Great, great read. The book takes place in 1659 Bavaria, several years after the Thirty Year War and about 70 years after the last big push for a witch hunt. After a great vignette of a prologue, the novel opens with the murder of a boy. Witchcraft is suspected and the local midwife is arrested. Jakob Kuisl, the whipsmart town executioner with a heart of gold, believes the midwife is innocent, and thus the murder mystery unfolds as he tries to find the real murderer.

Like I said, this was a really fantastic read. Well written, great characters, fast paced, and mostly historically honest (though the author, a descendant of the real Kuisl line, admits he embellished in some areas for the sake of fiction). There are enough clues, potential villains, and red-herrings to keep you guessing at every turn. I highly recommend it. 4.5 Stars