G
Gregory Frost
Gregory Frost is the editor of Speaking of the Fantastic III: Interviews with Science Fiction Writers. He's a familiar voice in the science fiction and fantasy community.
Fitcher's brides
Synopsis
Set in 1843 in New York's Finger Lakes district, Fitcher's Brides follows the three Charter sisters — Vernelia, Amy, and Catherine — whose lives are upended when their father falls under the sway of Elias Fitcher, a mesmerizing preacher who has built a utopian religious community in the "Burned-Over District." Fitcher sets his sights on Vernelia first; after their hasty marriage she moves to his estate, separated from her family, and discovers the depths of his darkness and the rumored fates of his previous wives.
When Vernelia disappears, Fitcher marries Amy — and when Amy vanishes too, it falls to Kate to uncover what has really happened to her sisters and stop Fitcher's murderous spree. Unlike the original fairy tale, where Bluebeard takes a single bride, Fitcher takes three, and the novel examines each sister's particular vulnerability to his hold. A haunting tale of religious fervor gone wrong, grounded in the historic revivalism of the era.
Genres
Characters
VerneliaProtagonist
Vernelia CharterProtagonist
The eldest sister, first married to Fitcher.
Catherine CharterProtagonist
The youngest sister, who investigates her sisters' fates.
Elias FitcherAntagonist
A charismatic cult preacher who marries and murders a succession of wives.
Frequently asked questions
Is Fitcher's Brides connected to Gregory Frost's other fairy-tale retellings?
It stands alone as a story. It was published as part of Terri Windling's loosely connected Fairy Tale series of adult retellings by different authors, but no prior reading is required.