Well-researched, well-written, and horribly compelling, this is one of the best pieces of historical fiction I have read. Set in an English village struck by the plague, it's clear from the start that things won't go well but you dread it all the same: 
 "It is an odd thing how biting pests of all kinds will find one person flavorsome and another not to their liking at all". 
 The development of the strong female protagonist felt authentic to me, and so did the interactions (good and bad) among the villagers. I happened to like the surprising turns at the end but I agree that the epilogue lacked the depth to which the novel built.