A review by kbranfield
The Craftsman by Sharon Bolton
4.0
Set in 1969 and 1999, The Craftsman by Sharon Bolton is an intriguing mystery with slight occult elements (witchcraft).
In 1969, WPC Florence Lovelady is the only woman on the Lancashire police force. She is working in the small village of Sabden where three teenagers have inexplicably gone missing. The latest young woman to disappear is fourteen year old Patsy Wood and Florence comes up with an innovative idea in hopes of receiving tips from the public. Florence takes matters into her own hands when Superintendent Stanley Ruston is slow to act and she makes a gruesome discovery. She is then assigned to work the case alongside DC Tom Devine and the rest of the team and Florence makes some startling findings that lead to the arrest and conviction of coffin-maker Larry Glassbrook.
In 1999, Florence is back in Sabden along with her fifteen year old son Ben for Larry's funeral. Over the past thirty years, she has periodically visited Larry in prison and she is little troubled by something he said to her during their last conversation. Returning to his house, she makes a chilling discovery that raise doubts about Larry's guilt. Turning to her old friend Tom Devine, who is still on the police force, they work together to uncover the truth about who might have been responsible for the kidnappings and murders thirty years earlier.
The narrative begins in 1999 then quickly shifts back to the investigation in 1969. Florence is new to the force but she has keen instincts that quickly turn up leads to follow. Not everyone is happy to work alongside a woman so Florence is also dealing with sexism from her older co-workers. She soon learns to not to allow their attitudes affect and she diligently works the case. Florence hears whispers of witchcraft and learns of a possible connection to the Stonemasons but does this information have anything to do with the missing teenagers?
The Craftsman is a fast-paced mystery with a chilling storyline and fascinating supernatural elements. The characters are multi-faceted and their attitudes are true to the time period. Florence is a sharply intelligent woman whose confidence in her abilities grows throughout the investigation. The kidnappings and murders are disturbing but this part of the storyline is tastefully handled. The witchcraft aspect is quite interesting and it is naturally incorporated into the story in a believable fashion. With absolutely stunning twists and startling turns, Sharon Bolton brings the novel to a jaw-dropping, shocking conclusion. I highly recommend this riveting mystery to fans of the genre.
In 1969, WPC Florence Lovelady is the only woman on the Lancashire police force. She is working in the small village of Sabden where three teenagers have inexplicably gone missing. The latest young woman to disappear is fourteen year old Patsy Wood and Florence comes up with an innovative idea in hopes of receiving tips from the public. Florence takes matters into her own hands when Superintendent Stanley Ruston is slow to act and she makes a gruesome discovery. She is then assigned to work the case alongside DC Tom Devine and the rest of the team and Florence makes some startling findings that lead to the arrest and conviction of coffin-maker Larry Glassbrook.
In 1999, Florence is back in Sabden along with her fifteen year old son Ben for Larry's funeral. Over the past thirty years, she has periodically visited Larry in prison and she is little troubled by something he said to her during their last conversation. Returning to his house, she makes a chilling discovery that raise doubts about Larry's guilt. Turning to her old friend Tom Devine, who is still on the police force, they work together to uncover the truth about who might have been responsible for the kidnappings and murders thirty years earlier.
The narrative begins in 1999 then quickly shifts back to the investigation in 1969. Florence is new to the force but she has keen instincts that quickly turn up leads to follow. Not everyone is happy to work alongside a woman so Florence is also dealing with sexism from her older co-workers. She soon learns to not to allow their attitudes affect and she diligently works the case. Florence hears whispers of witchcraft and learns of a possible connection to the Stonemasons but does this information have anything to do with the missing teenagers?
The Craftsman is a fast-paced mystery with a chilling storyline and fascinating supernatural elements. The characters are multi-faceted and their attitudes are true to the time period. Florence is a sharply intelligent woman whose confidence in her abilities grows throughout the investigation. The kidnappings and murders are disturbing but this part of the storyline is tastefully handled. The witchcraft aspect is quite interesting and it is naturally incorporated into the story in a believable fashion. With absolutely stunning twists and startling turns, Sharon Bolton brings the novel to a jaw-dropping, shocking conclusion. I highly recommend this riveting mystery to fans of the genre.