The Hangman's Daughter by Oliver Potzsch
I came across this gem while I was perusing the Kindle Lending Library collection last month. I had heard nothing about it, but the title and cool cover art was enough to perk my interest. When I was eligible to barrow a new book, this one was at the top of my list.
The book is set in Bavaria, Germany in the 1660's, a time when women were still accused and killed for suspected witchcraft. The peace of a small town is shattered when a young boy washes up on the banks of a river and cannot be revived. After examining the boy, the town's young physician finds a suspicious mark tattooed on the boy's skin. This mark incites the already angry mob that has since formed, including the boy's father, and they quickly accuse the town's midwife of witchcraft and taking the boy's life. Despite the fact the midwife, Martha Stechlin, has a concrete alibi for the time of the murder and has delivered most of the children in the town, she cannot escape their wrath.
And so enters the hangman, Jakob Kuisl. He is a tall, imposing figure that most people in the town avoid at all costs due to the bad luck that is associated with the hangman. Jakob and his family aren't even allowed to live within the city walls, and his children will either become the next hangman of the town (sons) or marry the hangman from a neighboring town (daughters). Despite occupying this low social position in the town, Jakob's vast knowledge of medicine and herbs coupled to his levelheadedness has earned him the reputation of someone the town-members turn to in the face of a crisis.
Jakob is able to save Martha from the mob's attempt at vigilante justice, but he is forced to lock her in the keep to preserve her safety, an act that does nothing to help persuade the town of her innocence. This, plus the accusation of witchcraft makes Martha persona non grata with nearly every member of the town.
Jakob's kindheartedness and friendship with Martha is the driving force behind his investigations into the strange murder. Without bringing forth concrete evidence showing that someone else killed the young boy, Jakob knows that he will be forced to torture and eventually kill Martha. He is aided in his investigations by the town's young physician, Simon, and Jakob's older daughter Magdelena, who is considered quite independent and strong willed for a young woman of that era.
The trio's investigation becomes more complicated as more children are found dead bearing the same mark as the first boy. The town becomes increasingly paranoid and convinced of Martha's guilt, despite the fact that she was locked in the keep for all but the first murder. Recognizing that the nervous town needs a scape goat for the murder of the children, the townsmen responsible for bringing justice quickly advance their plans to torture and kill Martha. Jakob, Simon and Magdelena pursue clues and slowly piece together the mystery of the murdered children, but know that they are in a race against time to fully prove Martha's innocence.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The storyline was fresh, the characters were rich and I loved the backdrop of the story. This book falls into my "I just couldn't put it down" category, so much so that I stayed up until midnight on a weeknight because I had to know how it was going to end (not very characteristic of me).
I'm interested excited to see how the next three books in the series pan out. Will they also center on murder mysteries? How many of these characters will be repeated throughout the series? Will the setting/time period change? As I've mentioned before, I get nervous reading multiple works by an author who's first book I've loved. But, I'm willing to give Oliver Potzsch a chance and I'm hoping that I'll be pleasantly surprised.
The great news for Kindle Prime members is that this entire series is available for free through the Kindle Lending Library. I'm looking forward to September 1st, when I can start reading The Dark Monk.
