Speaks the Nightbird (Matthew Corbett #1)

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Speaks the Nightbird (Matthew Corbett #1)

4.12 of 5 stars 4.12 · rating details · 2,793 ratings · 314 reviews

Judgment of the Witch

The Carolinas, 1699: The citizens of Fount Royal believe a witch has cursed their town with inexplicable tragedies and they demand that beautiful widow Rachel Howarth be tried and executed for witchcraft. Presiding over the trial is traveling magistrate Issac Woodward, aided by his astute young clerk, Matthew Corbett. Believing in Rachel's innocenc

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Paperback, 816 pages

Published July 17th 2007 by Gallery Books (first published September 1st 2002)

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Speaks the Nightbird by Robert R. McCammon

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Feb 05, 2013 Gaeta1 rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: readers unperturbed by inauthenticity--and by bestiality

Recommended to Gaeta1 by: Audible's 6.95 sale

Shelves: audiobooks, bashed-over-head-by-author, excrement-prominently-featured-warn, gettng-into-mind-of-othr-cultur-not, historical-fiction, hopelessly-out-of-depth-advisory, imposing-modern-views-on-historical, it-s-a-mystery, just-plain-clunky-writing, no-escapism-here-advisory, not-my-cup-of-tea, read-2013, serious-pacing-issues, stockholm-syndrome, mary-sue-alert, not-so-hidden-agenda, take-your-prozac-first-dreary, tiresome-gratuitous-sex-advisory, foolishly-suckd-n-by-glowing-review, disney-villain, puppet-strings-show-too-much, develpd-healthy-dislike-of-author, trying-too-hard-to-shock, improbable-in-any-known-universe, i-give-up-on-this-author, self-indulgent-author-warning, train-wreck, anachronisms-ahoy

I read a reasonable amount of historical fiction, and I like the depiction of past eras to be gritty and even grim, in a matter-of-fact sort of way. If I'm reading about a housewife in Elizabethan England, I want to see her lifting up her skirts to step over the rivelets of ooze in the street if she is running an errand near the shambles, and I want to see any sailors, towards the end of a long period at sea, to be knocking the weevils out of their hardtack; heck, they should just ignore the wri...more

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Nov 03, 2012 Titus Burley rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Somehow McCammon slipped through the mass popularity cracks back in the horror heyday of the 80's. Despite writing many of the best genre novels of that era (and certainly the definitive werewolf novel ever written, "The Wolf's Hour"), he never achieved the cult status of King, Koontz, or Rice. Those who read him were avid fans and I remember the early 90's word of mouth buzz that passed from devotees in used bookstores. "If you like horror, you gotta read McCammon." Then came "Boy's Life", a bo...more Somehow McCammon slipped through the mass popularity cracks back in the horror heyday of the 80's. Despite writing many of the best genre novels of that era (and certainly the definitive werewolf novel ever written, "The Wolf's Hour"), he never achieved the cult status of King, Koontz, or Rice. Those who read him were avid fans and I remember the early 90's word of mouth buzz that passed from devotees in used bookstores. "If you like horror, you gotta read McCammon." Then came "Boy's Life", a book with horror elements, but a novel that marked his departure from strict genre writing. What should have been his coming out party and graduation to the literary elite became instead a dead end road. His desire to branch out cost him a publisher and he offially retired. I remember the sadness I felt when I came upon a farewell message he had written before the closing down of his once webpage. Clearly suffering a form of depression, he was shutting it down. It appeared the last book we would get from him would be the southern gothic 1992 release "Gone South." I checked the horizon periodically over the years to see if he ever resurfaced, but alas, ten years went by with nary a word. Then, out of the blue, in 2002, McMammon published a large tome via a small publisher named River City Books out of Montgomery, Alabama. I tracked down a copy almost immediately. It was a huge book and the sleeve spoke of a historical tale involving the witch hunts of the late 1600s. The reviews were sparkling, but strangely I found myself hesitant to read it. Perhaps the odd title, "Speaks The Nightbird," had something to do with that. So it sat on my shelf, appreciated for what it represented (McCammon's return to publishing), but remained unread. That is until, I myself, acted in community theatre production of "The Crucible." The subject matter which had never compelled me previously suddenly took on life. So I read "Speaks The Nightbird." Well, that doesn't do it justice... I DEVOURED the book.

Could the writer of such classics as "Swan Song," "Boy's Life," "Blue World," and "The Wolf's Hour" trumped even those novels? Amazingly, yes. It was the book of the year for me in 2010. The finest read I had enjoyed in a long time. (less)

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Jan 24, 2013 Laura rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: People not bothered by bestiality and lots of crude sexual references

Shelves: crime-thriller-suspense, hf, first-of-a-series, bricks, a-lucky-one, library

Ok I made it to p 404 so I'm calling this read. At times I loved this book. It became obvious early on that the author is a man having a midlife crisis who clearly isn't getting his bedroom needs met. Sadly, I've seen this enough in books that wound up being salvageable that I'd decided to look past it, because the pages kept turning.

However, at some point, one has to draw a line. I'm very disappointed with this author's choice to include (view spoiler)...more

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Apr 05, 2012 Veeral rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone

Shelves: historical-fiction, mystery, favorites, favorites-of-2012

Only Robert McCammon could have written such a wonderful tale. McCammon portrays an extremely intriguing mystery involving a witch trial in 1699 Carolinas. It would infuriate you towards the superstition and ignorance of the times. Should I have been a time traveler, I doubt if I would have ventured into the 17th century world. No, thank you.

Matthew Corbett (the protagonist) is the clerk of magistrate Woodward who is conducting the trial of Rachel Howarth accused of being a witch. Only Matthew b...more

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Oct 20, 2010 Benjamin Thomas rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, favorites, mystery-historical

I am new to the author, Robert McCammon, but he came highly recommended from another blog I follow so I thought it worthwhile to give him a shot. The results? Speaks the Nightbird will be a very strong competitor for my best-of-the-year list and now that I think about it, will probably make my best-of-all time reading list.

Yes, it's that good.

This is an historical novel set in the Carolina territory in 1699. Mathew Corbett is a clerk to a magestrate (judge) based in Charles Town and together the...more

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Mar 13, 2011 Debra marked it as to-read

Shelves: sai-king-recommends, mystery-thriller, waiting-in-the-wings, 6-main-character-name

Stephen King says: "Given Rick McCammon's ten-year silence, I was curious about NIGHTBIRD...eager for a new dose of one of America's truly fine story-tellers...delighted it was a BIG dose...and nervous, too. 'Cause writing novels is NOT like riding a bike--you can forget how to do it. Twenty pages in, I forgot everything but the book itself.

"...an excellent story, full of tension and suspense...

"Speaks the Nightbird is a rarity in popular fiction, a book that manages to be thoughtful as well as...more

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Jun 05, 2011 Sam rated it 5 of 5 stars

I couldn't put this large book down and got through it in a record time for me (I'm a very thorough reader). I loved spending time with these characters, and I loved the atmosphere and setting. This has elements of historical fiction but I got the feeling Mr McCammon was more interested in creating interesting and amusing (and evil!) characters rather than being slavish to the trappings of 1699 America... Which IMO served this book well. It's not the most sophisticated of historical murder myste...more

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May 01, 2011 Timothy Dalton rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book was outright amazing, the only comparison I can draw for this novel would be something like Law & Order: Witch Trials. Thereby seeing the first lines of the novel indicating the location in the Carolinas, I hear the distinctive DUN! DUN! in my head just thinking about it. There is definitely some shady dealings going on in the town of Fount Royal where an accused witch is on trial and the one and only penalty for cavorting with the Devil is death by flames. For a town that deems it...more This book was outright amazing, the only comparison I can draw for this novel would be something like Law & Order: Witch Trials. Thereby seeing the first lines of the novel indicating the location in the Carolinas, I hear the distinctive DUN! DUN! in my head just thinking about it. There is definitely some shady dealings going on in the town of Fount Royal where an accused witch is on trial and the one and only penalty for cavorting with the Devil is death by flames. For a town that deems itself holy and wants nothing more but to purge it's self from the presence of evil, nearly everyone in the town seems to be guilty of something. But down the rabbit hole Robert McCammon takes us, who is to blame for the atrocities that have been committed in this town? Did the accused truly murder her husband and the Reverend? Is the owner of the town a silent schemer? Does the Dr. in the town have ulterior motives? Does the new Reverend that arrives to the town care too much about lustful ideals than saving souls? What's up with all the rain? Why does my stomach hurt right now? All but the last two questions get answered in this epic book. This book is really long, and I mean REALLY long, but it is extremely enrapturing. This book isn't for the feint of heart, if you are the occasional reader this may not fit the bill for your wants and desires, but if you like to be kept guessing the whole time, it is sure to please.

Robert McCammon makes every detail matter and I sopped it up like I was eating biscuits and gravy. Sometimes picking out details that I would read knowing that there was an obvious reason why it was mentioned, but having to wait a while until the answer comes to fruition. I'm very glad to know that Matthew Corbett makes an appearance in 3 more novels! I'm already ready to crack open the next volume in the series. I read this book right after finishing Wolf's Hour by McCammon, but this book was a completely different animal. Robert paints pictures in your mind that you can't help but see clear as day, and the dialogue is also quite amazing, as his attention to detail in the character's speech, and talking style is painstakingly rendered. I can only imagine how long it must have been for the author to craft this masterpiece. Also, I'll give a nod to Robert for not including so much detail to the main character being quite the slut that Michael Galatin from the Wolf's Hour was. I have to give McCammon a lot of credit on this novel, and I don't feel guilty in the slightest from awarding this book 5 stars, which is not something I do all willy nilly!(less)

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Apr 04, 2011 Cindy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

These books are two parts of an historical novel by Robert McCammon. This story takes you back to the days of fierce superstitions, hellish medical remedies, vagabonds, travelling preachers, slaves, and witch burnings. Issac Woodward and his aide Matthew are called to a town called Fount Royal in the Carolina's when it was still the King's country. They are to investigate a witch and sentence her appropriately to what they deem in her case after they see and hear the evidence. The book's first p...more These books are two parts of an historical novel by Robert McCammon. This story takes you back to the days of fierce superstitions, hellish medical remedies, vagabonds, travelling preachers, slaves, and witch burnings. Issac Woodward and his aide Matthew are called to a town called Fount Royal in the Carolina's when it was still the King's country. They are to investigate a witch and sentence her appropriately to what they deem in her case after they see and hear the evidence. The book's first paragraph hooked me and I knew I was in the presence of someone who can write a mean sentence and continues forth with magic of words.

This book envelopes you in it's atmosphere. The poor magistrate falls sick with a fiery sore throat and fever from hell after they arrive in the town and his treatments had me thanking God for antibiotics, nonetheless, the superstitions full of heresy and fear of the devil, in the form of witchcraft that can curse an entire town as in the case of Fount Royal is astounding. Most of the people of Fount Royal blame the failing crops, plagued citizens, and the fires that seem to break out when all are asleep on the accused witch Rachael Hogarth who is kept in the rat invested gaol awaiting her sentence while the aide and magistrate take testimony and hear evidence against her for the crime of the murders of her husband and the town's reverend. Mr. Bidwell, the man who is trying to make Fount Royal a major port town favors her hanging so his town can continue to thrive as it was before witchcraft cast it's deadly shadow upon his streets.

If you are brave enough to take a walk down a street in a town in 1699, this is as close as you will get. I have to admit that some of the imagery presented in this book, I'd rather not have in my mind, but I do now and that's the way it is. I do, however, love the atmosphere and vividness that draws up this novel. Those must have been some intense times that I am grateful to have been born in a later age. There are injustices today, but there were grave injustice back then that must have made sense in those days, not to mention, the horrible medical procedures that I am sure killed more a soul then saved.

In this book, or books depending upon which edition you've obtained, Robert McCammon writes very vividly and brings you back to the day of muddied streets and mystery in a town that awaits the burning of its witch. Matthew Corbet is an engaging character of the novel and his story continues in Queen of Bedlam and also in Mr. Slaughter by Robert McCammon. (less)

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May 13, 2011 Bill rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery-suspense

I had been looking forward to reading this for some time. Speaks the Nightbird heralded Robert McCammon's return to writing after a 10-year absence, and there was much rejoycing amongst readers.

I must say I was very entertained, for pretty much the full 2-volumes of this story. With the exception of some modern figures of speech, I felt quite immersed in the 1699 Carolinas. It's interesting and disturbing to be reminded of the attitudes towards witchcraft. A highly educated man such as our magis...more I had been looking forward to reading this for some time. Speaks the Nightbird heralded Robert McCammon's return to writing after a 10-year absence, and there was much rejoycing amongst readers.

I must say I was very entertained, for pretty much the full 2-volumes of this story. With the exception of some modern figures of speech, I felt quite immersed in the 1699 Carolinas. It's interesting and disturbing to be reminded of the attitudes towards witchcraft. A highly educated man such as our magistrate, exercises a cautious and thorough approach to the trial of a witch, but underlying this is his belief that witchcraft does indeed exist.
What a terrifying and hopeless time this must have been for women convicted and burned at the stake, guilty of nothing more than being dark skinned, beautiful, and different.
Matthew Corbett, a young magistrate's clerk seems to be the lone man who disbelieves witchcraft, and therefore is convinced of Rachel's innocence. Good luck with that.
The story maintains suspense throughout most of the novel. There are very interesting developments, well-drawn characters, and for a 800+ page novel, it moved along very quickly. However, I did have one problem with it.

Spoiler below, in case the spoiler tags fail....

(view spoiler)
Oh well, it's no big deal breaker. I enjoyed a very large portion of the book, but I have the feeling Matthew Colbert will annoy me further on down the road, so I doubt I'll continue with Queen of Bedlam.

(less)

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Jan 25, 2013 Chrissie rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: hf, mystery, usa, text-checked, audio, disliked, not-finished

I read this with two of my GR friends. We all gave up before finishing it. We all dumped it. One of us read over 400 pages and even at that point decided it had to be heaved! I read 7 chapters and the other friend read 6 chapters. I think this gives a clear message as to the value of this book.

We have discussed the book in the comments below. Let me make a quick summary. The writing and the events that the author lines up are extremely crude, salacious and incredible. Incredible in two ways:
1....more

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Feb 23, 2010 Craig rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: horror

This is a very entertaining pseudo-historical novel about a witch trial in the Carolinas in the late 17th century. More accurately, it's about the stuggles of a small, fledgling colonial town as it wrestles with the impending witch trial and the supposed witch jailed therein. A young upstart lawyer believes the witch's innocence and provides the necessary contrast to the pigheaded townsfolk and to his mentor, the old traditionalist magistrate, who is trying to run everything by the book. Ultimat...more This is a very entertaining pseudo-historical novel about a witch trial in the Carolinas in the late 17th century. More accurately, it's about the stuggles of a small, fledgling colonial town as it wrestles with the impending witch trial and the supposed witch jailed therein. A young upstart lawyer believes the witch's innocence and provides the necessary contrast to the pigheaded townsfolk and to his mentor, the old traditionalist magistrate, who is trying to run everything by the book. Ultimately the story is a testament to the gullibility of crowds and the emergence of dangerous mob mentality when confronting events that cannot be easily understood. The townspeople are scared and resort to the easiest solution, nearly tearing the entire town apart and killing a sizable number of residents in the process. I realize that this is superimposing modern sensibilities and beliefs onto a 17th century society, which is probably not fair. I suppose one could draw different conclusions by absorbing the book from the perspective of what it was like to live in those times but the Hell with it.

I have been a longtime McCammon reader and have admired his "Swan Song" most of all. I read that book as a kid and it always stuck with me. While I've since come to realize that McCammon isn't what I'd consider the smoothest author though he is a very fine storyteller. The book is loaded with suspense and enough twists to keep you hooked early on. Despite the book's bulk the pace is relatively even throughout and contains equal amounts of suspense, action, and plot development to warrant the size.

There are a few elements that made me grind my teeth like the historical "fact dropping" tidbits. Though these were no doubt designed to create a sense of historical accuracy, I instead found that many of the references stood out, feeling somewhat forced and contrived. It felt almost like McCammon was screaming from the page, "Look, everyone! I researched this stuff!". Thankfully these diminish as the book progresses.

Another strange aspect, and I only bring it up because it appears yet again in the subsequent novel, "The Queen of Bedlam", is McCammon's bizarre inclusion of an effeminate male character with questionable sexual orientation, makeup, and clothing choices. I have yet to read "Mister Slaughter" on my to-read pile. If that same archetype is found there I am really going to start to wonder what's going on there.

Lastly, the one-eyed monstrous bear that appears within the story -- and its role in the bizarre scene leading up to the story's conclusion -- are thoroughly pointless and definitely out of place with the rest of the book.(less)

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Feb 25, 2009 Erik rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Okay, so 5 stars equates to "It was amazing" here on Goodreads. Taking the first book of "Speaks the Nightbird" into account (which I gave 4 stars), I felt the story and writing as a whole deserved 4.5 stars. I haven't read a book this long (just over 400 pages) in such a short time in quite a while.

This second book went quickly for me, and the fast-paced plot definitely kept me eager for every turn of the page. McCammon wraps things up nicely in the end, not in any way that felt convenient or r...more

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Feb 15, 2010 Kevin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, mystery-thrillers

"The Carolinas, 1699: The citizens of Fount Royal believe a witch has cursed their town with inexplicable tragedies -- and they demand that beautiful widow Rachel Howarth be tried and executed for witchcraft. Presiding over the trial is traveling magistrate Issac Woodward, aided by his astute young clerk, Matthew Corbett. Believing in Rachel's innocence, Matthew will soon confront the true evil at work in Fount Royal."

I absolutely loved this book! A suspenseful mystery that really brings the tim...more

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Feb 23, 2013 Laura rated it 2 of 5 stars

A few caveats of the bat: I listened to this via Audible instead of reading it [I listen to about half my books, I'm in the car a lot]. I didn't finish the book, so if it suddenly got better in the second half, the writer took too long to make it interesting.

I love historical fiction [and nonfiction] so I started this novel expecting to like it. Many reviews were very positive, people saying they were going to rush out and get the next book. So I was pumped to read something so gripping.

But this...more

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Aug 17, 2012 Andrew rated it 5 of 5 stars

Robert McCammon has been a favourite writer of mine since he published Swan Song in the late eighties. His retirement in the nineties was a bitter blow and it was with excitement I discovered, quite recently, he had started writing again.

The title of this book didn't grab me. In fact, I'd put off reading this book because I didn't think it would be of interest. It's not my genre and, frankly the blurb didn't captivate either. During a holiday I picked it up and it's fortunate that I didn't have...more

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Aug 12, 2012 Coral added it

"Speaks the Nightbird" is a gripping historical whodunit written played with a cast of compelling characters. Young Matthew Corbett, accompanies a magistrate to Fount Royal to prosecute alleged witch, Rachel Howarth. The magistrate, who has often served as a father figure for Matthew is felled by two factors in this case. First, he is so overwhelmed by the evidence presented in the the case that he is unable to offer Matthew his normally clear-eyed insights. He is left mentally incapacitated. Se...more

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Jul 13, 2012 Nilesh rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is a good potboiler. The setting is interesting. Medieval and not Europe. While the elements of that era's European societies are present, the author makes good use of early characteristics of the infantile American society. All the characters are given appropriate makeups in sync with the time described. All this makes a fascinating reading, in a fantastical world working on its own rites, rituals, rules and morals.

While the vivid description of the strange world and people is flawless, th...more

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Jul 26, 2011 Vd rated it 5 of 5 stars

A thoroughly and seriously enjoyable piece of work. 'Speaks the Nightbird' will deeply impress not only lovers of historical fiction and suspense thrillers but also those who appreciate books that possess genuine literary merit. It is packed to the brim with exciting and intricate details and extremely taut moments. The air of mystery and intrigue does not flag for a second. The scenes in the story are painted with such fine precision and vivid imagination and the characters are so beautifully f...more

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Jul 23, 2011 David rated it 5 of 5 stars

With every book I read by Robert McCammon, I gain an increasing amount of respect for his skills. Unfortunately, horror fiction fans can be picky. McCammon doesn't get the respect from horror fans that he used to because of a book like this - which is simply a great work of literature that merely contains overtones of horror. It is an outstanding mystery, involving many points of holes in the evidence against a woman suspected of being a witch in 1699 Carolinas coastal town. It is a rich charact...more

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Jul 25, 2012 Her Royal Orangeness rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012

The Carolinas, 1699. The newly founded town of Fount Royal is facing a rash of disasters - murders, arsons, failed crops, illness. In desperation, the citizens cast the blame on Rachel Howarth and accuse her of witchcraft. Magistrate Isaac Woodward and his clerk Matthew Corbett arrive to preside over the trial and to determine Rachel’s fate. But Matthew soon realizes there is something far more sinister than witchcraft going on in Fount Royal. He risks everything to solve the mystery….and to exo...more

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May 10, 2012 Rick Hautala rated it 5 of 5 stars

All I will say is: This is THE BEST book I've read in the last ten years. Period.

Okay. Here's more ...

SPEAKS THE NIGHTBIRD is amazing! The plot is tense and keeps escalating with amazing--and believable--twists and turns. And Mr. McCammon ties up … and unties … all the knots so there are no loose ends. And what a satisfying, touching ending it is! No spoiler alert, but the farewells to characters you have come to admire, respect, and--yes, love are heart-wrenching.

The characters are distinctiv...more

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Mar 13, 2013 Diane rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Chose to listen to this one because Edoardo Ballerini is just an amazing narrator. It starts a bit slowly - well, the pacing in general ranges from lingering to maybe-I'll-skip-ahead - but it was entertaining enough to fill long hours of packing boxes.

SPOILER: There are sexual scenes and references that seem gratuitous, just to give the reader enough twiddle to keep reading. And the violence gets really terrible. Beyond that, a number of characters fall into easy stereotypes: a gorgeous, intell...more

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Sep 24, 2011 C.A. rated it 3 of 5 stars

Don't know if I'll read the next in this series or not. There were parts I really liked, but some of it was too predictable/drawn out.

Upside: I really like the main character, Matthew Corbett. He's almost obnoxiously curious, but in a believable way. He's brave, but not in the impulsive, 'fearless' way; in the real, "you have to be afraid first to be brave" way. He's young and clumsy at times, but his dedication to his ideals is admirable and challenges certain generally accepted ideas of what...more

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Mar 01, 2012 Lori Anderson rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Stephen King fans, interests in witch trials

Shelves: historical-fiction, mystery

I love Robert McCammon so when I got into a conversation with a fellow GoodReads.com book-lover, I decided to search out some titles I may have missed.

"Speaks the Nightbird" is a nice, thick book - just the kind I like. It's rich in characters and plot development, and there are twists to the plot just when you think all has settled down.

The book is set in 1699, on the cusp of a new century when people in the New World are wondering if the next 100 years will be full of wonder or full of fires...more

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Feb 05, 2013 Jasmine rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was an experiment for me, just picking a recommendation totally at random. It was VERY long - 816 pages (I did the unabridged audio equivalent of 31 hours, quite long). Overall it was well written, and I could see how based on my general reading habits it would be a good recommendation for me (by a computer), but I didn't enjoy it all that much. Mostly I found it frustrating because I find the combination of that time period (late 1600s in the "New World" of the Americas) along with the sit...more

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Apr 10, 2013 Zulfiya rated it 4 of 5 stars

Speaks the Nightbird, Speaks Robert McCammon! The novel 'Speaks the Nightbird' celebrates McCammons' return to the big publishing game after nearly a decade of silence when his contract with the previous publisher was terminated, and what a lovely celebration it it.
The novel that is classified as a historical mystery is actually a book that defies and expands the constraints of this genre. This is the third McCammon's novel that I have read, and he is yet to disappoint me. This delightful nov...more Speaks the Nightbird, Speaks Robert McCammon! The novel 'Speaks the Nightbird' celebrates McCammons' return to the big publishing game after nearly a decade of silence when his contract with the previous publisher was terminated, and what a lovely celebration it it.
The novel that is classified as a historical mystery is actually a book that defies and expands the constraints of this genre. This is the third McCammon's novel that I have read, and he is yet to disappoint me. This delightful novel for me reveals McCammon's Southerness. I live in the South, and as an immigrant I do see many things I personally strongly dislike, but the South McCammon loves is the genteel South, the South of a true colonial style. Do not be confused – he does not show the South in the romanticized, biased way – slavery and bigotry, evangelical loud proselytizing and duplicity, humid unbearable climate with the swampy terrain, all these ingredients are there, but the narrative itself and the way people and places are described and shown conveys the unmistakable feeling of finesse and refined gentility of the old Colonial South.

The mystery per se is not a brilliant mind-boggling puzzle, and the suspect is clearly identified by the narrator quite early in the novel although his guilt and his role of a culprit are questioned throughout the novel. The quest to find the truth, on the other hand, reveals the deeper verity and other ugly discoveries. The seemingly ideal community eventually drops all the pretenses and turns into a nest of wasps. This image is only accentuated by the actual nest of wasps in one of the households with the most vitriolic and poisonous housewives literature has ever offered.

This plot-forming mystery eventually turns into a gruesome travesty, an orchestrated performance of malicious mind. And again, the troupe of actors underlines and spices up this idea of travesty, performance, duplicity, and double identities. If this is not enough for a doubting reader, the book that is constantly being read by our protagonist, Matthew Corbett, is about theatrical performances in England. The mystery of witchcraft turns into the mystery of murders, greed, and envy. It also challenges many of the characters to question their values and even question God. It also surprisingly forges the goodness in people in whom this goodness is present even if they dislike each other. I think namely this feeling of respect of other people, even disagreeable, gives this books this elusive feeling of gentility.

As any good book, it is not only an entertaining story, it is a story about painful losses (both present and past), redemption, forgiving love, and an unobtrusive social commentary. The passages about the slaves were among the most powerful ones in the book, and although these passages were not tremendously instrumental in the plot development, they are still very memorable.

The review would not be complete without the remarks about the narrator. I listen to the audio book, and sound-wise, it was a brilliant performance. Edoardo Bellerini manages to convey the inflections of many characters, both male and female; likewise, he relays the ambiance of multiple settings: the tavern, the official dinners, the jail, the untamed landscape, everything seems virtually tangible in this audio version.

What's the conclusion – if you read the historical mystery for the sake of the mystery and the brilliance of human deduction, this book might disappoint you. If you look for a read about emotional maturity as a rite of passage for a young gentleman, about the journey of self-discovery, love, and loss, and revaluation of your personal stand, if you want to learn about the multicultural perspective during the early days of colonial life, if you enjoy patient and pleasant reads, this is the book for that occasion. I know one thing for sure - the next book in the series will be purchased as soon as possible. (less)

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Jul 04, 2012 Txkimmers rated it 4 of 5 stars

An incredibly enjoyable, if somewhat lengthy historical mystery novel (2 novels, actually) that introduces magistrate's clerk and one-man Scooby Gang Matthew Corbett. The novel is actually a coming-of-age tale for Matthew, who travels with his magistrate master to a remote town to try a woman accused of witchcraft. She's a total babe (natch) and before long, Matthew's attraction to her sublimates into a fanatical devotion to discovering "the truth" of what is really happening in Fount Royal.

The...more

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Dec 09, 2012 Mark rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 5-star-novels, favorites

Wow. What a novel. I stumbled upon this book while surfing through Goodreads one day and the synopsis just grabbed me. I was pretty disappointed when I found out it was not available for Kindle as I am used to reading all of my books on my iPad. I don't know why but I just felt that I needed to read this book. So I ordered the paperback from Amazon and patiently waited for it to arrive. And it was certainly worth the wait.

Matthew is the protagonist of the novel and he is a very entertaining char...more

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Jul 15, 2012 Mary rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, mystery-detective

Reading this book pulled me into a world that might not truly be the Carolinas in 1699, but it fascinated and held me in thrall. Matthew Corbett is a young idealist in a world that has little patience with curiosity and actually, now that I think about it, his early life experience should have twisted him into a person much like the villain of Speaks the Nightbird. Why he has such a reasoned approach to his task as a clerk to a traveling magistrate may be something McCammon explores in future no...more

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Just ordered this book	6	18	Dec 31, 2012 01:34pm
Robert McCammon: JUNE READ of Speaks the Nightbird (Matthew Corbett, #1) by Robert R. McCammon (Possible Spoilers)	17	37	Jun 21, 2012 10:23am

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Genres

Historical Fiction

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Mystery

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Horror

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Thriller

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Fantasy

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Mystery > Historical Mystery

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Mystery > Crime

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Thriller > Mystery Thriller

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Mystery > Detective

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Paranormal > Witches

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About Robert R. McCammon

Robert R. McCammon was a full-time horror writer for many years. After taking a hiatus for his family, he returned to writing with an interest in historical fiction.

A new contemporary novel, The Five, was published in May 2011 by Subterranean Press.

The Hunter from the Woods, a collection of novellas and stories featuring Michael Gallatin, the main character from The Wolf's Hour, was published as a...more

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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1525997.Speaks_the_Nightbird?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347740182l/1525997.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1525997.Speaks_the_Nightbird?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Speaks the Nightbird by Robert R. McCammon[/url]

Speaks the Nightbird (Matthew Corbett #1)

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