The Shape of Mercy

Susan Meissner's newest book is The Shape of Mercy. This book is contemporary fiction, but also deals with the Salem Witch Trials that happened in the 1600's. Lauren Durough lives in California and is a rich girl attending a state school. She decides to get a job, but does not get any job, but a job transcribing a journal of Mercy Hayworth for the journal's owner, Abigail Boyles. Mercy lived in the Salem area during the time of the Salem Witch Trials.

I enjoyed reading the story because Meissner keeps you wondering what will happen and how what happens will change Lauren. She does a good job weaving a story from this century with the story of Mercy Hayworth. This also made me wonder more about the Salem Witch Trials as mostly I have just heard about them in passing and I don't remember if we talked about them in American history. This would be a good book for a book club to read, though it does jump back and forth from present to past, which I know my sister does not like. I will likely read it again sometime, and I think it is one of Meissner's better books. If I had to choose my favorites of Susan Meissner's, it might be a tie between this one and Blue Heart Blessed.