Historical Fiction -- 3 1/2 stars
The book is loosely based on 1645 real life British witch hunter Matthew Hopkins. The sister is a created character, but her first person "witnessing" is taken from court records and historical documents that put a horrifying face on this period in Christian history. The details of how Mr. Hopkins conducted his hunt and the examinations themselves form the largest part of the story. While there is a sameness, almost a plodding, to the pace of the book, the overall feeling of dread and impending doom does build to a point, even if that point is made less by an added ending that seems too horror-movie-hand-from-the-grave. While it's chilling, it doesn't fit with the historical feel of the book, and, I think, weakens the impact.
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