Minette Walters

The Turn of Midnight by Minette Walters was published in 2019 and follows straight on from the events in The Last Hours, published in 2017. I received this book from a generous bookish friend in 2019 and it's languished on my TBR until now. Together these two historical fiction titles form the Black Death duology, which is set in 1300s Develish, Dorsetshire.

I read The Last Hours in October 2017 and despite reading The Turn of Midnight six years later, I didn't find myself lost at all. The Last Hours ended on such a memorable cliffhanger that left me out of sorts at the time, yet the author does an excellent job reminding us about the precise state of play when we last caught up with the various characters. My favourite historical fiction authors - Philippa Gregory, Alison Weir and Ken Follett - also manage to strike this balance between boring and repetitive recaps and helpful pointers that enhance the narrative without distracting from it.

To further drive home this point, halfway through The Turn of Midnight, the review copy of The Armour of Light by Ken Follett arrived in my mailbox. I'd requested it from the publisher and it was 730+ pages long so I reluctantly set aside this book in favour of ensuring I met my reviewing commitments. Picking this back up again 2 weeks later, I needn't have worried that a further interruption would diminish my reading enjoyment.

Again Lady Anne is the hero of her demesne, and together with Thaddeus, they have a plan to secure their futures after the black plague has swept through the countryside. The pestilence exposed the worst in some people and the best in others, some cowered in fear while others responded with kindness, unwilling to believe God was punishing them for their sins.

If you've been reading my reviews for any length of time, you'll have noticed that I love a good quote. I take a note as I'm reading and later transcribe all of the quotes when drafting my review. Many of these quotes end up on the cutting room floor but I didn't record any while reading The Turn of Midnight. I checked my review of The Last Hours and I didn't note any quotes while reading that one either. Perhaps it's a relief to read a quote-free review from me for a change, but I can assure you this wasn't due to a lack of great writing.

Lady Anne is a compelling character, a widow navigating a man's world and constantly challenged at every turn, she must be clever to dodge their accusations, negotiate safety and a future for her people. The dialogue was tight and amusing and the ending was immensely satisfying.

The Turn of Midnight by Minette Walters is highly recommended for historical fiction readers, but it won't really work as a standalone, so for maximum understanding and enjoyment, I recommended starting with The Last Hours.… (more)