunted by past events. She returns to attend the funeral of Larry Glassbrook who has died in prison. She is now married and is accompanied by her 15 year old son. On visiting the old Glassbrook home where she used to board, she is dismayed to find an effigy of herself hidden in the yard. This signifies to her that she may be in mortal danger. She has been studying about covens, the history of witchcraft, effigies and spells and believes demonic forces are present. She is befriended by a coven of good witches who cast spells and use supernatural forces. There is a warning that there may be another coven resorting to the devilish, macabre dark arts. She fears that she may have been instrumental in a wrong conviction of Larry Glassman. Her son disappears, and she is near hysterical fearing he has been abducted by the group practicing demonic witchcraft and is frantic to find him.

The book describes the history of witchcraft in its various forms. This is a creepy, riveting and disturbing tale which may cause shivers and lack of sleep. The shocking, twisted ending might make one believe that witchcraft may exist. Not for the faint of heart but highly recommended.