Review - Grumpy Bookseller

Sinful Folk - Nikki McClure, Ned Hayes

Wow -- nice little review this morning from TLC Book Tours and the "No More Grumpy Bookseller" site.

"Ned Hayes's latest is superb, guys! I mean really superb! There are so many things I want to note but I'm trying very hard to restrain myself because I think I'd prefer to leave some of the surprises for other potential readers to discover on their own. So here goes!

It's historical fiction set in 1377 with a truly fabulous narrator. Mear/Miriam has very good reason to hide her identity, not least of which is the fact that we soon discover the villagers' fear of single women living amongst them. As their travels progress Mear becomes even more afraid of the possible discovery of her identity in spite of the fact that she oftentimes is the one who saves many of them from grave peril.

And it's Mear's secrets that really make this a stand out - what she's running from and why she's kept her identity secret for so long. Hayes intertwines Miriam's tale around Mear's journey, revealing pieces of her past through her own memories while also giving clues through other characters along the way.

Hayes's tale is wrapped around a true historic event - apparently medieval records do note the deaths of a handful of village children in a fire in 1377 and the villagers' journey to seek justice from the king. But the twist is even more clever - there's a second historical note that has inspired this tale and that's what I don't want to give away. I will say this, considering some of my recent reading this was a timely one for my TBR.


Sinful Folk has elements of mystery and suspense and an obvious careful attention to historical accuracy. Hayes sets the tone nicely and Mear does all the rest! Historical fiction fans take note, this is definitely one not to miss!

Rating: 4.5/5

To see more stops on the tour be sure to check out the official TLC tour page here >>

Source: http://sinfulfolk.com