I love this author! It is unfortunate that she so seldom publishes books. This story has so many facets... some topics that are in the book:
mental illness, doctor-patient relationships, poisoning witchcraft, celestial navigation, suicide, murder, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Herman Melville, infidelity, same-sex marriage, stalking, New England history, Parkinson's Disease, Alzheimer's Disease, mistaken identity...
All these topics are covered in-depth and are integral parts of the story. I admire the research that the author has obviously done in preparation for writing an excellent story. In fact, I think that is why she has only published three books in the last 10 years.
I recommend this and her book "The Lace Reader". This is the second installment in the series, but they can be read as stand-alone novels. ( )

picked it up at a thrift store - liked that it said "masterfully woven" - beginning was ok, middle was starting to get slow, then holy moley...didn't see the connections/how it was woven together until I was reading on the edge of my seat. rare that a book takes me along with surprises! ( )

Avevo già letto tutti gli altri romanzi della Barry, mi mancava questo.
Come trama è meno cupa degli altri, ma comunque è ben scritto. Stavolta le atmosfere magiche di Salem sono meno accentuate, c'è più spazio alla caratterizzazione dei personaggi.
Comunque lo consiglio. ( )

I found this book overly long. There were too many side digressions, which didn't add to the story. The characters and their problems, there are plenty, didn't move me and yet they should have. I must be strong and pass this book on. ( )

This was very well done. It had a small town, cozy feeling to it, but still had enough twists and turns to keep me guessing, and gasping, at the end. It does have some harsh subjects that may be triggering to some people.

The characters are relatable, for the most part.

As someone whose mother has bipolar disorder, this one hit a bit close to home, but it was interesting to see another take on the disorder. ( )