Perfect for fans of Charles Todd and Susanna Calkins, comes Nancy Herriman’s second bewitching tale of herbalist Bess Ellyott who uncovers the sinister underbelly of Elizabethan England.The dark shadows of Elizabethan England envelop a bucolic village when a brutal murder reveals a viper’s nest of resentment, fear—and the haunting specter of black magic.Autumn has fallen on Wiltshire, but as the … fallen on Wiltshire, but as the air grows crisp and the trees turn a resplendent gold, a sinister presence arrives in the form of a horrifying murder. Bartholomew Reade, a player in a traveling troupe, has been found stabbed, sprawled on a low mound outside the village, a reed pen jabbed into his throat.
On the night of the murder, a bleeding woman collapses at the doorstep of herbalist Bess Ellyott desperately seeking help. Could she have a connection to the dead man? As Bess seeks answers, Constable Kit Harwoode is busy assembling his own lengthy list of suspects. Reade had many enemies, including the leader of the troupe, who resented his ambitions as a playwright, and his fellow players, who bristled at his arrogance—just to name a few.
As if the case weren’t thorny enough, the hill where the dead man was found is reputed to have once been the site of a Druid temple. And recent reports of diseased sheep and sick children, supposedly the work of a witch, have the townspeople terrified. As the shadows lengthen, Bess races to discover the truth before darkness descends in A Fall of Shadows.
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Full of atmosphere and rich details of the time period that are brought to life by the author’s skillful storytelling. A colorful cast of characters and a twisting path of possibilities make this a challenging and entertaining mystery.
Fabulous. If I only had one word to describe this work this is what it would be. I love the depth than Ms. Herriman has gone to in researching this time period. I love the words that were common during the time period that have fallen into disuse. I just love this series and A Fall of Shadows is a fabulous (there’s that word again) second book in the Bess Ellyott series.
Bess and Kit are once again seemingly the only people in town that question the validity of witches, familiars, and poppits being able to wreak havoc on their town and townspeople. Bess an herbalist and healer, so only one step removed from being a witch, and Kit the town constable join forces to try to find out the truth.
A traveling show comes to Wiltshire and one of the actors is murdered. He had been a resident of the town prior to his acting career. A young woman with possible romantic ties to the actor is also killed in a farm accident. Coincidence?
There are so many winding roads to the conclusion of this riddle. I thought I knew the killer early on, then when new clues came to the fore, I was sure I was incorrect. Then it was back to the first person I suspected, then I realized I was totally wrong! Great job.
This is written as a stand-alone, but it would behoove you to read the first book just for the great story and the background on Bess and Kit. You don’t have to, but why deprive yourself from another wonderful read!
A wonderful Elizabethan Period setting, fluid dialogue, a compelling mystery, and intriguing characters make A FALL OF SHADOWS a superb read, suitable for any fan of historical mysteries or fiction.
In this second book in the series, healer and herbalist Bess Ellyott continues to find herself an outsider and under suspicion of her village. She lands in the middle of a murder investigation when traveling troupe member (and one-time local boy) Bartholomew Reade is found stabbed at what was once a Druid mound and a bleeding, obviously ill, dairy owner’s daughter Ellyn arrives at Bess’s door. As the body count rises and the superstitions of the villagers become dangerous, Bess does all she can to assist Constable Kit Harwoode.
Not having read the first book in the Bess Ellyott Mystery series, I had no trouble jumping right into the story and quickly felt like I had known these characters for a long while. It can definitely be read as a standalone novel, just know that there are some spoilers for the first book, SEARCHER OF THE DEAD, within its pages. I like Bess; she is levelheaded, intelligent, and genuinely cares for her patients and neighbors, even when they are mistrustful of her. My favorite part of the book is the interactions between Bess and Kit. They sparkle with attraction, trust, and respect. Kit makes an admirable match for Bess as he is detailed and thorough in his investigations, and his primary focus is finding the truth and justice. Bess’s maid, and her relationship with Bess, is also noteworthy. They are dedicated to each other.
The mystery of Bartholomew’s death is complex with enough red herrings to keep me guessing throughout. The clues fit together seamlessly to tell the tale of murder, jealously, love, and theft with finesse, and the pace of the book is steady. I really enjoyed A FALL OF SHADOWS and highly recommend it.
I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley and voluntarily shared my thoughts here.