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Tag Archives: Salem Witchcraft Trials

The Fifth Petal (The Lace Reader #2) ~ Brunonia Barry – 4.5 Stars

24 Tuesday Jan 2017

Posted by By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff in Uncategorized

≈ 15 Comments

Tags

Adult Fiction, Music Therapy, Mystery, Paranormal, Salem MA, Salem Witchcraft Trials, Suspense

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Thanks to NetGalley and Crown for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: January 24th, 2017

432 Pages

Synopsis: Salem’s chief of police, John Rafferty, now married to gifted lace reader Towner Whitney, investigates a 25-year-old triple homicide dubbed “The Goddess Murders”, in which three young women, all descended from accused Salem witches, were slashed one Halloween night. Aided by Callie Cahill, the daughter of one of the victims who has returned to town, Rafferty begins to uncover a dark chapter in Salem’s past. Callie , who has always been gifted with premonitions, begins to struggle with visions she doesn’t quite understand and an attraction to a man who has unknown connections to her mother’s murder. Neither believes that the main suspect, Rose Whelan, respected local historian and sometime-aunt to Callie, is guilty of murder or witchcraft. But exonerating Rose might mean crossing paths with a dangerous force. We’re the women victims of an all-too-human vengeance, or was the devil raised in Salem that night? And if they cannot discover what truly happened, will evil rise again?

The Fifth Petal is the second book in the Lace Reader series and while it works fine as a standalone, I recommend reading the previous book first because it’ll add more to your reading experience. I have to admit both the premise and setting particularly appeal to me as I live in Danvers, MA which was formerly known as Salem Village. I grew up hearing all the stories about the witchcraft hysteria of 1692, and have made many visits to the Rebecca Nurse House as well as the museums in Salem. What I really appreciate about Brunonia Barry’s writing, is her meticulous research into the subject. While I’m not a historian, from what I do know, she’s gotten everything right in both books, even down to the fact that the victims hung, were not done so at the infamous Gallows Hill, but were done so from a tree that now overlooks a Walgreens of all places. She also does a fantastic job at capturing the essence of modern day Salem, beginning with the insanity of it’s Halloween celebrations which attract people from all over the country. There are two storylines in this book. One takes place in 1989 and concerns the murders of three women known as the “Goddesses”. The second mystery is set in 2014 and concerns the mysterious death of a teenage boy. What ties these two mysteries together are the two survivors of the first murders: Rose Whelan, who was once a respected expert on the Salem Witchcraft trials but is now mentally unstable and a prime suspect in both murders; and Callie Cahill whose mother was one of the victims in 1989. I really like how the characters are written in this book, even the relatively minor ones. They’re all interesting and each has something to add to the story. Callie though, really stands out both for her tragic backstory, as well as how her past has led her to become a music therapist. I found the concept of treating people in pain with singing bowls especially interesting. For the most part, this is a fast-paced book, although there is a section where Callie and her new boyfriend head off to Italy, which really adds nothing to the story and slows things down a bit. There are quite a few twists and turns which kept me guessing right up until the end. There are also some paranormal aspects to which adds to the mystery. Overall, while I didn’t like The Fifth Petal quite as much as The Lace Reader, it’s still a thoroughly enjoyable read. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys mysteries and historical fiction and is especially interested in the Salem Witchcraft hysteria. I’m looking forward to the third book, Bone Lace which will hopefully be out next year. 

 

Crimson Shore (Pendergast #15) ~ by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child – 4.0 Stars

07 Saturday Nov 2015

Posted by By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff in Uncategorized

≈ 13 Comments

Tags

Adult Fiction, Historical Romance, Maritime History, Massachusetts, Murder Mystery, Salem Witchcraft Trials, Supernatural

25614598 I received this e-Arc from NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

Release Date: November 10th, 2015

Synopsis: A secret chamber. A mysterious shipwreck. A murder in the desolate salt marshes. A seemingly straightforward private case turns out to be much more complicated-and-sinister-than Special Agent A.X.L. Pendergast ever could have anticipated.

Pendergast, together with his ward Constance Greene, travels to the quaint seaside village of Exmouth, Massachusetts, to investigate the theft of a priceless wine collection. But inside the wine cellar, they find something considerably more disturbing: a bricked-up niche that once held a crumbling skeleton.

Pendergast and Constance soon learn that Exmouth is a town with a very dark and troubled history, and this skeleton may be only the first hint of an ancient transgression, kept secret all these years. But they will discover that the sins of the past are still very much alive.

I’ve been fascinated with Aloysius X. L. Pendergast since he first appeared as a secondary character in Relic (1995). Fifteen books later, his story still has the power to mesmerize me. Except for a rather strange segue into the supernatural near the end of the book, Crimson Shore is an enjoyable mystery which kept me reading well into the night.

Having fully recovered from the events in Blue Labyrinth, Pendergast’s Holmesian talents of deduction are on full display here, as are his eccentricities. While there aren’t any new revelations as have been in previous books, his relationship with his ward Constance, does move forward, albeit awkwardly at times. Theirs is a curious dance which manages to be both sad and amusing. These are two people whose I.Q.s are off the charts, yet when it comes to relationships they’re incredibly naive. 

Constance continues to grow in this story and it’s becoming evident that she will ultimately become a worthy partner for Pendergast both in their investigative endeavors as well as their personal lives. I do wish she was a little more empathetic towards other people as this would provide some balance towards Pendergast’s aloofness, but given her background and the traumas she’s suffered it’s understandable why her personality mirrors that of her mentor’s. 

While supernatural themes have appeared more than once in this series, this time it seemed to be tacked on near the end of the book, almost as an afterthought. Even worse, it actually could have worked if Preston and Child had integrated it more fully with the rest of the story. Instead it’s tacked on near the end and frankly left me wondering why. 

The book ends with an explosive cliffhanger which has left me frustrated as it will most likely be another year before the next book comes out. Personally, I’m not a fan of endings like these, as they tend to make me feel as though I’m being manipulated. 

Despite it’s flaws, Crimson Shore is still an intriguing mystery which combines many elements including: Massachusett’ s maritime history, the Salem Witchcraft Trials, and even a nod to Poe. While it’s not my favorite Pendergast novel, it’s still has left me anxiously awaiting the next installment.

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