The Witchfinder’s Assistant
It is 1643, and England is being torn apart by civil war. Former army captain John Carne, wounded at the battle of Edgehill, goes to the home of magistrate Sir Moreton Spibey in the Shropshire town of Wem. Carne had been destined for a career in law until the war and injury put paid to his plans. But now a new role beckons: Sir Moreton needs an assistant. His first job is to help solve the mystery about human remains discovered in a bog. It doesn’t take long for Carne to establish that a woman and her unborn child have been killed and buried at the spot, a stake thrust in her back and out through the other side.
So begins a 17th-century murder mystery, with the quiet and practical protagonist Carne a contrast to the godly Spibey, who disapproves of singing and tobacco and sees evil everywhere. From the outset, the reader knows that Carne is conflicted, with his wife, Zipporah, being referred to as a whore in the opening sentence. Their relationship is complicated. It is clear their secrets will have an effect on how things develop. The novel is a slow burner, with plot and characters taking a while to establish themselves, but stick with it – The Witchfinder’s Assistant is a very satisfying and well-researched read.
