The Snow Witch

by Kirsty Ferry

In the dead of winter, 1650…

As the Newcastle Witch Trials spread fear across the north, suspicion takes hold in Newbrough, near Hadrian’s Wall. Meg Noble – healer, midwife, and the so-called ‘Snow Witch’ – finds solace at Coventina’s Well. But when tragedy strikes, whispers of witchcraft begin to swirl, and something ancient is stirred – bound to a sacred dagger and a forgotten goddess.

Now, beneath the same well…

Historian Violet Marsh arrives at Hadrian’s Wall to research the legend of the Snow Witch, but what begins as curiosity soon turns personal. As visions haunt her and the past bleeds into the present, Violet uncovers a story that was never laid to rest – and a presence that has been waiting centuries to reclaim what was taken.

Genres: Fantasy, Historical Fiction, Witches, Fiction, Magical Realism, Gothic, Historical

306 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 3, 2026

About the author

Kirsty is from the North East of England and won the English Heritage/Belsay Hall National Creative Writing competition in 2009. She has had articles and short stories published in various magazines, newspapers and anthologies and was also a judge in the Paws 'n' Claws 'Wild and Free' Children's Story competition in 2011 and in 2013. 'The Memory of Snow', her first novel, was commended in the Northern Writer's Awards, shortlisted to the top five of Wyvern's novel competition in 2011 and longlisted in the Red Telephone Novel Competition in 2012. You can find out more about Kirsty and her work at www.rosethornpress.co.uk

Reviews

[Emma.catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just as MAGICAL as the cover 🤩

Spellbound GR Challenge ✅

As I scanned the challenge book list, this cover jumped out at me, and this was 100% a case of choosing a book by its cover 🤭💚❄️ 🩵✨💖 What I wasn’t expecting was an incredibly atmospheric, enchanting, and thrilling read laced with secrets, revenge, and witchcraft. Utterly captivating! I am honesty shocked how much I enjoyed this supernatural mystery and can’t wait to read more of Kristy’s novels.

Set in Newbrough, near Hadrian's Wall, this story is centred around the mystical Coventina's Well. An incredibly atmospheric mystery built across two timelines- 1650 and present day - and several POV. In the present, we are first introduced to Violet, a historical writer who arrives at the scene to research the witch trials whilst also needing some much needed ‘me time’ away from her loving partner Jake. But as visions from the past begin to haunt her, the line between past and present blurs, and Violet finds herself at the centre of a horrifying scene…

Meanwhile, we also travel back in time to the winter of 1650, at the heart of the Newcastle witch trials. Here we meet another of our MCs -Meggie - healer, midwife, and Snow Witch. When tragedy strikes, she finds solace at Coventina's Well, praying to the Roman Goddess. Rumours of witchcraft begin to circulate the town and poor ‘Old Meg’ finds herself in the midst of the chaos.

Back in the present, Jake and Ollie are also two key figures. Jake, Violet’s partner, is an archaeologist also interested in the area for its archaeological significance. Ollie finds himself staying at the local BnB, gathering research for his own family history. The three MCs all find themselves interlinked by a common interest, sharing strange supernatural experiences, and sensing an other-worldly presence near the Well.

The dual timeline works with effortless expertise. I loved how the author took us back and forth, giving an historical relevance to a contemporary story. Despite not being a huge fan of historical fiction, I actually really enjoyed reading Meg’s story. You get a real sense of how frightening it would’ve been to be accused of witchcraft, and the circumstances of such a ‘crime’. I would even go as far as saying it dips into horror at times 🫣

Although it wasn’t the core of the story, there was a definite subplot of romance that ran throughout. I loved how Kristy lined up Meggie and Emory’s romance with Violet and Jake’s. Both couples displayed loving, supportive relationships, at a similar point in their lives…This only added further to the ‘time slip’ element, and gave the narrative an intimate, and personal, feel.

This story was struck a perfect balance between mystery, historical context, and paranormal elements. It brought a whole new level to immersive research 😂 I appreciated how the story started out simple and slowly built up the layers of intrigue. It had an utterly compelling slow-burning, chilling feel to it that leaves you questioning what exactly is going on 👀

Overall, this book was an absolute triumph! A wonderfully witchy read bursting with secrets and vengeance. I was thoroughly impressed by Kristy’s writing style and can’t wait to read more of her work - The Witch's Stone will be next 🙇🏻‍♀️

4.5 🌟🌟🌟🌟✨

[Lady MacDeath 🌒🌕🌘 · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first thing which caught my eye is this stunningly gorgeous cover, but the story of The Snow Witch, is both tragic, and beautiful. Beautiful because of the love Emory and Meg had for each other, and tragic because of the way thousands of innocent women, were tortured and murdered for being healers, outcasts, or loners. This story is loosely based on Meggie Noble, who was a real woman in her 20’s, born in the 1700’s, who was tortured and accused of being a witch. The author, Kirsty Ferry, has done a deep dive, and thoroughly researched the story of ‘Old Meg’, and her link to Coventina’s Well. This story actually broke my heart, and while lighting my candles, I send a silent prayer to all of the women who were wrongly accused of witchcraft, by the ignorant… May you all be resting peacefully, blessed be!

5 ⭐️

Thanks to Kirsty Ferry, Boldwood, and NetGalley, for sending me this free ARC, with which I leave a voluntary review.

Available: NOW

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ooh, I really enjoyed this atmospheric novel from Kirsty Ferry! Isn’t that cover gorgeous! I really enjoyed the first of Kirsty’s witchy books, The Witch’s Stone, but I think I liked this one even more. Like the first book, this has its roots in history and in local legend.

In the present day, Violet is a historian who is researching the legend of the Snow Witch, a quest which takes her onto the snowy Northumbrian moors and to Coventina’s Well. In 1650, in the wake of the Newcastle Witch Trials, Meg Noble is a midwife and healer, and a devotee of the goddess Coventina.

The Snow Witch is what I call a proper timeslip novel. By that I mean, it’s not just a dual timeline narrative but that the past and present touch. At times, Violet sees and experiences the past and at times, the past comes bursting into the present. Meg’s story was so moving. Like many women in her time, she found herself accused wrongly of witchcraft when all she was doing was helping women. There is strong romantic element in both parts of the story, both nicely done showing the difficulties that can challenge the strongest of relationships.

I particularly enjoyed the setting having spent a couple of holidays in the Hexham area over the past year. It was easy for me to imagine the Roman remains along Hadrian’s Wall, as well as the market town of Hexham, although thankfully it wasn’t as cold when I was there. I had sympathy for Violet walking up that steep hill from the car park to visit Hexham Old Gaol. I haven’t managed to visit the Gaol yet but now I really want to, especially to visit the dungeon. I just hope the lift doesn’t break down…

I found this a really compelling read. I was equally invested in the stories in the past and the present. As the story reached its conclusion, I found it really fast paced. My heart was in my mouth as I raced through the pages to see how the situation would resolve itself. Violet was in real danger as past and present collided.

If you are looking for a spooky, chilling read as we head into Autumn, I really recommend The Snow Witch even though it’s actually set in the depths of winter! It’s well researched, perfectly paced and quite simply a spellbinding story.

[Amie · Rating 3 out of 5]

there are two reasons I read this book
1. It’s on kindle unlimited
2. I now get to tick off another good reads challenge

outcome it was a nice read feel very neutral about it, but I do always enjoy a book about witches

[C.R. Comacchio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Following The Witch’s Stone, this is a stand-alone mystery that shares the atmospheric setting of the Northumberland region, with its great craggy beauty, its wild weather swings, and its history steeped in myth and legend. This volume places the story close to the ancient Hadrian’s Wall, and centres it on the mystic Coventina’s Well. Coventina was the Roman goddess who protected all things associated with women’s fertility, and midwives and women’s healers especially, paid homage to her. Nearby is Meggie’s Dene Burn, a stream named for ‘Old Meg,’ a healer-midwife believed to have been executed at the legendary Newcastle witch trials, not far from Newborough, in the mid 17th century.

The female protagonist is Violet Marsh, a historian who has travelled to the north despite the ominous winter weather that approaches. Despite being in a lovely, supportive relationship with archaeologist Jake, she feels a need for some ‘alone’ time and aims to combine that with research on the witch trials. Given the archaeological significance of the region, it’s an interesting shared with Jake, who shortly pays a surprise visit. As luck would have it, the only other guest at her BnB is genealogist Oliver, who is gathering his own research for a family history he is writing.

The three characters, with their common interests and different but similar objectives, make a convenient group. They add to each other’s findings, share odd ‘supernatural’ moments, and even protect each other from danger as they explore in directions where something, or someone, doesn’t want them to go. The men both sense an other-worldly presence near the well and the stream. Violet is actually able to ‘slip’ between her time and Meg’s.

This is a dual timeline story, and while the contemporary side is interesting, the author excels at writing the historical side. We go back to 1650, only to find that Old Meg is in fact the young and beautiful healer Meggie Noble, whose grandmother, a midwife herself, had trained her in the craft of healing. She is called on for all kinds of women’s needs, and is admired for her expert knowledge in delivering babies safely at a time when pregnancy and childbirth were the biggest dangers to women’s health.

Meggie is profoundly in love with her childhood friend, and is proudly carrying his child. It was he who, on meeting her as a child, had called her The Snow Witch, thanks to her pale complexion and white-blonde hair. But she is confident that she will come to no harm in the village where her family had long resided. When rumours of the witch hunt in nearby Newcastle make their way to the village, she keeps her head down to keep gossip at bay, But Meggie’s beauty and skill, and the unwanted attentions of the local gentry who believes in his right to every maiden, signal what will happen. As was too often the case, women who stood out for their independence, skill and beauty became easy targets for the envious, self-righteous and malicious.

This appears to be the second of at least a planned trilogy, and if this one is anything to go by, the next will be out within the year. Having recently read the first volume, my problem with this one, which I otherwise enjoyed, is that it stays very close to the narrative in The Witch’s Stone. Reading them with little time between made me feel that only a few details regarding characters and events had changed.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood for an advance copy of this novel.

[VickydpBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

A enchanting timeslip of witchcraft, revenge and secrets frozen in time, perfect for fans of C.J. Cooke and Laura Purcell. ✨❄️

This was such a creepy and atmospheric read! ❄️

I really liked the way the story jumps between the past and the present, following Meg during the witch trials and Violet, who is researching the legend centuries later.

The whole setting around Hadrian’s Wall and Coventina’s Well worked so well. There’s something really eerie about an ancient place with a dark history, and the author definitely made me feel like there was something lurking beneath the surface.

Meg’s story was probably my favourite part. You really get a sense of how frightening it would have been to be accused of witchcraft, especially when fear and suspicion were everywhere. Then, in the present day, Violet starts experiencing things that make her realise the past might not be as buried as everyone thought.

There’s a good mix of mystery, history and supernatural elements, and I liked how everything slowly started coming together. It’s not a fast-paced thriller, but it has that slow-building, unsettling feeling that keeps you wondering what’s actually going on.

Definitely one for anyone who enjoys historical mysteries with a darker, supernatural edge.

A creepy, atmospheric read with witches, ancient secrets and a whole lot of buried vengeance. 🖤❄️

[Diana Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the chance to read an ARC of The snow witch by Kirsty Ferry. This atmospheric time-slip story is the perfect book to read on a chilly autumn or winter night! The duo timeline, multi-person POV was a quick and easy read telling the tale of Meg Noble who is accused of murder and witchcraft, and modern day Violet who is researching Meg and the Newcastle Witch Trials. The author did a beautiful job of researching the history and folklore of Hadrian's Wall and Coventina’s Well and blending historical fact with fiction! While this was my first book by the author, it definitely won't be my last!!!

[Trina Dixon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved everything about this novel.
The cover drew me in, the storyline kept me there. I love witchy novels and dual timeline so this was right up my street.

[Acantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't like to compare books to each other, I think its not fair... but its really hard not when I so recently read the author's previous book 'The Witch's Stone' and indeed it was on the strength of how much I had enjoyed that book, which inspired me to pick up this one.

This feels almost like a retelling of that, but a less formed, completed book. There is a subtlety in her other work that is lacking here. Her author note states this is a rework of the first book she wrote and sadly, you can tell. Her characters are a little flat, plot points a little predictable and it follows the same thread as her other book to the extent that I felt almost as though I was reading the same story. I know there are no new stories in the world, but it didn't have to be this similar.

There was plenty to enjoy. The setting is a character in its own right and probably the strongest character in the book. It is an invocative, haunting landscape and the author does a really great job in creating it. I'd never heard of thundersnow before this but she managed to capture that stunning phenomena and the feeling of being alone in a cold day perfectly.

Meg is so naïve as to be infuriating. How she can think she is above the terror and the threat of the witch hunts with everything she does and the nickname she has is just... mind boggling. She is literally called the snow witch by people around her and yet she doesn't twig until too late that someone might point a finger in her direction. There were times when she felt like less of a character and more of simply a plot point for other people to revolve around, an excuse for men to think and do horrible things.

And boy, do the men do horrible things. Men are just the worst seems to be the theme. That and childbirth, and I am really so very sick of books where women are reduced to simply their womb.

This isn't a bad book and there are plenty of people that would enjoy it but I would struggle to recommend this over her far superior book and I certainly wouldn't recommend you read it in the order I did.

~Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review~

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Close to Hadrian’s Wall in Northumberland, there’s a stream known as Meggie’s Dene Burn. According to legend it’s named after Old Meg, a witch who lived in the area in the 17th century and whose burial site is said to be marked by a pink thorn tree. When Violet Marsh, the modern day heroine of Kirsty Ferry’s The Snow Witch, comes to Hadrian’s Wall to research her new book on the Newcastle Witch Trials, it’s Meg’s story that she finds most captivating. Basing herself near the village of Newbrough, Violet sets out to discover the truth about Meg, who she was and how she died.

The story of Meg Noble unfolds alongside Violet’s and the first thing we learn is that she isn’t old. When we first meet her in 1650, she’s a young woman who has inherited her grandmother’s gift of creating herbal remedies which she uses to help the people of Newbrough. She’s aware that fifteen people have been executed in the recent witch trials just a short journey away and, although she doesn’t really expect the witchfinder to come to Newbrough, she can’t help feeling uneasy. Her childhood nickname, a reference to her white blonde hair, is the Snow Witch, and she worships regularly at the well of the goddess Coventina, both things that could count against her if things go wrong…

Like Ferry’s previous book, The Witch’s Stone, this is a dual timeline novel where the two narratives become more and more entwined with each other as the story progresses and the characters begin to slip between time. There’s a strong supernatural element as Violet and Meg each become aware of the other’s presence despite being separated by centuries and Violet starts to see scenes from the past play out in front of her almost as if they were really happening. However, although I did like this book, I felt that it was very, very similar to The Witch’s Stone, even in the way the time periods merge together, and I think if I hadn’t already read that other book just a few months ago I would probably have enjoyed this one more.

Meg’s story is tragic and moving, especially when you remember that it’s based on historical fact; whether or not there really was a woman known as Old Meg who was executed for witchcraft in Newbrough, we do know that many other women (and some men) really did face this fate. I was frustrated with Meg’s naivety in thinking that the witchfinders wouldn’t come for her and wished she had just run away from the village, but I suppose then there would have been no story! In the modern day, I enjoyed watching Violet unearthing information about Meg, helped by her partner Jake who turns up unexpectedly, and another man, Ollie, who is in the area researching his family tree. All three become emotionally invested in Meg’s story, in one way or another.

I loved the setting of the book; I have visited some parts of Hadrian’s Wall but not the place where Meg supposedly lived. I was particularly interested by the inclusion of Coventina’s Well, as I recently read about Coventina and her links with water and healing in No Fair Maidens by Kim Willis, a book about ancient British goddesses. It seems that Kirsty Ferry will be writing more books about historical witches: her next one, The Witch of the Solstice is advertised for February 2027 and I’ll be looking out for it.

[Lupe Farkas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Give me witches, old wells, forgotten goddesses, seventeenth-century accusations, and a place where the past refuses to stay politely buried, and I am already halfway convinced.

The Snow Witch gave me exactly that.

Set between 1650 and the present day, the story follows Meg Noble, a healer and midwife living near Hadrian’s Wall, as fear from the Newcastle Witch Trials spreads through the north, and Violet Marsh, a historian centuries later, who arrives to research the legend Meg left behind.

And obviously, things do not remain simply historical for very long.

The beginning was a little slow for me. It took some time before I felt completely inside the story, and there are moments where the writing circles around the same atmosphere or emotions more than once.

But once the past and present began pulling closer together?
There we go.
That was the book I had been waiting for.

I loved the folklore woven through the story, especially Coventina’s Well, the sacred dagger and the idea of something ancient sitting quietly underneath centuries of history waiting for somebody to disturb it.

And Meg’s story is the part that stayed with me most.
There is something particularly infuriating about reading stories set during the witch trials and watching women whose knowledge should have made them valuable become suspicious precisely because they knew things.

Healing.
Herbs.
Birth.
Bodies.
Nature.

Apparently, being useful while female was already suspicious enough.

The historical and supernatural elements work beautifully together here because the haunting is not just about ghosts. It is about memory, injustice, and stories that were never properly allowed to end.
And by the final part of the book, I was completely invested in seeing how Meg and Violet’s stories would finally meet.

Was it a little slow getting there?
Yes.
Did I care by the end?
Not really. 😂

Because I finished it thinking exactly what I always think when I find another atmospheric witchy book:
PLEASE KEEP PUBLISHING THESE.
Seriously.
Publishers, if anyone is taking notes, I would like more witches.
More forgotten women.
More folklore.
More ancient wells.
More strange things happening near ruins.
More women being accused of witchcraft because they knew what a plant did.
I will read them.

Thank you very much.

Thank you to Kirsty Ferry, Boldwood Books, and NetGalley for the ARC.
And I’m already looking at "The Witch of the Solstice because apparently, this is simply who I am now. 😂

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

*The Snow Witch* by Kirsty Ferry was another atmospheric and wonderfully witchy read from an author who knows how to create a story that feels steeped in history, folklore, and just the right amount of mystery.

The story moves between 1650 and the present day, following Meg Noble, a healer and midwife caught up in the fear surrounding the Newcastle Witch Trials, and Violet Marsh, a historian who travels to Hadrian’s Wall to research the legend of the Snow Witch. I really enjoyed the way these two stories slowly began to intertwine, with the past refusing to stay neatly in the past.

The historical storyline was probably my favorite part. Meg’s life as a healer and midwife, and the suspicion that surrounded women who possessed knowledge of herbs, healing, and childbirth, made for a fascinating and heartbreaking look at the witch trials. It was difficult at times to read about how quickly fear and superstition could turn against women simply because they were different or knowledgeable.

I also loved the folklore and supernatural elements woven throughout the story. Coventina’s Well, the forgotten goddess, the sacred dagger, and the legends surrounding the Snow Witch gave the book an eerie, almost magical quality. There was a constant feeling that something ancient was lurking just beneath the surface, waiting for the right moment to emerge.

The setting was another highlight for me. The Northumberland landscape and Hadrian’s Wall created such a wonderfully atmospheric backdrop, particularly with the wintery, isolated feeling of the story. Ferry really captures that sense of wildness and history, making the setting feel almost like another character.

I did find the beginning a little slower than I expected, and there were a few moments where the story felt slightly repetitive. However, once the connection between the two timelines became clearer, I found myself much more invested in discovering how everything would come together.

Overall, *The Snow Witch* is a beautifully atmospheric blend of historical fiction, folklore, mystery, and supernatural elements. I loved the combination of witch trials, forgotten history, strong women, and a past that refuses to remain buried. If you enjoy dual-timeline stories with a spooky, wintry atmosphere and plenty of witchy folklore, this is definitely one to add to your list. ❄️🧙‍♀️✨

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Ivy Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Big thanks to Boldwood Books, author Kirsty Ferry, and NetGalley for the ARC.

In 1650, as witch trials sweep across the north of England, Meg Noble—a healer and midwife known as the “Snow Witch”—becomes entangled in dark rumors surrounding Coventina’s Well. When tragedy awakens something ancient beneath the sacred site, a forgotten legend begins to take on a terrifying life of its own. Centuries later, historian Violet Marsh arrives at Hadrian’s Wall to investigate the Snow Witch’s story. But strange visions and echoes of the past soon make her question where history ends and something much darker begins. As Violet digs deeper, she discovers that some secrets were never meant to stay buried.

This book pulled me into an atmosphere that both felt like a winter wonderland and a cold and unwelcoming land. Once I started, I couldn't stop reading, and I am sure I would have finished it in one sitting had I not passed out and found my Kindle tangled somewhere in my blanket.

Structurally, this book is very similar to The Witch's Stone, as it is a rework of it. We are, again, given a timeslip between centuries, but this time the terrors we face together with the characters are much greater. The story centers around the injustice of the witch trials of the 1600s and their horrifying echoes that transcend centuries. With such greater stakes comes a greater heartache; both for the reader and for the characters in the book. Wise and well-educated women who help their people being labeled as witches and exposed to so-called trials that determine if they'd live or die, is heart-wrenching to read.

The present-day characters are reflections of the characters from the 1600s, and they act as a means to end unfinished business from centuries ago. The parallelisms between the characters feel as if Meg, Emory, and Charles are almost begging for a different outcome within different lifetimes. On top of such strong emotions, I thoroughly enjoyed the folkloric and historical elements in the story, and it has become an unforgettable read for me.

I really appreciate the massive research Ferry has done and her mastery in crafting such an enchanting story based on it. I highly recommend this book to historical fantasy lovers who also enjoy time slips and emotional depth.

[Tzia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meggie is a young woman living in the wilds near Hadrian's Wall. It's 1650 and the Witch Trials have arrived in this remote corner of the country - but Meg knows she's no witch. She helps people. In the modern day, Violet is an historian writing a book on the Witch trials - and she journeys to Newborough to further her research. Drawn to the well where Meg famously lived and died, the lives of the two women seem impossibly linked...

There's loads to like in this book. Time slips for a start, I love the idea of a time slip and it's not something you tend to come across too often so that's a lovely novelty. The location is it's own character and I felt really drawn to it - the wild untamed countryside of the North with its rolling hills, mystical streams and changeable weather have a unique call and allure of their own. I also really liked that this book throws a light onto the lesser known witch trials of the seventeenth century - my own inner historian loves it when overlooked but significant events get their own moment in the sun.

However...this was an odd one for me, and I actually think I would have enjoyed it more had I not read the authors other book 'The Witch's Stone' quite recently. The author note for The Snow Witch explains that the book is a reworked version for adults of her first ever book - and it shows. The writing is less polished, the characters far less well developed. It felt very early on like this was basically the same story as her other book and that feeling didn't really change. The location and historical events were different but the overall plot was...well, not.

One of my biggest bugbears is that the men in this book seem only to exist to be awful. I know that there was a massive amount of sexual assault and abuse of power in history just as there is today but it does feel in this book like most of the men are stupid or entitled, and most of the women are naive and there to be used by the men.

This is not at all a bad book, it just feels less complete than it could and when I come to recommend this author to another reader - which I most definitely will - it won't be this book I suggest.

- Thanks to NetGalley for granting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review -

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

The absolutely gorgeous cover of The Snow Witch caught my attention immediately, but it was the combination of witches, history and two connected timelines that made me want to read it. I have recently found myself on an accidental literary tour of British witch trials, particularly those in Newcastle, so this book arrived at precisely the right moment.

This was my first Kirsty Ferry novel, despite her having been recommended to me several times, and I can now understand why people thought I would enjoy her writing.
I particularly liked how differently the two timelines made me feel. While reading the story set in the 1600s, I felt constantly apprehensive. Knowing what happened to women accused of witchcraft meant I was never able to relax into the historical narrative. I read cautiously, waiting for suspicion to take hold and the inevitable tragedy to strike.

The modern-day story offered more hope, but also carried a wonderful sense of mystery. Jake, Ollie and Violet all experience things they cannot rationally explain, and I enjoyed watching each of them try to understand what was happening without immediately concluding that the seventeenth century was casually peering through the curtains.

I also loved that this was not a conventional time-slip story in which characters physically travelled into another period. Instead, the past appeared in glimpses, allowing events and emotions from the earlier timeline to bleed into the present. That made the paranormal elements feel haunting rather than fantastical, while gradually revealing the connection between the characters and the two eras.

Atmospheric, emotional and touched with just the right amount of supernatural mystery, The Snow Witch was a compelling introduction to Kirsty Ferry’s writing. I will certainly be investigating the other books people have been recommending to me.

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Leanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Snow Witch is an enchanting blend of folklore, female resilience, and icy suspense — the kind of story that wraps around you like a cold mist and refuses to let go. Kirsty Ferry creates an atmosphere so vivid you can almost feel the bite of the 1650 winter and hear the whispers around Coventina’s Well.

Meg Noble’s storyline is steeped in fear and superstition, set against the backdrop of the Newcastle Witch Trials. Her role as healer and midwife gives her a grounded humanity, and watching suspicion slowly coil around her is both heartbreaking and compelling. The tragedy that awakens something ancient adds a wonderfully mythic edge — a sense that the land itself remembers.

Centuries later, Violet Marsh’s arrival at Hadrian’s Wall brings a completely different energy: curiosity, scholarship, and a slow slide into something she can’t rationalise. The way Ferry lets the past seep into the present — through visions, sensations, and the well’s lingering presence — is beautifully handled. It feels like a haunting without relying on spectacle; more a quiet insistence from history that refuses to stay buried.

The dual timeline works seamlessly, each chapter deepening the mystery and the sense of a goddess‑bound vengeance waiting beneath the frost. The novel’s atmosphere is its greatest strength: wintry, ancient, and tinged with danger, yet threaded with the power of women who endure, protect, and remember.

Elegant, immersive, and chilling in the best way, The Snow Witch is perfect for readers who love historical timeslip fiction with a supernatural pulse — especially fans of C.J. Cooke and Laura Purcell. A spellbinding winter read that lingers long after the final page.

With thanks to Kirsty Ferry, the publisher and netgalley for the ARC

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

📖 Title: Snow Witch

✍🏾 Author: Kirsty Ferry-new to me author

📅 Publication date:9-3-26 | Read:9-3-26

📃 Format: e-Book 306 pgs.

Genre:
* Historical Fic
* Paranormal
* Mystery

Tropes:
*dual timelines/timeslips
*witches/ghosts/magic
*gothic atmosphere
*revenge
*secrets
*winter vibes

👆🏾POV: 3rd person multiple

⚠️TW: the witch trials, S/A, misogyny, the patriarchy, surprise pregnancy, abortion

🌎 Setting: Newcastle, England 1640 & present

Summary: In present day, Violet is a historian researching the life of Old Meg Noble; a witch burned at the stake during Newcastle's witch trials in the 1600s. Meg provides healthcare for the villagers having learned about herbs from her grandmother. When she comes under scrutiny and is accused of witchcraft, her life and Violet's converge on each other.


👩🏾 Heroine: Meg Noble- healer and midwife, worships at Coventina's Well

👩🏾 Heroine: Violet Marsh-a writer, historian doing a book on the witch trials

🎭 Other Characters
* Emory Wilburn-an orphan who met Meg and became her partner
* Alice Scott- Meg's BFF
* Jake Robinson-Violet's partner, a history teacher
* Oliver Brent-staying at same B&B w/ Violet, researching his family tree
*Charles Wilburn-Emory's brother, head of a powerful family

🤔 My Thoughts/Likes: I loved both the couples in this story with Meg and Emory and Violet and Jake. Even when Charles wreaked havoc, their enduring love freed them.

Rating: 4/5 ✨
Spice level: 1/5 🌶️

🙏🏾 Thanks to Netgalley, Boldwood Books, and Kirsty Ferry for this ARC. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm such a fan of witchy tales and this one absolutely drew me in with everything from the title, to the cover, to the synopsis. The Snow Witch is such a fascinating tale, centering around the Newcastle Witch Trials in 1650 in Newcastle England.

Meg Noble is the village healer, the person the women in the town seek out for help when they find themselves in a precarious situation, the person the village seek out when their children are ill, she is the Snow Witch, so named for her white blonde hair and her deep knowledge of the environment around her and her deep attachment to Coventina, the Goddess of Healing and Water and the Patroness of Childbirth and Fertility.

Meanwhile in current day we follow Violet, an author and historian who is doing research on the witch trial and becomes eerily drawn into the world Meg lived in and what happened to her in the witch trials.

It is also a time-slip novel where the present day suddenly and eerily morphs into the past where reality becomes blurred and history suddenly becomes a modern reality.

There was so much I loved about this book, I was completely immersed in Meg's chapters and the history of the witch trials, I could have read page after page of this part of the story. On the other side I did struggle a little with the "now" timeline as Violet researched her book. Her partner Jake and hotel guest Ollie researching his own family tree, all felt a little disjointed to me and I really struggled to relate to these chapters as much as the others.

Overall this was still an enjoyable read, I probably just didn't love it quite as much as I was hoping to.

[Jen James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recently I have been more drawn to time slip books, and stories featuring witches. By which I mean strong independent women, who were wise and had knowledge of herbs that heal. So The Snow Witch was obviously going to have a place in my tbr.

Violet Marsh, an author, is really looking forward to a few days away to research her work in progress. Her planned book will feature the Newcastle witch trials. During her research, she became drawn towards Meggie, a young woman who anecdotally was “tried” for witchcraft. Violet has no idea of the impact that visiting Meggie’s Dene Burn and Covetina’s Well, will have on her, and those around her.

I found one section of the book incredibly hard to read. Anyone who reads the book will know which chapters I am talking about. As I came to the end of this part, I had tears in my eyes and I was furious. I know this is a work of fiction, but sadly this abhorrent treatment of women was reality. These deplorable insecure patriarchal bullies were all too real.

I loved Violet’s reply to Ollie when he spoke about witches. Her explanation of the wrongful persecution of wise women by the patriarchy. She quite literally voiced my exact feelings on this horrific episode in our history. I was cheering her on from my sofa.

As the book came towards the final quarter, I felt the genre morphed into a fantasy read at times; which was quite surprising, and I’m still not sure how I feel about that aspect. It is this ending that reflects in my 3.5⭐️ rating. I know many other readers will love this atmospheric read, but sadly I wasn’t quite the right ft for The Snow Witch.

[Tex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley, I received an advanced copy of the book The Snow Witch. Centering around the lives of 17th century Meggie Noble and 21st century Violet, the author does a really nice job of intertwining the stories of the two women. One thing I really liked about the book was how the author repeatedly transitioned the plot from past to present in alternating chapters.

As with most of the women accused of witchcraft, Meggie Noble’s story is tragic and heart-wrenching. The storyline of her character, in my opinion, was more intriguing than Violet’s. But the way the author paralleled their stories and mirrored their lives was very powerful.

Feeling a “pull” when I visited ancestral places in Scotland a few summers ago, this book hit close to home as the 21st century characters visit locations with ties to the past and they experience strange sensations when doing so. I applaud the author for not only bringing the legend of Meggie live for readers, but also bringing out several feelings within the reader. The night after reading this book, the story did not leave my mind. It made me pause to think about the women accused during the Witch Trials of Great Britain and the United States, the sense of doom they all must have felt, and the reasoning behind many of these trials. The story also had me looking up various locations that were discussed in the book to do some research of my own.

I enjoy books that leave me thinking about them after I finish reading. This book did a fine job of doing so.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was 1650 when Meggie & Emory fell in love; it was also when the Witch Trials had occurred, spasmodically, across the country. In Newbrough, near Hadrian's Wall, lay Coventina's Well. Meggie would pray to Coventina, begging for her assistance. But when Meggie's best friend died and Meggie, the Snow Witch, was blamed, her life was forever changed.

Violet Marsh had arrived at Hadrian's Wall to research the story of the Snow Witch, four centuries before. She was an historian, writing a book and the information she could gain would be invaluable. But before long, the past blended with the current day; Violet had visions and felt her body was being taken over. Her partner Jake was there with her, and the same happened to him. The horror and terror captured them; the symbolic dagger showed up and bled evil. What had happened in that long ago past that so connected the current Violet & Jake - and Ollie - to it?

The Snow Witch by Kirsty Ferry is an eerie, frightening look back at the time of the Witch Trials in England, a time which should never have happened. Violet & Jake played their parts well, as did the characters from the 1650s. For fans of the genre, and of the author, I recommend this one.

With thanks to NetGalley & Boldwood Books for my digital ARC to read and review.

[Lara lalaru_land · Rating 4 out of 5]

A scholar researching a book about witch trials visits a location where a "witch" was killed, burned, and her ashes spread into a sacred well.

I REALLY enjoyed this book....it had history, the paranormal, paganism, suspense, and true love: all mixed into one story.

The suspense was really well written. I was so nervous for Meg (the accused witch) and even though I KNEW what was going to happen to her, I was still sacred and horrified for her. And also horrified knowing the true history of witch hunts and how real women went through the horror of being accused with no way to prove their innocence.

The POV switched from the present to the past, which I think played into the suspense of what was happening to the characters.

While I liked the relationship of Meg and her man (spoilers), I felt like I would have liked to have seen Violet & Jake's relationship built up more, at least from Violet's side. Jake seemed in it from the beginning.

I also appreciated the paganism. It can be easy for author's to write paganism as Wiccan as if they are one and the same (All Wiccans are Pagan but not all Pagans are Wiccan). I can tell Kirsty Ferry researched a great deal for this book. Reading afterwards that the geography really exists only verifies to me how much research went into this book.

I would love to say more about the book but I don't want to give away too much. Suffice to say, this book checked a lot of boxes for me.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the eARC.

This is my second Kirsty Ferry book. Her writing creates such a sense of place. Even though I was reading this in summer, I felt chilled with the description of the snow and the cold, wet winter conditions.

It’s obvious, even before the Afterword that she did substantial research on the witch trials in the area. I felt like this was a good fiction companion to the nonfiction How to Kill a Witch, which I read earlier this year. And the perks inside the perverse and manipulative mind of the witch pricker were particularly vivid.

My only qualm about this book is how similar the plot is to her previous book, The Witch’s Stone, which was one of my fave books last year. I think had I not previously read that, I’d rate this one higher because it would seem more original.

The main characters have interesting relationships (in both timeline). I didn’t get a sense from Violet and Jake that they had been together for a while, even though they had. They still seemed to be getting to know each other. I wanted to have more background on Ollie. He’s an important part of the story.

Overall, I would highly recommend this - especially during “spooky season”. It is dark and sad but ultimately redeeming. I think it would make an excellent book club book (with the warning below).

(Be aware that there are some serious triggers in this book - sexual assault, murder, pregnancy, abortion).

[Ashley Cloninger · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Snow WItch is another time-slip novel by Kirsty Ferry.

Violet Marsh is a historian who decides to travel to Newcastle to investigate a witch trial and ancient well that has been around since Roman times for her upcoming book. She has discovered that she is pregnant and is unsure how her boyfriend Jake will react and decides to get away for some research and self reflection. The well and the area around it throw off a spooky vibe and pretty soon Violet finds herself immersed in the past

In 1650, Meg Noble is the local healer, and midwife, not the best occupattion during the witch hunts of the 17th century. Meg is in love and pregnant by Emory Wilburn an orphan who was raised with his foster brother Charles at the local manor house. Sadly the witch hunts come to the village and Meg is caught in the crosshairs, Violet meanwhile finds herself slipping into the past timeline along with her boyfriend Jake, and Oliver Brent another guest at her bed and breakfast who is researching his family history. Will the tragedies of the past bleed into the future with the same tragic consequences?

I really enjoyed the dual time-slip story and it is alway hard to read what the women accused of witchcraft endured.

Thanks to Netgalley, Boldwood Books and the author for the chance to read and review this ARC.

[mrs j a lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kirsty Ferry just keeps getting better!

What a fantastic book! So many book reviews say the book was unputdownable and this book really is, the story of Meg and Emory was heartbreaking and all the more so for being set in truth. I loved the modern day characters too and would like to read more about Violet and Jake, Ollie also was an interesting character, I felt sorry for him getting bound up in all that chaos, more or less by accident . But honestly the true star of the book for me was the wild beauty of the setting, I now have a longing to go and see it for myself and to walk in the footsteps of those who lived there so long ago. Well done Kirsty Ferry, you have reignited my passion for history and for nature. I am lucky enough to live in a village in Hertfordshire where we have our very own historical ladies of legend, two of them from the same house in the same village, one a saint and the other decidedly not, but both equally fascinating and worth remembering, I believe there have been books about them in the past and at least 2 films about one of them. I am just about to start another of your books, the log burner is ready to light, the red wine is ready to drink and the bacon sandwich is ready to eat, now all I need is a really good book to keep me company. Step forward Kirsty Ferry.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read an eARC of this book on NetGalley so thank you to the author and the publisher.

Firstly, I loved that this was set in Northumberland. I’m always trying to find more horror and historical books set in the North East. This was a great setting and it really did explore significant places, people and events in this region. We were off to a winner straight away.

This is a dual timeline novel, where a modern character is investigating the life of the person in the historical timeline. Violet in the modern timeline is researching a book but has also gone up to the frosty landscape to get some space to make an important decision. There she meets Ollie who is investigating his family connections with the place. She’s followed up by her sweet but in the dark partner Jake. (I really liked Jake, he was a genuinely nice guy).

In the past we have Meggie, a healer who gets in the path of a sleazy local noble and a repulsive witch finder.

There was a point late on where the connections with the past, I felt started to go a bit far. However I can see what the author was doing to achieve the ending they wanted so this was ok.

Great setting and I loved the historical detail. I found this an engaging and interesting read.

[Zandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am fascinated by books about witch trials and when I realised The Snow Witch by Kirsty Ferry was about witch trials in the North of England, I had to read it. The story doesn’t go into much detail about the actual trials, but it explains how they decided if someone was a witch. Meg Noble lived in 1650, had white blond hair and a childhood friend nick-named her Snow Witch. She was a healer and made potions using herbs to help people. So she was mistrusted.and after the witch trials in Newcastle talk of witches started to spread. Violet Marsh in the present day was writing a book about witch trials. She and her boyfriend Jake, who was also doing research in the area, were staying in different parts of Newbrough. Some really strange supernatural things happened, also including Ollie who was staying in the same boarding house as Violet. The story of Meg unfolds through Violet’s visions, and surprisingly Ollie has similar types of visions. Eventually Jake has visions too. Finally the mystery is solved. I would like to thank NetGalley, Kirsty Ferry and the publishers, Boldwood Books for an arc of this dual timeline book.

[Katie Peal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read The Snow Witch by Kirsty Ferry in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoy dual-timeline historical fiction, particularly when it combines history, folklore and a touch of the paranormal, so this was right up my street. I loved learning more about the witch trials and getting my feminist side thoroughly fired up along the way!

The folklore and supernatural elements added an atmospheric, slightly eerie quality to the story, and I really enjoyed the way the historical and contemporary timelines were woven together. The North East setting was another big plus for me, especially as it's an area I'm a little familiar with — there's something extra enjoyable about recognising the landscape and history behind a story.

Atmospheric, intriguing and full of folklore, The Snow Witch was an enjoyable read with plenty to keep me turning the pages. A great choice for anyone who enjoys historical fiction with a darker, supernatural edge.

[Tracey · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Snow Witch by Kirsty Ferry

❄️ When the past refuses to stay buried… ❄️

Thank you to Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read an ARC of The Snow Witch by Kirsty Ferry.

This was such an atmospheric read, and having recently enjoyed a holiday near Hexham, I particularly loved the connection to the geography of the story. There’s something about recognising a place in a book that makes the whole experience feel that little bit more immersive.

Told across two timelines and through multiple POVs, this is a true time-slip novel where the past and present gradually come together. I really enjoyed watching the connections reveal themselves slowly, with history reaching forward to touch the present.

The meticulous research into the history of the area and the witch trials was another highlight for me. It added depth to the story and made the historical elements particularly fascinating.

Overall this is a beautifully atmospheric read with a compelling sense of place and a fascinating historical backdrop.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read The Snow Witch.

This book stirred up a whirlwind of emotions within me. Stories of the witch trials are always challenging to read, as they depict a time in history that was not always kind to women, especially those who deviated from societal norms.

The Snow Witch seamlessly intertwines two narratives: Meg, a healer and midwife from the past, and Violet, a writer researching for her next book in the present.

Violet’s plan to take some time for self-reflection and research the history of the Snow Witch quickly transforms into an unforgettable journey that will challenge both Violet and Meg to confront questions of trust, friendship, family, faith, and healing.

This beautifully written and captivating story explores themes of witch trials, romance, mystery, tragedy, and the healing of old wounds. It’s a must-read for fans of historical fiction and those who enjoy magical storytelling.