Buying Options
Kindle Price: | $3.99 |
includes tax, if applicable | |
Sold by: |
Penguin UK
This price was set by the publisher. |


![The Witchfinder's Sister: The captivating Richard & Judy Book Club historical thriller 2018 by [Beth Underdown]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/512YTUiYWtL._SY346_.jpg)
Follow the Author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.
OK
The Witchfinder's Sister: The captivating Richard & Judy Book Club historical thriller 2018 Kindle Edition
by
Beth Underdown
(Author)
Format: Kindle Edition
Beth Underdown
(Author)
Find all the books, read about the author, and more.
See search results for this author
|
See all formats and editions
Hide other formats and editions
Amazon Price
|
New from | Used from |
Audible Audiobook, Unabridged
"Please retry"
|
$0.00
|
Free with your Audible trial |
Length: 361 pages | Word Wise: Enabled | Enhanced Typesetting: Enabled |
Page Flip: Enabled |
![]() ![]() Switch back and forth between reading the Kindle book and listening to the Audible narration. Add narration for a reduced price of $3.49 after you buy the Kindle book. |
Language: English |
Save on selected Penguin Classics and Popular Penguin books.
View our selection and latest deals. Click to explore.
Customers who bought this item also bought
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
- Bone China: A wonderfully atmospheric tale for winter readingKindle Edition
- The Corset: The captivating novel from the prize-winning author of The Silent CompanionsKindle Edition
- The Silent Companions: The perfect spooky tale to curl up with this winterKindle Edition
- The House on Half Moon Street: A Richard and Judy Book Club 2019 pick (Leo Stanhope 1)Kindle Edition
- The Witch's Daughter (Shadow Chronicles)Kindle Edition
- Queen of Bedlam (Georgian Queens Book 1)Kindle Edition
Product description
Book Description
'VIVID AND TERRIFYING' Paula Hawkins, author of The Girl on the Train
--This text refers to the paperback edition.
From the Inside Flap
.
--This text refers to the hardcover edition.
Review
'A clever, pacey read that blends truth and fiction' * The Times * Beth Underdown grips us from the outset...at once a feminist parable and an old-fashioned, check-twice-under-the-bed thriller * Patrick Gale * Beth Underdown cleverly creates a compelling atmosphere of dread and claustrophobia... Even from the distance of nearly four hundred years, her Matthew Hopkins is a genuinely frightening monster * Kate Riordan, author of The Girl in the Photograph * THE MOST THRILLING HISTORICAL DEBUT OF 2018 Based on the true story of the infamous witchfinder Matthew Hopkins, with one of the most memorable heroines in recent historical fiction, this haunting novel is perfect for fans of The Miniaturist, Sarah Waters and The Essex Serpent. -- From the publisher Atmospheric and filled with foreboding, it's a novel that draws you under its spell * Stylist * 'Anyone who liked Cecilia Ekback's Wolf Winter is going to love this. [It's] about tiny braveries and small courage... a real David and Goliath story, but far less straightforward' * Natasha Pulley, author of The Watchmaker of Filigree Street * Entertaining and thought-provoking, with a valuable message for our own times * Washington Post * A chilling, creeping novel with parallels to more modern forms of witch-hunts * Red * Thumpingly good -- Lucy Mangan 'A clever novel with a slow burn of horror' * Guardian * 'An accomplished debut novel... this is a powerful, disturbing book, full of drama, with a masterly evocation of England in the 1640s and a sickening final twist' * Sunday Express * 'A compelling debut from a gifted storyteller' -- Sarah Perry * author of The Essex Serpent * A richly told and utterly compelling tale, with shades of Hilary Mantel -- Kate Hamer 'Superb: dark, terrifying and utterly compelling' -- Tracy Borman A haunting, brooding debut * Psychologies * 'Alice's voice reaches us with admirable clarity and she tells a truly horrifying story with compassion and intelligence. This is a truly accomplished and satisfying debut novel' -- Adele Geras A novel for our times. Beth Underdown's The Witchfinder's Sister explores another time and another place to lay bare the visceral horror of what a witch hunt truly is * New York Times Book Review * A tense, surprising and elegantly-crafted novel * Ian McGuire * Chilling, gripping, terrifying and exquisitely written * Susan Barker *
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From the Back Cover
.
--This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.
About the Author
Beth Underdown lectures in Creative Writing at the University of Manchester. Her first novel, The Witchfinder's Sister, is based on the life of the 1640s witchfinder Matthew Hopkins. Beth's interest in seventeenth-century England was sparked by the work of her great-uncle David Underdown, one of that period's foremost historians. She came across a brief mention of Matthew Hopkins while reading a book about midwifery, igniting an interest which turned into an all-consuming hunt for the truth about this infamous killer.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product details
- ASIN : B01M7QBBLN
- Publisher : Penguin (2 March 2017)
- Language : English
- File size : 5904 KB
- Text-to-Speech : Enabled
- Enhanced typesetting : Enabled
- X-Ray : Enabled
- Word Wise : Enabled
- Print length : 361 pages
- Page numbers source ISBN : 0241978041
-
Best Sellers Rank:
168,164 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- 529 in Witch & Wizard Thrillers
- 614 in Ghost Thrillers
- 1,049 in Assassination Thrillers
- Customer Reviews:
What other items do customers buy after viewing this item?
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
Customer reviews
4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1 out of 5
750 global ratings
How are ratings calculated?
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyses reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Top reviews
Top reviews from Australia
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
Reviewed in Australia on 22 February 2018
Report abuse
Verified Purchase
I loved this book, not least because I lived in the Colchester/Manningtree area for many years. I also enjoyed the way the author did not just dwell on the horror of the witchfinding but looked behind it for causes and explanations. Her fictional portrayal of Matthew Hopkins was also thought-provoking and well developed. The book is a skilful blend of fact and fiction.
Helpful
Reviewed in Australia on 31 May 2017
Although the story begins slowly, it ultimately picks up in the 2nd third. It is a tale about Alice and her brother Matthew. When Alice returns home pregnant after her husband's death, she finds a brother obsessed with the hunt for witches. Matthew truly is a vile villain, and is based upon a true historical figure who lived during the 17th century.
The story evokes sympathy for the plight of women during that time - helpless to prevent blame for anything from the death of a person to soured milk. The author did an outstanding job with research and her prose is splendid. All in all, this was a very enjoyable novel that teaches us about the horrors of centuries past. Recommended!
The story evokes sympathy for the plight of women during that time - helpless to prevent blame for anything from the death of a person to soured milk. The author did an outstanding job with research and her prose is splendid. All in all, this was a very enjoyable novel that teaches us about the horrors of centuries past. Recommended!
Top reviews from other countries

Pappa Dont Preach
1.0 out of 5 stars
Writing by numbers - cashed in on Witchfinder General but had nothing interesting to say
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 9 September 2018Verified Purchase
Kept persisting on this slow tedious novel. After 80 pages I thought a woman had lost her husband, returned to Maningtree with her husbands unborn child, to live with her brother who was scarred as a child and who was beginning to have a downer on women who may be witches. Damn, I've just summed up everything that happens in 80 pages in just three lines. If you buy this book you can now read from page 81...
To give an example of the prose:
"I did not want to go back to the Thorn: to Matthew, to Mary Phillips and to everything else I did not understand. I had thought that a few hours away from there would leave me knowing what I should do. But I did not know. I felt even less certain than before."
This lazy writing is throughout the book and all you have is pages of the main character thinking, 'I should go and see Bridget, but perhaps I shouldn't, I should ask Matthew if I can go and see Bridget, but perhaps I shouldn't as he may be angry. I should ask Bridget about Matthew if I do go and see her, but maybe I should see her tomorrow rather than today. But then again I do need to see Bridget to ask her about Matthew and mother's ring. Perhaps when I feel better I will go and see Bridget...etc, etc, etc"
By this time I'm hoping Bridget's house burns down and you get run over by s horse and cart!
The writing tries to be authentic but comes across as stilted and trite. Also no one in the 17th century was using the Americanism of 'walking through a scenario'. Yuck!
There is a good book to be had on this part of British folk history but this is not it.
To give an example of the prose:
"I did not want to go back to the Thorn: to Matthew, to Mary Phillips and to everything else I did not understand. I had thought that a few hours away from there would leave me knowing what I should do. But I did not know. I felt even less certain than before."
This lazy writing is throughout the book and all you have is pages of the main character thinking, 'I should go and see Bridget, but perhaps I shouldn't, I should ask Matthew if I can go and see Bridget, but perhaps I shouldn't as he may be angry. I should ask Bridget about Matthew if I do go and see her, but maybe I should see her tomorrow rather than today. But then again I do need to see Bridget to ask her about Matthew and mother's ring. Perhaps when I feel better I will go and see Bridget...etc, etc, etc"
By this time I'm hoping Bridget's house burns down and you get run over by s horse and cart!
The writing tries to be authentic but comes across as stilted and trite. Also no one in the 17th century was using the Americanism of 'walking through a scenario'. Yuck!
There is a good book to be had on this part of British folk history but this is not it.
22 people found this helpful
Report abuse

M Woodley
3.0 out of 5 stars
Talented Writing
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 February 2018Verified Purchase
It would be such a seductive idea: “A heroine emerging to rescue the defenceless”. The background story scrutinizes every heart breaking detail of how much Mathew Hopkins and his collaborators enjoyed, pulling the wings off butterflies. Mathew’s sadist personality was to collaborators what the Pied Piper’s melody was to rats. “If there is an acceptable defence, then you could excuse all sorts of terrible things” Stephen Law. Talented writing for a first book, well observed period detail, with one very atmospheric horror scene.
9 people found this helpful
Report abuse

wife of rhtp
3.0 out of 5 stars
OK but flawed.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 June 2018Verified Purchase
The recommendations on the cover say "Vivid and terrifying" "A compelling debut from a gifted storyteller" "Compelling" "Assured" etc.. It's not. It is ok. It is a tortuous read by virtue of the language and prose style but I guess the author was trying to write authentically as of the times. There is a good story at the heart of it, based around true events, and would probably make a good tv series/film if tidied and tightened up a bit however, it suffers from FNS - first novel syndrome. Many famous and popular authors fall into this category with the first novel and, thankfully, most go on to improve. Hopefully, Miss Underdown will. I will probably give the next novel ago - in point of fact, there is potential for there to be a sequel to this novel.
3 people found this helpful
Report abuse

Dee
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beautifully written, atmospheric, edge of your seat read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 29 August 2017Verified Purchase
This hooked me from the first page, it’s so beautifully written, gripping, and at times harrowing, it made a five hour flight whizz by and I felt like I was transported to 1645, where I could smell the horses, feel the fear, and the creeping cold and doubt during the time of the first witch trials in Essex. The story follows Alice Hopkins, who comes home to Manningtree to live with her brother after her husband is tragically killed, there she learns of a terrible rumour – her brother Mathew is keeping a list of names, women who are accused of witchcraft. It was such an interesting take, scary, and so poignant.
7 people found this helpful
Report abuse

Marianthy Riga
3.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting story
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 May 2017Verified Purchase
I liked the story and its gritty surrealism, but could not connect or sympathise with any character as they were portrayed, including Alice whose point of view we are following. Perhaps none were supposed to be likable. In any case Matthew Hopkins, the eponymous witchfinder, is painted very starkly and is ruthless in his pursuit of witchcraft among the less fortunate women in his area of Essex and Suffolk. Alice's investigation into his early years turns up several facts that perhaps motivate him. The whole book's atmosphere keeps you on tenterhooks, and you want to keep reading.
4 people found this helpful
Report abuse