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The Hour of the Witch by Chris Bohjalian

The Hour of the Witch by Chris Bohjalian

Mary Deerfield is twenty four and is the second wife of Thomas Deerfield. It is 1662 and the family lives in Boston, where quiet whispers of the witch trials are starting to occupy more of the usual gossip. Thomas has shown his temper on more than one occasion with Mary – mainly when he’s had a few too many down at the pub, but when he spears her hand with a fork (“the Devil’s tines”), Mary knows that she must escape. As she begins the process of divorcing Thomas though, she soon finds that she herself has come under suspicion. Now she must find a way to not only escape her husband, but also save herself from being hanged as a witch.

This book is a perfect blend of historical detail and suspense. I don’t often use the term “page turner”, but in this case it’s well deserved – I really couldn’t put it down! Including the witness testimony from the court records was a perfect touch, and the courtroom drama was really intense. Definitely worth adding to your TBR!

 

 

Posted in: Historical Fiction

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