The Midwife and the Assassin
A Midwife Mystery
-
- $12.99
-
- $12.99
Publisher Description
"Sam Thomas has created one of the most unique sleuths in modern mystery fiction." -The Plain Dealer
In this thrilling new mystery from the critically acclaimed author of The Witch Hunter's Tale midwife Bridget Hodgson travels to London where she's forced into a new profession-as a spy.
It's 1649. Three years have passed since midwife Bridget Hodgson and her deputy Martha Hawkins fled York for the safety of the English countryside. But when a mysterious letter from London brings them to the capital, they are forced into service under Jonathan Marlowe, Oliver Cromwell's chief spymaster. Reunited with Bridget's nephew Will, the three seek out Parliament's enemies even as the nation awaits the trial of the King on charges of treason.
Marlowe's first mission for Bridget is to spy upon Katherine Chidley, a notorious political radical and-Marlowe fears-a potential rebel against Parliament. The more time Bridget spends with Katherine, however, the closer the two become, and when Katherine's husband Daniel is murdered, Bridget and Martha join in the search for the killer. As the two uncover Daniel's secrets, the list of suspects grows ever longer, until it includes royalists, radicals, and a figure from Bridget's past, who is equal parts mysterious and deadly. When the killer strikes again, Bridget and Martha realize that he is bent on far more than mere murder, but intends to revive the civil wars or destroy England entirely.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Midwife Bridget Hodgson has been leading a dull life on her estate in Hereford since the events of 2015's The Witch Hunter's Tale. Now in her excellent fourth outing, set in the late 1640s, Bridget receives a letter stating that Will, her beloved nephew, is being held prisoner in the Tower of London. Bridget rushes to Will's rescue, only to learn that his continued wellbeing hinges on her cooperation with Jonathan Marlowe, Oliver Cromwell's spymaster. Marlowe insists that Bridget move to London and set up trade in Cheapside so that she can infiltrate a group of revolutionaries known as the Levellers. Katherine Chidley, one of the Levellers' leaders, is also a midwife, and Marlowe believes that Bridget will be able to gain her confidence. The mission ends up involving multiple murder investigations, played out as Parliament decides the final fate of Charles I. Thomas expertly integrates the tumult of the time into a fair-play mystery.