The Hangman’s Daughter by Oliver Potzsch takes place in Germany, 1659. The tale of the hangman is one of a man who has come to accept his life work as death. Potzsch put much work and research into the details of a hangman’s job and the time and the outcome are scattered throughout the novel, but it is not the details of death that will keep you turning the pages. Every character is developed meaningfully and continuously at every turn and the mystery grows deeper as the hangman works to save the life of woman who is deemed a witch by the town’s people. Every character twists throughout the novel and often this they are twisting in the opposite manner than the plot is twisting, which makes for intriguing read. Those who crave the rational will turn the pages as reason strings them along and those who crave the magical will turn the pages as they are all filled magic. Although the novel is set a very long time ago the reader cannot help but be pulled into the plot and question life as they know it in the modern world. ~Amy Widman~