You just know when the book you’ve just started reading is going to be 5*. For me, not many are. I read lots of good 3* and 4* books. I reserve 5* sparingly for the special ones. ‘The Turn of Midnight’ by Minette Walters is one of those. It ticks so many boxes. Thriller, history, surprises, great characters and a tantalising bit of love from afar; Walters is a master storyteller. And this is a story of a grim period in British history. The Black Death. Medieval England. Gruesome detail, and yet I stayed up late to finish it. Why, because she makes me love the characters and manages that delicate balancing act of giving me just enough historical detail to be interesting but not too much that it becomes tedious.
‘The Turn of Midnight’ is the sequel to ‘The Last Hours’ which tells the story of the Black Death and its impact on the small Dorsetshire demesne of Develish. After the death of her husband from the plague his widow Lady Anne quarantines the demesne, introduces cleanliness routines and organises her healthy family, servants and serfs into a self-supporting and mutually-respectful society; unheard of in 1348. Woven into this story of survival is a romantic thread as Lady Anne and Thaddeus Thirkell, an illegitimate serf born on the demesne who Lady Anne has educated over the years to a standard of education greater than anyone else in the community excepting herself. Where ‘The Last Hours’ is something of a closed room story with a tight-knit cast of characters and one location, ‘The Turn of Midnight’ sees Thaddeus and a group of young men venture out into Dorsetshire to assess the dangers of the plague and the survival of other villages. When they return with a story of death, desertion and dereliction, a plan is formed to buy the neighbouring demesne of Pedle Hinton and so provide a home and farmland for the Develish citizens, the number of which has grown with the number of healthy wanderers they have adopted. But outside the demesne moat there are many enemies: bandits thieving and preying on the vulnerable, Norman soldiers who hate the English serfs, English serfs who hate anyone Norman, and corrupt priests, stewards and lords who swear they are acting in the name of God.
The plan is risky. Lady Anne and Thaddeus know that, although not robbing living people, they are taking possessions and gold which is not rightly theirs. It culminates in a struggle of religion, power and prejudice. Will common sense and the right of the people triumph? Whilst Lady Anne fights a battle against prejudice of her sex where she is better educated than the men who accuse her, Thaddeus similarly fights against prejudice of his worker roots and foreign tall dark physique.
Walters lives in Dorset and this shows in her sweeping creation of medieval Dorsetshire, she writes of the countryside, nature and the seasons with such surety you know she knows it well. This is a story of the first breaths of social mobility in a time of class hierarchy that prevented starving serfs from eating food meant for their lords, even though those lords are dead or have fled. Lady Anne’s common sense approach brings survival, health, basic education and hope for the future.
Excellent.
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I loved the previous book and have been eagerly awaiting the follow up . This was just as good as the first book. Although I would recommend reading the first one it is not a requirement as ehMinette began this book by a quick summary of the previous book and a rundown of the characters to set the scene for the new reader. This is an unusual story with a great natural build up of unique situations which were all written in Minette’s superb style.

The winter of 1349 and the residents of Develish in Devon are facing up to an isolated life away from others as they seek to protect themselves against the Plague. Devoted to their Lady Anne, they heed her advice to stay inside the moat and keep the village clear of rats. Thaddeus Thurkell, a slave educated by Lady Anne, is charged with finding food for the village but he brings a much higher prize in the form of My Lord of Bourne. Using their wits, Lady Anne and Thaddeus put together a plot which may yet save Develish, but their former Steward is conspiring against them.
Whilst I enjoyed The Last Hours, I felt that it dragged at times. This is not an accusation that could be made about The Turn of Midnight. Walters is an experienced writer and she knows how to keep a reader guessing to the very end, in this series she has turned to historical fiction very successfully. Of course there are gaping holes in the plot, the whole concept of Thaddeus and what he is able to do / get away with is far-fetched but there is an undercurrent of socialism which is refreshing.

Reading this series (what is out so far), it is clear that it was written by a crime author as it is tense and suspenseful without waning or becoming tiresome. Lady Anne (whom I still love) is back and better than ever, dealing with a quarantined population running out of supplies. And the Plague is still happening which would be a major concern but makes for such a wonderful and interesting setting/time period for a novel.

Another excellent book by Minette Walters. The Turn of Midnight continues the story started in The Last Hours of the inhabitants of Devilish as the black death rages through England. Lady Anne continues to guide her serfs to keep them all safe as the pestilence brings out the best and worst of humanity. It opens as The Last Hours end with the search for food by a few brave souls through a ravaged land. The story continues as Devilish comes into contact with more survivors, both deserving and not.

While the story is beautifully written and I found myself growing quite attached to many of the characters, Ms Walters sometimes stretches credulity with some fairly modern ideals about equality between men and women. How much this is reflective of ordinary people (rather than nobles or the church) is anybody's guess. However, it did not detract from a compelling story where at points I found myself not wanting to read further for fear of something terrible happening but at the same time compelled to read on.

Thoroughly recommended!

After reading the first in this series I was eagerly anticipating this, the second one. Once again Minette Walters has created a readable, atmospheric novel that takes the reader back to an age when the world was a very different place to the one we know now. The 14th Century is brought to life in such a way that it doesn't take much imagination to believe you're in the same place as the characters. I'm not sure though that her main characters are quite as appealing in this book, as Thaddeus has improved in stature among his peers he seems to have become less likeable and more arrogant and Lady Anne doesn't seem quite as interesting as she was. For me, the whole interview process involving Lady Anne when Thaddeus/Athelstan was captured was just too long and I ended up skimming over paragraphs just to get through it. I'm looking forward to the next in the in the series and hope that one will be as good as the first.

The second chapter in the story of Lady Anne and her faithful servant, Thaddeus. You definitely need to read the first book, The Last Hours, in the series before attempting this one.
I felt that The Last Hours stopped too abruptly as if the publisher had decided they could make two books out of one. My fears were confirmed when reading The Turn of Midnight - lots of padding before the inevitable conclusion. In my opinion it would have been much better to publish these two books as one complete novel.
It’s a good story though and Minette Walters is an excellent writer.

This is the sequel to The Last Hours, which followed the fortunes of a group of people during the Black Death which reached England in 1348. When I finished the first novel last year, I wasn’t sure whether I had liked it enough to want to read any more, but in the end I couldn’t resist finding out how the story would conclude.

The Turn of Midnight picks up where The Last Hours left off, with the people of Develish in Dorsetshire living in quarantine while the plague rages across the land. The reason their community has survived largely intact while others around them have been wiped out is because of the precautions taken by Lady Anne, who gathered her people within the moat that surrounds her manor house and burned the bridges, cutting them off from contact with the outside world. Now that winter has come and food supplies are running low, Lady Anne’s loyal serf Thaddeus Thurkell, accompanied by several other young men from Develish, has crossed the moat and ventured into the countryside to see what he can find.

Despite the strong leadership skills of Lady Anne and the intelligence and courage of Thaddeus, Develish has no lord, Lady Anne’s husband Sir Richard having succumbed to the plague early in the previous novel. This has left the demesne in a vulnerable position, so together Thaddeus and Lady Anne come up with a plan to protect the people of Develish…but if they fail Thaddeus could find himself in serious danger.

I’m glad I decided to read this book because I enjoyed it quite a bit more than The Last Hours. It feels faster paced, with more going on, and of course, being the second of a pair of two novels, it has a much more satisfying ending. Where the previous novel was set mainly in and around the manor of Develish, this one has a wider scope, concentrating less on Lady Anne and her family and more on Thaddeus. Towards the end of The Last Hours I felt that Thaddeus and his companions were wandering aimlessly in the countryside without much happening, but this time they have adventure after adventure as they explore desolate towns and villages, make new friends and new enemies, and carry out charades and deceptions.

My main criticism of this book is that I still couldn’t really believe in either Thaddeus or Lady Anne as realistic 14th century characters. As I mentioned in my review of The Last Hours, I found their attitudes and thought processes far too modern and wasn’t at all convinced that they, unlike the rest of the population, could have had such an accurate understanding of how the Black Death was spread and how to protect themselves from it. I was also disappointed that Lady Anne’s stepdaughter, Lady Eleanor, is reduced to such a minor role in this book. Eleanor was very much the villain of the previous novel, but near the end some reasons were given for her terrible behaviour and there were hints that she might have been about to turn a corner. She is certainly much more likeable in this second book, but sadly the transformation of her character is not explored in any depth which I thought was a wasted opportunity.

This is such an interesting period of history to read about, though, and I did find the portrayal of a country devastated by plague vivid and convincing, even if the characters were not. Minette Walters is much better known as a crime author and has moved into new territory with these two novels; I’ll be curious to see whether she writes any more historical fiction in the future.

This is the second instalment in Minette Walker's Black Death series. I would say it is important to read the first one as this is not a stand alone. Lucky for me I was sent both by Netgalley. It is just as fantastic as the first. Very well written and absolutely loads happens. If you love historical fiction then give this a go.

This is the second instalment of the story of Devilish and the struggles to survive in the aftermath of the Plague gripping the country. The familiar characters return and their challenges in a devastatingly changed social environment are many. The dangers too are significant as Lady Anne and Thaddeus Thurkell, her trusted serf, attempt to maintain their freedom and plan for a new future. This is another compelling read, a powerful story depicting a very dark time. I am looking forward to the third instalment.

Another gripping story from the pen of Minnette Walters. She never fails to draw you into her tales and this book is no exception. I was transported to the squalor and cruelty of life in the 15th century and given a real taste of the hardships, cruelty and death from plague viruses. Excellent story and well recommended to those who want a really good read.

This finishes the story begun in The Last Hours and it isn't really a standalone so do make sure you enjoy Part 1 before you begin this. The characters develop, mature and grow in confidence as they find new roles for themselves in the new (post-pestilence) world they gradually realise they now live in.

There are plenty of realistic practical details about the 14th century but these are in contrast to much more modern (advanced) social values. I found this an uneasy combination at times but it certainly got me thinking. The pace and excitement is well sustained throughout with a mix of action, travel, debate, intrigue and machinations. The final scenes are very tense as the balance of power tips repeatedly.

I plan to read more of Minette Walters books because I like her style of writing so may enjoy her crime novels too.

I was sent an uncorrected proof of The Turn of Midnight by Minette Walters to read and review by NetGalley.
This is the second book in the ‘Black Death’ series from Minette Walters. I have to say I found this novel much more engrossing than the first. For me it had much more tension and pace and more characterization. Time has moved on in the story and most of the novel takes place away from the demesne of Develish with Thaddeus and his young charges exploring the area for survivors and news of the extent of the plague. There is a good mixture of intrigue and action with an ending that leaves the way open for another book in the series. A good read!

Absolutely love this book. Couldn’t put it down nd can’t wait to get stuck into the next one. And maybe a bit in love with Thaddeus.

Survival of the fittest

I loved the first of Minette Walters Black Death novels, but I was left fearful at its end. Yes, Lady Anne’s little community had survived great trials, but how in medieval England could they maintain their utopia beyond the end of the plague? The very title of this second volume gave me even more cause for worry.

For almost the whole length of this sequel Lady Anne and her ally, Thaddeus Thurkell, face even greater dangers than before, but without compromising their principles work to achieve a solution to the problem I foresaw in the first novel. Do they succeed? Lets just say that for the second half of the story the whole enterprise hangs in as suspenseful a balance as I have experienced in fiction.

This is a story of good against evil, of prejudice against change and it is simply a triumph, one of the best historical novels I have ever read.

1348-9 – Lady Anne consolidates and helps – excellent follow-up novel

Minette Walters has written an exciting and eventful novel about how Lady Anne and her household make progress after the events of The Last Hours. Thaddeus takes to the road and new interesting characters are introduced. This develops very nicely with more intrigue, deceit, trust, bluff and suspicion. There is plenty to enjoy and it is definitely a page-turner.

Possibly this will not work as a stand-alone novel but the enthusiastic love of historical fiction should read the Last Hours first. Highly recommended. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I can't do justice to the beautiful writing style of Minette Walters, it's not too often that I read a book of 470-odd pages and feel that is just isn't long enough. I started slowing down near the end because I wasn't ready to say goodbye to the characters yet.

Dorset has been ravaged by the Black Death and the dust is starting to settle, the survivors must now plan for the future. There's no way that the social structure of England is going to remain the same after so many have died, it's time to start forming a new one and battling those that want to keep it the same out of fear and duty. I can't imagine many authors who could have me lapping up an entire book about sociology of the middle ages - this is a real gift.

This book is less about the visceral ickiness of the plague and more about the characters and politics. What impressed and delighted me the most was how the characters have changed since The Last Hours, it shows their capacity to learn from their experiences and keeps them unpredictable as they change over time.
Walters obviously has a keen understanding of human nature, both the positive and negative aspects, and channels this understanding into her characters to really bring them to life.

This book is the second in the Black Death series and really should be read in order, but I can say that this book is different to the first in terms of tone and content - I couldn't possibly decide which one I like best.
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The Turn Of Midnight is the follow up to The Last Hours, which introduced the Black Death arriving in Dorsetshire.

The Turn of Midnight is about the aftermath of this plague and the problems faced.

As the year1349 approaches, the quarantine imposed by Lady Anne for everyone in Develish is still in place to protect them all. As Lady Anne has kept her people safe, to say they were loyal to her is an understatement.

With food supplies dwindling, Thaddeus Thurkell is sent off with a small group of men to find out what is happening in the area. Minette Walters has clearly done a lot of research to give the tale such a realistic feel to it, including the social and political atmosphere of the time.

It’s a great piece of historical fiction covering a bleak period of history and has plenty of twists and turns along the way. I can thoroughly recommend it.

Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review

I enjoyed the glimpse of history Walters gives us in these books - with the added touches of gruesome detail of victims of both the Black Death and villany which you'd expect from the author of numerous crime thrillers - and I enjoyed the way that she has thought about the attitudes to gender, class and religion of the times. While the Black Death obviously didn't do away with the power of the church or medieval attitudes to women and the labouring classes I find it easy to believe that some people began to question the status quo. My only quibble would be that I think the pacing of the two books was a bit uneven - lots of discussions of Church versus faith, whether women having any power is a sign of witchcraft or heresy etc mixed in with the more dramatic scenes - but I'm not sure I could identify which scenes could be cut. Maybe instead of a two book series it should have been spread out over three slightly less weighty tomes - but then, of course, I'd have to have waited longer for the satisfying conclusion to the story of Lady Anne and Thaddeus Thurkell, and the other inhabitants of Develish.

The sequel to The Last Hours continues with Lady Anne of Develish protecting her demesne from the Black Death which she suspects is spread more by filth, rats and fleas than the will of God. Thaddeus Thurkell and his 5 young companions are outside the walls to survey the surrounding countryside to gauge how the local area has been affected – with sobering, stark results.

Lady Anne and Thaddeus realise there will be great social change once England starts to recover from the Pestilence. Feudal Lords, (if they return to their demesnes at all) will find their past unquestioned rights over the people will be challenged when labour to work their land is sparse, therefore valuable. The labourers will hold more power than they’ve ever had before. Lady Anne hopes this means that many will eventually be able to work to buy their freedom and make their own way in the world. She has visions of bringing communities together, with everyone working together for a better future.

People high up the Feudal chain are still trying to hold on to that power; churchmen included – keeping the common people scared of ‘God’s wrath’. But this has led to further deaths where the belief that nothing can be done to protect people from the sickness has led to apathy; and the ill have been pushed out of communities to fend (and die) by themselves.

I felt Lady Anne and Thurkell were perhaps a bit too far-seeing, philanthropic and visionary for people of their time as it took rather longer for the Feudal system to fall; it reads almost like the beginnings of socialism – but you can’t help but love them as they’re super characters with magnetic personalities. And you so want their ideas to work (as who would treat people like those peasants were treated?) I do feel that in reality the Church of the time would have destroyed them pretty quickly – especially such an outspoken woman!

A good read but not quite the same excitement level as the first instalment. My wish to know what happened to these and other much loved characters kept me reading but even I got a bit disillusioned during the trial near the end - I felt it was drawn out too long. But again, the portrait vividly painted of Dorseteshire and how people tried to cope at a time of such catastrophe is still a fascinating read.