The Witchfinder’s Assistant

Those looking for a cheery witchy novel should look elsewhere or perhaps give this a try. It's a well researched and intriguing look at England in 1643, Set in the small town of Wem, it's about prejudice, fear, murder, and much more. The characters are well drawn and either sympathetic or mean, Goldstraw's an excellent storyteller- this one pulled me in and kept me reading. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. For fans of historical fiction.

With the English Civil War raging, Parliamentarian, John Carne has returned, badly injured, to the town of Wem where he lives with his wife, Zipporah. The Carnes have a strange marital relationship which is full of hidden secrets which are revealed as this chilling story gets underway. John’s injuries preclude any further involvement in the war so he considers himself fortunate to be offered the position of assistant to Sir Moreton Spibey, a local Justic of the Peace, who is determined to root out the scourge of witchcraft.

John quickly becomes immersed in the life of the village where he discovers that dark forces lurk in the shadows of this seemingly quiet place. The story flows well and I enjoyed uncovering the secrets between John and Zipporah who are both fascinating in their own way. The superstitious bigotry of those townsfolk who are in charge, especially in their search for those who may be responsible for a series of unexpected deaths, is done with a authentic historical feel and I think the author has succeeded in bringing the troubled seventeenth century alive.

The Witchfinder’s Assistant is interesting historical fiction which looks at the prejudices and practices of seventeenth century life and brings it all together in a fascinating historical murder mystery.