Witch of the Wild Beasts

A second prize winner in the RWA 19 Sheila contest.When Evalina is imprisoned for witchcraft will her supernatural bond with animals be her curse or salvation? In 1854 Evalina Stowe witnesses the murder of her brother by Dr. Dowdrick an enraged client at the tailors where they work. Desperate to stop him she rouses a swarm of wasps that sting the doctor while she stabs him with scissors and then flees. At a subsequent job when birds race to her defense Evalina is declared a witch and sent to Philadelphias Eastern State Penitentiary.While imprisoned Evalina is horrified not only to learn that Dr. Dowdrick is still alive but hes experimenting on inmates. Determined to get inside his Eclectic Medical School to expose his nefarious activities shes passionate about protecting fellow prisoners especially Lewin a child thief who knew her brother and Birdy a kind resilient Welsh man serving time for a workers death while blasting granite for the railroad. Evalina her friends and her wild beasts work against time to unmask Dowdricks crimes when she participates with him in a symposium showcasing Philadelphias premium doctors. If they fail not only will the doctors evil deeds continue unchecked but Evalina and her crew will surely be hung. Actual historical figures such as Dr. Thomas Mutter and Charles Dickens spice up this fantastical thriller brimming with historical gems set in Philadelphias renowned penitentiary.