A mother must fight for her daughter’s life in this fierce and haunting tale of witchcraft and revenge from the author of A Haunting in the Arctic.

Clem gets a call that is every mother’s worst nightmare. Her nineteen-year-old daughter Erin is unconscious in the hospital after a hiking trip with her friends on the remote Orkney Islands that met a horrifying end, leaving her boyfriend dead and her best friend missing. When Erin wakes, she doesn’t recognize her mother. And she doesn’t answer to her name, but insists she is someone named Nyx.

Clem travels to the site of her daughter’s accident, determined to find out what happened to her. The answer may lie in a dark secret in the history of the Orkneys: a woman wrongly accused of witchcraft and murder four centuries ago. Clem begins to wonder if Erin’s strange behavior is a symptom of a broken mind, or the effects of an ancient curse?

In her newest book, C.J.Cooke in The Book of Witching has created a chilling and riveting tale that is hauntingly beautiful. From the moment the author introduces Clem and Erin, as a reader I was absorbed in their story. I especially liked how the story wove between time to the history of the Orkneys and a woman accused of witchcraft. Allison’s story intertwined with Erin’s as we see Erin potentially accused of murder as well. It was emotional and gripping as I wanted to find out what happened in both times. 

One of the elements that the writer does beautifully is create different points of view throughout the novel, allowing more information to be added in than the main protagonists are aware of. That element helps add to the complexity and show some of the truths of how the women accused of witchcraft were truly treated during the 1500’s. The ending is both haunting and emotionally satisfying. There are aspects that will leave you wondering and a bit intrigued. 

As part family drama, part historical on the treatment of women during the witch trials, this is a unique novel with a chilling and riveting story to tell. If you like intrigue, drama, and historical tales, I would highly recommend this novel. It is beautifully written and some of the truths may haunt you. I was completely absorbed.

Rating: 5 out of 5 ravens