Chris Bohjalian is a must-read author for me. I devoured this book in a weekend. Hour of the Witch begs the question: What are you able to endure to get away from an abusive relationship? To further complicate this, this book takes place in colonial times when new interpretation of laws were being founded, women had very few rights. If anyone were to tackle this topic, it's Chris. If you enjoy reading things in the vein of the Salem Witch Trials, colonial time period, this book is a MUST read.

This is stunning, thought provoking and intense! A book keeps you on your toes, fists are clenched, your heart rates are skyrocketing, tension is building higher, you get more agitated at each moment to know what’s gonna come next!

This is truly twisty, disturbing ride and not for everyone!

Let’s take a closer look to understand the intense, dark, claustrophobic premise of this story:
It takes place in Boston, 1662. Young, innocent, beautiful Mary, only 24, taking eyes of people with her porcelain skin, penetrating blue eyes. But this is not historical romance story. Nothing in this story is about love. With her beauty, she can have so many suitor candidates but in this new world order, she is forced to become second wife of a Thomas Deerfield, a powerful, dangerous man who is abusive scumbag. Yes, he doesn’t resist to use his violent tendencies against his new wife.

Mary needs to do something urgently to get rid of this marriage. But it’s not quiet simple because she already gave so much wrong impressions to the people in the community. The tainted objects are found buried in the garden already earned her more scrutinizing, prying eyes of people.

And the boy’s tragic fate she tried to heal with herbs and special blend, a frightened girl’s running away from her house verify the suspicions that she might be a dangerous witch! Is she really? Now she doesn’t only have to run away from her abusive monster at the home, she also needs to prove her innocence not to be burned at the stake!

The book starts a little slow to give detailed picture about the psychological background and realistic approach of the surroundings, community life, introducing characters. But second half, it turns into something
breathtakingly sinister that you cannot put it down! And that meaningful, satisfying ending sealed the deal! I’m sold!

I’m giving four witchy, dazzling, heart pounding, dark, bleak, twisty stars!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for sharing this digital copy of riveting book with me in exchange my honest opinions.

What a book! I was wholly engaged in this novel from the beginning. The entire Puritan colonial Boston societal outlook was really informative and well researched by the author Mr. Bohjalian. The domestic abuse perpetrated upon the main character Mary by her husband Thomas that went ignored almost completely was shocking. Then the addition of possible witchcraft charges later on from the divorce prceeding which naturally under pressure from legal and political forces was denied leading to actual withcraft charges later in the novel was very exciting and fast paced writing. All in all without giving too much away it is a very exciting novel and a pleasure to have read. Thanks to Net Galley and Doubleday for allowing me to have such a wonderful and sad excursion into the past.

In 17th century Boston, an independent, free thinking woman is a dangerous creature. Mary Deerfield is a beautiful young woman, but she’s married to a monster. Thomas Deerfield is a drunken, abusive lout, and when he stabs Mary with a fork, she vows to divorce him. But in a time when people are looking around every corner for witches and the devil himself, Mary, with her ideas of independence and refusal to follow her neighbors’ blind hysteria, is dangerous. She is a woman who must be destroyed