Speaks the Nightbird VOL 1 by Robert McCammon

Speaks the Nightbird VOL 1

Speaks the Nightbird, volume 1: Judgment of the witch.
Author: Robert McCammon
Publisher: Pocket books
ISBN: 0-7434-7432-5
Words: 465

1699 is a very bad time for the small new settlement, Font Royal. Houses are burning, people are leaving, crops fail to grow, endless rain and there have been two murders. This small town has itself a witch in the form of beautiful Rachel Howarth. And the evidence against her is huge. She been seen fornicating with the devil with a thorn embedded penis and has had three demons each take part in her womanly pleasures.

But the most damning evidence comes from a small girl who met Satan one evening and she was told to free Rachel from the gaol (jail).

The town sends for a magistrate to proceed over the trial. Font Royal wants to do this the proper way, the way of the new world.

The magistrate Issac Woodward is aided by his astute but overly curious young clerk, Matthew, who believes her to be innocent.

Locked in the gaol himself due to his curiosity and a well described fight scene with the blacksmith, Matthew learns a lot about the witch from being in the cell next to her. They form a bond and he realizes that he is the only person on the earth who can be her "champion of truth".

Spread amongst the witch trial and the lives of Issac and Matthew is a dark man who ventures into the swamp in the early hours of the morning -- turtles with Spanish gold in their bellies and town with many secrets.

This book is an engrossing mystery told from the New York Times Best selling author Robert McCammon. There is rarely a dull moment and the plot moves forward at a regular pace. The story is told with a lot of 'Old English' as was the way in those times, but sometimes he seems to forget and modern English pops in.

Being only volume one of two, this books ends on a high note. I do intend to get book two ASAP but I recalled McCammon's books, Swan Song, which lost it's magical hold on her with a seven year jump. I am only hoping that volume 2, can keep the pressure up.

McCammon is an amazing storyteller, and I am glad he has returned from his self imposed retirement. And he has returned with a book filled with suspense and pure evil hiding in the small new settlement of Fount Royal.

And just to throw more dry timber into the blistering furnace, McCammon adds Edodus Jerusalem, a minister determined to see the witch burn or hang or offer her body to him for salvation, that only he can provide.

Jerusalem has such a way with words that most of the town follows him. And anyone who opposes him is indeed under the influence of the witch, Madam Howarth.

Grab your copy today!!!