The Witchfinder's Sister was, for me, a unique approach to historical fiction writing that takes place during the infamous witch trials. It is told from the point of view of the sister of one of the men who was responsible for identifying women whose behaviors (or accusations from others) have marked them as witches and bringing them to justice. This book doesn't take place in traditional Salem, but rather takes us to England in the 1640s. In addition to dealing with the stresses that come with having your brother be responsible for over 100 women's deaths, Matthew, the brother, and Alice, the sister, spend part of the book dealing with old family wounds.

I liked the concept of the story overall. The author did a good job capturing how evil the character of Matthew is. Historical settings were captured adequately. It was apparent to me that the author did their research into Matthew Hopkins, the historical figure, and the period that he lived in. The pace was slow at times, especially towards the end of the book. I found myself skimming over sections of text that just got a little too in the weeds description-wise without much action. Considering this is a debut book for this author, it wasn't a bad start.

This is a historical based narrative novel detailing the witch trial of 1645 to 1647, it was a well written book that was a pleasure to read. The author has used the minimum information known about Matthew Hopkins the Witchfinder and developed a plausible story. Alice who is Matthew's sister has not had an easy life and finds it difficult to trust people. The story centres around Lincolnshire villages where Matthew had been given authority to seek out and destroy witches. The author uses the assize records ajjs a base to Matthew's passion of Witchfinding. The last sentence in the story of Alice is a wonderful surprising ending. Highly recommend this book and author

I really enjoy reading Historical Fiction books and this one did not disappoint. I did not realize until the end that it was based on true events. The language was a little hard to understand at times but that is because it is suppose to be written in 1645 England. I would recommend this book and look forward to more from this Author.

A stunning novel with a mesmerising plot and breathtaking pace, hurtling the reader headlong to the end at breakneck speed. The story follows the life of the possibly fictitious sister of Matthew Hopkins, the notorious and self-proclaimed Witchfinder General of 1645-1647, during his reign of terror. By its very nature in terms of theme, the story is a page-turner, gripping the reader with its horror and painstaking tension. This is undoubtedly a very successful effort for a debut novel, one for which the author should be acclaimed.
Alice Hopkins returns to her family home, after suffering her own personal trauma, to find turmoil about to be unleashed on her childhood community and its locale, with her brother, not just embroiled in the tumult, but at the very head of events, seemingly relishing the pain and sorrow that is about to ensue. Alice must undergo her own personal soul-searching, uncovering family secrets long since hidden, and making discoveries that will change the way she has viewed her own family and past, whilst, at the same time, desperately trying to avert the course of justice which her brother seems determined to follow.
This is a must for lovers of historical fiction and the endlessly emotive subject of witchcraft and what it is to be a woman in a time of heightened tensions.

“The Witchfinder’s Sister” is a novel loosely based on the life of Matthew Hopkins, a 17th century English witch hunter notoriously known to history as the Witchfinder General. He was fanatical and thorough in his investigation and interrogation techniques, resulting in hundreds of people, primarily women, being tried, convicted, and summarily executed for practicing witchcraft.

The book is written from the perspective of Alice, Matthew’s fictional older sister. Recently widowed, Alice needs to find a way to provide for herself and her unborn child. Reluctantly, she makes the difficult decision to move back home to live with her estranged brother who years earlier had been overly critical of her marriage to a man from a lower social class. The siblings’ resulting reunion is awkward and stilted, and Matthew quickly assumes a position of authority over Alice. Considering his hatred of her deceased husband, Alice decides to keep her pregnancy a secret while she contemplates alternative living arrangements. It doesn’t take her long to discover the unpleasant truth about her brother’s occupation accompanied by the realization that no one is safe from an accusation of witchcraft, including herself and those she cares about. Alice suffers a miscarriage and begins to plan in earnest for an escape. Before she can leave, Matthew forces Alice to accompany him and to assist with interrogations in neighboring communities. Alice is repulsed by the things she is required to do to the accused women, but she is afraid to refuse her brother’s orders. She witnesses several unjust trials and executions before finally summoning the courage to speak out against her brother. Despite a growing undercurrent of opposition against Matthew, things do not turn out as she expected, and Alice finds herself locked up and in isolation. The book begins and ends from this vantage point, but there is an interesting twist to the story at its conclusion.

It’s important to put aside a 21st century viewpoint and approach this novel from its historical perspective. Women living in England in the early 1600s had limited educational opportunities, and their primary occupational training was to be a housewife and mother. Their opinions were of limited or no value to men, and they were dependent upon their fathers, husbands, or other male relatives for their livelihood and safety. It was also a time when unmarried or widowed women living alone were vulnerable to rumors that they were secretly practicing witchcraft and under the devil’s influence. Unfortunate circumstances were sometimes thought to be the result of a witch’s curse, causing the aggrieved to seek retribution through a witch hunter like Matthew Hopkins. In a vain attempt to protect themselves, many individuals accused of witchcraft would try to cast blame on others, including their own family members. This resulted in even more innocent people being sent to their deaths. Although it is frustrating that Alice did not take a stand against her brother earlier than she did, the narrative would not have been believable if she had.

Overall, I felt that Underdown did an excellent job depicting a period of time that is difficult to fully comprehend today. It’s clear that she did her research. The book was well written and held my attention from the first page to the very last. I’m looking forward to reading more books from this author. I would definitely recommend “The Witchfinder’s Sister” to fans of historical fiction, particularly those interested in the early modern period of England and/or this particular topic.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group/Ballantine and NetGalley for a complimentary digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

What do you do when you discover the wickedness of your own brother? Caught between loyalty to her brother and her own feelings for what is right, Alice Hopkins must decide where her truth lies. Loved this portrayal of life in the 1600s. Rich characters and a great plotline make this a story that will stick with me. Highly recommend.

A COMPELLING READ !!

The Witchfinder's Sister by Beth Underdown, is set in the back drop of rural England during the witch trials of the 1600's. It follows the widowed and pregnant  protagonist Alice Hopkins, who has no choice but to live with her younger brother Matthew.

Alice soon finds her brother is on a hunt to find and destroy women and men who are accused of being witches in their rural Essex village.

This thrilling read keeps you entranced until the very end.

I generously received this ARC through Netgalley from Random House Publishing- Ballantine for a honest review.
4 stars

I received this ARC from netgalley.com in exchange for a review.

London 1645, Alice is several months pregnant and suddenly widowed. She returns home to her brother Matthew who is engaging in a witch hunt and has gathered many names which he has written in 'a great book'. Alice unsuccessfully attempts to escape her brother before he can drag her with him on hunts and ultimately forces her to become involved in his dreadful business.

I didn't realize until the end of the book that Matthew Hopkins was a real person. The author delves into London's daily life with vivid and tangible descriptions of scenery, food and clothing. It is heartwrenching how people lived and were treated less than human.

Good book. 4 stars

I found this a visceral walk through of the fear that was prevalent during these times of civil unrest and persecution. The underlying social and economic realities are still represented viviidly but it is the humanity or lack there of that makes this story so poignant. Underdown's handling of the end of the story is chilling and reminds you that this was not just a novel but a historical representation of true past events. Very well done and haunting indeed.

Thank you for my ARC copy of this title. I enjoyed the history and story telling in this book. It was written with enough detail to make one feel that they were present in the time (1646), but not so much as to be wearying. The characters were well developed and the history was intriguing. The plot was suspenseful, even to the last pages. The "records" added to the feel of the story. Recommended read!

This book starts off slow as Beth Underdown is gradually introducing you to her book but it becomes a very compelling bit of historical fiction with a beguiling conclusion that more than made up for the beginning. Despite the subject matter this is not a fantasy novel about wicked witches but rather a captivating examination of the oppression of women and how they were treated as second class citizens during the 17the century.

It’s a beautifully written, well researched and entertaining story even if the subject matter isn’t something that will give you the warm fuzzies. There are plenty of twists that will keep you glued to the pages particularly since her characters are complex, full of depth and interesting thanks to Underdown’s well-rounded character development. She created a strong female protagonist encased in a world that is decidedly anti-female which made me very glad I live in the 21st century.

Thanks to Underdown’s descriptive writing I felt as if I was actually there and could picture what everything looked like during this time period. Her research proved itself in the writing making you move up and down the emotional spectrum from intrigued to horrified at what her characters were put through.

I found it to be engaging and a fresh approach to a shameful part of human history. If you’re into historical novels then this deserves a chance.

Because those who do not learn from the past are doomed to repeat it and almost no one ever learns their lessons, Salem wasn't the first, the most gruesome or even one with the highest body count. For that one must travel back to the source, the land of Puritans, England of the 1640s, where one man and his associates sat off on a witchhunt so accomplished (if that's isn't too flippant of a word for it) that it resolved in possibly 100s of women's deaths in just a few years, more so than in the over 100 previous years combined. Prolific, isn't it, nothing like a career driven by small mindedness, fear mongering and misguided supremacy. So much like modern politics. Anyway...in her very promising debut Beth Underdown took actual facts (what is known of them) and woven a fictional story in between them, narrated by the eponymous witchfinder's sister (who may or may not have existed), the conscience, the reluctant assistant and the horrified witness of the events. It's a well written account and the author does an utterly credible job of recreating the claustrophobic atmosphere of the 17th century England. For some reason their use of inches as a measurement threw me off, had to refresh my knowledge of the Exchequer Standards. The reader does get a glimpse into what might drive someone to become such an evildoer, the psychology behind the single minded animosity and obsessive pursuit, the fanaticism. It would have been nice to see more of that, but structurally it is told from a third person and there is only so much one can know about the motivations and the mind of another. The pacing was slightly slow at times, but the book made up for it nicely with a terrific clever and very effective ending. Very interesting work of historical fiction with a nice bewitching (sorry, just can't resist it) twist. Recommended. Thanks Netgalley.

When her husband dies, Alice returns to the small town which she grew up in. With her parents dead, her brother Matthew now controls the family. Matthew, scarred as a child from fire, once had a warm and tender relationship with Alice. However, things have changed since her marriage. Matthew has become cold, allowing his superstitions to take-over. Throughout the area he has become well known as a witchfinder, and soon commands his sister to join him.

Although this was an interesting story, the writing was a bit dry. The characters were also very predictable. Not a bad book, but not one I would reread.

This is an interesting and good read. It was well written and the characters were well developed. I would definitely read more from this author and recommend this book to others.

--I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are purely my own and not influenced in any way.--
Before reading this book, I knew a lot about the Salem Witch-trials and knew that they were preceded by a witch hunt in England, but I did not know much about them. Thankfully, this book was very well researched and does not require you to know much about it so I learned a lot from it. The book follows Alice, the sister to Matthew Hopkins and it follows Matthew's decent into perceived madness from her eyes. I <i>loved</i> that there was not a set answer as to why Matthew did what he did: be it monetary gain, power, madness, or even a combination of the three, and the author did a fantastic job showing support for all three reasons without compromising what is known about the real-life Matthew Hopkins (which is surprisingly little). Alice is a very strong yet naive character, but she is very human and it is fascinating to see how she responds to the hysteria that seems to befall the rest of the provinces. I truly don't know if the people who declared their neighbors witches actually believed it or if they simply wanted someone to blame (be it miscarriage, a poor crop, or really whatever troubled them).
Everyone in this book is very human and they have their faults as a result of it, which is a major strength of this book. I wish that Matthew was given a few more "human moments", but I understand that we are seeing him through his sister's eyes and she is seeing him as a monster (rightfully so, as he had a hand in 106 deaths) so we will see him as such too. My one major complaint is the ending stinger: it took me out of the book and made me roll my eyes because it seemed just a bit contrived, but it thankfully did not ruin the masterfully crafted tale. I really look forward to seeing the author's other works: she really seems to have a knack for historical fiction!

I will admit when I first received this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, the only thing I really knew about the English witch trials was basically that they existed and more than likely were the basis for the infamous Salem witch trials. After reading the book, I am amazed I totally missed something so darkly interesting. I loved how the character of Alice was a very strong female character for the times, and how realistic and human each character was. Even Matthew Hopkins appeared to have some human traits to him, and I thought he was an incredibly sadistic man. I also loved how the author never claimed to have the answer as to why he started the witch trials in the first place, and seamlessly writes each theory in with Alice's attempts at finding his reasons why as well. I also loved how you never know more than what Alice knows; if something seemed like it could be supernatural, there's a good chance it wasn't, but there's still unease in the rest of the book. Overall, I loved this book with the great style and voice, and can't freaking BELIEVE this is her first book, so I'm looking forward to reading more from her!

This was an excellent novel. With brilliant main characters and a wonderful plot, this book is a real page turner. I would highly recommend this book.

(This review was posted on http://literaryweaponry.com on Jan 11 2017)

I remember years ago (far longer than I care to admit) spending an exorbitant amount of time learning about the Salem witch trials in school. It was drummed into our heads as we learned the names of the accused, their supposed crimes, and their punishments. Twenty people were executed for witchcraft and five others died in prison. I recall being appalled of the things that transpired in that Massachusetts town and ashamed that it was part of American history.

Then I picked up this book and learned that the witch trials also occurred in Britain, which was certainly never taught in my history classes. I looked up some history on their witch trials and realized that what had happened in America was small potatoes compared to what had transpired across the Atlantic. Matthew Hopkins, unofficially titled Witchfinder General, was directly responsible for the deaths of around 300 people accused of witchcraft in eastern England between 1644 and 1646. As you may have gleaned from the title, this book is about his sister, Alice.

While Underdown’s work is certainly fiction, it is fiction loosely based around actual events. Those people did die. They were drowned, hanged, starved, tortured, and goodness knows what else. From a literary standpoint I feel like that is important to remember as it gives the book more weight. From a human standpoint, it is horrific. Be that as it may…

We begin with Alice Hopkins. She is traveling to her brother’s home in Manningtree from London after her husband’s accidental death. She is alone, pregnant, and relying on her brother Matthew’s good will to provide her room and board. She and her brother had been close as children, though they had grown apart after her marriage, and she hopes she will still be welcome in the family home. Matthew had never been a warm and kind person and had been terribly scarred by a fire as an infant leaving him disfigured. When his sister arrives she is welcomed back.

As Alice copes with the unexpected loss of her husband and later the miscarriage of her child she begins to learn terrible things about her brother’s life. He is accusing women in their village of witchcraft and imprisoning them. What aggravated me was that Alice saw what Matthew was doing and practically ignored it. She kept telling herself it wouldn’t come to anything even when he and his companions openly spoke of these persecutions in front of her. I understand that during the time period the woman yielded to the man in almost all ways and did not question him, however, how could she just idly stand by and make excuses for him? Oh, he was always a strange child, it will be fine. Oh, mother treated him poorly as a child, nothing will come of this. At what point does unlawful persecution become a big deal?

Eventually Matthew began taking his sister with him village to village to interrogate woman and send them away to prison, trial, and often execution. Still, she does very little to thwart him and mostly just thinks of herself and how she is going to get away from him before he sets his sights on her.

Little does she know that he already had.

After having witnessed multiple hangings ordained by her brother, including one in her own town of people she knew personally, Matthew has her locked away in the attic of their home. Alice is accused of being mentally infirm, much like their mother was, and unsafe to be allowed into the public. While the end of this book is not particularly surprising I don’t want to spoil it.

I will say that this book was very well thought out. The characters had depth and the details really drew you into that world. My only criticism is that it took so long for the story line to progress that it couldn’t hold my attention for long spans. During the first half of the book I didn’t feel like much of anything was happening (outside of some self pity behalf of Alice) while the second half progressed quickly. If that’s my only complaint then it’s still a good book by my count.

Surely one of the best novels of 2017, absolutely beautiful writing a pure pleasure to read.

Wonderful story! Looking forward to reading more by this author!