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Suffer a Witch
Decades before the Salem trials, a brutal witch craze sweeps England during the civil war of the 1640s. When young Puritan zealot Matthew Hopkins, self-styled Witch-finder General, meets the power of folk magic in spirited Pippa Wylde, the daughter of a village "cunning-woman," the two are swept into a battle for survival of body and soul. Inspired by the shocking true story of an event that led to the hanging deaths of hundreds of accused witches, Suffer a Witch brings to life a disturbed killer lurking in the pages of history.
366 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2011
33 people are currently reading
581 people want to read
About the author
Morgana Gallaway
6 books25 followersI am the author of SUFFER A WITCH (2011), historical fiction about folk magic and the English witch-finder Matthew Hopkins; and THE NIGHTINGALE (2009), contemporary fiction about a young Iraqi woman who works for the US Army in present-day Mosul.
Check out my website for links, information, and news about my latest projects!
Check out my website for links, information, and news about my latest projects!
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 29, 2012
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Pippa Wylde and her small group of close friends are accused of witchcraft. Pippa’s mother Lillibet, the town’s cunning woman and midwife who has passed on some of her secrets to Pippa, is also accused. Readers will follow these women to the gaol to eagerly await their trials and the jury’s verdicts.
Despite what history says about these women's chances of being released, I found myself hoping that all of the characters would be found innocent. The story also follows witch hunter Matthew Hopkins, revealing his interesting personal history and how it relates to his outward actions against the women he identifies as evil.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in order to review it.
Despite what history says about these women's chances of being released, I found myself hoping that all of the characters would be found innocent. The story also follows witch hunter Matthew Hopkins, revealing his interesting personal history and how it relates to his outward actions against the women he identifies as evil.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in order to review it.
March 4, 2014
Meh. I was really hoping for some dark witchery but no such luck. The characters were more like Wiccans worshiping the earth. Not scary at all.
April 5, 2024
really good read
Thoroughly enjoyed this book, the characters were very believable and the portrayal of Mathew Hopkin witch finder general was excellent. The storyline was good and kept me interested throughout. My only criticism is the ‘ Americanisms’ lady birds referred to as lady bugs and blueberries were more likely to be blackberries or bilberry’s.
Thoroughly enjoyed this book, the characters were very believable and the portrayal of Mathew Hopkin witch finder general was excellent. The storyline was good and kept me interested throughout. My only criticism is the ‘ Americanisms’ lady birds referred to as lady bugs and blueberries were more likely to be blackberries or bilberry’s.
August 21, 2017
A talented story teller
I know the history of the area, as well as the geography and the author has caught it perfectly, as well as creating believable characters, that we can understand and care about.
I know the history of the area, as well as the geography and the author has caught it perfectly, as well as creating believable characters, that we can understand and care about.
June 8, 2017
Epic
Fantastically written and superbly researched. You get truly spell bound by pippa wylde. If you only every read one tale of the English witch trails this should be it.
Fantastically written and superbly researched. You get truly spell bound by pippa wylde. If you only every read one tale of the English witch trails this should be it.
July 21, 2016
This was a great book! I am so happy with how the author presented this story as so many times books based on any of the witch trials are poorly done and incorrectly researched. You can tell how much work went into the research of this book as it is very accurate and helps the story come alive perfectly.
In this story we follow the “witch hunter” Matthew who feels that most women are vessels of the devil and out to plot against him. To defend himself against them and their wiles he has dedicated his life to getting rid of them and travels around the country into little towns and villages and conducts witch hunts to remove this scourge from the earth.
In one of these little towns we find the lovely Pippa who is full of life, vivacious and independent. She is just trying to learn the spells and remedies of the women in her family while setting her sites on a handsome man that she fancies seeing herself with to build a home.
When Matthew arrives in her town, she knows that there will be trouble and she is right. Matthew is hungry for blood and will stop at nothing to divide the town and rid it of those he deems dangerous. Pippa must fight for her life and hope that she will not become another of his victims that is helpless at proving her innocence.
I couldn’t put this book down. I love historical novels and this is right up my alley. This author did a great job at bringing this time in history alive and I cannot wait to see what she does next.
I received this book in exchange for my honest review which has been stated above.
In this story we follow the “witch hunter” Matthew who feels that most women are vessels of the devil and out to plot against him. To defend himself against them and their wiles he has dedicated his life to getting rid of them and travels around the country into little towns and villages and conducts witch hunts to remove this scourge from the earth.
In one of these little towns we find the lovely Pippa who is full of life, vivacious and independent. She is just trying to learn the spells and remedies of the women in her family while setting her sites on a handsome man that she fancies seeing herself with to build a home.
When Matthew arrives in her town, she knows that there will be trouble and she is right. Matthew is hungry for blood and will stop at nothing to divide the town and rid it of those he deems dangerous. Pippa must fight for her life and hope that she will not become another of his victims that is helpless at proving her innocence.
I couldn’t put this book down. I love historical novels and this is right up my alley. This author did a great job at bringing this time in history alive and I cannot wait to see what she does next.
I received this book in exchange for my honest review which has been stated above.
August 19, 2013
The sense of time and place (17th century, south east England) is fairly well portrayed, mainly through description of dress, household activity and the nature of the young girls' thoughts.(Could be New England with very few changes). Generally the tone of voice of the period comes across as authentic despite occasions such as a paragraph that employs modern words like 'morphed' (in this use a very young word) and the far more venerable 'bodkin'.
The construction of the story is not so secure. The focus shifts at times later in the story from Pippa to Mildred and the conflict with Hopkins is unsatisfactorily piecemeal and poorly developed. Now and again the forward motion becomes a rural dawdle and one or two significant events are virtually sidelined. Some tightening is required.
The main disquiet (that will not affect anyone who has not read Hopkins Query and Answer style book) is that the Hopkins portrayed in 'Suffer a Witch' could not be the logical, albeit misguided, writer of 'The Discovery of Witches', although the character portrayed is well-drawn and believable.
Probably a three star read but an extra star for a decent presentation of the period.
The construction of the story is not so secure. The focus shifts at times later in the story from Pippa to Mildred and the conflict with Hopkins is unsatisfactorily piecemeal and poorly developed. Now and again the forward motion becomes a rural dawdle and one or two significant events are virtually sidelined. Some tightening is required.
The main disquiet (that will not affect anyone who has not read Hopkins Query and Answer style book) is that the Hopkins portrayed in 'Suffer a Witch' could not be the logical, albeit misguided, writer of 'The Discovery of Witches', although the character portrayed is well-drawn and believable.
Probably a three star read but an extra star for a decent presentation of the period.
October 14, 2013
Suffer a Witch takes place in England in the 17th century, when understanding was limited and superstition strong. It is the story on one hand of Pippa, a white witch (a herbalist) and on the other, Matthew, an emotionally disturbed and politically motivated witch hunter.
Pippa, her mother and Pippa's close friends are swept up in the witch mania. All are accused, not all are vindicated.
The characters are three dimensional and develop well throughout the story. Pippa grows through tragedy and hardship from a somewhat flaky teenager into a responsible young woman. The story explores the true nature of friendship and tests class boundaries and preconceptions. It illustrates too clearly the tragic consequences of mass hysteria.
This novel was hard to put down; I finished it in only two days. While it is the fictional story of Pippa, the author's research shines through and Suffer a Witch is no lightweight piece of literature; it describes a tragic and shameful time in history.
This is a book I would recommend. It is both an enjoyable and interesting read.
Pippa, her mother and Pippa's close friends are swept up in the witch mania. All are accused, not all are vindicated.
The characters are three dimensional and develop well throughout the story. Pippa grows through tragedy and hardship from a somewhat flaky teenager into a responsible young woman. The story explores the true nature of friendship and tests class boundaries and preconceptions. It illustrates too clearly the tragic consequences of mass hysteria.
This novel was hard to put down; I finished it in only two days. While it is the fictional story of Pippa, the author's research shines through and Suffer a Witch is no lightweight piece of literature; it describes a tragic and shameful time in history.
This is a book I would recommend. It is both an enjoyable and interesting read.
March 31, 2012
This was a good witch story. I always enjoy a good witch or ghost story (that's well written and not far-fetched) and this was exactly that. I also appreciated the author's historical notes at the end and telling of what historical events/people inspired this story.
March 5, 2024
I gave up at 17% because of historical and geographical inaccuracies.
April 6, 2012
Rounded up from 3.5 stars from me.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews