Take Height, Rutterkin
by Millie Thom
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Pub Date Aug 08 2021 | Archive Date Nov 01 2021
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Description
Joan Flower and her daughters enjoy a pleasant and comfortable life in the Leicestershire village of Bottesford, despite Joan’s superior and proud manner, which makes her unpopular with other villagers. When tragedy strikes and the three women find themselves without their only source of income, the comfortable lifestyle becomes a thing of the past.
The women are fortunate in finding temporary employment at Belvoir Castle and, while it lasts, they manage quite well. But a series of incidents and thoughtless deeds result in the three being dismissed, leaving them with only the coin earned from Joan’s meetings with her lover, and the sale of her herbal remedies, to live on.
Joan sees this dismissal as a personal attack on her family by the immensely rich, Sir Francis and Lady Cecilia Manners. Joan’s desire for revenge on the people who had brought her family down drives her to do things she would not ordinarily have done…
Whispers of devilish practices soon circulate, eventually reaching the ears of the earl and countess, who are already racked with grief over a seemingly incurable illness plaguing their family. Eventually, Lady Cecilia becomes convinced that Joan and her daughters have cast spells on the family, causing them heartbreak and loss.
Is this the beginning of the end for the Flower women?
Available Editions
| ISBN | 9781913545871 |
| PRICE | $2.99 (USD) |
Links
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Jennifer C, Reviewer
‘This cat will be called Rutterkin.’
Early in the 17th century, Joan Flower lives with her husband John and daughters Phillipa and Margaret in the Leicestershire village of Bottesford. While the family enjoyed a pleasant, comfortable life, Joan’s superior and proud manner made her unpopular with other villagers. And then tragedy struck. Joan’s husband is killed in an accident, and the family’s comfortable lifestyle recedes into the past.
Initially, the women find temporary employment at Belvoir Castle. But one by one, and for different reasons, each of them is dismissed. The family’s only income is the coin Joan earns from meetings with her lover, and from selling herbal remedies. Joan is angry and bitter over her daughters’ dismissal and takes this as a personal attack. And so, she talks of revenge.
‘I’ll get my own back on her and her family for their heartless treatment of us if it’s the last thing I do. Exactly how I haven’t quite decided. But one way or another, I’ll make them pay.’
The villagers, many of whom do not like Joan, are quick to mutter that Joan’s devilish practices are the cause of everything that goes awry in the village. And these whispers reach the ears of Sir Francis and Lady Cecilia Manners at Belvoir Castle. Lady Cecilia becomes convinced that Joan and her daughters are responsible for the death of one child and the illness of another.
Are the Flower women witches? They are arrested and sent for trial.
In 17th century England, King James VI and I becomes obsessed with witchcraft and the identification and eradication of witches. As a visitor to Belvoir Castle, his views are well known to the Manners family. And in her grief, Lady Cecilia believes the worst.
This novel is based on a true story and highlights the dangerous role that fear, and superstition can play. Ms Thom brings both the era and the women to life. The description of what happens after they are arrested is harrowing but important. Highly recommended.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Millie Thom for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
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