The Witchfinder’s Sister

This is a novel for our times. . . . The Witchfinders 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 TrainandInto the Water Connects nicely with such dystopian classics as 1984 and The Handmaids 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 wealthbut 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 Matthews soul. There is a new darkness in the town, toofrightened whispers are stirring in the streets, and Alices 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 hes become, Alice is desperate to interveneand deathly afraid of the consequences. But as Matthews 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 brothers brutal missionand is drawn into the Hopkins familys 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 evilsbefore more innocent women are forced to the gallows. Inspired by the real-life story of notorious Witchfinder General Matthew Hopkins, Beth Underdowns thrilling debut novel blends spellbinding history with echoes of Margaret Atwoods The Handmaids Talefor a truly haunting reading experience. Praise for The Witchfinders Sister Entertaining and thought-provokingwith a valuable message for our own times.The Washington Post Highly recommended.Library Journal (starred review)Additional ISBNs: 9780399179143, 0399179143, 9780399179150, 0399179151