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The Witch and the Priest
PENGUIN A celebration of the very best literary horror, a series of terrifying novels and tales that for generations have thrilled, captivated and kept readers wide awake at night.
Joan Flower is long dead when she first appears to Samuel Fleming, a priest plagued by doubts about her and her daughters’ execution for witchcraft. Did he do all he could to rescue them from damnation? From beyond the grave, Joan reveals to him the spine-chilling tale of her seduction by Satan, her temptation of her own daughters to the Devil’s coven, her murderous sacrifices, and her final rejection by both Heaven and Hell – yet Samuel still strives for a way to redeem her sins. Over their terrifying conversations, Samuel learns the way of the witches’ sabbath and comes to the dark realisation that Joan’s soul may not be the only one in need of saving. . .
Based on real seventeenth-century witch trials in Lincolnshire, The Witch and the Priest is a masterpiece of historical atmosphere and psychological horror.
‘Strange terror fills this tale of seventeenth-century witchcraft … horrific and written with much skill.’ - Daily Telegraph
Joan Flower is long dead when she first appears to Samuel Fleming, a priest plagued by doubts about her and her daughters’ execution for witchcraft. Did he do all he could to rescue them from damnation? From beyond the grave, Joan reveals to him the spine-chilling tale of her seduction by Satan, her temptation of her own daughters to the Devil’s coven, her murderous sacrifices, and her final rejection by both Heaven and Hell – yet Samuel still strives for a way to redeem her sins. Over their terrifying conversations, Samuel learns the way of the witches’ sabbath and comes to the dark realisation that Joan’s soul may not be the only one in need of saving. . .
Based on real seventeenth-century witch trials in Lincolnshire, The Witch and the Priest is a masterpiece of historical atmosphere and psychological horror.
‘Strange terror fills this tale of seventeenth-century witchcraft … horrific and written with much skill.’ - Daily Telegraph
325 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1956
25 people are currently reading
1681 people want to read
About the author
Hilda Lewis
48 books40 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.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
October 14, 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.
December 6, 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.
January 21, 2016
Beautifully written book. It would've earned four stars from me if it were shorter.
Read
September 6, 2015I 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.
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.
May 26, 2015
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 26, 2015
Holy cow, that was a good read. Thanks, Nancy, for bringing my attention to this!
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.
January 16, 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!
February 2, 2022
Would have made a good short story, or even novella. This feels watered down, and a bit dated.
November 11, 2025
Intelligent and poignant, and a lot of fun. I’d have given it 4.5 if how important and well written this book really is hadn’t had outweighed the slight repetition of conversations between Joan Flowers and the Priest in the first third.
I believe this should be read by anyone entering the judicial system as a profession, it’s as relevant today as it was in the 1600s and 1950s. A fantastic read and it will have a long lasting impression on me, I hope I take it all with me and remember it as often as I can.
Aside from this, the depictions of witchcraft are accurate and the occult is understood by the author. It’s great, and I can’t believe how obscure this book is considering how good it is.
Slow start but gripping once you’re a quarter of the way in. I think it could be one of my favourite books.
I believe this should be read by anyone entering the judicial system as a profession, it’s as relevant today as it was in the 1600s and 1950s. A fantastic read and it will have a long lasting impression on me, I hope I take it all with me and remember it as often as I can.
Aside from this, the depictions of witchcraft are accurate and the occult is understood by the author. It’s great, and I can’t believe how obscure this book is considering how good it is.
Slow start but gripping once you’re a quarter of the way in. I think it could be one of my favourite books.
November 9, 2025
classic spooky book - perfect for Autumn/winter. Surprised I hadn't heard of it until now!
based on a REAL STORY, and it’s historically accurate!!! As Lewis did so much research for the novel on witchcraft and demonology. This book was basically made for me as I’m obsessed with this history. It was great writing and made for an entertaining read. Initially published in 1956 this penguin classic still holds up and I would recommend it to anyone obsessed with witchcraft and the time of witch trials - albeit pretty grotesque at times!!
based on a REAL STORY, and it’s historically accurate!!! As Lewis did so much research for the novel on witchcraft and demonology. This book was basically made for me as I’m obsessed with this history. It was great writing and made for an entertaining read. Initially published in 1956 this penguin classic still holds up and I would recommend it to anyone obsessed with witchcraft and the time of witch trials - albeit pretty grotesque at times!!
May 27, 2022
Brilliantly considered, this dialogue between the spirit of a witch and an aged priest covers a period in which the punishment of witchcraft was rife. Theologically intelligent and superbly reasoned, Lewis reveals the torments suffered by women at the hand of the Crown and the Church.
December 16, 2025
sättet boken genomgående brottas med moral, etik och religion är så intressant. den behandlar kvinnoperspektiv och skillnaden mellan präster och fattiga. språket var lite svårt att komma in i men när jag väl kommit in i boken var den så fin och jag gillade hur den var skriven
January 13, 2024
A really well written novel. Probably the best book dealing with witchcraft that I have read.
April 17, 2024
This book was well written. Good interaction between the characters.
December 3, 2025
I thought this was a brilliant book, so detailed and nuanced in its exploration of witchcraft. The plot mostly happens through conversation between the two central characters and I didn't know what to expect from this, but it works so well. It's funny in places, but also pretty chilling in others, or smart and reflective - overall, it is a true slow burn and just so interesting. It really dives deep into themes like women's rights, poverty, class and status, religion, and justice. I also think it would make a pretty compelling stage play.
April 22, 2017
This was a good read. Slight spoiler- I do caution before you read it and you are a HP fan. This book was written in the 70s I believe and witches in this book are associated with the devil. So don't go into it thinking it will be like HP cause it's not at all.
A good interesting read I felt.
A good interesting read I felt.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews