Of Needles and Pins

The Midwife Fables #2

by A.A. Freeman

A visit to the deep woods turns deadly for The Midwife, when she finds her friend, The Grandmother, dead along with the old woman’s red hood-wearing granddaughter. The culprit? A big bad wolf with an appetite for human flesh. But this familiar story rings hollow for The Midwife. Instead, her eyes are locked on the cast of characters who have made their home in the tiny village nearby: The Woodsman who can’t stand the sight of blood. The Mother who has lost so much in so little time. And The Washerwomen, three old crones with hearts as dark as the forest itself. With the help of her assistant, The Mermaid’s Sister, The Midwife must untangle the roots of this deadly fairy tale and bring the true culprit to light. Before she finds herself as the wolf’s next meal.

71 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 8, 2023

About the author

A.A. Freeman is an author, crafter, and all-around geek that lives in the foothills of North Carolina and spends her days writing fantasy and science fiction with a hint of romance. When not writing she knits, cross stitches, plays video games and works on perfecting her dried rose petal shortbread cookie recipe. She's probably not a robot. Beep boop.

Reviews

[Darcie Farrington · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book kept me interested the entire time, which I have a hard time with when reading. I have a terrible habit of picking a book, putting it down and never touching it again. My absolute favorite thing is how the world is being introduced to the reader. There’s no epilogue or over explanation of how the fantasy world works, it’s explained in the moments throughout the whole thing. I would love to read more from this world!

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clever, well written and intriguing! The Midwife is a witty badass and the more I read about her and her world, the more I want to know. I'm excited to see where she travels to next and how this story unfolds.

[A.M. Justice · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love A.A. Freeman's Midwife tales, and this new novella does not disappoint. Once again, the Midwife tackles the aftermath of a fairy tale, in this case the Grimm murder of Little Red Riding Hood's Grandmother. With an eye for detail and a no-nonsense manner, the Midwife soon sorts out this magical who-dunnit and gains a new companion for her travels.

Freeman writes beautifully, her prose as evocative as it is lyrical. I highly recommend all her work.