The Craftsman

by Sharon Bolton

'Buy it. Read it. Tell your friends.' - Sarah Pinborough

'Darkly gothic and brilliantly original, The Craftsman will have you spellbound.' - JP Delaney

'An absolutely terrific crime novel that takes your darkest fear and makes it reality.' - Elly Griffiths

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Devoted father or merciless killer?

His secrets are buried with him.

Florence Lovelady's career was made when she convicted coffin-maker Larry Glassbrook of a series of child murders 30 years ago. Like something from our worst nightmares the victims were buried...ALIVE.

Larry confessed to the crimes; it was an open and shut case. But now he's dead, and events from the past start to repeat themselves.

Did she get it wrong all those years ago?
Or is there something much darker at play?

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Praise for The Craftsman

'Grisly and comeplling.' - Sarah Hilary

'Utterly terrifying and gripping.' - Sabine Durrant, author of TAKE ME IN

'An original, dark, and twisted tale and the words just sparkle on the page.' - Niki Mackay

'I dare you to read it after dark. The Craftsman is a blood-chilling thriller that will cast a spell on you.' - Mark Edwards,No.1 Kindle bestseller

'Fabulous, utterly unique storyline, that will effortlessly stand out in the crowd of thrillers. It'll give you the creeps.' - Helen Fields

'Pitch perfect creepiness, air punching female empowerment and sinister mysteries kept me hooked to the very last page.' - Holly Seddon

'The Craftsman goes to some very dark places, and will have readers looking nervously over their shoulders with every page they turn.' - Mick Herron

'A brilliant blend of rich crime thriller with a hint of the gothic. Dark, disturbing and with women who totally rock, with the Craftsman Sharon Bolton has proven herself to be a master Craftsman herself. Buy it. Read it. Tell your friends. Then sleep with the light on.' - Sarah Pinborough

• ISBN10: 1409174115
• ISBN13: 9781409174110
• Publish Date: 3 May 2018 (first published 1 May 2018)
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 5 March 2021
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Orion Publishing Co
• Imprint: Trapeze
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 432
• Language: English

Reviews

[kimbacaffeinate]

Reasons to grab your earbuds and listen to The Craftsman

• With alternating timelines between present day (1999) and thirty-years prior (1969) Bolton quickly pulled me into this macabre thriller. Our protagonist Florence Loveday and her son are attending the funeral of Larry Glassbrook. Glassbrook was the convicted serial killer responsible for heinous crimes in a case Loveday worked over thirty years ago. In 1969 as a young officer in Lancashire, she worked a missing persons case involving a thirteen-year-old girl. That cases lead to the discovery of horrible crimes that rocked the small town.


• Both timelines were well-developed and held my attention. Bolton fleshed out the characters and period from Loveday following trusting her gut to the way her male counterparts treated her.


• Glassbrook’s death brings back flashbacks and when Loveday discovers a small voodoo doll of herself things get interesting. Did they incarcerate the wrong man? Is someone snatching children again? Are the cases connected?


• Set in Sabden, a town on the edge of Pendle Hill, Bolton wove the town’s history into her story. The elements of witchcraft, folklore and superstition created suspense, foreboding and authenticity to the story.


• While the current thread built slowly, the payoff for reader and listeners alike came in the final thirty percent of the book. Gritty, gothic and unbelievably suspenseful I found myself completely enthralled. At one point I was gripping the sofa pillow so tightly my hand throbbed. I was so engrossed by the twists, danger and pulse-pounding moments I could barely breathe.


• The story is dark and deeply disturbing. While this isn’t horror, there are moments and discoveries that will haunt you. Keep in mind young people were/are kidnapped and murdered. Their cause of death is disturbing and difficult for the mind to process. Even Loveday’s experiences in the past were terrifying. While Bolton didn’t go out of her way in detailing the deaths, she left little to the imagination and I often cringed at the revelations.


• If you listen you are in for an extra dose of suspense. Nathalie Buscombe offered a wonderful narration. She captured the atmospheric tones and tension as the story progressed lending authenticity to the characters and their actions.


• Do not skip the note from the author entitled Dear Reader.

This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer