"Superstition. Murder. Vengeance." Set in the fictional town of Netherlea in 1752, this extremely well-written historical novel will entertain and engage. The author has done meticulous research that brings the story to life With the lovely, descriptive prose and is centered around the pages of an almanack so marks each chapter with the date, the sun and moon activity and a prognostication for the day. In addition, a truly unique feature is the riddle at the beginning of each new chapter. I blame those riddles for slowing my usual reading pace as I labored tremendously to try to guess the answer and solve each before I allowed myself to get back into the narrative!
Tabitha Hart, former prostitute in London, returns to Netherlea at the behest of her mother. Along the way, she's robbed of her money and possessions and so enters the village with nothing but her sullied reputation only to find that her mother has died. Tabitha's mother had been the village searcher -- recording and tending all manner of village life from births to deaths, and Tabitha is entreated to take on that role so that she can stay in the cottage where her mother lived with the child, Bess. Tabitha does not believe that her mother's death was a natural one and as she assumes her new duties, she is determined to find out the truth. It seems there is evil at work in Netherlea and Tabitha joins forces with an aspiring writer, newcomer Nathaniel Starling, to root out the tormentor who signs his threatening notes as "D" or De Angelo. NO SPOILERS.
A mystery in a village surrounded by superstitious beliefs and folklore where power is wielded without charity and death is a common visitor. The people that reside and work in Netherlea have hard lives and rely on the benevolence of the squire and landlord, Sir John De Vallory and his family. Why are so many afflicted and who is behind the sudden demise of certain townspeople?
This is a true delight for anyone who enjoys delving into historical fiction and I found it totally absorbing. Thank you to NetGalley and Black Thorn Books for this e-book ARC to read, review and recommend.
This is a standalone and is not part of any series.
Genre - Historical fiction, mystery, almanack
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