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The Witchfinder's Sister
by
THE MOST THRILLING HISTORICAL DEBUT OF 2017
Based on the shocking true story of the infamous witchfinder Matthew Hopkins, this haunting and gripping novel is perfect for fans of The Miniaturist, Sarah Waters and The Essex Serpent.
'The number of women my brother Matthew killed, so far as I can reckon it, is one hundred and six...'
1645. When Alice Hopkins' husband dies
...moreKindle Edition, 361 pages
Published
March 2nd 2017
by Penguin
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Long before the Salem witch trials, there were the Manningtree witch trials in Essex England, and for many women it was a time of pure terror.
London 1645, and Alice Hopkins finds herself pregnant, and having to return to her home village of Manningtree, Essex, after the death of her husband. She will be living with her brother Matthew Hopkins 'The Witchfinder General'. Matthew is a cruel, troubled, sullen individual, with a persona of evil about him.
Alice discovers that not only is Matthew a ...more
London 1645, and Alice Hopkins finds herself pregnant, and having to return to her home village of Manningtree, Essex, after the death of her husband. She will be living with her brother Matthew Hopkins 'The Witchfinder General'. Matthew is a cruel, troubled, sullen individual, with a persona of evil about him.
Alice discovers that not only is Matthew a ...more

Essex, England, 1645
Alice Hopkins is a pregnant widow who must return to her hometown of Manningtree, Essex, to reside with her brother, Matthew Hopkins. She has not seen him in five years and finds that he has changed. He is no longer the young man who loves scripture. Matthew is now a man with power and influence. He has become a powerful man who is feared as he is a hunter of witches. He has a list of names and carefully takes notes as he interviews those who have been accused of witch craft. ...more
Alice Hopkins is a pregnant widow who must return to her hometown of Manningtree, Essex, to reside with her brother, Matthew Hopkins. She has not seen him in five years and finds that he has changed. He is no longer the young man who loves scripture. Matthew is now a man with power and influence. He has become a powerful man who is feared as he is a hunter of witches. He has a list of names and carefully takes notes as he interviews those who have been accused of witch craft. ...more

3.5 Manningtree, the Essex witch trials, in the two years between 1645 and 1647, hundreds of women were investigated and hanged as witches. Matthew Stafford was called the witch finder, a man who for unknown reasons pursued across many counties all rumors and gossip of supposed witches. In this novel the author attempts to give us a reason why Stafford acted and believed as he did.
Our narrator is Eliza, Matthew's sister, who has returned to Manningtree, after the death of her husband, a ...more
Our narrator is Eliza, Matthew's sister, who has returned to Manningtree, after the death of her husband, a ...more

"These last months, I have learned that the acknowledged history that belongs to the daylight, that is not the only history. Turn over the stone and you will find another history, wriggling to escape."
It is the seventeenth century in England, and while Civil War occupies the minds of both soldiers and citizens, one man has the opportunity to follow his own agenda without interference. Termed the Witchfinder, Matthew Hopkins has a list of names and scours the countryside of Essex and Suffolk in ...more
It is the seventeenth century in England, and while Civil War occupies the minds of both soldiers and citizens, one man has the opportunity to follow his own agenda without interference. Termed the Witchfinder, Matthew Hopkins has a list of names and scours the countryside of Essex and Suffolk in ...more

Actual rating: 3,5
It has been 15 days since I read The Witchfinder’s Sister, and I still don’t know what to think about it.
That happens rarely to me, almost never.
I have to warn you that my review will probably be all over the place because I am still finding the words to express my thoughts, but there is one thing I can say for sure: The Witchfinder’s Sister left me confused.
The story follows Alice Hopkins who returns to her childhood town to live with her brother Matthew, after a tragic death ...more
It has been 15 days since I read The Witchfinder’s Sister, and I still don’t know what to think about it.
That happens rarely to me, almost never.
I have to warn you that my review will probably be all over the place because I am still finding the words to express my thoughts, but there is one thing I can say for sure: The Witchfinder’s Sister left me confused.
The story follows Alice Hopkins who returns to her childhood town to live with her brother Matthew, after a tragic death ...more

Find this and other reviews at: https://historicalfictionreader.blogs...
The New York Times Book Review says Beth Underdown’s The Witchfinder’s Sister is “a novel for our times…” and if that is true, I fear for both our times and the quality of literature it produces. I mean no offense to the reviewer or to the author for that matter, but I wholeheartedly disagree with the assessment and am not inclined to pretend otherwise.
The novel centers on the fictitious Alice Hopkins. For those who aren’t ...more
The New York Times Book Review says Beth Underdown’s The Witchfinder’s Sister is “a novel for our times…” and if that is true, I fear for both our times and the quality of literature it produces. I mean no offense to the reviewer or to the author for that matter, but I wholeheartedly disagree with the assessment and am not inclined to pretend otherwise.
The novel centers on the fictitious Alice Hopkins. For those who aren’t ...more

The Witchfinder's Sister is exactly what the title implies:
The number of women my brother Matthew killed, so far as I can reckon it, is one hundred and six......more
1645. When Alice Hopkins' husband dies in a tragic accident, she has no choice but to return to the small Essex town of Manningtree, where her brother Matthew still lives.
But home is no longer a place of safety. Matthew has changed, and there are rumours spreading through the town: whispers of witches, and of a great book, in which her

The Witchfinder’s Sister is a tense, highly atmospheric historical drama based on fact, a book that it is easy to devour in quick smart fashion, with it’s vivid and emotionally drawn characters and a beautifully described sense of place and time.
Alice loses her husband in a tragic accident and having no choice returns home to her brother. Matthew is a strange one, and deeply involved in the local community and wider, whispers of witchcraft abound and it seems no woman is safe from Matthew’s ...more
Alice loses her husband in a tragic accident and having no choice returns home to her brother. Matthew is a strange one, and deeply involved in the local community and wider, whispers of witchcraft abound and it seems no woman is safe from Matthew’s ...more

Feb 14, 2017
Erin *Proud Book Hoarder*
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
4-star,
drama-gen-fiction,
monsters,
read-in-2017,
got-in-2017,
historical,
reviewed,
witches,
magic-powers,
netgalley
"For they say what happened, but not what it was like. They say what happened, but they do not say why.”
Witch hunting is one of the most embarrassing pieces of human history. ‘The Witchfinder’s Sister’ is a fictional tale where the author conceives a plausible viewpoint of Matthew Stafford’s sister. This isn’t based on a true story since, while these characters were real, so little is known about them. We do know that during the Essex witch trials between the years of 1645 and 1647, that ...more
Witch hunting is one of the most embarrassing pieces of human history. ‘The Witchfinder’s Sister’ is a fictional tale where the author conceives a plausible viewpoint of Matthew Stafford’s sister. This isn’t based on a true story since, while these characters were real, so little is known about them. We do know that during the Essex witch trials between the years of 1645 and 1647, that ...more

A big thank you goes to Beth Underdown, Ballantine Books, and netgalley for this free copy in exchange for an unbiased review.
"Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live"
"Why hast thou forsaken me"
Really a 3.5 one of the better witch hunt novels I've read especially since it's based on different historical perspective
The Civil War of 1640s England is rolling on, and the hunt for witches is strong in the counties. Women are arrested and persecuted for the the most ludicrous reasons, no proof ...more
"Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live"
"Why hast thou forsaken me"
Really a 3.5 one of the better witch hunt novels I've read especially since it's based on different historical perspective
The Civil War of 1640s England is rolling on, and the hunt for witches is strong in the counties. Women are arrested and persecuted for the the most ludicrous reasons, no proof ...more

Feb 18, 2017
Kate
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
favourites-read-in-2017,
out-in-2017-and-read
It's not often I can read a book in one or two sittings but this marvellous book demanded it. Do not miss this!

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
4 stars
This is an historical fiction book based on witch trials in Essex England before the Salem witch trials took place in America. I knew nothing of this history going into this book.
Matthew Hopkins was a true witchfinder in 1645 Manningtree, Essex, England. He has a notorious reputation for having condemned so many women of witchcraft. In this novel, his sister Alice has been living in London with her husband, ...more
4 stars
This is an historical fiction book based on witch trials in Essex England before the Salem witch trials took place in America. I knew nothing of this history going into this book.
Matthew Hopkins was a true witchfinder in 1645 Manningtree, Essex, England. He has a notorious reputation for having condemned so many women of witchcraft. In this novel, his sister Alice has been living in London with her husband, ...more

Nov 08, 2017
The Captain
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
historical-fiction
Ahoy there mateys! Though this log’s focus is on sci-fi, fantasy, and young adult, this Captain does have broader reading tastes. So occasionally I will share some novels that I enjoyed that are off the charts (a non sci-fi, fantasy, or young adult novel), as it were.
One standard “non-standard for me” genre is historical fiction. While I love history by itself, I enjoy historical fiction for the blending of history and getting to feel like the historical characters are real people. I mean, I ...more
One standard “non-standard for me” genre is historical fiction. While I love history by itself, I enjoy historical fiction for the blending of history and getting to feel like the historical characters are real people. I mean, I ...more

Mar 06, 2017
Jules
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
netgalley,
historical-fiction
I always find myself drawn to books about witchcraft. The history of witchcraft and the witch trials is something that has fascinated me for years. When I was a child I visited Clarke Hall in Yorkshire (a wonderful museum that is sadly no longer open) on a school trip, and remember being told a story about a woman who was accused of being a witch because she used herbs to heal. She had to sneak out of Clarke Hall through secret passages and had to climb out of a window on to a horse to escape
...more

A decent page-turner and a well-constructed, engaging story, which mostly failed to chime for me for reasons that may not be important to everyone. One, I felt the narrator's voice was somewhat flat, as well as being a lot more modern in attitude than I would expect of a woman of the time (lots of "this witchcraft business is nonsense, of course", which, though laudable, would not have been the majority opinion). Two, and rather more problematic; the story seems to erase the responsibility of
...more

This is the story of Alice, who has to return to her home town of Manningtree in Essex after the death of her husband. She returns to her brother's house, but her brother, Matthew, has changed since she last had contact with him. He has become involved with some powerful men, and has begun the hunt for witches in the county of Essex. Alice is drawn into this work, much as she does not want to be, but begins to try to find ways to hinder her brother's quest and save whoever she can from the
...more

I think now that to be close to someone can be to underestimate them. Grow too close, and you do not see what they are capable of; or you do not see it in time.
The Witchfinder’s Sister is based on true life witch hunter Matthew Hopkins that grew to fame during the English Civil War around East Anglia, hunting and killing “witches”. This book isn’t non-fiction, it’s fiction based around non-fiction! I love these sorts of books that create their own stories from something that was very much ...more
The Witchfinder’s Sister is based on true life witch hunter Matthew Hopkins that grew to fame during the English Civil War around East Anglia, hunting and killing “witches”. This book isn’t non-fiction, it’s fiction based around non-fiction! I love these sorts of books that create their own stories from something that was very much ...more

In 1645, Alice Hopkins' husband died in a horrible accident leaving her to return to to the small Essex town of Manningtree where her brother lived to move in with him. Little did Alice know that her brother had changed though with rumors of him having a book of women's names that accused them of witchcraft. With Alice hiding a pregnancy she slowing begins to uncover the darker side of her brother Matthew.
The Witchfinder's Sister is a fictional tale based on the real person Matthew Hopkins. ...more
The Witchfinder's Sister is a fictional tale based on the real person Matthew Hopkins. ...more

I am disappointed. I expected so much more from this book. The premise was super engaging, since all this witchcraft accusations is a very interesting topic, and specially a book focused in better understanding the motivations of one of the "hunters" sounded amazing, but I really didn't get too much from this book.
The premise is the only thing I liked. Here is what I didn't like:
-Slow, and stuck at times. Nothing happened for 180 pages, and that is too much. I don't even know why I didn't give ...more
The premise is the only thing I liked. Here is what I didn't like:
-Slow, and stuck at times. Nothing happened for 180 pages, and that is too much. I don't even know why I didn't give ...more

4.5 stars rounded up to 5
Every time I read a historical fiction book, I'm reminded just how fascinating English history is, and that I absolutely bloody love this genre!
Beth Underdown has done a superb job of writing her debut novel based on true events surrounding the fear and intrigue of Witchcraft in seventeenth century England. The story is based on the life of the 1640s Witchfinder Matthew Hopkins, with the main protagonist being his sister, Alice.
The authors writing style created such ...more
Every time I read a historical fiction book, I'm reminded just how fascinating English history is, and that I absolutely bloody love this genre!
Beth Underdown has done a superb job of writing her debut novel based on true events surrounding the fear and intrigue of Witchcraft in seventeenth century England. The story is based on the life of the 1640s Witchfinder Matthew Hopkins, with the main protagonist being his sister, Alice.
The authors writing style created such ...more

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
A fabulously strong debut, focusing on witchcraft in the 17th century.
I really enjoyed this book. It centres on Alice, a recently widowed woman who returns to live with her brother - a relatively taciturn, unpleasant individual who happens to be on a mission to condemn as many woman as possible to death for witchcraft.
Based loosely on real events, it's an engrossing account of life in the 17th century, and the ...more
A fabulously strong debut, focusing on witchcraft in the 17th century.
I really enjoyed this book. It centres on Alice, a recently widowed woman who returns to live with her brother - a relatively taciturn, unpleasant individual who happens to be on a mission to condemn as many woman as possible to death for witchcraft.
Based loosely on real events, it's an engrossing account of life in the 17th century, and the ...more

This book is very slow and the main character keeps a low profile all throughout it, she does surprises you towards the end and that's what redeemed this book in my eyes. We are mostly shown the main character life through the eyes of his brother , the supposedly "witch finder " , we learn of his upbringing and how it connects to who he is currently. We see the impotence the mc feels at the suffering of innocent women being accused of being witches, yet not being able to help for fear of her
...more

This fictional account based on a real event in history is told through the eyes of Alice Hopkins, Matthew’s sister (or half-sister to be exact). Matthew’s mother (by now recently deceased) was her father’s second wife and with her older brothers having left home, Alice and her younger sibling formed a close bond with Alice being protective of Matthew. Badly scarred from fire burns as a baby Matthew’s life was not an easy one but he had seemed to find his own way as an adult and was well
...more

Set in 1645, this takes an interestingly slanted perspective on Matthew Hopkins, the notorious self-styled Witchfinder General. The story is told by his half-sister Alice who returns to Manningtree in Essex to find her brother embroiled in accusations of malice, spelling and witchcraft aimed mostly, though not exclusively, at women.
This is not an unfamiliar story but Underdown approaches it with a welcome lack of sensationalism. She keeps her canvas relatively small and domestic, exploring the ...more
This is not an unfamiliar story but Underdown approaches it with a welcome lack of sensationalism. She keeps her canvas relatively small and domestic, exploring the ...more

The witch finders sister
I love history. I love finding out about history. I especially love it when it is about true events and real life people. I have always been fascinated by the witch hunts and I would love to go to Salem to find out more.
This story is set in 1640s in Manningtree England. Which was the original place that witch hunting started before it went to Salem. Alice Hopkins returns to Manningtree after her husband has died with a little child. Obviously back then Alice has no ...more
I love history. I love finding out about history. I especially love it when it is about true events and real life people. I have always been fascinated by the witch hunts and I would love to go to Salem to find out more.
This story is set in 1640s in Manningtree England. Which was the original place that witch hunting started before it went to Salem. Alice Hopkins returns to Manningtree after her husband has died with a little child. Obviously back then Alice has no ...more

I received this book for free through NetGalley.
I am a huge fan of historical witchy fiction, and this book was mostly superb. Told by Alice, whose brother Matthew hunts, persecutes, and helps to hang women accused of witchcraft, the story is disturbing and compelling, despite the oft times archaic language. My only criticism is the lack of emotion I felt from Alice. Throughout her tale, she suffers many tragedies and losses, but I just didn't really feel much. While she lived with Matthew and ...more
I am a huge fan of historical witchy fiction, and this book was mostly superb. Told by Alice, whose brother Matthew hunts, persecutes, and helps to hang women accused of witchcraft, the story is disturbing and compelling, despite the oft times archaic language. My only criticism is the lack of emotion I felt from Alice. Throughout her tale, she suffers many tragedies and losses, but I just didn't really feel much. While she lived with Matthew and ...more

The Witchfinder's Sister takes place in the Essex Town Manningtree, England during the 1640's where young Alice returns home after the tragic death of her husband to find that her brother, Matthew has become a prominent but mostly feared man in the community. Trying to settle in and forget the painful memories of her husband, Alice discovers that her brother is a Witchfinder, a man who seeks out persons accused of practicing Witchcraft to torture and ultimately force a confession. Upon learning
...more

Book reviews on www.snazzybooks.com
The Witchfinder’s Sister definitely has a unique premise – set in 17th century Essex and told from the perspective of Alice, whose brother seems to be rather too interested in the current whispers and rumours about witchcraft, the novel follows her as she slowly unravels her brother’s dark side and the past that may have led him to behave the way he does…
The writing does a great job of really bringing the 17th century – not an era I have read that much about, ...more
The Witchfinder’s Sister definitely has a unique premise – set in 17th century Essex and told from the perspective of Alice, whose brother seems to be rather too interested in the current whispers and rumours about witchcraft, the novel follows her as she slowly unravels her brother’s dark side and the past that may have led him to behave the way he does…
The writing does a great job of really bringing the 17th century – not an era I have read that much about, ...more

This book kept me fully engaged as shameful witch hunts take place from 1626-1627 in England. This is historical fiction, but the book is well-researched and Matthew Hopkins actually did send those labelled as witches to their deaths. Alice, his sister, is fictional. I found the story horrifying and it is so well-written the scenes and characters are vividly clear. 5 stars for me - and I think it's a first novel for Beth Underdown.
Thanks to Random House Publishing - Ballantine through NetGalley ...more
Thanks to Random House Publishing - Ballantine through NetGalley ...more
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Forsyth County Pu...: Book Chat October 2018 | 1 | 5 | May 16, 2018 02:19PM | |
You'll love this ...: September 2017 - The Witchfinder's Sister | 40 | 48 | Oct 02, 2017 07:57PM | |
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“... resentment buried is not gone. It is like burying a seed: for a season it may stay hidden in the dark, but in the end, it will always grow.”
—
11 likes
“I will lay it out in black and white, and my tale will contain more truth than the great dead histories on my father's bookshelves. For they say what happened, but not what it was like. They say what happened, but they do not say why.”
—
5 likes
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