Description

‘A literary page-turner . . . compulsive and thought-provoking’ Paula Hawkins

A dazzling, shocking novel that speaks to our times, drawing on the 16th-century case of the witches of Warboys.

Alice Samuel might be old and sharp-tongued, but she’s no fool. Visiting her new neighbours in her Fenland village, she suspects Squire Throckmorton’s household is not as God-fearing as it seems and finds the children troubled. Yet when one of the daughters accuses her of witchcraft, Alice has no inkling of how quickly matters will escalate.

The Throckmortons’ maid Martha, uncomfortably aware of strange goings-on in the household herself, is reluctant to believe that Alice is a witch. But as evidence mounts and the entire village is swept up in the frenzied persecution of one of their own, she struggles to find a voice.

Drawing on the 16th-century case of the witches of Warboys, this is a novel of searing imagination that vividly conveys the way fear can turn into paranoia and victims be made to believe in their own wickedness, especially when those in power hold all the cards.

Publisher Review

Novels about witch-hunts are not rare beasts, but The Bewitching, which is based on the true story of the witches of Warboys, is a particularly fine example. Tension builds, events spiral out of control and it builds to a devastating finale. -- Antonia Senior * The Times * Set in the 16th century, The Bewitching by Jill Dawson promises a powerful and chilling tale of witchcraft and persecution from one of our most skilful and absorbing storytellers. -- Books of 2022 * Daily Mail * A deeply satisfying and highly feminist novel . . . Jill Dawson has a knack for putting you right in the time and place, dousing you in terrified concern and setting you alight. Highly recommended. * Louisa Young * An important novel which gave me fresh insight into the wicked mechanism of misogyny. The truth and sadness of it is breathtaking, and the writing is just wonderful. -- Sadie Jones In this literary page-turner, Jill Dawson brings vividly to the page the chilling tale of the witches of Warboys . . . a compulsive and thought-provoking account of guilt and persecution. -- Paula Hawkins She crafts magic out of darkness and light. Nothing evokes the past as vividly as her deft prose. Dark as The Bewitching is, with its uncanny echoes of our own times, we know we are safe in her superb, story-telling hands. * Philip Hoare * Profoundly involving, vivid and new . . . she brings all a poet's skill for the seductive texture of life to a breathlessly exciting narrative. * Christobel Kent * A magnificent writer. I would read her shopping lists. * Cathy Rentzenbrink * A fascinating and deeply disturbing tale of witchcraft, male power, and the age-old fear of women. * Caitlin Davies * This powerful novel seizes the reader from the first page . . . With her gift for penetrating into peoples' motives and silences Jill Dawson here succeeds in awakening the reality of long-past events. * Gillian Beer * So atmospheric and very convincing - Martha is a wonderful character. It's beautifully imagined and written. -- Kate Pullinger