THE WITCH HUNTER

Crowner John battles witch-hunting hysteria, ambitious clerics, and the nefarious Sheriff of Exeter in this involving addition to Bernard Knight's historically accurate mystery series set in twelfth-century England. As usual, Paul Matthews clearly reveals character with his voice, offering a sympathetically gruff Crowner (i.e., coroner), a shrill wife Matilda, and a host of finely tuned clerics. Matthews's reading of the narrative sections early in the book is a bit choppy, as he often pauses confusingly between linked phrases in a sentence. This problem seems to resolve itself as the story progresses, making this a fine listen, particularly for those who like their historical mysteries to be as informative as they are entertaining. A.C.S. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/NOV 05]