. In this historical fiction novel, Mary Deerfield, a young wife in Boston in 1662, attempts to divorce her physically abusive husband. Mary is intelligent, cunning and harboring secrets. A potentially dead combination in a society where women are expected to be obedient and an accusation of witchcraft can conveniently put to death a woman with a mind of her own in this rigid Puritan community.

To say I loved this book would be an understatement. It is fantastic. I have had a fascination with Puritan New England for many years, so this was right up my alley. Bohjalian’s writing is superb as always. He takes his time to let his characters develop and they are so well drawn that they feel like people you could know. He must have done a phenomenal amount of research for this book. I was fascinated with the manor in which divorce proceedings and trials were handled in this primitive form of a legal system. The lack of power women had over any aspect of their lives was heartbreaking to read about, but also compelling when compared with the Me Too movement of the last few years. It makes you wonder why it has taken so long for women’s voices to really be heard.

This book is many different things at once- historical fiction, social commentary and mystery. I think it will appeal to many different types of readers. And the ending...INCREDIBLE. Pre-order your copy now! Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Net Galley for the free ARC. Interesting take on the treatment of women in an overly religious Puritan society where even forks can be the sign of the devil. Mary Deerfield tries to divorce a brutal husband but has to be careful not to end up being accused of witchcraft.

I have to start by saying I’ll read anything Chris Bohjalian writes. He is a true storyteller, and everything he writes is worth reading. He is able to get into the mind of a young woman who is trapped in a marriage that has not turned out the way she had hoped. She bravely tries to get a divorce during a time that people are talking about the hanging of “witches” in nearby Hartford. I do. It want to spoil how things go from here, but it’s not exactly what you expect.

What does Law & Order look like for a woman in Boston in the 17th century that first seeks a divorce from her abusive husband and is then accused of being a Witch? In a place obsessed with finding evidence of Satan in every sign, every failed crop, barren womb, or three-tined fork, a.k.a. The Devil's Tines, how do you craft a defense? You'd think you either succumb to the fear and admit to a sin you didn't commit or you die a martyr, but there may be another option for salvation at the end of the witching hour.

Hour of the Witch by @chrisbohjalian #eighthbookof2021 #arc Thank you to #NetGalley and #Doubleday for the advance reader copy. I have been looking forward to this book for a long time. I was so excited to read it, and it did not disappoint! This is a story of divorce, domestic violence, desire, and witchcraft. The time period is a departure for this author, who I have read extensively, and I loved his take on the story. It felt familiar, although I don’t think I’ve read anything with this particular perspective before, and it was a fast read, as I was dying to know how it would turn out. As difficult as the subject matter can be, I truly enjoyed this story. (Pub date 4/20/21) #hourofthewitch

Boston, 1662: Mary Deerfield has been blessed by the Lord with her station in life, which is why few believe her when she tries to divorce her husband for cruelty. As the divorce trial proceeds, witnesses begin to wonder if Mary is involved with the devil and witchcraft.

I’ve read a few witch trial books and this may be my favorite. There’s a lot that leads up to it, so it’s not simply a witch trial book. I loved the writing. The author gives the reader such a great sense for the time period. I found myself googling pictures to go with the story (picture of cutlery, clothing, etc). I can tell that a lot of research was done to have the time period accurately portrayed. I learned a lot about Puritanism and boy am I glad I didn’t live in that time period. The protagonist was incredible; well beyond her time, but smart enough to play humble and meek when necessary. The ending was very unexpected and blew my mind.. in a good way.

“If, in the end, anyone was going to feel the pain of Hell, it was him. Unless, of course, she made sure that he felt it here first.”

Hour of the Witch comes out 4/20.

Well written but a depressing read. If you are triggered by domestic abuse you might need to skip this

His books for me, are always marvelous, and the chance to read one, is always a day to rejoice. What I find so impressive, is that each book is original, and so readable, so well-researched, and above all, captivating and entertaining. Thx as always.

As someone who has studied her family that settled in Salem, Massachusetts mid 1600's, Bohjalian's newest book weaves history and story together exquisitely. Though this story takes place hundreds of years ago, women of today can, unfortunately, relate to Mary Deerfield's predicament. Today's readers will also realize that though we don't jail or burn witches anymore, we all still have our demons and can easily relate to these characters of long past. Another good read by Chris Bohjalian!

I have nominated this book for my library’s book club to read, which is the highest honor I can give a book. Set in America where people were just beginning to accuse women of being witches. Hour of the Witch will make you angry, frustrated, but ultimately relieved.
Great book that kept me riveted until the end!

I really wanted to love this book. I've read many other books by Bohjalian and have loved them. The premise of this sounded wonderful and I love a good thriller. However, I found the thriller part of this fell flat for me.

I did really like the main character, Mary. The story line was a bit brutal but it is expected from the blurb about the book.

Thomas is outright awful and I hated his guts from the beginning.

The writing itself is fantastic and flows so smoothly. Part of the ending I didn't see coming but appreciated it and how it wrapped everything up.

However, holy slow burn. I remember when I got 50% in the book and thought you myself, going crap nothing has happened yet. I hit 70% and still felt the same way and to be honest I skimmed a lot between 80-90% before finishing the last two chapters.

A great read either way but just not the anticipation and set up I wold expect from a book in the thriller category.

Thanks to NetGalley for sending me this free copy to read!

First off, I'm going to be transparent when I say this is the first thriller, historical fiction book I've read. I have a niche that I tend to stick to, but when I first saw this title I was excited and intrigued. And, let me tell you, I was so happy I dove out of my comfort reads to fall deep into Chris Bohjalian's "Hour of the Witch".

From the first page, I was captivated by this gritty, dark world that was being set up. From the beginning, this world felt carefully researched and crafted, making me believe that I was stepping foot into old century Boston, which was definitely terrifying within itself without yet adding the fear of witchcraft and such a cruel, dark time for women. Mary's plight felt so palpable, that I felt the tension, heartache, raging pain, and everything else weave itself around not only the pages, but my imagination as I kept reading further. I definitely found myself constantly at the edge of my seat or gritting my teeth for what came next.

Thank you to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for an advanced copy of this page turner of a new novel by Chris Bohjalian. Set in 1662 Boston, Hour of the Witch is definitely a page turner, but do not go into it expecting it to be a thriller like The Flight Attendant. Instead we have a novel that follows a wife named Mary Deerfield who struggles to figure out what actions to take to rid herself of her abusive marriage.

Leaving a dangerous husband is hard enough in present time, and in 1662 Mary faces even more obstacles in Puritan Boston. Mary's character develops in a believable fashion, that had me cheering her on as she came to new revelations about what she deserved and how society had done her wrong. Mary desperately and carefully needs to rid herself of Thomas Deerfield in a society where women who have an intelligent mind can so easily be accused of witchcraft. The whole novel had me at the edge of my seat. There are a few mysteries that aren't solved until the end, but the main driver of this novel is Mary's growth as a strong and independent woman. I became so invested in Mary's fight that I couldn't put the book down. I highly recommend this book.

This story takes place in 1662 Boston. Our Protagonist is a very pretty 24 year old Puritan, Mary Deerfield. Mary and her parents had relocated from England as a teenager. Her older siblings had remained in England. She married a well off mill owner, a 45 year old widower. Thomas was frequently verbally and physically abusive, but never in the presence of their teen age indentured servant, Catherine. Mary kept the abuse private, most often attributing it to his frequent “drink-drunk” state. The violence had escalated and, as the novel starts, she is contemplating divorce. Mysterious events suggesting demonic intervention have led to suspicious gossip regarding Mary’s involvement in witchcraft. For me, the dark setting and mood were the highlight of this novel, even more than the plot or the characters. While reading, I felt the same aura as when watching a well-staged production of The Crucible. If you sit down with this book on a cold dreary winter day, it’s a good bet you’ll be eating dinner with a spoon and skipping the fork! I’ve often heard that Chris Bohjalian is spot on in the way he writes female characters, and this book is no exception. I wonder if his wife and daughter find it good or bad that he knows female minds so well! Four hundred years later and we still haven’t made the ERA a part of our Constitution. But at least we no longer have the gallows!
#HouroftheWitch #NetGalley

4.5 stars, rounded up

Books with a historical bent can be difficult to pull off because people will compare their own knowledge with the information presented in the prose; and if it doesn't measure up, that can have a negative effect on the reading experience. I picked up Hour of the Witch with that in the back of my mind.

Mary Deerfield endures years of abuse from her husband before she decides she wants to petition for divorce. In 1660s Boston--thirty years before the Salem witch trials--however, this is practically unheard of, an event to be witnessed, and Mary finds herself navigating the courts and her household against accusations of adultery, lying, and witchcraft.

First, let me say: I love when I read a book that demonstrates genre writing can be both entertaining and wrought with literary merit at the same time. As someone who spent *many* semesters painstakingly teaching The Crucible (and gritting through the sweating like a stallion cringe-line), I'm always on the lookout for alternatives to use as comparative texts. And even though this is set decades before, Hour of the Witch covered many of the same themes while putting a psychological twist on the story that made for an eerie yet grounded read. importance of reputation, maintaining social norms, religion vs secularism, persecution, morality--through Mary's ordeal with her husband, we're given a pretty realistic look into a woman's life in 1660s Boston. The dialogue and atmosphere were spot on.

In terms of the story, I'd call this the middle road between slow burn and action packed. There are some graphic depictions of domestic abuse interspersed with introspection and intrigue. Mary is definitely the focal point, and I appreciated Bohjalian's writing of her character. Much like the burgeoning accusations of the time, everyone is suspect, giving the second half of the book an injection of tension and underlying eerie subplot. I did think the ending felt a bit rushed compared to some of the other drawn-out scenes, but I still enjoyed the resolutions.

Overall, Hour of the Witch is a gripping, taut, psychological suspense with classic themes and plenty of twists. For fans of atmospheric suspense in the vein of The VVitch, anyone who loves character-driven suspense, or female-centric protagonists. The Crucible meets J Lo's Enough. Out in April, add it to your TBRs now.

Thank you to Doubleday and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for honest review consideration.

Brings me back to reading A Scarlet Letter. Mary is in an abusive marriage and looking for a divorce. When the town believes she is a witch, her husband agrees to stay married to her. But Mary refuses to give up. This book is historical, murder mystery, love triangle, and about revenge. Couldn’t put it down. Highly recommend.

Special thanks to author Chris Bohjalian, for he is a tour de force, I have not had the pleasure of reading before, and of course NetGalley and Doubleday Books for the ARC of this great book.

Oh what to say without giving things away? Chris Bohjalian, also author as books such as The Flight Attendant and Midwives, and many more that I must also add to my TBR list, has made me an absolute fan with Hour of the Witch. Also a fan of how lovingly he speaks of his wife Victoria and daughter Grace Experience is touching,,but the studying he did for this book that takes place in the 1600's, is astounding, and hard work I imagine.

I dare to say I identify with the lead female character Mary Deerfield, married to the cruel Thomas Deerfield, but if not I wish I had her grace and temerity living in a town of gossips and blasphemers, and how she handles herself. Smart beyond her years, she tries to fights her way out of her marriage, fraught with cruelty and violence.. Is she a witch? That's for you to decide, but she does get her hour in Hour of the Witch, whether she succeeds or not I will not say, but I give this book a definite 4.5 stars, which I'll round up to a 5,

A popular author tries his hand at historical fiction, I think for the first time. The story is set in 1662 Boston, where the Puritans are arriving from England, and a fear of witches is everywhere. Mary is an independent thinker, at times outspoken, and barren, none of which is a positive for a woman in this world. Her older husband has been abusive, but she has been hiding the evidence. When he stabs her left hand with a fork and breaks the bones, she decides she needs to leave him, and asks for a divorce, an unheard-of decision for a Puritan woman. Thus begins a horrible chain of events for Mary and those who love and support her. It is horrible reading how anyone can say anything about someone and be believed! It was frustrating to read about this time in our history, when women had very little power and almost no respect from men. The story began slowly and was a bit redundant at the start, but my interest picked up as Mary's fate was debated. Thanks to NetGalley and Doubleday Books for providing an ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my free ARC ebook of Hour of the Witch. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Chris Bohjalian's latest novel -- no surprise, since he is among my favorite authors. Hour of the Witch is set in seventeenth century Boston, and tells the story of a young wife, cruelly treated by her husband, as she seeks escape from this sadistic man. Bohjalian ably recreates the atmosphere of religiosity and self-righteousness of this early Pilgrim society, and the belief system that cast women as fragile, sinful, and in need of both protection and "correction" from men. His characters are all well-drawn and three-dimensional, and in most cases share aspects of both saints and sinners. Plot twists in the latter half of the novel sustained my interest and had me reading eagerly to see how this story would play out. I definitely recommend Hour of the Witch to those who enjoy historical fiction.

Chris Bohjalian is an auto-read for me. He never disappoints but I must say this is his most compelling novel to date. This is a historical fiction about Mary Deerfield, a 24 year old Puritan woman in 1662. Mary is an intelligent and somewhat feminist young woman who after being abused by her husband multiple times decides to seek a divorce from the Boston court system. The system is geared toward men and she gets smeared as everything from murderess to harlot to witch. It is a fierce indictment of what being s woman was like in the time and how in many ways change is still coming too slowly. He gifts you with a great look at the times and the rich dialect made you feel like you were right there. I live in Massachusetts and had no idea three tined forks were such a frightening issue of the time. I loved this one. Thanks to the author, Doubleday Books, and NetGalley for allowing me an early look at this one in exchange for an honest review.