There’s an extra witch hanging from the Salem gallows and the sheriff is not happy. Who strung up the mysterious beauty?

Arabella Edwards, mistress of the King’s colonial Secretary, bewitched many men besides her Protector. Did a rejected suitor or a jealous wife put a period to her life? Arabella had a hidden talent she used to ridicule people – did her caricatures cross the line? Arabella had a mysterious source of income – was it greed that ruined her? It’s up to Hetty and Creasy, two nosy Puritans from Boston, to discover whodunnit.

Hetty Henry is a wealthy widow with connections to high and low society. Increase "Creasy" Cotton is a young minister trained to uncover the guilty secrets of the human soul. Together they investigate the suspicious world of the Anglican chapel people with their noisy bonhomie and careless morals.

This time Hetty’s life is in deep danger while Creasy searches Salem for the person who accused her of being a witch. It’s Arabella Edwards’ young daughter Celia and her friend the Ferret who drag Hetty from the deep and help her solve the mystery. Out of the mouths of babes comes justice. Kemp adds humor to historical detail in this, her third tale of two nosy Puritans on the witch hunt.

There’s an extra witch hanging from the Salem gallows and the sheriff is puzzled. Who strung up the mysterious blond beauty?

Arabella Edwards bewitched many men, including the King’s colonial Secretary. Arabella had a talent for ridiculing people – did she take her political caricatures one step too far? Was it simply a jealous rival like the wild Harry Kegleigh?

It’s up to two nosy Puritans to discover the killer. Hetty Henry, a wealthy widow, and Increase "Creasy" Cotton, a young Boston minister, join forces to explore the easy morals of the Anglican Chapel people. Hetty is forced into hiding when her questions get her a dangerous accusation of witchcraft. With the murderer waiting for her, it’s Arabella’s little daughter Celia and Celia’s friend the Ferret who pull her out of deep trouble. From the mouths of babes comes justice.

1. Compare Hetty and Creasy as characters.
2. Early in the book Hetty examines the clothing of the mysterious victim; what do clothes tell us?
3. Why do the Salem witch trials continue to fascinate us today?
4. Stereotypes we have of the colonial Puritans – real or imagined?
5. Hetty, Celia and the Ferret pull a prank that backfires - discuss the roll of guilt in that time and today.
6. What are the various aspects of sex in the book?
7. Arabella has a talent for caricature – how is that relevant to today’s culture?
8. How do you think Hetty feels about children?
9. Which is your favorite character in the book, besides Hetty & Creasy?
10. Compare the roll of women then and today. Are there real differences?

Contact: Marilyn Rothstein

Email: Contact@MEKempMysteries.com

There’s an extra witch hanging from the Salem gallows and the sheriff is unhappy. Who killed the mysterious blond beauty?

Local author M. E. Kemp keeps the suspense rising in her new book, DEATH OF A BAWDY BELLE. M. E. Kemp is the pen name for Marilyn Rothstein of Second Street in Saratoga Springs. Under that name Kemp writes a series of historical mysteries featuring two nosy Boston Puritans as detectives. Hetty Henry is a wealthy young widow with connections to high and low society while Increase "Creasy" Cotton is a young Boston minister, a cousin of the famous clergyman, Cotton Mather. Together Hetty and Creasy must uncover the murderer of Arabella Edwards, mistress of the Royal Governor’s secretary. Set in 1692 during the Salem witch trials, this is the third book in the series, following DEATH OF DUTCH UNCLE, which was set in Dutch Albany two years earlier. Both books are published by Hilliard and Harris and obtainable from your local book source or Amazon.com.

Rothstein writes nonfiction articles for many national and regional publications. Her most recent article will appear in the next issue of MYSTERY READERS JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL. Rothstein lives in Saratoga Springs with her husband Jack and two cats, Boris and Natasha, who act as editors for her work.

For a photo of the author please email your request to: Contact@MEKempMysteries.com