Whispers of the Pendle Witches

by Kayleigh Kavanagh

1612 saw one of the largest and well-documented witch hunts in England. To the people of Pendle, Demdike is a name both scorned and feared. Matriarch or monster, they only see the impoverished hag and her brood. At her age, Demdike knows she should be long in her grave, but with mouths to feed, she hasn't the luxury of rest. Trained in the cunning arts, she uses her craft to help others, but not all look favourably on her gift. When the Justice of the Peace arrives in Pendle, Demdike soon realises the whispers of witches are spreading, and they're focused on her. Between herself and her long-time frenemy "Chattox" can the two wise women ensure their bloodlines survive? Even if they know they won't.

Genres: Witches

317 pages, Paperback

Published November 1, 2024

Reviews

[David Canford]

In the early 1600s, sixteen so-called ‘witches' from Pendle in Lancashire were hung. In 1601 Elizabeth had died and King James of Scotland, son of her one-time arch rival, Mary Queen of Scots, became also King of England. He was obsessed with the idea of witches, having written a book about them, and persecution of them increased.
In reality, accusations of witchcraft were just another method of controlling women, especially those who had offended someone. As the wonderful Jane Goodall remarked, “It doesn’t take much to be called a difficult woman, that’s why there’s so many of us.”
There’s a lot of non-fiction books about the Pendle ‘witches' but I preferred to read a novel. It was quite repetitive and needs some editing, and while some of the writing was very good, some of it was not and there were lots of American words and phrases and modern terms which didn’t seem right, for example referring to someone as having a 'digital mind', and the use of ‘analogue’ and ’stereo’. However, the author paints a strong picture of hardship and injustice and, in parts, I was gripped by the narrative.

[Holly Aronson]

“Whispers of the Pendle Witches” is an atmospheric and richly imagined tale that weaves together historical echoes of the infamous Pendle Witch Trials with the shimmering threads of magical realism. Kavanagh has clearly done her homework: the setting of the North-West of England and the legacy of witch lore brings a strong, evocative sense of place.

What I enjoyed:

The world-building is one of the book’s strongest assets. The way it connects the past (the witch trials and pendle folklore) with characters in more recent times gives a haunting resonance.

The thematic focus on women’s relationships—both by blood and by choice—is compelling. Kavanagh explores found-family dynamics and the ties between the living and the departed with sensitivity.

There’s a slow burn charm: once the story gets going, the stakes rise, the magic becomes more vivid, and the pace picks up in a satisfying way.

The author’s voice comes through clearly. Knowing that Kavanagh writes from the North-West herself, and lives with disability (which she mentions as shaping her writing process) adds authenticity and a quiet strength in the background.


What held me back a little:

The beginning of the novel is slower than I expected. The opening chapters, while richly descriptive, do spend quite a bit of time establishing characters and setting rather than pressing the plot ahead. If you’re after immediate action or high suspense from page one, it may feel a little languid.

Because the pace is gradual at first, some readers might find themselves waiting for the momentum to build. The payoff is there, but the setup takes its time.

There were a few places where the layering of historical detail, magical elements and character back-stories felt a little heavy—at times the narrative momentum seemed to pause while the world was being summarised or explained.


Overall verdict:
Despite the slightly slow start, I would absolutely recommend this book. It’s a strong debut (or early work) from an author who shows real promise, particularly in terms of voice, setting, and emotional depth. If you enjoy historical fantasy, witch lore, or simply a book that builds gradually to something memorable, this one is for you. I found that by the time I was halfway through, I was fully invested in the characters and intrigued by how the pieces would come together.

Tips for readers:

If you usually require fast-moving plots, be patient with the first quarter of the book—the real magic (both literally and metaphorically) kicks in afterwards.

Note that familiarity with the Pendle witch trials (or some knowledge of British witch-history) may enhance your experience—though it isn’t strictly necessary.

Because the novel delves into legacy, trauma, and supernatural elements alongside everyday life, it works best when read with a bit of focus (rather than as a casual “sidelined” read).

It might also be worth keeping a note of the various characters and their relations early on—they tend to interlink and pay off later.


In short, “Whispers of the Pendle Witches” is a thoughtful, atmospheric read with a slow-burn build-up and a rewarding finish. One I’m glad I picked up.

[Philippa Stevens]

I enjoyed this well enough, but didn’t love it. I really liked how the author built the “characters” and the motivation behind Jennet Device’s denunciation of her family was both interesting and plausible. The thing I found off putting was the use of language. The author mentions that they chose not to write the Lancashire accent, fair enough, but the language used instead is jarring. I very much doubt that people were saying “Yeah, Mum” or “Pass the ginger root already” in 17th Century Lancashire and it did detract from the book as a whole. That said, the women and men who were accused in Pendle were given new life and I loved the way they were portrayed - perfectly imperfect, mysterious, and innocent.

[Paula]

Very slow and dull telling of the lives of the Pendle witches although it was more sympathetically told.

Usually books on witches of old are told making these poor innocent women to be bad, evil spawn of the devil. In truth, these were poor women who struggled to feed their families. They couldn’t afford meat, grew their own vegetables or lived off the land around them eating wild flowers and vegetation.

These women were the opposite of evil. They were healers and midwives who were just trying to live their lives as well as helping others in the village.

[Andrea]

Very good book written from the perspective of the women accused of witchcraft. Most of the flow of the story is based on fact with a little artistic license here and there.
The book is written well and flows and I would highly recommend 'Whispers of the Pendle Witches' to anyone who loves historical fiction or anyone who has an interest in the Lancashire/Pendlebury Witch trials.

This book appealed to me greatly as I am a Pendlebury. I visit Pendle often and my spiritual path is more routed in the old ways. Well worth your time xx

[Kirsty]

I've got half way through and I'm bored and frustrated.This book has no idea what it wants to be. If it's supposed to be historical fiction it is very badly researched. Characters hold views they would never even have heard of in the 17th century and there are many anachronisms. Is it trying to be a horror? There's been one supposedly scary part which, again, couldn't decide what it was trying to do. It's meandering and boring and I'm honestly not sure whether I can even be bothered to read on.

[RAvenreads]

Whispers Of the Pendle witches, is told through the eyes of demdike & her family.

I enjoyed this version, generally books like this are written from the POV of the witches being bad people or deserving of the treatment they recieved during the witch trials.

In this book the story is told of a struggling family trying to make ends meet in the toughest of times.

It's well written, can be slow in places but still easy to read and the plot keeps you engaged.

4 stars.

[Eilidh]

very slow, couldn't get into it.

[Natalie Pink]

A slow start but did enjoy this book. I was reading it whilst in the area of Pendle which gave it that extra something.

[Kayleigh Kavanagh]

My book so I'm obviously biased. But if you like strong older female characters and historical stories about about witches then give this one a go