The Witchfinder's Sister: The captivating Richard & Judy Book Club historical thriller 2018

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By day, Ivy Boscawen mourns the loss of her son Tim in the Great War. But by night she mourns another boy – one whose death decades ago haunts her still. I buddy read this with one of my book club friends. As historical fiction lovers we were both excited to read this one. From the synopsis I had expected something quite dark and gothic. I wasn’t disappointed.

Play Review: The Witchfinder’s Sister - The London Horror Play Review: The Witchfinder’s Sister - The London Horror

There was a haunting Gothic feel right the way through, in this great piece of historical fiction, together with well expressed emotional content for the two boys who had lost their lives. The grief was handled in a sensitive manner, and was very poignant to read. The author captures the many faces of a country community, from the rich and privileged to the servants below stairs. Very enjoyable! I was engrossed in this chilling story of loss, mystery, and the search for answers, which is so vividly written. It seems no-one in this story is as they appear. There are many secrets and lies to uncover. It is quite a slow burn with revelations happening along the way which eventually reveal the truth of the events on that fateful night in 1888. An enjoyable, worthy and beautifully written follow up to a solid debut I feel. Look forward to seeing what comes next from the author.In putting Alice centre stage, Underdown has to work out how, without violating period norms, her heroine can discover what Matthew is up to. Thankfully, there is only one episode of overhearing a conversation through the wall, that other trusty standby. Gradually she puts things together; there’s a slow burn of horror, the sense of something huge she is powerless to stop. There’s a chilling twist, indicating that the darkness never really goes away In 1918, Ivy is a mother in mourning. Her son died in the Great War, and her husband's reaction led to more suffering close at home. Life in the Boscawen house is pared down to the essentials and cloaked in a shroud of sadness and secrets.

The Witch Finder’s Sister by Beth Underdown review

The standout role was that of Matthew’s servant girl, Grace (a wonderful Miracle Chance), who stood out precisely because she had personality; she felt real. Everyone else was doing their job as a dramatic device a bit too plainly. Matthew is cold from the outset; he and Alice never find pleasure in each other’s company. When they meet again after a five year separation, he stops her hug with a handshake and it’s all downhill from there. We never see any richness or complexity in the sibling relationship that would make the unravelling of it a compelling, heart-rending watch. This is nothing to do with any of the actors or even the writing: only that the characters selected to appear in the play are necessarily the ones best positioned to keep the story moving, but with a running time of under two hours, there is little opportunity for nuance or development. Essex, 1645. Alice Hopkins ( Lily Knight) finds herself widowed, pregnant, and forced to return to her childhood home in Manningtree to throw herself on the goodwill of her brother Matthew ( George Kemp). But Manningtree is rife with rumours of witchcraft, and Matthew is poised to launch upon his infamous reign of terror. Alice races to reveal what’s compelling the obsessively cruel Witchfinder General, before more innocent women are found guilty. Laced with a heavy sense of loss and sadness this book is a slow burn, the story itself quite emotionally harrowing which is exacerbated by the grief felt by Ivy, as well as the, often cloying, atmosphere that the author weaves around the characters. The tension increases as the two threads and timelines start to come to their conclusions, and the sedate pace of what has come before is ramped up a notch or two.The story is told from the point of view of Ivy Cardew who in 1888 is the daughter of the local doctor. He is struggling with his own health but carries on looking after his patients. We are introduced to many interesting characters including the family living in Polneath House and their few servants. I still dream, every night, of Polneath on fire. Smoke unfurling out of an upper window and a hectic orange light cascading across the terrace.