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Hiding from the Light
From the three million copy bestselling author of Lady of Hay comes the big new novel by the bestselling author of WHISPERS IN THE SAND is a gripping tale of witchcraft and romance, past and present, as her modern-day characters are caught up in a battle that has been raging for hundreds of years.
The parish of Manningtree and Mistley has a dark history. In 1644, Cromwell's Witchfinder General tortured scores of women there, including Liza the herbalist, whose cottage still stands. Some say the spirits of his victims still haunt the old shop on the High Street…
Emma Dickson gave up her high-flying career to live in Liza’s cottage, but as Halloween approaches, visions of a terrible past are driving her to madness. In despair, Emma turns to the local rector for help, but he, too, is in the grip of something inexplicably dangerous…
520 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2002
197 people are currently reading
1417 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Erskine
51 books1,270 followersAn historian by training, Barbara Erskine is the author of six bestselling novels that demonstrate her interest in both history and the supernatural, plus two collections of short stories. Her books have appeared in at least twenty different languages. She lives with her family in an ancient manor house near Colchester, and in a cottage near Hay-on-Wye.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 188 reviews
August 20, 2008
Yes, there are ghosties and beasties and things that go bump in the night! What fun! Safe to read at home, but if I was staying at a hotel/home/building that was reputed to be haunted, I'd save this one for later. It took a good couple of hundred pages to set the scenes and the characters, but then things took off and I couldn't put the book down. In some ways I can see cutting some of those characters and still keep the main story, but I loved the whole book anyway.
Don't let the page count deter you, the paperback was 700+ but with so many short chapters, leaving half pages blank leading into the next chapter, it was a very quick, albeit enjoyable read.
Don't let the page count deter you, the paperback was 700+ but with so many short chapters, leaving half pages blank leading into the next chapter, it was a very quick, albeit enjoyable read.
unfinished-or-abandoned
January 5, 2025I chose/read this book in large part for its setting in Essex, and in part as hopefully not too demanding a read.
it started out OK, spending quite abit of time introducing and building the different characters, and also moving from London to the Manningtree area of Essex. the descriptions of place, around Manningtree and Mistley, were good, and at times atmospheric.
the historical aspect, and how it connected to the present day, was interestingly done - with several of the contemporary characters having 17th century counterparts, and playing out some of their lives and roles and events.
the novel was pretty good up to a point. a good mix of characters, also providing a good mix of perspectives. I was relieved there wasn't too much time/description spent on the torture of women accused of witchcraft, and more on the prejudices of the time, and also present takes on it. there were ghosts, Pagans, Christians, locals who knew/lived by the Old Ways. there were relative newcomers to the village awa families who'd lived there generations. and I enjoyed the cottage and it's herb garden 🙂🌿
what went wrong? why did I abandon it at around 90 percent read?!?
in part it got repetitive, to the point of significant chunks of dialogue/commentary being repeated.
in part I lost interest in the story and characters. many of the human characters started become unlikable and/or neutral at best... and increasingly polarised and annoying. it all got abit hysterical and dramatic - but hysteria being seriously diagnosed by the local doctor, and the drama being abit over the top.
there also seemed to be an increasing muddling of Wicca and Satanism. it was abit blurry at times throughout. from the start the Wiccan character was kinda accepted but mostly tolerated, with her faith and practice dismissed by others, tho taken seriously by some. but it (Wicca) was in places dubiously drawn and represented, and I think used quite sensationally at times. it also didn't feel like the author had a particularly consistent idea/understanding of it, and came across quite muddled.
I stopped at a point where it all got abit extreme - the mixing up of Wicca and Satanism, the increasing manipulation of characters within this.
there were some good bits, but things become abit polarised for me, wrt one character kinda taking over, another being positioned as increasingly weak and less strong a person than her character had previously been. and I suspect I started to find some of the dynamics coercive and potentially abusive.
I would have quite liked to read on to see how the story concluded (and did try once more). but I couldn't face it, and it had gotten more annoying than enjoyable.
I remember after reading a previous novel by the same author I decided I wouldn't again (and yet I did!), and I think her stories are both good on some levels, but reach a point for me where things start to get abit silly - the drama becomes abit overladen, and starts to get abit ridiculous (to my mind. it might work really well for other readers). it just goes abit beyond for me, and loses my interest. I'm generally quite good at suspending my disbelief, but there's something about the human drama, and relationship drama, that gets abit much for me.
also, I was rather bothered that what had happened to the two cats had not been resolved for several chapters! were they forgotten? was it an attempt at heightened suspense? were they waiting to be part of some big reveal/climax?! whatever the reason, they were left in hinted at peril for way too long, and I didn't like that either! 🙀🙀
unrated - I can see it's good and bad points. and as ever, it's so subjective. and I'm aware it could in part be about what mood I'm in/what I'm in the mood for. I thought I was, and I was for a while, but that changed.
🌟
accessed as a library audiobook, read by Beth Ayre.
the reader had a particular way of reading, that I think created pauses where there wasn't punctuation, like every so many words - it was abit annoying at time, and possibly had an impact too.
it started out OK, spending quite abit of time introducing and building the different characters, and also moving from London to the Manningtree area of Essex. the descriptions of place, around Manningtree and Mistley, were good, and at times atmospheric.
the historical aspect, and how it connected to the present day, was interestingly done - with several of the contemporary characters having 17th century counterparts, and playing out some of their lives and roles and events.
the novel was pretty good up to a point. a good mix of characters, also providing a good mix of perspectives. I was relieved there wasn't too much time/description spent on the torture of women accused of witchcraft, and more on the prejudices of the time, and also present takes on it. there were ghosts, Pagans, Christians, locals who knew/lived by the Old Ways. there were relative newcomers to the village awa families who'd lived there generations. and I enjoyed the cottage and it's herb garden 🙂🌿
what went wrong? why did I abandon it at around 90 percent read?!?
in part it got repetitive, to the point of significant chunks of dialogue/commentary being repeated.
in part I lost interest in the story and characters. many of the human characters started become unlikable and/or neutral at best... and increasingly polarised and annoying. it all got abit hysterical and dramatic - but hysteria being seriously diagnosed by the local doctor, and the drama being abit over the top.
there also seemed to be an increasing muddling of Wicca and Satanism. it was abit blurry at times throughout. from the start the Wiccan character was kinda accepted but mostly tolerated, with her faith and practice dismissed by others, tho taken seriously by some. but it (Wicca) was in places dubiously drawn and represented, and I think used quite sensationally at times. it also didn't feel like the author had a particularly consistent idea/understanding of it, and came across quite muddled.
I stopped at a point where it all got abit extreme - the mixing up of Wicca and Satanism, the increasing manipulation of characters within this.
there were some good bits, but things become abit polarised for me, wrt one character kinda taking over, another being positioned as increasingly weak and less strong a person than her character had previously been. and I suspect I started to find some of the dynamics coercive and potentially abusive.
I would have quite liked to read on to see how the story concluded (and did try once more). but I couldn't face it, and it had gotten more annoying than enjoyable.
I remember after reading a previous novel by the same author I decided I wouldn't again (and yet I did!), and I think her stories are both good on some levels, but reach a point for me where things start to get abit silly - the drama becomes abit overladen, and starts to get abit ridiculous (to my mind. it might work really well for other readers). it just goes abit beyond for me, and loses my interest. I'm generally quite good at suspending my disbelief, but there's something about the human drama, and relationship drama, that gets abit much for me.
also, I was rather bothered that what had happened to the two cats had not been resolved for several chapters! were they forgotten? was it an attempt at heightened suspense? were they waiting to be part of some big reveal/climax?! whatever the reason, they were left in hinted at peril for way too long, and I didn't like that either! 🙀🙀
unrated - I can see it's good and bad points. and as ever, it's so subjective. and I'm aware it could in part be about what mood I'm in/what I'm in the mood for. I thought I was, and I was for a while, but that changed.
🌟
accessed as a library audiobook, read by Beth Ayre.
the reader had a particular way of reading, that I think created pauses where there wasn't punctuation, like every so many words - it was abit annoying at time, and possibly had an impact too.
October 21, 2015
Hiding from the Light by Barbara Erskine is a wonderful horror story about witches, witch hunters, ghosts, lost souls, mass hysteria, religion and people with obsession. It's the best book to read before Halloween, especially this year since the calendar days in a book are in sync with this years calendar.
As always, when I'm reading Ms Erskine books my inner Homer Simpson rises his head or rather his hands, ready to strangle somebody, especially the characters who are so silly or blind or gullible or just evil.
The story is about Emma, who works and lives in London, but one day she sees a picture of the house that she knew in her childhood. The house is for sale and she just feels the need to get it, no matter what.
At the same time in Manningtree, there is a TV grew, making a film about infamous Witch Hunter Matthew Hopkins, about his ghost that allegedly is haunting several buildings in town, especially this one shop.
So Emma gets the house, meets the locals and the spirits and ...
Something is wrong in this area, crime is all time up and nobody is safe. One word starts another and soon the more religious people are once again starting the witch hysteria. And the restless spirits are happy to use the hysteria energy and execute their ancient revenge.
Nobody is safe and nobody knows what will happen next. But the story finds it ending, maybe not the ending that one would expect, maybe the ending is in George R.R. Martin style :) maybe not, to find out, you got to read it.
A wonderful horror story and do not forget to protect your toes, course you do not know, who is under the chair/bed.
As always, when I'm reading Ms Erskine books my inner Homer Simpson rises his head or rather his hands, ready to strangle somebody, especially the characters who are so silly or blind or gullible or just evil.
The story is about Emma, who works and lives in London, but one day she sees a picture of the house that she knew in her childhood. The house is for sale and she just feels the need to get it, no matter what.
At the same time in Manningtree, there is a TV grew, making a film about infamous Witch Hunter Matthew Hopkins, about his ghost that allegedly is haunting several buildings in town, especially this one shop.
So Emma gets the house, meets the locals and the spirits and ...
Something is wrong in this area, crime is all time up and nobody is safe. One word starts another and soon the more religious people are once again starting the witch hysteria. And the restless spirits are happy to use the hysteria energy and execute their ancient revenge.
Nobody is safe and nobody knows what will happen next. But the story finds it ending, maybe not the ending that one would expect, maybe the ending is in George R.R. Martin style :) maybe not, to find out, you got to read it.
A wonderful horror story and do not forget to protect your toes, course you do not know, who is under the chair/bed.
November 24, 2018
Yet another unexpected gem from Erskine! I honestly couldn’t have enjoyed this book more, I was completely drawn in right from the very beginning and couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. I love anything to do with witchcraft and witches and this story had both in spades and it was done SO well. I loved how the past and present were so interconnected and weaved such a tangled web that you can’t help but fall into.
December 15, 2010
As is Erskine's trait, she interweaves the past with the present - though not as cleverly as in previous books, in my opinion. I got frustrated with the characters and found the ending way too far-fetched. Not one of her best.
July 30, 2009
Another one from the borrow box at work...
The author depended too much on stereotypes for character building, and some of the spookiness was cheesey and overdone. However, the story was liberally sprinkled with skeptics, and everything that occurred had alternate human or natural explanations. The skeptics in the story gave it a believability that it would not have had without them.
This book gripped my imagination and wouldn't let go. I found myself thinking about the characters and events even when I wasn't reading. I liked the main character, and for the most part, sympathized easily with her. There were a few too many times that she did things that were predictably gullible, and her emotions were sometimes inadequately explored. The charm of the book is in the unfolding of events. I suspect that a second reading would find more to dislike about the book.
My enjoyment of the story was enhanced by my familiarity with the general area and the local reputation of the main ghosty character. I would happily read more by this author and may look for a couple of things at the library.
The author depended too much on stereotypes for character building, and some of the spookiness was cheesey and overdone. However, the story was liberally sprinkled with skeptics, and everything that occurred had alternate human or natural explanations. The skeptics in the story gave it a believability that it would not have had without them.
This book gripped my imagination and wouldn't let go. I found myself thinking about the characters and events even when I wasn't reading. I liked the main character, and for the most part, sympathized easily with her. There were a few too many times that she did things that were predictably gullible, and her emotions were sometimes inadequately explored. The charm of the book is in the unfolding of events. I suspect that a second reading would find more to dislike about the book.
My enjoyment of the story was enhanced by my familiarity with the general area and the local reputation of the main ghosty character. I would happily read more by this author and may look for a couple of things at the library.
July 5, 2017
I have to confess I didn't finish this book. It was my first by this author and I probably won't bother again. I just fancied a light, rattle-along read and enjoy a bit of spookiness. However, I found the thing that "haunted" this book most was its repetitive and limited vocabulary. How many times can a person frown? They were frowning all over the place - sometimes more than once per page! The trouble was, once I noticed it, it really began to irritate. And when characters weren't frowning, they were shrugging. About a third of the way through, I dipped in at random pages to see if people were still frowning and shrugging and, yes, they were! Sorry, but I couldn't face another 250 pages of it, so with a frown and shrug of my own, I gave up. Come on editors - cut it out!!!
October 1, 2011
This is the story of Emma Dickson who gave up her career in order to live in a cottage on the Essex coast. Even if this house remembered her childhood, it's haunted by a witch who was prosecuted by Cromwell's Witch Finder General Matthew Hopkins. If you like to read books about ghosts and witches as well then you should read this book.
October 13, 2012
Perfect autumn reading as the suspense and frightening nightmares of a past witch hunt escalates as Halloween approaches. Barbara Erskine really knows how to weave a spell that has you warily watching for shadows as you read!
February 23, 2021
Hidden from the light is een pareltje.
Het boek scoort sterk in sfeer, beschrijving en opbouw. Het werk is een goeie 719 pagina's groot en de eerste 500 pagina's zijn pure opbouw van het verhaal zonder dat het saai wordt. De reden dat het geen vijfde ster gekregen heeft is omdat het misschien honderd pagina's minder opbouw mocht zijn.
Dit verhaal, hoewel een moderne setting, beantwoord aan de stijlfiguren van de gothic novel. Het thema, de omgeving, de context, de helden enzovoort.
Het verhaal gaat over Emma die verliefd wordt op een cottage het kleine dorpje Mistley in het Oosten van Engeland. Mistley ligt dicht bij Manningtree dat ook een centrale rol speelt in het verhaal. Beide plaatsjes staan bekend omdat daar de befaamde heksenjage Matthew Hopkins geleefd heeft. Het huisje waar Emma verliefd op wordt heeft ooit toebehoord aan Liza, een vrouw die onschuldig ter dood veroordeeld werd door Hopkins. Emma blijkt nazaat te zijn van Sarah, een vrouw die ooit beste vriendin was van Liza en gezworen heeft het onrecht te wreken dat Liza werd aangedaan.
Doorheen het verhaal komt de geest van Sarah in contact met Emma. Het is een klassiek verhaal tussen Goed en Kwaad waarbij Goed en Kwaad soms vervagen en je je afvraagt wie nu eigenlijk goed en wie kwaad is. Is Sarah de goeie die na eeuwen probeert wraak te nemen op de geest van Hopkins die zich schijnt te hebben vastgebonden aan de dorpspriester? Of is Sarah door haar gevoelens van wraak en boosheid zelf veranderd tot een Demon die enkel tot het kwade in staat is?
Het is een zeer complex verhaal maar ik heb er echt van genoten.
Dit alles speelt zich af in een context van het Engelse platteland, een scheiding tussen Emma en haar partner, een mogelijks ontluikende liefde tussen Emma en de dorpspriester en een kleine hechte dorpsgemeenschap. Om het helemaal boeiend te maken worden nog twee elementen toegevoegd: Enerzijds Lindsey, een moderne Wiccan, die de hekserij levendig wil houden en niet kan verkroppen dat een stadsmus intrek neemt in het huis van een voormalige heks. Anderzijds komt een documentairemaker en zijn ploeg ter plaatse, ze zijn gespecialiseerd in docu's over het Paranormale en hopen hier hun slag te slaan. Maar is dit allemaal zo onschuldig als het lijkt? Sommige dingen laat je beter met rust...
Een verhaal voor zij die fan zijn van gothic. De schrijfster heeft zich hier echt wel verdiept in de geschiedenis van de heksenvervolging en het thema ven hekserij in het algemeen.
Het boek scoort sterk in sfeer, beschrijving en opbouw. Het werk is een goeie 719 pagina's groot en de eerste 500 pagina's zijn pure opbouw van het verhaal zonder dat het saai wordt. De reden dat het geen vijfde ster gekregen heeft is omdat het misschien honderd pagina's minder opbouw mocht zijn.
Dit verhaal, hoewel een moderne setting, beantwoord aan de stijlfiguren van de gothic novel. Het thema, de omgeving, de context, de helden enzovoort.
Het verhaal gaat over Emma die verliefd wordt op een cottage het kleine dorpje Mistley in het Oosten van Engeland. Mistley ligt dicht bij Manningtree dat ook een centrale rol speelt in het verhaal. Beide plaatsjes staan bekend omdat daar de befaamde heksenjage Matthew Hopkins geleefd heeft. Het huisje waar Emma verliefd op wordt heeft ooit toebehoord aan Liza, een vrouw die onschuldig ter dood veroordeeld werd door Hopkins. Emma blijkt nazaat te zijn van Sarah, een vrouw die ooit beste vriendin was van Liza en gezworen heeft het onrecht te wreken dat Liza werd aangedaan.
Doorheen het verhaal komt de geest van Sarah in contact met Emma. Het is een klassiek verhaal tussen Goed en Kwaad waarbij Goed en Kwaad soms vervagen en je je afvraagt wie nu eigenlijk goed en wie kwaad is. Is Sarah de goeie die na eeuwen probeert wraak te nemen op de geest van Hopkins die zich schijnt te hebben vastgebonden aan de dorpspriester? Of is Sarah door haar gevoelens van wraak en boosheid zelf veranderd tot een Demon die enkel tot het kwade in staat is?
Het is een zeer complex verhaal maar ik heb er echt van genoten.
Dit alles speelt zich af in een context van het Engelse platteland, een scheiding tussen Emma en haar partner, een mogelijks ontluikende liefde tussen Emma en de dorpspriester en een kleine hechte dorpsgemeenschap. Om het helemaal boeiend te maken worden nog twee elementen toegevoegd: Enerzijds Lindsey, een moderne Wiccan, die de hekserij levendig wil houden en niet kan verkroppen dat een stadsmus intrek neemt in het huis van een voormalige heks. Anderzijds komt een documentairemaker en zijn ploeg ter plaatse, ze zijn gespecialiseerd in docu's over het Paranormale en hopen hier hun slag te slaan. Maar is dit allemaal zo onschuldig als het lijkt? Sommige dingen laat je beter met rust...
Een verhaal voor zij die fan zijn van gothic. De schrijfster heeft zich hier echt wel verdiept in de geschiedenis van de heksenvervolging en het thema ven hekserij in het algemeen.
June 11, 2024
If I was reading rather than listening to this I would have abandoned it. The characters in this were horrendous. A bunch of "pro life" types get together and talk shit about another poor sod and say she is "using dead babies in spells" or some shit, don't care enough about supposed dead babies enough to go to the police, they just want an excuse to talk shit about another woman. But then that woman ends up being a nasty piece of work out of nowhere anyway???? I dunno what the point of the story was tbh. This book was way too long and as I said, I wouldn't have bothered reading it if my library didn't have the unabridged audio. Not only is it too long for the genre in my opinion but the story itself just didn't need to be that long
September 30, 2023
Glad I found this gem. I think it was one of Erskine's earliest books, but it's now one of my favourites. Emma and Lyndsey, in particular, were fascinating characters and I liked how all of the villagers succumbed to the witchcraft, letting history repeat itself, to some extent, especially with how they handled Lyndsey. Despite being a long book, it held my interest throughout.
September 13, 2008
Compared to her other books, I thought this was very tedious and repetitive. I had to force myself to keep reading hoping something was going to happen. It will a while before I venture to read another one of her books.
March 2, 2014
Initially I was very intrigued by this tale but by the end I found that the book really could have told the same tale just as well in fewer chapters! Also found her use of vocabulary really repetitive. Wouldn't recommend.
February 24, 2018
Really enjoyable read but a bit too spooky for my liking!!! I loved that it was set in familiar places just down the road from where I grew up and even my tiny home town got a shout out.
May 31, 2025
*spoilers*
I enjoyed this book and the story and it was hard to put down for the most part. It contained an actual paranormal element which is always a plus, and people actually died which gave it an unexpected horror movie kind of plot, all very good and all of which set it up for 4 stars.
Unfortunately I have some issues.
I expected this to essentially be (the ghosts of) Matthew Hopkinson the Witchfinder General versus innocent women he tortured and murdered after accusing of witchcraft. It started off this way, but Hopkins was dealt with long before the end by a vicar simply praying a lot in a church. Very disappointingly, the ‘witch’ characters from the past, and a modern day character who started off as a lovely gentle Wiccan loved by the community, are all revealed to worship the devil and use their ‘evil powers’ to kill people in the village they think are hosting Hopkin’s spirit, and anyone who gets in their way. This is great for a horror movie plot, but not for a story based on real life events. It felt as though the author changed her mind part way through the book about who was the villain of the story. Rather than power mad men versus helpless women, it became Christianity versus Wiccan, which was synonymous with devil worship. Ignorant. There are hundreds of books and documentaries and endless evidence about the 100000+ women worldwide who were accused of consorting with the devil and murdered by the patriarchy for being nothing more than too clever (herbal medical knowledge) and therefore ‘dangerous’ to the interests of men. These are heartbreaking stories of ordinary women being tortured and abused, then murdered horrifically just for being female, so I find it really insulting on their behalf and in bad taste that she decided to make them devil worshippers with actual evil powers. That only presents the view that Hopkins was right to round them all up and kill them which is an appalling thing to convey. I love historical fiction when it is based in fact. Lady of Hay by the same author was brimming with exemplary research and true to the facts and brought real events and people from nearly 1000 years ago to life in a sensitive way. This book I feel does the opposite and does a disservice to women.
Another criticism is that all the women in the story were ‘hysterical’ at some point and ‘crazy’ throughout, and a good Christian man had to save the day in the end. Extremely disappointing for a woman to write about other women this way. I expected to find that it was very old and written in the 50s or 60s, but it was written in 2002!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 15, 2019
A compelling but easy read. Both positive and negative depictions of very religious characters, whether they were Church of England or witch/Wiccan/etc. That was interesting. A dark book but still a bit of fluff; perfect for the busy and stressful kind of week I’ve had. Subtracted a star because of fluff factor and the fact that 3/4 of the book’s (not small) size was comprised of combinations of characters running around and having “scenes” and having half-conversations. “I really need to talk to you...but now that you’re here I’m not going to tell you anything” sorts of scenes. Lots of them, again and again.
Still, fun enough I might try another Erskine in a while.
Also, weirdly enough, the 4th book in a row I’ve read that takes place either wholly or in part in the 1600s.
Still, fun enough I might try another Erskine in a while.
Also, weirdly enough, the 4th book in a row I’ve read that takes place either wholly or in part in the 1600s.
May 23, 2020
Good book from Barbara Erskine - I have probably read it before as I have read most of her books, but couldn't remember it so that was fine. Took a while to get through it alas, don't seem to have as much time to read these days! This one is all about witchcraft and ghosts dating back to the 17th century when witch hunting was prevalent, especially apparently in Essex. It mixed in nicely with the present-day characters and kept you going, being quite a page-turner and quite tense in some places. Good characterisation as well.
November 6, 2025
Though it did take me a minute to get through this book, it was absolutely sublime. When I picked it up I couldn’t put it down and with the dual storyline jumping to and from the past it also left you wanting more.
The only reason I didn’t give it five stars is due to some potentially unnecessary plot lines of certain characters that I felt didn’t bring anything to the table but in general a fantastic read.
The only reason I didn’t give it five stars is due to some potentially unnecessary plot lines of certain characters that I felt didn’t bring anything to the table but in general a fantastic read.
February 7, 2021
3.5 ***
October 25, 2025
It became increasingly silly towards the end. Liked the beginning. Quick read for Halloween.
November 2, 2011
This was a most appropriate book (even in audio form) for the season of Hallowe'en. The story takes place over the summer and fall of a year - with much of the action during the week of Hallowe'en. A business woman, tired of the rat race, sees an advertisement for a house for sale in Essex. She remembers it fondly from vacations of her childhood - it was a very charming cottage that was several hundred years old. She moves in, with her 2 cats, to the dismay of her live-in boyfriend, who does not want to leave the city. Once she has arrived, she begins to hear voices as the spirit of a witch moves into her head and begins to possess her. At the same time, the spirit of a witch seeker, who persecuted older women, moves into the head of the local Church of England pastor, who is himself new to the parish. There are flashbacks to the lives of the spirits, Sarah and William, as well as to the business woman (Emma) and the pastor (Mike). There are interactions with a host of other townspeople, both present day as well as in the long-ago past. Parallel accusations of witchcraft proceed in both times.
The author is telling a story, but includes many historical elements that provide interesting context. American readers familiar with the Salem witch trials will find the story of women of Essex accused of being witches familiar.
The book is long! 17 discs. Wonderfully entertaining for the long auto trips I have recently, and the narrator did a great job of easily switching between different characters. But I can't help but feel that a bit of editing would have gone a long way. I'm at the stage in my life where I have a reasonable idea that there is an upper bound on the books that I will be able to read in this life and that there is an opportunity cost of whatever I read. There is an awful lot of praying in order to push back the spirits, but ultimately, a practitioner of the ancient magic of 'the ward', which predates the other spiritual practices in the book, is the one who succeeds in pushing Sarah's spirit away from Emma. Almost every conversation seems to cause someone to frown.
Even with the length and the reasonable number of characters, there were several loose ends. What happened ultimately to Paula? (another business woman who is unhappy that her husband insists they live in the country) How about Piers? (Emma's ex) Or Bill? (the practitioner of ancient magic) Or Lynn (the modern witch)? Why did the women of the prayer circle follow Paula's lead to 'swim' Lynn? Why was Emma such a weakling to Sarah, after insisting to Piers that she move to the country? she wasn't a terribly sympathetic heroine - a bit needy.
Bottom line -> good ghost story that isn't too scary.
The author is telling a story, but includes many historical elements that provide interesting context. American readers familiar with the Salem witch trials will find the story of women of Essex accused of being witches familiar.
The book is long! 17 discs. Wonderfully entertaining for the long auto trips I have recently, and the narrator did a great job of easily switching between different characters. But I can't help but feel that a bit of editing would have gone a long way. I'm at the stage in my life where I have a reasonable idea that there is an upper bound on the books that I will be able to read in this life and that there is an opportunity cost of whatever I read. There is an awful lot of praying in order to push back the spirits, but ultimately, a practitioner of the ancient magic of 'the ward', which predates the other spiritual practices in the book, is the one who succeeds in pushing Sarah's spirit away from Emma. Almost every conversation seems to cause someone to frown.
Even with the length and the reasonable number of characters, there were several loose ends. What happened ultimately to Paula? (another business woman who is unhappy that her husband insists they live in the country) How about Piers? (Emma's ex) Or Bill? (the practitioner of ancient magic) Or Lynn (the modern witch)? Why did the women of the prayer circle follow Paula's lead to 'swim' Lynn? Why was Emma such a weakling to Sarah, after insisting to Piers that she move to the country? she wasn't a terribly sympathetic heroine - a bit needy.
Bottom line -> good ghost story that isn't too scary.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 15, 2017
My first Barbara Erskine read but certainly not the last. excellent plot that has you hooked despite it being a chunky book. Bit scary and spooky which I don't usually read, however it is so well woven in I still wanted to carry on reading it even though I was a bit spooked!
October 20, 2012
I was given this book by a friend as part of a bunch which he thought I could take to my local OBCZ. This one caught my eye as it is set relatively locally to me and concerns Matthew Hopkins, notorious WitchFinder General, who is quite an interesting character.
Barbara Erskine does a good job of intertwining the stories of two periods, Hopkins' own lifetime and the modern day, into one gripping narrative. It was interesting to see in the Author's Note at the back of the book that she had some input from Phil Rickman, one of my favourite authors, as the story had some similarities to Rickman's Merrily Watkins series although it was not as dark. In fact part of me wished that Rickman had written the story as I think that he would have handled it very well.
My only real reservation was the depiction of the Wiccan, Lindsey Clark, which I felt was rather unsympathetic; I was a little surprised to read in the Author's Note of the 'charming and without exception kindly witches and Wiccans who have talked about their craft', I wonder what they made of Lyndsey.
Barbara Erskine does a good job of intertwining the stories of two periods, Hopkins' own lifetime and the modern day, into one gripping narrative. It was interesting to see in the Author's Note at the back of the book that she had some input from Phil Rickman, one of my favourite authors, as the story had some similarities to Rickman's Merrily Watkins series although it was not as dark. In fact part of me wished that Rickman had written the story as I think that he would have handled it very well.
My only real reservation was the depiction of the Wiccan, Lindsey Clark, which I felt was rather unsympathetic; I was a little surprised to read in the Author's Note of the 'charming and without exception kindly witches and Wiccans who have talked about their craft', I wonder what they made of Lyndsey.
May 8, 2025
One of the wettest and most unlikeable heroines I’ve encountered in a while. Flounces out of her high powered banking job and dumps her boyfriend to live on Daddy’s trust fund in a little country cottage. She then spends the rest of the novel getting into mischief, having hysterics and crying a lot, while expecting said boyfriend plus any other man handy to rush to her aid at the drop of a handkerchief. Said men include the vicar, (who deserves to be canonised for putting up with her selfish nonsense), the doctor, (who also deserves a medal for not having her committed/arrested) and a bunch of other random men who are nice to her for no reason I could fathom. Other women in the book were mostly vicious, mad or soppy. If this was supposed to be about the historic wrongs done to innocent women by men, it showed its women characters in such a bad light that it missed its target completely. There were several here who deserved much worse than they got.
February 7, 2014
Nakonec to nebylo tak zlé ani černobílé, jak se to zdálo zhruba do poloviny knihy. Potom už byl příběh uvěřitelnější a zajímavější. Ten zvrat ke konci se mi líbil, taky pomstychtivá Sarah, stejně jako Bill Standing, ten byl pro mě asi nejzajímavější osobností z celé knihy, pohádkový dědeček a jeho kouzelné bytosti. I když jsem věděla od začátku, kdo s kým bude a iritovaly mě některé pasáže, bylo to dobře napsané, četlo se to jedním dechem. Iritující bylo např. když ta "přeúžasná" hlavní hrdinka musela asi 3krát po sobě rádobyvtipně sdělit pastorovi, že je jeho osudová žena, to jsem si trochu říkala, kde to jsme? V 50 odstínech šedi? Ale jinak to bylo dobré.
November 9, 2013
For once I'm not disappointed by one of Barbara's endings! While I feel the ending was rushed I did enjoy the book as a whole. Just a few issues with it- the characters did not grip me as much as those in previous books, the main character did not seem like a protagonist at all but merely a supporting character. Also I feel towards the end the characters became overly melodramatic- part of the story I'm sure but just seemed out of character for me. I enjoyed the story of the witches and the history behind it- but I feel more of an effort could have been made on the present characters.
July 24, 2017
Barbara Erskine is my favourite author, I have all her books and would highly recommend each and every one. You won't be able to put them down! There are characters from the past and present intertwined in a single story, grounded in historical fiction and they're always full of ghosts. Gripping.
February 22, 2021
Lengthy and far fetched
Lots of action and improbable events. Reasonable attempt to create atmosphere; but for ghost stories Henry James (The Turn of the Screw) does it so much better. As much atmosphere but a lot more subtle and concise.
Lots of action and improbable events. Reasonable attempt to create atmosphere; but for ghost stories Henry James (The Turn of the Screw) does it so much better. As much atmosphere but a lot more subtle and concise.
May 30, 2010
Witchcraft, haunting, eerie mist, centuries-old revenge - this book has it all! Gripping stuff that had me shivering more than a few times, great read.
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