What do you think?
The Witch and the Priest
Samuel Fleming, an aging priest, is tormented by doubts on the case of Joan Flower and her daughters Margaret and Philippa, whom he helped condemn to death as witches in 1618. Were they guilty? Was justice done? Did he do all he could to save their souls? The spirit of Joan Flower appears to him and tells him that she has been rejected by both Heaven and Hell and is condemned to wander the earth. She unfolds a story of horror, telling how she and her daughters became witches, participated in orgies at the witches' sabbath with the Devil himself, cast spells to kill and torment their enemies, and eventually faced trial and execution. As Samuel listens, he tries desperately to find some way to save the witch's soul. And the stakes are for as the witch tells her horrifying tale, Samuel realizes that hers is not the only soul in jeopardy, and if he fails, he may be joining her in Hell!
Hilda Lewis (1896-1974), a prolific author of historical fiction, ranked The Witch and the Priest (1956), based on the real-life case of the Witches of Belvoir, as her own favourite among her many novels. In creating this masterpiece of historical fiction, Lewis conducted extensive research on the case and on early works of witchcraft and demonology, resulting in a novel that is both compulsively readable and historically accurate. This new edition is the first in more than 40 years and includes an introduction by bestselling historian and novelist Alison Weir, and the original jacket art by Evelyn Gibbs.
Hilda Lewis (1896-1974), a prolific author of historical fiction, ranked The Witch and the Priest (1956), based on the real-life case of the Witches of Belvoir, as her own favourite among her many novels. In creating this masterpiece of historical fiction, Lewis conducted extensive research on the case and on early works of witchcraft and demonology, resulting in a novel that is both compulsively readable and historically accurate. This new edition is the first in more than 40 years and includes an introduction by bestselling historian and novelist Alison Weir, and the original jacket art by Evelyn Gibbs.
286 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1956
About the author
Hilda Lewis
50 books44 followersHilda Winifred Lewis (née Maizels, 1896-1974) was a British writer.
She wrote a noted children's book, The Ship that Flew (1939) which concerns Norse mythology and time travel. It was republished in the Oxford Children's Modern Classics series in 1998. Her three YA books, including the well-received The Gentle Falcon, are available for Kindle and iBooks.
Several of her historical novels, e.g. I am Mary Tudor (1972), received attention. Most of her work is now out of print. Wife to Charles II and I, Jacqueline are available in The Book People's historical fiction paperback collection. The Witch and the Priest (1956) about the seventeenth century Lincolnshire witch trials is well worth reading, even second hand in the freely available but lurid Dennis Wheatley paperback Library of the Occult format.
She wrote a noted children's book, The Ship that Flew (1939) which concerns Norse mythology and time travel. It was republished in the Oxford Children's Modern Classics series in 1998. Her three YA books, including the well-received The Gentle Falcon, are available for Kindle and iBooks.
Several of her historical novels, e.g. I am Mary Tudor (1972), received attention. Most of her work is now out of print. Wife to Charles II and I, Jacqueline are available in The Book People's historical fiction paperback collection. The Witch and the Priest (1956) about the seventeenth century Lincolnshire witch trials is well worth reading, even second hand in the freely available but lurid Dennis Wheatley paperback Library of the Occult format.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
June 11, 2026
”…hurt wantonly, hurt cruelly, in the name of righteousness. Till then do not speak of devils; no devil can torment like your righteous man that is afraid.”
Genre is a funny thing, and often a thing fuelling conversation seemingly without meaning to; categorising this book as horror under its republished form certainly had me thinking. A witch’s ghostly account of her devilry tormenting the priest she haunts? It certainly sounds like the makings of a gothic story and in some ways, it is. But if there is horror in this book, it’s from society itself. It’s from the harm caused in the name of ‘righteousness’, in the arguments people form to justify actions. This, if anything, is a historical account of women scorned and doing all they can to make life worth living.
Make no mistake: this is a dark story. Violent not only in its actions, but in the blasé attitude to match. There’s cruelty and scorn in the very bones of this book, and spending so long with Joan’s story often feels like languishing in a gothic, sordid tale.
There’s a dark fantasy within, Joan telling tales of esoteric debauchery, spells and sabbaths with the Devil himself. She has no qualms standing ground on her reasoning - if society hated her already, can she be blamed for finding joy when offered? And so we witness a circling argument between witch and priest, both steadfast in their arguments of good vs evil and volleying quips intended to needle flaws in their beliefs. It’s a classic theological argument, one that has no clear answer, and so it’s hard not to wonder how this tale will end while turning its pages.
One thing is for sure - Hilda Lewis is a brilliant historical fiction writer. So much humanity is woven into a somewhat fantastical story, for all its good and bad. Faith, doubt, joy, jealousy, violence, loyalty. Every emotion is fuel to a long burning fire, spiralling out of control. You can’t agree with most actions, but you can understand how we got here- and that, perhaps, is the horror behind it all.
This is a story of a witch haunting a priest with her story, but she may very well haunt my thoughts for months to come too.
Genre is a funny thing, and often a thing fuelling conversation seemingly without meaning to; categorising this book as horror under its republished form certainly had me thinking. A witch’s ghostly account of her devilry tormenting the priest she haunts? It certainly sounds like the makings of a gothic story and in some ways, it is. But if there is horror in this book, it’s from society itself. It’s from the harm caused in the name of ‘righteousness’, in the arguments people form to justify actions. This, if anything, is a historical account of women scorned and doing all they can to make life worth living.
Make no mistake: this is a dark story. Violent not only in its actions, but in the blasé attitude to match. There’s cruelty and scorn in the very bones of this book, and spending so long with Joan’s story often feels like languishing in a gothic, sordid tale.
There’s a dark fantasy within, Joan telling tales of esoteric debauchery, spells and sabbaths with the Devil himself. She has no qualms standing ground on her reasoning - if society hated her already, can she be blamed for finding joy when offered? And so we witness a circling argument between witch and priest, both steadfast in their arguments of good vs evil and volleying quips intended to needle flaws in their beliefs. It’s a classic theological argument, one that has no clear answer, and so it’s hard not to wonder how this tale will end while turning its pages.
One thing is for sure - Hilda Lewis is a brilliant historical fiction writer. So much humanity is woven into a somewhat fantastical story, for all its good and bad. Faith, doubt, joy, jealousy, violence, loyalty. Every emotion is fuel to a long burning fire, spiralling out of control. You can’t agree with most actions, but you can understand how we got here- and that, perhaps, is the horror behind it all.
This is a story of a witch haunting a priest with her story, but she may very well haunt my thoughts for months to come too.
September 18, 2015
This book is possibly one of the most intelligent novels out there written about witchcraft in England in the 17th century, and it's just downright excellent.
Based on the very real case of the Witches of Belvoir of the 17th century, Lewis has fashioned a very well-crafted story about what really lies beneath the persecution of these women, Joan, Philippa and Margaret Flower. It is also a story about justice, compassion and mercy and the often dual-sided nature of both good and evil.
It is Joan whose story drives the narrative in this novel; the entire book is an ongoing conversation between Joan and the Reverend Samuel Fleming, one of the examining judges in the original case. Fleming, it seems, has been carrying a heavy burden for a "twelvemonth," wondering if these three women were really witches or whether the
"poor hanged creatures were nothing but desperately unhappy; a little crazy, maybe with their miseries? Or -- how if they were poor, merely; and ugly and ignorant and uncouth? That -- and nothing more?"
He also wonders whether or not he was a "righteous judge or a credulous old man," -- indeed, he worries so much that in a moment of agony he calls out to the now-dead Joan Flower, asking the question that had been tormenting him for over a year:
"Did we wrong you bitterly, you and your two daughters? Or were you rightly judged?"
She appears before him to answer in person, and once Fleming agrees to listen, she begins her long story, explaining how and why she became a witch and how she got her daughters involved with her Master.
I think I'll leave it there, but I will say that this novel has it all. You have your Sabbats, esbats and frenzied orgies; there are drugs that offer the feeling of flying, witches' familiars, curses, etc. At the same time Lewis applies astute reasoning to why women (in this case anyway) were often branded as witches.Lewis gets into the socioeconomic reasons, the class/caste differences between the regular folk and the nobility -- the mutual mistrust between the two groups, the double standard benefiting the latter among other things -- and even more relevant in today's world, the failure to take into consideration that some people are just not as mentally acute as others, calling for a justice tempered with mercy and compassion in their cases.
The Witch and the Priest is definitely what I'd call a page turner, but it is also well written and intelligent, making this a novel very much worth reading.
Based on the very real case of the Witches of Belvoir of the 17th century, Lewis has fashioned a very well-crafted story about what really lies beneath the persecution of these women, Joan, Philippa and Margaret Flower. It is also a story about justice, compassion and mercy and the often dual-sided nature of both good and evil.
It is Joan whose story drives the narrative in this novel; the entire book is an ongoing conversation between Joan and the Reverend Samuel Fleming, one of the examining judges in the original case. Fleming, it seems, has been carrying a heavy burden for a "twelvemonth," wondering if these three women were really witches or whether the
"poor hanged creatures were nothing but desperately unhappy; a little crazy, maybe with their miseries? Or -- how if they were poor, merely; and ugly and ignorant and uncouth? That -- and nothing more?"
He also wonders whether or not he was a "righteous judge or a credulous old man," -- indeed, he worries so much that in a moment of agony he calls out to the now-dead Joan Flower, asking the question that had been tormenting him for over a year:
"Did we wrong you bitterly, you and your two daughters? Or were you rightly judged?"
She appears before him to answer in person, and once Fleming agrees to listen, she begins her long story, explaining how and why she became a witch and how she got her daughters involved with her Master.
I think I'll leave it there, but I will say that this novel has it all. You have your Sabbats, esbats and frenzied orgies; there are drugs that offer the feeling of flying, witches' familiars, curses, etc. At the same time Lewis applies astute reasoning to why women (in this case anyway) were often branded as witches.Lewis gets into the socioeconomic reasons, the class/caste differences between the regular folk and the nobility -- the mutual mistrust between the two groups, the double standard benefiting the latter among other things -- and even more relevant in today's world, the failure to take into consideration that some people are just not as mentally acute as others, calling for a justice tempered with mercy and compassion in their cases.
The Witch and the Priest is definitely what I'd call a page turner, but it is also well written and intelligent, making this a novel very much worth reading.
November 30, 2015
A different and alluring book, told as a dialogue between the trapped soul/ghost of Margaret Flower, condemned and executed witch and the priest, Samuel Fleming, who is tormented by his conscience and even doubts that the process against Margaret and her daughters were just and true. Beautiful language and great atmosphere, reads very much like a theater play and the surreality of the narrative and story is almost hypnotic at times. The story wears a bit thin, though and at 2/3 all seems said more or less, therefore the dropped star from an otherwise clear 4. recommended, but condition yourself to an old-fashioned language and also narrative style; low-key, detailed and slow. The language is often beautiful of course, just unfamiliar - have a look at the use of inter-punctuation of this sentence: "Dear Samuel, will you not walk abroad a little this fine day?" she asked, knowing that, as always, his sad heart must lead him to his church; and God would, for a little, take away his loneliness.
Other things I learned from this book: Poison is green and witches cannot produce tears. Oh, and I learned a boatload of words also (a good one to be reading on an eReader). Just as an example, I know now that "Assize" has nothing to do with how much fabric you need to make a pair of pants.
Other things I learned from this book: Poison is green and witches cannot produce tears. Oh, and I learned a boatload of words also (a good one to be reading on an eReader). Just as an example, I know now that "Assize" has nothing to do with how much fabric you need to make a pair of pants.
Did Not Finish
March 19, 2026Did not finish.
October 18, 2015
Beautifully written book. It would've earned four stars from me if it were shorter.
January 9, 2026
Ughhh this book was so hard to get through. I would have dnf'd if it wasn't my bookclub's pick for this month.
1. This was wayyy more theologically dense than I was expecting. I don't mean dense as in complex or difficult, unfortunately the actual meat of the discussions was pretty rudimentary if you're even remotely aware of religious discourse, I mean dense as in fuck there was a lot of it. I guess maybe it's my fault for not expecting a book about a priest battling for a witches soul to be so heavy on the theological debates, but I did not enjoy this at all as someone with an interest in theology (particularly from a feminist lense).
2. The motivations of the characters made no sense. The entire book centers around the priest, Samuel, attempting to redeem the soul of the witch, Joan, so she can reject the devil and go on to heaven. The main point of conflict in this is that Joan remains loyal to the devil even in death. That part is completely nonsensical! She admitted several times she was forsaken by the devil before she died, denied her relation to the devil until she died, and her only way out of ghostly purgatory is to somehow get to heaven. Why does she try to remain loyal to the devil after death when she knows he'll never accept her??? And she already turned against him while alive???
Samuel's internal conflict starts as 'what if Joan and co weren't actually witches' and he's tormented over that. But she shows up to him in ghostly form and confirms that they were witches and he did the right thing in condemning them. The rest of the book his conflict isn't specific. It's partly he wants to save her soul because that's the right thing to do (it's implied his soul may also hang in the balance if he doesn't save her, but he isn't particularly hung up (no pun intended) on this facet), partly he wonders if he judged them fairly while alive (he did and this point is hammered into us), and partly some other bullshit so insignificant I don't remember it. His only real motivation is 'it's the right thing to do', which isn't at all compelling imo.
3. The thing is, she tells the entire story of all the terrible, inhuman things she did while serving Satan. So why is there a like thirty-page tirade about the injustices of their justice system?? SHE IS GUILTY AND WE KNOW THIS FROM THE START. It's hammered into us that Samuel was more than fair, that he demanded they have a fair trial when the town was trying to lynch them, that he was kind, that he believed them until there was irrefutable evidence. There's literally a section where she's like, 'a few towns over (so nothing to do with Samuel) there was a case where a totally innocent girl was brought to trial. She was found innocent, but imagine if she hadn't been! See, your justice system is fucked up' WHAT IS EVEN THE POINT OF BRINGING THAT UP???? WHY IS THIS TREATED AS A VALID POINT?? And no, it isn't 'she's a witch and we're not meant to believe her', Samuel treats this as valid and it's explicitly said that witches can't lie, used to mean that she's a reliable narrator. There is technically an example of a girl who wrongly was hung, but the evidence was so stacked against her I don't get why we're supposed to treat it as a failure of the justice system. 'yes, she hung out with witches, went to our devil orgies, and confessed to being a witch, but only because she's simple and didn't know what was going on!'
Yes, it was wrong, but they 100% did their due diligence so?? This book so closely approaches themes of how the witch hunts were misogynistic and cruel, but this is unfortunately undermined by the fact that WITCHES ARE REAL AND THE NARRATOR WAS A SUPER DUPER GUILTY DEVIL-WORSHIPPING WITCH!!! AND THE PERSON SHE'S TRYING TO HOLD ACCOUNTABLE IS ARGUABLY THE ONLY ONE WHO DID TREAT THEM COMPLETELY FAIRLY AND WAS BIASED *AGAINST* THEM BEING WITCHES!!!
Genuinely the stakes would have been so much better if this took place from Samuel's perspective during the trial, so we don't know if they're guilty or not. Then we could see the injustices taking place instead of Joan recounting them nonsensically after we already know she's guilty. Or, if Samuel *hadn't* done his due diligence and he had to grapple with letting these women go to the gallows, whether they deserved it or not, because of him and his influence. And if he'd been the sole judge instead of one among many. As it was, none of this bullshit made any amount of sense.
4. The theological debates/all of the dialogue were/was so lame. Here's 80% of the book:
Joan: I worshipped the devil and did inarguably evil things.
Samuel: Those evil things you did disturb me. Don't you feel bad worshipping the devil, who is evil?
Joan: No you. Anyway, as I was saying...
This book was 290 pages of complete bullshit. Apparently it was almost out of print but a famous historian lobbied to get it reprinted. Curse her and her bloodline for that.
1. This was wayyy more theologically dense than I was expecting. I don't mean dense as in complex or difficult, unfortunately the actual meat of the discussions was pretty rudimentary if you're even remotely aware of religious discourse, I mean dense as in fuck there was a lot of it. I guess maybe it's my fault for not expecting a book about a priest battling for a witches soul to be so heavy on the theological debates, but I did not enjoy this at all as someone with an interest in theology (particularly from a feminist lense).
2. The motivations of the characters made no sense. The entire book centers around the priest, Samuel, attempting to redeem the soul of the witch, Joan, so she can reject the devil and go on to heaven. The main point of conflict in this is that Joan remains loyal to the devil even in death. That part is completely nonsensical! She admitted several times she was forsaken by the devil before she died, denied her relation to the devil until she died, and her only way out of ghostly purgatory is to somehow get to heaven. Why does she try to remain loyal to the devil after death when she knows he'll never accept her??? And she already turned against him while alive???
Samuel's internal conflict starts as 'what if Joan and co weren't actually witches' and he's tormented over that. But she shows up to him in ghostly form and confirms that they were witches and he did the right thing in condemning them. The rest of the book his conflict isn't specific. It's partly he wants to save her soul because that's the right thing to do (it's implied his soul may also hang in the balance if he doesn't save her, but he isn't particularly hung up (no pun intended) on this facet), partly he wonders if he judged them fairly while alive (he did and this point is hammered into us), and partly some other bullshit so insignificant I don't remember it. His only real motivation is 'it's the right thing to do', which isn't at all compelling imo.
3. The thing is, she tells the entire story of all the terrible, inhuman things she did while serving Satan. So why is there a like thirty-page tirade about the injustices of their justice system?? SHE IS GUILTY AND WE KNOW THIS FROM THE START. It's hammered into us that Samuel was more than fair, that he demanded they have a fair trial when the town was trying to lynch them, that he was kind, that he believed them until there was irrefutable evidence. There's literally a section where she's like, 'a few towns over (so nothing to do with Samuel) there was a case where a totally innocent girl was brought to trial. She was found innocent, but imagine if she hadn't been! See, your justice system is fucked up' WHAT IS EVEN THE POINT OF BRINGING THAT UP???? WHY IS THIS TREATED AS A VALID POINT?? And no, it isn't 'she's a witch and we're not meant to believe her', Samuel treats this as valid and it's explicitly said that witches can't lie, used to mean that she's a reliable narrator. There is technically an example of a girl who wrongly was hung, but the evidence was so stacked against her I don't get why we're supposed to treat it as a failure of the justice system. 'yes, she hung out with witches, went to our devil orgies, and confessed to being a witch, but only because she's simple and didn't know what was going on!'
Yes, it was wrong, but they 100% did their due diligence so?? This book so closely approaches themes of how the witch hunts were misogynistic and cruel, but this is unfortunately undermined by the fact that WITCHES ARE REAL AND THE NARRATOR WAS A SUPER DUPER GUILTY DEVIL-WORSHIPPING WITCH!!! AND THE PERSON SHE'S TRYING TO HOLD ACCOUNTABLE IS ARGUABLY THE ONLY ONE WHO DID TREAT THEM COMPLETELY FAIRLY AND WAS BIASED *AGAINST* THEM BEING WITCHES!!!
Genuinely the stakes would have been so much better if this took place from Samuel's perspective during the trial, so we don't know if they're guilty or not. Then we could see the injustices taking place instead of Joan recounting them nonsensically after we already know she's guilty. Or, if Samuel *hadn't* done his due diligence and he had to grapple with letting these women go to the gallows, whether they deserved it or not, because of him and his influence. And if he'd been the sole judge instead of one among many. As it was, none of this bullshit made any amount of sense.
4. The theological debates/all of the dialogue were/was so lame. Here's 80% of the book:
Joan: I worshipped the devil and did inarguably evil things.
Samuel: Those evil things you did disturb me. Don't you feel bad worshipping the devil, who is evil?
Joan: No you. Anyway, as I was saying...
This book was 290 pages of complete bullshit. Apparently it was almost out of print but a famous historian lobbied to get it reprinted. Curse her and her bloodline for that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 22, 2026
“You were not afraid, priest, to take our festivals—festivals of the Old Religion, older by far than your Christ. For what is Lammas but Beltane; and Christmas but Yule? and Roodmas is Mayday—the wickedest day in all the year. One might say, priest, that you keep our heathen festivals!”
― Hilda Lewis, The Witch and the Priest
Review in Nederlands + Engels!
(NL)
📖 Synopsis
The Witch and the Priest vertelt het verhaal van Joan, een vrouw die na haar dood als een geest blijft rondwaren bij de priester die haar veroordeelde. Terwijl ze hem confronteert met haar herinneringen, ontvouwt zich een duister verhaal over hekserij, geloof, verleiding en schuld.
Joan vertelt over haar ontmoetingen met de duivel, geheime rituelen en verboden genoegens, maar gaandeweg wordt duidelijk dat het echte kwaad misschien helemaal niet in hekserij schuilt. Achter haar verhaal gaat een wereld van veroordeling, wreedheid en religieuze rechtvaardiging schuil. De gesprekken tussen de heks en de priester groeien uit tot een fascinerend steekspel over goed en kwaad, geloof en twijfel — zonder dat er ooit een eenvoudig antwoord komt.
⭐ Mijn review — 5 sterren
Wat een bijzonder en duister boek! The Witch and the Priest wordt tegenwoordig als horror gepresenteerd, maar voor mij zit de echte horror niet zozeer in geesten, hekserij of de duivel. De meest huiveringwekkende kant van dit verhaal is juist de mens zelf: de wreedheid die kan ontstaan wanneer mensen hun daden rechtvaardigen vanuit geloof, moraal of het idee dat ze het ‘goede’ doen.
Joans verhaal is donker, rauw en bij momenten ronduit ongemakkelijk. Haar leven wordt getekend door afwijzing, geweld, verlangen en vernedering, maar tegelijkertijd weigert ze zich volledig als slachtoffer te laten zien. Als de wereld haar toch al veracht, waarom zou ze dan geen plezier zoeken waar ze dat kan vinden? Die gedachte maakt haar personage tegelijk intrigerend en tragisch.
De gesprekken tussen Joan en de priester vond ik misschien wel het sterkste onderdeel. Hun voortdurende discussie over goed en kwaad, zonde en geloof voelt als een eeuwenoud theologisch steekspel. Beiden houden koppig vast aan hun overtuigingen en proberen voortdurend gaten te schieten in die van de ander. En juist omdat het verhaal geen gemakkelijke antwoorden geeft, blijf je als lezer nadenken.
Hilda Lewis weet historische fictie bovendien een enorme menselijkheid mee te geven. Geloof, twijfel, jaloezie, liefde, loyaliteit, geweld en verlangen lopen allemaal door elkaar en maken van dit boek veel meer dan alleen een verhaal over een heks en een priester.
Het is absoluut een duister verhaal, maar ook een verrassend menselijk verhaal. En misschien is dát uiteindelijk de grootste horror: dat je de keuzes van personages niet kunt goedkeuren, maar wel steeds beter begrijpt hoe ze ertoe gekomen zijn.
Joan mag dan een priester achtervolgen als geest, maar na dit boek bleef zij nog een hele tijd in mijn eigen gedachten rondspoken. Vijf sterren, zonder twijfel. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
(EN)
'The Witch and the Priest' tells the story of Joan, a woman who, after her death, continues to haunt the priest who condemned her as a ghost. As she confronts him with her memories, a dark tale of witchcraft, faith, temptation and guilt unfolds.
Joan recounts her encounters with the devil, secret rituals and forbidden pleasures, but it gradually becomes clear that the true evil may not lie in witchcraft at all. Behind her story lies a world of condemnation, cruelty and religious justification. The conversations between the witch and the priest develop into a fascinating battle of wits about good and evil, faith and doubt — without ever providing a simple answer.
⭐ My review — 5 stars
What a remarkable and dark book! 'The Witch and the Priest' is nowadays marketed as a horror novel, but for me, the real horror lies not so much in ghosts, witchcraft or the devil. The most chilling aspect of this story is, in fact, human nature itself: the cruelty that can arise when people justify their actions on the basis of faith, morality or the belief that they are doing ‘good’.
Joan’s story is dark, raw and, at times, downright uncomfortable. Her life is marked by rejection, violence, longing and humiliation, yet at the same time she refuses to present herself entirely as a victim. If the world despises her anyway, why shouldn’t she seek pleasure wherever she can find it? That thought makes her character both intriguing and tragic.
I found the conversations between Joan and the priest to be perhaps the strongest part of the book. Their ongoing debate about good and evil, sin and faith feels like an age-old theological joust. Both stubbornly cling to their convictions and constantly try to find flaws in the other’s arguments. And precisely because the story offers no easy answers, it keeps the reader thinking.
Hilda Lewis also manages to imbue her historical fiction with a profound sense of humanity. Faith, doubt, jealousy, love, loyalty, violence and desire all intertwine, making this book much more than just a story about a witch and a priest.
It is certainly a dark story, but also a surprisingly human one. And perhaps that, ultimately, is the greatest horror: that whilst you cannot condone the characters’ choices, you do come to understand all the better how they arrived at them.
Joan may be haunting a priest as a ghost, but after reading this book, she continued to haunt my own thoughts for quite some time. Five stars, without a doubt. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Eternity. It stretches above and blow, and to right and left of this little Earth of yours, and Earth is lost within it. Eternity is so vast that your little human mind cannot encompass its meaning. Yet it is in this little moment of time you call life that you must choose. And so I say, look how you choose, you choose for eternity.”
― Hilda Lewis, The Witch and the Priest
― Hilda Lewis, The Witch and the Priest
Review in Nederlands + Engels!
(NL)
📖 Synopsis
The Witch and the Priest vertelt het verhaal van Joan, een vrouw die na haar dood als een geest blijft rondwaren bij de priester die haar veroordeelde. Terwijl ze hem confronteert met haar herinneringen, ontvouwt zich een duister verhaal over hekserij, geloof, verleiding en schuld.
Joan vertelt over haar ontmoetingen met de duivel, geheime rituelen en verboden genoegens, maar gaandeweg wordt duidelijk dat het echte kwaad misschien helemaal niet in hekserij schuilt. Achter haar verhaal gaat een wereld van veroordeling, wreedheid en religieuze rechtvaardiging schuil. De gesprekken tussen de heks en de priester groeien uit tot een fascinerend steekspel over goed en kwaad, geloof en twijfel — zonder dat er ooit een eenvoudig antwoord komt.
⭐ Mijn review — 5 sterren
Wat een bijzonder en duister boek! The Witch and the Priest wordt tegenwoordig als horror gepresenteerd, maar voor mij zit de echte horror niet zozeer in geesten, hekserij of de duivel. De meest huiveringwekkende kant van dit verhaal is juist de mens zelf: de wreedheid die kan ontstaan wanneer mensen hun daden rechtvaardigen vanuit geloof, moraal of het idee dat ze het ‘goede’ doen.
Joans verhaal is donker, rauw en bij momenten ronduit ongemakkelijk. Haar leven wordt getekend door afwijzing, geweld, verlangen en vernedering, maar tegelijkertijd weigert ze zich volledig als slachtoffer te laten zien. Als de wereld haar toch al veracht, waarom zou ze dan geen plezier zoeken waar ze dat kan vinden? Die gedachte maakt haar personage tegelijk intrigerend en tragisch.
De gesprekken tussen Joan en de priester vond ik misschien wel het sterkste onderdeel. Hun voortdurende discussie over goed en kwaad, zonde en geloof voelt als een eeuwenoud theologisch steekspel. Beiden houden koppig vast aan hun overtuigingen en proberen voortdurend gaten te schieten in die van de ander. En juist omdat het verhaal geen gemakkelijke antwoorden geeft, blijf je als lezer nadenken.
Hilda Lewis weet historische fictie bovendien een enorme menselijkheid mee te geven. Geloof, twijfel, jaloezie, liefde, loyaliteit, geweld en verlangen lopen allemaal door elkaar en maken van dit boek veel meer dan alleen een verhaal over een heks en een priester.
Het is absoluut een duister verhaal, maar ook een verrassend menselijk verhaal. En misschien is dát uiteindelijk de grootste horror: dat je de keuzes van personages niet kunt goedkeuren, maar wel steeds beter begrijpt hoe ze ertoe gekomen zijn.
Joan mag dan een priester achtervolgen als geest, maar na dit boek bleef zij nog een hele tijd in mijn eigen gedachten rondspoken. Vijf sterren, zonder twijfel. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
(EN)
'The Witch and the Priest' tells the story of Joan, a woman who, after her death, continues to haunt the priest who condemned her as a ghost. As she confronts him with her memories, a dark tale of witchcraft, faith, temptation and guilt unfolds.
Joan recounts her encounters with the devil, secret rituals and forbidden pleasures, but it gradually becomes clear that the true evil may not lie in witchcraft at all. Behind her story lies a world of condemnation, cruelty and religious justification. The conversations between the witch and the priest develop into a fascinating battle of wits about good and evil, faith and doubt — without ever providing a simple answer.
⭐ My review — 5 stars
What a remarkable and dark book! 'The Witch and the Priest' is nowadays marketed as a horror novel, but for me, the real horror lies not so much in ghosts, witchcraft or the devil. The most chilling aspect of this story is, in fact, human nature itself: the cruelty that can arise when people justify their actions on the basis of faith, morality or the belief that they are doing ‘good’.
Joan’s story is dark, raw and, at times, downright uncomfortable. Her life is marked by rejection, violence, longing and humiliation, yet at the same time she refuses to present herself entirely as a victim. If the world despises her anyway, why shouldn’t she seek pleasure wherever she can find it? That thought makes her character both intriguing and tragic.
I found the conversations between Joan and the priest to be perhaps the strongest part of the book. Their ongoing debate about good and evil, sin and faith feels like an age-old theological joust. Both stubbornly cling to their convictions and constantly try to find flaws in the other’s arguments. And precisely because the story offers no easy answers, it keeps the reader thinking.
Hilda Lewis also manages to imbue her historical fiction with a profound sense of humanity. Faith, doubt, jealousy, love, loyalty, violence and desire all intertwine, making this book much more than just a story about a witch and a priest.
It is certainly a dark story, but also a surprisingly human one. And perhaps that, ultimately, is the greatest horror: that whilst you cannot condone the characters’ choices, you do come to understand all the better how they arrived at them.
Joan may be haunting a priest as a ghost, but after reading this book, she continued to haunt my own thoughts for quite some time. Five stars, without a doubt. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Eternity. It stretches above and blow, and to right and left of this little Earth of yours, and Earth is lost within it. Eternity is so vast that your little human mind cannot encompass its meaning. Yet it is in this little moment of time you call life that you must choose. And so I say, look how you choose, you choose for eternity.”
― Hilda Lewis, The Witch and the Priest
September 29, 2026
This book is within the horror section, and to be honest there is very little scary about it. Maybe during the time is was written is would have been scary, but with todays standards it doesn't quite reach the horror standard which I was asking.
Having said that I think the book does still provide an interesting insight into further topics, such as religion and the debate about which god is actually "good", and the mistreatment of people by the church in the holy name of god.
Moreover, although the characters themselves can at times feel a little bit bland, I liked how the priests even after death was almost used as a kind of confessions box for the witch.
Overall, and ok book. At times it was boring and honestly it was a bit difficult to get through this book without falling asleep at times. However, some points I still found interesting and I'm glad I stuck with it.
Thank you to Hilda Lewis.
Having said that I think the book does still provide an interesting insight into further topics, such as religion and the debate about which god is actually "good", and the mistreatment of people by the church in the holy name of god.
Moreover, although the characters themselves can at times feel a little bit bland, I liked how the priests even after death was almost used as a kind of confessions box for the witch.
Overall, and ok book. At times it was boring and honestly it was a bit difficult to get through this book without falling asleep at times. However, some points I still found interesting and I'm glad I stuck with it.
Thank you to Hilda Lewis.
Read
March 23, 2013I was in the mood for something scary and this classic book of horror based on actual events doesn't disappoint.
"In 1618, Margaret and Philippa Flower were tried at Lincoln for witchcraft. On their own confession they were found guilty and hanged"
I can't help but wonder HOW their confession was obtained.
"In 1618, Margaret and Philippa Flower were tried at Lincoln for witchcraft. On their own confession they were found guilty and hanged"
I can't help but wonder HOW their confession was obtained.
September 4, 2026
Genuinely enjoyed this one! At times it was a little long winded but overall loved it. Very good read to bring in the spooky months
July 21, 2026
(0.5) Don't bother
November 7, 2025
With her only horror novel Lewis produces an excellent classic ghost and witch horror story, that should have much more credit, praise, and influence that it knowingly has. A very modern and surprisingly dark book, that was well ahead of its time, and I can’t believe it was published in the 1950s.
Lewis has a beautiful way with words which adds history, elegance, and profoundness to the prose whilst also conjuring a beautiful image of the scenes. A compelling an satisfying story which both highlights the temptations of the devil, but also his fickle and untrustworthy nature, as well as the evil within “good men”.
Overall this is an excellent witch story which provides depth, darkness, and horror to the traditional myths of witches. A must read for anyone interested in classical witch stories.
Lewis has a beautiful way with words which adds history, elegance, and profoundness to the prose whilst also conjuring a beautiful image of the scenes. A compelling an satisfying story which both highlights the temptations of the devil, but also his fickle and untrustworthy nature, as well as the evil within “good men”.
Overall this is an excellent witch story which provides depth, darkness, and horror to the traditional myths of witches. A must read for anyone interested in classical witch stories.
July 3, 2013
This has recently been republished by Valancourt Books after a long time out of print. I was drawn by the lurid description of the book at least somewhat, but ultimately impressed by the fine writing of Hilda Lewis. The titular witch and priest have a book-long debate about goodness and justice that initially seemed less important than the action, but gradually gained weight and importance and made for a subtle and very moving conclusion. I highly recommend this novel.
September 25, 2014
Different novel from Hilda Lewis concerning the dialogues between the ghost of a witch during the time of King James and the Church of england priest who presided over her hanging. As with all her historical novels, the sense of time and place is impecable.
October 11, 2015
Holy cow, that was a good read. Thanks, Nancy, for bringing my attention to this!
Read
October 5, 2026DNF at 50%. A very tedious read. It would have worked better if the whole thing was from the priest’s perspective during the trials, then we would’ve been left wondering whether he was just or not. Instead, we know he was right from the very beginning.
Very early on, it’s made clear that Joan was indeed a witch, a very evil one at that, so the priest’s agony over whether he was right to judge her made me go huh?! several times.
I suppose the way the novel is written is supposed to allow a discussion about god, good and evil from two very extreme points of view but the end result is a tedious, monotone story about a witch with annoying “were you not afraid of the devil?!” interruptions from the priest.
The priest’s constant surprise at Joan’s service to the devil got old quite quickly. I mean she just told you she killed her own grandchild for literally no reason and you’re surprised at anything else she does?! My god, man, shut up and let the witch tell her story.
Overall, about 200 pages too long. I gave it a good shot because I got the book as gift but I held on as long as I could.
Very early on, it’s made clear that Joan was indeed a witch, a very evil one at that, so the priest’s agony over whether he was right to judge her made me go huh?! several times.
I suppose the way the novel is written is supposed to allow a discussion about god, good and evil from two very extreme points of view but the end result is a tedious, monotone story about a witch with annoying “were you not afraid of the devil?!” interruptions from the priest.
The priest’s constant surprise at Joan’s service to the devil got old quite quickly. I mean she just told you she killed her own grandchild for literally no reason and you’re surprised at anything else she does?! My god, man, shut up and let the witch tell her story.
Overall, about 200 pages too long. I gave it a good shot because I got the book as gift but I held on as long as I could.
December 9, 2025
I would've enjoyed this more and raced through it quicker if I actually sat down and gave it a proper chance.
The writing was stunning and the gradual changing of perspective and ideology of each character was artfully done.
I thought I'd be haunted by the "witchcraft" in the earlier parts of the novel however I found myself most affected by the priest's crumbling sense of self and sense of justice.
Will most definitely be looking for another of these Penguin Horror books.
The writing was stunning and the gradual changing of perspective and ideology of each character was artfully done.
I thought I'd be haunted by the "witchcraft" in the earlier parts of the novel however I found myself most affected by the priest's crumbling sense of self and sense of justice.
Will most definitely be looking for another of these Penguin Horror books.
October 9, 2026
Honestly, 12/10 for atmosphere, mood, vibes, themes. It's not perfect in execution as the pacing is a little labored at times, and some points become repetitive. I do think it could have used some editing down, but this is easily one of the greatest witchcraft stories I've ever read.
Shoutout Kate for getting me this for my birthday!!! You rock. Don't change.
Shoutout Kate for getting me this for my birthday!!! You rock. Don't change.
March 17, 2026
Almost unsure what to say, a story of good and evil or what is good and what is evil when we think about it. Isnt all we do to find the glory promised? A story of devotion to what we think is right. When righteousness is so different to everyone. I loved this.
September 8, 2026
Absolutely incredible, the way Lewis shows the balance between good and evil and how no one person can be all of either. The complexities of the characters and the storyline as a whole is so gut wrenching, even the most evil characters you feel for in the end. Just, wow.
May 29, 2026
I know what you're thinking, I gave a book about witches 3 stars? But honestly I STRUGGLED y'all
Did Not Finish
July 3, 2026Maybe I'm just not in the mood for this right now, but I'm super bored with it.
July 28, 2026
3.5 ⭐️
Love love loved the themes and the erotic subtext of this book. Unfortunately about halfway through it starts getting a bit stale and was a slog to push to the end
Love love loved the themes and the erotic subtext of this book. Unfortunately about halfway through it starts getting a bit stale and was a slog to push to the end
August 28, 2026
Even though it’s marred by too much dialogue, and I would have liked to see Samuel make discoveries on his own, the atmosphere throughout kept me reading.
January 27, 2026
beautiful
March 9, 2026
3.75 from me - this was so intelligent and thought provoking and a traditional take on witchcraft (I’m now going to visit newstead abbey as quick as I can)!!! But I felt it could’ve been shorter as it felt a bit repetitive in themes
July 26, 2026
4,5*-5*
January 11, 2024
If you like “authentic” representations of the occult in fiction and film, then you’ll appreciate Hilda Lewis’ The Witch and the Priest (1956). The novel falters with a clumsy framing device and a writing style that’s too minimalist for the time and subject. Still, these missteps are more than balanced by a careful attention to historical detail and a shape-shifting devil, who is at once seductive and unnerving.
The elderly Reverend Samuel Fleming can’t stop thinking about Joan Flower and her two daughters, Margaret and Philippa. As magistrate, Fleming played a pivotal role in their terrible fate–Joan was mysteriously struck dead while answering to charges of witchcraft, while Meg and Philippa were hanged for their dalliances with the Devil. Now he is haunted by the possibility that they were innocent; and if they were guilty, then why didn’t he, as their Priest and spiritual shephard, guard them from Satan’s snares? The insistence of his questioning calls forth the ghost of Joan Flower, who, rejected by both God and the Devil, exists in a state of limbo between heaven and hell. She has come to tell her story and to offer Fleming another chance to save her soul. If he doesn’t succeed this time, his own salvation may be in danger.
Lewis has done her research on the witchcraft trials of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries; and her characters bring the dusty details of archival testimony to life. Fictionalized from real historical records, Joan’s confession to Fleming foregrounds the utter strangeness of contemporary beliefs about witchcraft, illuminating the fantasies and anxieties of the time. In her discussion with the Priest, we learn the stages of spellcasting, the order of meetings, and the recipe for flying ointment, an awful unguent made with the fat of infants. She describes the elements of the Sabbath, expanding in particular on a ritual called “The Kiss of Adoration,” during which acolytes pay homage to the devil by pressing their lips to his ass. This isn’t as crude as it sounds because, in a convenient perversion of goat anatomy, the Horned God has a second face below his tail. The novel is full of outlandish anecdotes like this, and my time as a reader was amply rewarded with the endless rich and curious particulars of occult lore.
While many of Joan’s accounts (like the one above) are humorous, others remind us of why people feared the Devil; and these dark yarns shift what would otherwise be straightforward historical fiction into the realm of horror. Lewis’ first description of the Devil is masterful and chilling: Manifesting in Joan’s tiny cabin, he is an impossibly large figure, who must bend and tilt to fit beneath her ceiling. The fluidity of his form is disturbing. Depending on the context, the Devil appears as a handsome man with horns, a boy dressed in green, or a magnificent ram. He may speak smoothly like a flirtatious gentleman or use a child’s voice to condemn the unfaithful. What’s most unsettling about Lewis’ Satan is that he collapses the comforting space between the domestic and the transcendent: He’s a God in a dirty kitchen at mid-day. And the only thing standing between him and the outside world–concealing him from neighboring gossips–is a rag of homespun hastily hung over the window. In Joan’s world, the Devil is as close as the house next door and might be hidden by a threadbare dishcloth. Deftly presenting these precarious situations, Lewis explores the delicate nature of safety and upsets the reader’s sense of security.
The Witch and the Priest is at its best when Joan describes her encounters with Satan and the coven. Unfortunately, her stories are repeatedly interrupted by the novel’s framing device: God is giving Fleming one more chance to save Joan’s soul; In order for the Priest to be victorious, he must understand the circumstances and motivations that led her to the Devil. Thus we have her account. More appropriate for a child’s lesson, this silly conceit of a spiritual contest is too weak to support the weight of Joan’s accusations as she charges the pious community with misogyny, hypocrisy, and cruelty. And lest you forget about the framing device, there are reminders at least once per chapter. Why, the Priest asks, is he suffering through lurid tales of sex and infanticide? Ah, yes, it’s because he’s in the midst of a battle for redemption.
These repeated explanations diminished my enjoyment of the novel and so too did its language. Lewis writes in a clear and concise style. And while this style isn’t appropriate for 17th-century characters, it does make their thoughts and feelings readily accessible to a modern audience. In general, I agree with this aesthetic approach because the primary goal of a novel like this is to entertain. Still, I think that some linguistic opacity is worthwhile, not because it gestures toward “authenticity”--this isn’t an academic exercise–but because it foregrounds the essential foreignness of the past. And that irreducible difference is a little scary. If you’ve seen Robert Eggers The Witch (2015), then you know what I’m talking about. For the first 5 minutes of that film, I struggled to find meaning in the characters’ dialogue and wondered if they were even speaking English. Of course, they are; but the resistance of their speech to modern understanding intensifies the unassimilable particularity and weird atmosphere of the represented historical moment. It creates dark weeds of psychological dread, the kind that can’t creep and twist in the clear space of Lewis’ sentences.
Despite these shortcomings in style and structure, The Witch and The Priest is worth reading for its granular focus on occult practices and memorable representations of the Devil. For an especially witchy weekend, pair it with Eggers’ masterpiece, settle in with your favorite familiar, and enjoy!
The elderly Reverend Samuel Fleming can’t stop thinking about Joan Flower and her two daughters, Margaret and Philippa. As magistrate, Fleming played a pivotal role in their terrible fate–Joan was mysteriously struck dead while answering to charges of witchcraft, while Meg and Philippa were hanged for their dalliances with the Devil. Now he is haunted by the possibility that they were innocent; and if they were guilty, then why didn’t he, as their Priest and spiritual shephard, guard them from Satan’s snares? The insistence of his questioning calls forth the ghost of Joan Flower, who, rejected by both God and the Devil, exists in a state of limbo between heaven and hell. She has come to tell her story and to offer Fleming another chance to save her soul. If he doesn’t succeed this time, his own salvation may be in danger.
Lewis has done her research on the witchcraft trials of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries; and her characters bring the dusty details of archival testimony to life. Fictionalized from real historical records, Joan’s confession to Fleming foregrounds the utter strangeness of contemporary beliefs about witchcraft, illuminating the fantasies and anxieties of the time. In her discussion with the Priest, we learn the stages of spellcasting, the order of meetings, and the recipe for flying ointment, an awful unguent made with the fat of infants. She describes the elements of the Sabbath, expanding in particular on a ritual called “The Kiss of Adoration,” during which acolytes pay homage to the devil by pressing their lips to his ass. This isn’t as crude as it sounds because, in a convenient perversion of goat anatomy, the Horned God has a second face below his tail. The novel is full of outlandish anecdotes like this, and my time as a reader was amply rewarded with the endless rich and curious particulars of occult lore.
While many of Joan’s accounts (like the one above) are humorous, others remind us of why people feared the Devil; and these dark yarns shift what would otherwise be straightforward historical fiction into the realm of horror. Lewis’ first description of the Devil is masterful and chilling: Manifesting in Joan’s tiny cabin, he is an impossibly large figure, who must bend and tilt to fit beneath her ceiling. The fluidity of his form is disturbing. Depending on the context, the Devil appears as a handsome man with horns, a boy dressed in green, or a magnificent ram. He may speak smoothly like a flirtatious gentleman or use a child’s voice to condemn the unfaithful. What’s most unsettling about Lewis’ Satan is that he collapses the comforting space between the domestic and the transcendent: He’s a God in a dirty kitchen at mid-day. And the only thing standing between him and the outside world–concealing him from neighboring gossips–is a rag of homespun hastily hung over the window. In Joan’s world, the Devil is as close as the house next door and might be hidden by a threadbare dishcloth. Deftly presenting these precarious situations, Lewis explores the delicate nature of safety and upsets the reader’s sense of security.
The Witch and the Priest is at its best when Joan describes her encounters with Satan and the coven. Unfortunately, her stories are repeatedly interrupted by the novel’s framing device: God is giving Fleming one more chance to save Joan’s soul; In order for the Priest to be victorious, he must understand the circumstances and motivations that led her to the Devil. Thus we have her account. More appropriate for a child’s lesson, this silly conceit of a spiritual contest is too weak to support the weight of Joan’s accusations as she charges the pious community with misogyny, hypocrisy, and cruelty. And lest you forget about the framing device, there are reminders at least once per chapter. Why, the Priest asks, is he suffering through lurid tales of sex and infanticide? Ah, yes, it’s because he’s in the midst of a battle for redemption.
These repeated explanations diminished my enjoyment of the novel and so too did its language. Lewis writes in a clear and concise style. And while this style isn’t appropriate for 17th-century characters, it does make their thoughts and feelings readily accessible to a modern audience. In general, I agree with this aesthetic approach because the primary goal of a novel like this is to entertain. Still, I think that some linguistic opacity is worthwhile, not because it gestures toward “authenticity”--this isn’t an academic exercise–but because it foregrounds the essential foreignness of the past. And that irreducible difference is a little scary. If you’ve seen Robert Eggers The Witch (2015), then you know what I’m talking about. For the first 5 minutes of that film, I struggled to find meaning in the characters’ dialogue and wondered if they were even speaking English. Of course, they are; but the resistance of their speech to modern understanding intensifies the unassimilable particularity and weird atmosphere of the represented historical moment. It creates dark weeds of psychological dread, the kind that can’t creep and twist in the clear space of Lewis’ sentences.
Despite these shortcomings in style and structure, The Witch and The Priest is worth reading for its granular focus on occult practices and memorable representations of the Devil. For an especially witchy weekend, pair it with Eggers’ masterpiece, settle in with your favorite familiar, and enjoy!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews