The Midwife and the Assassin: A Midwife Mystery

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. [em]Agent: Josh Getzler, Hannigan Salky Getzler. (Mar.) [/em]