The Hangman's Daughter

The Hangman's Daughter - Lee Chadeayne, Oliver Pötzsch

My Kindle and I spent some quality time together last night so I could finish The Hangman’s Daughter.

 

Quick summary (I guess it might have tiny spoilers?): It’s 1660, and the people in the town of  Schongau, Bavaria want to know who killed three children, who set fire to the warehouse, and who destroyed the building site for a leper house. Because each of the dead children was found with a strange mark on their shoulder, nearly everyone believes the crimes to be the result of witchcraft. They blame a midwife named Mary Stechlin because the murdered children were known to visit her often. Plus, she she has an herb garden, and only witches have herb gardens! But a few townspeople aren’t quite convinced. The hangman, his daughter, and a physician join forces to investigate the mysterious crimes and prove the midwife’s innocence before it’s too late.

 

The hangman and his family are all based on Oliver Pötzsch’s ancestors. They were real people, and I always find that fascinating (even if the story itself is fictional). I really wanted to know who really murdered the children, and it was great to find out, but it was less great getting to the part where I found out. It was a bit too wordy for me, though I think the fact that it was translated to English is to blame. There were a lot of times when I felt super bored and I really wanted to stop reading, but I pressed because the mystery itself was so intriguing, and I’m glad I did!

 

That said, I probably won't read any of the rest of the series. I may be missing out on some good stories, but there were so many dull moments in this one that I can't bring myself to bother with the others.