The Witchfinder's Sister: A Novel

Beth Underdown

Apr 2017 · Sold by Ballantine Books

About this ebook

“This is a novel for our times. . . . The Witchfinder’s Sister [lays] bare the visceral horror of what a witch hunt truly is.”—The New York Times Book Review (Editors’ Choice)

“Vivid and terrifying.”—Paula Hawkins, author of The Girl on the Train and Into the Water

“Connects nicely with such dystopian classics as 1984 and The Handmaid’s Tale.”—Booklist

Essex, England, 1645. With a heavy heart, Alice Hopkins returns to the small town she grew up in. Widowed, with child, and without prospects, she is forced to find refuge at the house of her younger brother, Matthew. In the five years she has been gone, the boy she knew has become a man of influence and wealth—but more has changed than merely his fortunes. Alice fears that even as the cruel burns of a childhood accident still mark his face, something terrible has scarred Matthew’s soul.

There is a new darkness in the town, too—frightened whispers are stirring in the streets, and Alice’s blood runs cold with dread when she discovers that Matthew is a ruthless hunter of suspected witches. Torn between devotion to her brother and horror at what he’s become, Alice is desperate to intervene—and deathly afraid of the consequences. But as Matthew’s reign of terror spreads, Alice must choose between her safety and her soul.

Alone and surrounded by suspicious eyes, Alice seeks out the fuel firing her brother’s brutal mission—and is drawn into the Hopkins family’s past. There she finds secrets nested within secrets: and at their heart, the poisonous truth. Only by putting her own life and liberty in peril can she defeat this darkest of evils—before more innocent women are forced to the gallows.

Inspired by the real-life story of notorious “Witchfinder General” Matthew Hopkins, Beth Underdown’s thrilling debut novel blends spellbinding history with echoes of Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale for a truly haunting reading experience.

Praise for The Witchfinder’s Sister

“Entertaining and thought-provoking—with a valuable message for our own times.”—The Washington Post

“Highly recommended.”—Library Journal (starred review)

Ratings and reviews

I am voluntarily submitting my honest review after receiving an ARC copy of the ebook from NetGalley. This book is a haunting fictionalization of Matthew Hopkins's reign of terror during the seventeenth century witch trials in Essex. Told from the viewpoint of his sister, Alice, who is forced to return to his household as a pregnant widow following the tragic death of her husband, this novel is a vivid and horrifying illustration of the powerlessness, fear and at times, outright persecution women were subjected to in 1645 England. The narrator is created as an all too human woman, trapped by circumstance, and a product of her time--sure that some of her brother's victims are innocent, yet unable to dismiss the possibility of witchcraft completely. As she tries to discover her brother's motives for such vigorous lashing out at the most vulnerable and unprotected women for his persecution, she must guard against becoming a target herself. The book is a fascinating and quick read with a fluid style rife with tension that keeps the pages turning--at times it is like watching a horror film--I wanted to cover my eyes, but I just couldn't! While some criticize the significant departures from the historical record, I find no fault whatsoever on this account as this book is upfront about being historical fiction, so the author is absolutely justified in taking license with verifiable facts. Fans of historical fiction, particularly those with an interest in the history of the occult or the paranormal, will enjoy this book.

Got me from page 1. History is there, yes, but the pictures painted with words grabbed me and kept me engrossed. Loved the style!

Wonderful story, unbelievable history and what an artist weaving it all together. Loved it!

About the author

Beth Underdown studied English literature at the University of York and worked as an intern at the arts and culture magazine Aesthetica. After becoming an editor at Phaidon Press, Underdown graduated with distinction from the University of Manchester’s Creative Writing MA program. She came across the story of Matthew Hopkins while reading a book about seventeenth-century midwifery. Underdown now lectures at the University of Manchester and lives in the Peak District, not too far from where she was born; the sense of history in that landscape is an important catalyst for her writing. This is her first novel.