The Turn of Midnight

Towards the end of 1348 in many parts of Dorsetshire the Black Death still prevails. There have been thousands of deaths throughout England but some communities have remained relatively safe due to enforced isolation and the introduction of hygiene measures. Develish, managed by Lady Anne, is one such community.

Although the people of Develish are safe they will shortly run out of supplies of food so several of the men form a party to bring back much needed supplies to the community. They had already investigated the fate of neighbouring villages so had a good idea where they could locate supplies of wheat as well as herds of sheep. 

Thaddeus Thurkell and Lady Anne hoped to purchase the neighbouring deserted demense of Pedle Hinton and eventually merge the two communities. When Thaddeus, masquerading as Lady Anne's cousin, was betrayed by a former Develish employee, Lady Anne left Develish to intercede on Thaddeus' behalf.

Minette Walters is primarily known as a crime writer so throughout this medieval world faced with destruction that she has created, there is growing tension as this second book in the series reaches its climax. The roles of the gentry versus their serfs, the ability of serfs to earn their freedom, the belief of male superiority over women, the importance of literacy for all, the role of the clergy to impose their views on the rest of the community and the consequences when challenged are some of the themes covered in this two book series.

The Turn of Midnight (published 2018) by Minette Walters is the sequel to The Last Hours (published 2017). They were therefore written shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the world.