The Glassmaker's Wife

by Lee Martin

In August of 1844, a man named Leonard Reed takes violently ill at his home near Heathsville, Illinois, and four days later he is dead. The cause? Arsenic poisoning. The suspect? His wife, Betsey. The chief witnesses against her? A hired girl, Eveline Deal, and the local apothecary, James Logan. The evidence? Eveline claims she saw Betsey put a pinch of white powder in Leonard’s coffee. Betsey Reed, a woman who dabbles in herbal healing, is known about town as a witch. As the gossip and the circumstantial evidence mount, Betsey finds herself under the shadow of a trial—and a noose. A historical crime inspired by the true story of Betsey Reed, for fans of The Trial of Lizzie Borden and The Good Sister, Lee Martin’s latest weaves a tale of a pinch of white powder, a scorched paper, a community hungry for a villain, and a young girl’s first taste of revenge—but above all, of the contradictions and imperfections of the human heart.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Historical

248 pages, Paperback

Published December 6, 2022

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author on Goodreads with the name Lee Martin.

Lee Martin, author of The Bright Forever.
Lee Martin, Mystery Novels.
Lee Martin, Pseudonym of Anne Wingate
Lee Martin, Western Novels.

Reviews

[Terris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this historical fiction novel about a woman hanged for poisoning her husband in 1845. I was especially drawn to it since it is based on an incident which happened in the next county to mine in Illinois and was written by a local author whom I have met. It is a compelling but sad story.
I recommend it!

[Gary Branson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. Great writing and characters. Well paced and entertaining, along with thought provoking issues of the day.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is set in Southern Il, Where I was born so it was all the more interesting to me

[Janilyn Kocher · Rating 3 out of 5]

What intrigued me the most about this book was the setting. It occurs very close to where I grew up. Reading about town names and areas I was familiar was a thrill.
The story was decent and I wondered how it would all turn out.
I didn’t like the ending. I also was disappointed the author had no end notes to reveal If this was based on a true story.
Thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for the advance read.

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a huge fan of Lee Martin's writings -- fiction, nonfiction -- and found this book to be as interesting and thought-provoking his other works. This one is historical fiction, but putting aside the trappings of the 1840s, a discerning reader can find truths and issues still relevant today.

The story seems simple, at first: a beautiful woman in a less-than-ideal marriage is accused of murdering her husband. Rumors that she, Betsey Reed, is a witch have circulated in her small Illinois community for years, so it isn't far to go for society to condemn her shortly after her husband's sudden death. After all, if a cow goes dry when it passes in front of her, and a child fall ill and dies after spending time with her, what else is this woman capable of? Eveline Deal, her hired girl, testifies that she saw Betsey put a pinch of white powder in "the Mister's" coffee the morning he fell ill, and a pharmacology test common in that time period shows arsenic in Mr. Reed's stomach. It seems Betsey is headed straight to the gallows.

Yet, as in Lee Martin's other novels, there's a sense throughout all this that there's more to the story, that most if not all of the characters, most prominently Eveline Deal, know more than they are saying -- not just about Betsey Reed and her husband, or the shopkeeper with whom Betsey appears to be smitten, or the German immigrant who blames Betsey for the death of his son. They know more than they are saying about themselves. And, like all of us, there is much here they'd rather keep hidden, hidden not only from the view of others but from themselves. Will any one of them bring these secrets to the surface? Or will Betsey hang for a crime she may have not committed?

There is mystery here in this well-researched novel, but wrapped more subtly in Lee Martin's lovely prose are questions about the human psyche and the human heart. How do we balance our own needs with what we know to be right? For what do we need to be forgiven, and from what sources do we seek that forgiveness? Others? Ourselves? God? What decisions made in haste or selfishness give rise to things we may never imagine possible? These are the questions that resonate and stay with the reader after the story comes to an end.

This quiet little novel brings with it many opportunities for discussion, so it would be a great choice for book groups. Historical fiction fans will surely enjoy it, as will anyone who wants to read for insight into the human heart.

[Shelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Inspired by or based on a true crime from 1844, this slim novel (248 pages in a trade paperback with many blank pages between chapters) is either intended to fill in the blanks in the historical record (the last chapter seems lifted from a newspaper account I found by Googling the actual case) or is a story of Martin's imagination hung on the skeleton of the historical record of the crime. I really longed for an afterward where Martin might've explained his intent.

A woman, Betsy Reed, already the source of gossip due to her "witchy" ways, is accused of murdering her glassmaker husband by poisoning him with arsenic. The case against her hinges on the claim of a teenage girl who worked for the Reeds that she saw Mrs. Reed put white powder in her husband's morning coffee.

This is a simple story, simply told. more about secrets and things not said than a whodunit. Slowly, the secrets come out, but the ending seemed inevitable. With straight-forward prose and no clear protagonist (Betsy and the girl, Eveline, seem to share that role), the book was disappointing. Repetition of the known facts and opinions feels like padding, And while this was a fast read and I wanted to know the fate of all the characters, I did find it hard to truly care about any of them. Martin has much to say here about love, imperfections, adolescent yearnings, and a woman's role in society in early-19th Century US, but the message feels flat and left me with the sense that this could have been much better.

[Debbie Hagan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lee Martin is a master at creating well-drawn characters that seize readers' hearts. Certainly, it is true of this historical/mystery novel. Martin's cast of unique, rural, Midwest townspeople, with their passions and strengths, grab readers from page one. Yet, it's their flaws, frailties, secrets, and pettiness that lead readers to a darker, more complex story. This tale takes place in 1844, when a glassmaker, Leonard Reed, dies suddenly of a stomach ailment. Immediately townspeople question whether he was really sick or poisoned. Everyone knows that his wife, Betsy Reed had been mad at him for selling off part of their land without consulting her first. Betsy is an herbalist, but some think she's a witch and fully capable of concocting a potion that could have killed her husband. Some think she might have wanted him dead, given how she's fond of one of the local merchants. Eveline Deal, a girl who worked on the Reed farm, was there that fateful morning when Leonard Reed grew ill. She saw the wife put something into her husband's coffee. As Betsy faces the gallows, everyone wonders what other secrets this girl holds. What is she not saying? This book raises many questions, including the consequences of long-held pain and resentment.

[Valencia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was a very good read! I love how the book is written in the same dialect as the characters are speaking! It really pulls you into the time period and helps you stay immersed throughout the book! I tagged this book as infuriating due to the way the characters are all hiding something but I also love this. It makes them more realistic as people and allows the book to flow nicely. The ending is sad but realistic for the time period in my opinion. I definitely think this book makes you think heavily on the morality of all the characters you come across and makes you take the time period into account. The time period isn't ignored just to make the books ending more modern or tame. This book was a great read and I really recommend it to anyone who wants to try out a period piece book that isn't romance centered.

[Jeanette · Rating 3 out of 5]

The beginning was 4 stars. And so was the depth of the character development.

But although some passages were what is described as "lyrical" here (nature descriptions, and the glass blowing process especially)- this novel could not let me embed. I stopped and then continued about 5 times. Very odd for a book of this length. The reason was I didn't find it a particularly pleasant or compelling place to visit.

I choose it because of the IL placement and time element. Contemporaries of Lincoln!

Pacing on this one was terrible, IMHO. It just seemed off. I knew what the ending would be before the 2/3rd point. But I would try the author again. Possibly not such oddball people next time?

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a young girl, Evaline works for Betsy and Leonard in the 1840's. Leonard is a glass maker and teaches Evaline the process. Most of her time is spent helping in the home. One day Leonard becomes violently ill and dies after a few days. Betsy is suspected of being a witch and a witness saw her put a white powder into his coffee the morning he became ill. Did Betsy kill her husband because she was in love with another? Or did Leonard die because he had ill dealings with another man? This short historical novel is well written with lots of depth of character.

[Tessa A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book to be interesting the whole way through, no dips in pacing or content, just engrossing start to finish. Though the story is wrapped around mystery and dark motivations for the secrets the characters keep, it also has a beautiful tenderness to it. The characters have a very believable humanity to them, though you get to know them gradually as they come to know themselves through the course of the story. I really enjoyed this read.

[Jeanette Durkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that has many surprises, twists and turns. This book has fantastic characters and a unique story line. It also has complex love stories that boggle the mind. The element of faith was inspiring. A definite must read!

[Bridgett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just (like a minute ago) finished Lee Martin's newest book, The Glassmaker's Wife. As usual, Martin's characters are unfailingly human. Complex, heartbroken, and mistake-prone, the characters in this book are all too real, and Martin treats them with grace and love. This book is a gift.

[Dena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting. It's surprisingly detailed for such a short story. I was slightly frustrated by how many of the characters kept speaking in riddle, but eventually, all of the story came through in the end. Sadly, the ending was not a surprise.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story held me in suspense. I never thought it would end as it did! The descriptions throughout the story brought the characters and surrounding into my mind as is I were actually there, watching. What a great read!!!

[Kyri Freeman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Didn't really set a scene, characters seemed unlikeable; I am so tired of the theme of women being accused of witchcraft; would have finished if I was trapped on a plane with nothing else to read but I'm not.

[Kate Benessa · Rating 2 out of 5]

Did not finish. Despite being a slim volume, I put it down about half way through when I realized I wasn't connecting with the characters, was beginning to skim, and was predicting what might happen with each character.

[Maggie Koger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very historical in facts about criminal law and the Millerites who set dates for the end of the world when they would be lifted up to heaven, both providing an intriguing narrative through the eyes of two women--the wife and the servant. I'll look for more by Lee Martin.

[Michelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh. If you’re looking to read a who done it; read anything other than this.

[Wendi Buchanan]

Margaret Whitford recommend

[Joni Greenwell Bycroft · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very beautiful woman is hanged for the poisoning death of her husband. I simply didn't connect wieth the characters. And the story didn't grab me.

[Victoria Shepherd · Rating 3 out of 5]

A heartbreaking, hopeful and frustrating tale of a miscarriage of justice.

[Mark Stevens · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars for this historical fiction book set in 1844 and based on a true crime. I felt compassion for the main character and sad about this miscarriage of justice.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a little bit to settle into this story, but I'm glad I stuck with it. The narrative is many-layered, like real life. What is true? How can we know?

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was absolutely amazing. Lee Martin knows how to grab onto you and keep you reading until the last page. I found myself gasping at certain parts and couldn't get enough. I can't wait to read more by him.

[Andrew Welsh-Huggins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Martin excels at spinning real-life historical crimes into literary gold, and his latest is no exception as it lyrically reimagines the 1840s trial of a woman in Illinois accused of fatally poisoning her husband.

[Thea Marlowe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sad ending, thinking Betsy was innocent except for her thoughts about killing her husband to end her unhappy marriage.