A Time of Witches

by Madeline Martin

Two women, bound by blood and betrayal, must break silence across centuries-or be silenced forever, in the dazzling new novel by New York Times bestselling author Madeline Martin.


In present day, Lilith Legare's life is unraveling. Since her mother's death, strange things have been happening - plants turn toward her touch, animals linger in her path, and the birthmark on her arm has started tingling. Worse still is her recurring nightmare of being burned alive at the stake.

Her search for answers brings her from Savannah, Georgia to England, to the decaying Brackenmere Manor where the past blurs with the present. There, Lilith discovers a legacy she never asked for and along with it, the threat of peril. History must be rewritten, or she too will die.

In 1645 Suffolk, Sybil Brantham stands accused as a witch. An educated, wealthy widow, she is branded a threat by men who fear her independence. As arrests begin and suspicion abounds, Sybil must protect her younger sister, even as betrayal takes root within her household.

Across centuries, Lilith and Sybil are bound by blood and by danger. To save themselves, and each other, they must confront the silence that has stolen women's power for generations -- and dare to claim their voices before it's too late.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Witches, Fiction, Autumn, Historical, Adult

Audible Audio

First published September 1, 2026

About the author

Madeline Martin is a New York Times, USA Today, Publisher's Weekly, and international bestselling author of historical fiction and historical romance with books that have been translated into over twenty-five different languages.

She lives in sunny Florida with her two daughters (known collectively as the minions), two incredibly spoiled cats and a man so wonderful he's been dubbed Mr. Awesome. She is a die-hard history lover who will happily lose herself in research any day. When she's not writing, researching or 'moming', you can find her spending time with her family at Disney or sneaking a couple spoonfuls of Nutella while laughing over cat videos. She also loves research and travel, attributing her fascination with history to having spent most of her childhood as an Army brat in Germany.

Check out her website for book club visits, reader guides for her historical fiction, upcoming events, book news and more: https://madelinemartin.com

Reviews

[Madeline Martin]

Update September 2nd - A Time of Witches is NOW AVAILABLE!!! ***muppet flail excitement***

I didn't get a chance to post yesterday, but A Time of Witches officially came out yesterday and it was just the best day ever! I'm so incredibly grateful to everyone who posted such wonderful reviews and took the time to share about my release yesterday. Thank you to everyone who went out and bought copies and who sent me so lovely messages about how excited you are for the book.

It's especially exciting knowing that you guys have been with me from the very beginning on this journey to write my book and have it finally come out. Through the idea, the research, the edits, the cover reveal - and now the publication! I'm truly so grateful!!

I hope everyone enjoys A Time of Witches!!

xoxo,
Madeline

Update August 29, 2026: 11 week book tour!

Tomorrow kicks off an eleven week book tour that goes all over the East Coast and includes England and Canada and Portland, Oregon.

Will I be near you? If so, I'd love to see you at one of these events! I'll be chatting about the writing process and the real history behind A Time of Witches:
https://madelinemartin.com/events/

Hope to see you there!

xoxo,
Madeline

Update July 14, 2026:
Preorder incentive!!

YOU GUYS! Harper Collins put together the CUTEST keychains as a fun preorder incentive for A Time of Witches! If you've preordered the paperback (from any vendor) you'll just need to send your receipt to have an adorable keychain mailed out to you - open to US and Canada (except Quebec): link with info and to submit your receipt here: https://bit.ly/4bdis2w

And just a reminder that if you want a personalized signed copy, you can preorder that from my local bookstore, San Marco Books & More here: https://sanmarcobooksandmore.com/made...

I hope everyone enjoys their keychains! :)

xoxo,
Madeline

Update March 28, 2026:

A Time of Witches is officially now available to request on NetGalley!! https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/boo...

OMG this is so exciting!! (and thank you!)

xoxo,
Madeline

Update March 20, 2026:
I recently completed my page proofs for A Time of Witches, which officially means it will be going off to the printer!! This is such an exciting part of the book (and also terrifying) when it means I am DONE with the writing and editing and cannot change another thing in it (that last part is the terrifying part LOL).

While I was between edits on this book, I did a giveaway for the names of two of the animals in this book that I detail in my author's note, so definitely to make sure to check that out when the book comes out. The name of the horse was such a fun story that helped a grandmother bond with her equestrian granddaughter <3

I had a wonderful cover reveal for this book with People magazine and so appreciate how many of you shared my cover and reached out to let me know how much you love it <3 If you'd like to see the article, here it is: https://people.com/madeline-martin-a-...

I have a call with my marketing team in two weeks to start putting together a game plan for the launch, which will include my book tour. Believe it or not, I already have a couple stops planned, including Bury St. Edmunds, England! I'll be part of their literary festival this year with a special launch with Moyse's Hall Museum. I am absolutely over the moon about this!

The last thing I really need to write is the information for the reader's guide. The amazing team at Harper Collins assembles everything in to a pretty file, but I'm the one who provides the details. It's easier said than done!

It really is so exciting to see everything fall into place with this story and I cannot thank you enough for your eagerness and support and love!

xoxo,
Madeline

Update on Sept 12, 2025:

A Time of Witches has officially been turned into my publisher! I did it right before leaving for my book tour for The Secret Book Society - and turning in a book right before book tour is always the BEST feeling ever LOL

After my personal read through and freelance edits, the book ended up being over 80K words, so there was definitely a lot added to it. There was a lot of shifting timelines to get everything exactly as I wanted it to, but I love how it ended up. I expect I'll likely get the edits back in October sometime.

I already heard back from my agent after she read through A Time of Witches and she LOVED it - another friend who reads all my books has said it's my best book I've written. Getting feedback like that so early on after finishing writing it gives me the biggest sigh of relief LOL It's always such an anxious thing when a new book is done and people read it for the first time!

In the meantime, I've updated the blurb with a bit more information on what the book is about and I've started to mention A Time of Witches while I'm on my book tour. I'm so grateful for all the excitement already starting over this book and hope everyone loves it as much as I do!

xoxo,
Madeline

Update on June 5, 2025:

I just wrote THE END on A Time of Witches!!! My goal was to start May 5th and finish this first draft on June 5th (today1) at 70K words and I finished at 68.9K words. Pretty close to my original estimate :) Some days were great, like at the Highlights writing retreat in PA where I had a cabin in the woods and glorious silence that helped me accomplish 5K words a day. And some days were not great, like when I was traveling and limping along in my word count, or exhausted and just needed a whole day off (meaning zero words).

The months leading up to this point have been filled with intense research, so getting to finally write the story and have it all composed is just beyond thrilling! :)

What's next?

First of all, I wrote the timelines separate to ensure I kept the contemporary voice of Lilith and the 17th century voice of Sybil intact without deviation or crossover. Tomorrow, I will be splicing all those chapters together so the stories weave together. Easier said than done! But it shouldn't take more than a day.

Next, I'll do a full read through/self edit. This will take approximately two weeks to do, then I'll send it to a freelance editor to ensure all the pieces are working. Then I'll have a month for more clean up before turning it in on the due date of August 1st.

Stay tuned for more details as they come! And feel free to ask questions in the comments :)

Thank you for being on this journey with me as I write A Time of Witches.

xoxo,
Madeline

Update on May 13, 2025:

After months of deep research, travel to England and Savannah, plus ridiculous amounts of character development and plotting, I’m officially diving into the writing phase of my 2026 release, A Time of Witches.

My goal is 70,000 words in 32 days. (About 2200 words a day — give or take, depending on whether it’s a chaotic or coffee-fueled kind of day.) Writing quickly like this is how I work best as the just flows out of me and keeps everything cohesive. In my head, it's kind of like when you read a book you can't stop thinking about and can't wait to get back to. But at the same time, it's like the story has been building and building and just suddenly has to explode out.

It can be a bit of a stressful process as I still have to maintain travel, events, emails, life, etc while I'm 'fast drafting' but it's what seems to work best for me. Then, of course, come the edits to ensure it's all smoothed out before turning into my editor.

I'm going to be sharing the process of writing it in my stories on Instagram if you want to join along. I'm about 23K into it as I started it on the 5th and plan to end on June 5th. So feel free to follow along! https://www.instagram.com/madelinemma...

And thank you again for joining me on my journey to write this book <3

xoxo,
Madeline



Update on February 1, 2025:

Even though A Time of Witches isn't coming out until 2026, I'm already hard at work! I've been doing research for the last three months and will be leaving for England in less than two weeks to explore the area where the historical part of this book will take place. I have several private tours lined up and a list of questions I'm dying to learn answers to!

One of my favorite things about traveling on location is how it makes all that research fall into place. Suddenly street names have relevance, distances can be accurately measured, and seeing pieces in museums helps to bring that world to life for me. There are also so many books to purchase on location that I either can't find or don't even know exists. On the latter note, I always bring a collapsible second bag in my main bag for research trips, which I end up stuffing full of books (and padding with dirty laundry so those books don't get too beat up and dented).

I'm so excited for the incredible things I'm going to learn!

Stay tuned for more - and thanks for going on this journey with me.

xoxo,
Madeline

[Christine Garrow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two women separated by centuries face the same threat: a world determined to silence them before they can uncover the truth.

After losing her mother to cancer, Lilith Legare begins experiencing horrific nightmares and inexplicable phenomena, including a birthmark that stings and tingles. Convinced that her symptoms are more than manifestations of grief or stress, she travels from Savannah to England in search of clues as well as reassurance that she is not losing her mind. Her investigation leads her to the decaying Brackenmere Manor, where she begins unraveling the history of Sybil Brantham and Sybil’s sister, Jacinda, whose presence still seems to linger within the estate.

In Suffolk in 1645, the recently widowed Sybil has inherited her husband’s wealth. Naturally, the patriarchy does not take kindly to a single woman of independent means. She is soon accused of witchcraft and blamed for her husband’s death and other misfortunes within the community.

The most impactful and harrowing parts of A Time of Witches depict what Sybil and other accused women endure while imprisoned. They are starved, brutally interrogated, tortured, humiliated, and tested in nearly every physical and psychological way imaginable. The abrupt transitions from Sybil’s horrific circumstances to Lilith’s modern-day storyline can be jarring. Lilith faces the uncertainty of what will happen if she cannot solve the mystery surrounding her inheritance while Sybil confronts bodily torment, not to mention the threat of execution. Although both timelines carry significant stakes, Sybil’s suffering is so immediate and visceral that returning to Lilith’s investigation can temporarily lessen the modern storyline’s urgency.

Saskia Maarleveld narrates both women’s perspectives with a sustained intensity that creates an almost constant sense of dread. Her performance captures their fear and determination as each fights for survival before time runs out. Considering that the characters are separated by centuries, the effectiveness of that shared urgency demonstrates just how thoroughly this tale bends time and the mind.

Despite its difficult subject matter, the story is elevated by one vital theme: women banding together to help one another, centuries of distance be damned. To possess the strength demonstrated by the women of 1645 seems almost impossible to me and, at times, to Lilith as well. Yet nothing seems quite as insurmountable when someone does not have to face it alone.

The mystery and supernatural intrigue will hook readers, but the sisterhood connecting these women across generations will inspire them. I would recommend A Time of Witches to readers who enjoy atmospheric dual-timeline fiction, historical mysteries, and stories about women reclaiming the voices others have tried to erase.

Content warnings include the death of a parent, cancer, misogyny, imprisonment, starvation, torture, humiliation, violence, and persecution associated with accusations of witchcraft.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for providing an advanced listener copy in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Elle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will be recommending this to everyone as my go-to witch book this fall.

This is one of the best witch books I’ve read in a long time (and I’ve read ~50!). I literally woke up early so I could read it.

The story is a fantastic dual timeline, featuring modern-day Lilith and a witch in 1600s England who has been accused of witchcraft. Both timelines were interesting, and they worked seamlessly together. The best part was that this was the sort of cozy witch book I grew up on. If you like the Practical Magic series, I think you’ll really enjoy this.

I had the pleasure of listening to the audiobook, and Saskia Maarleveld did a fantastic job narrating. She really made the story come to life and did a great job blending US and UK accents.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins, and Harlequin Audio for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Kaitie Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook Read.

I wasn't sure about this for the first half, but the second half DELIVERED.

If you loved Weyward by Emilia Hart, add this to your TBR.

Full RTC!

[layan ليان]

someone got the arc 🤭
i cannot wait to read this!

[Bethany · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️ I enjoy a good historical fiction when it’s immersive and well written and Madeline Martin definitely delivered. When I came across this title and read the premise I was definitely intrigued. Witch trial books are always fascinating to me. Add in interesting characters along with a good storyline and I’m totally invested.

The dual POV/Dual timeline worked perfectly to tell an amazing story tying together past and present.

I truly enjoyed the mystery/adventure vibe, magic elements, woman empowerment and bits of history. The author’s note was spectacular. I always love it when an author feels so passionately about a novel & explains the thoughts and research that they put into their work.

This book did start a bit slow but that is to be expected with a complex novel that lays the groundwork building up to the plot. The paranormal “ghostly” elements could be a turnoff for the more skeptical readers (which I am not). The almost romance between Lilith & Asher felt a bit irrelevant until I reminded myself that this is a novel about women empowerment in which case it was a great nod towards the modern independent woman

Thank you to NetGalley & Harper Collin’s Publishers for the advance copy and opportunity to fairly rate this novel

[MillennialMomReading · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the perfect read to get yourself warmed up for witchy season! I was able to both read the eARC and ALC of this one courtesy of The Hive and Harlequin Audio, and I really enjoyed being able to switch back and forth depending on what I had going on. This is a dual-timeline witchy mystery that has a lot of heart and a story that progresses quickly. Madeline Martin will make you feel all the feminine rage about how women have been persecuted through time for the sake of a man’s ego, and it was exactly what I needed to read right now. This is a for sure pick up for the fall!

[Kristine · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars ⭐️

[Andi · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 | 4.5 stars rounded up

The perfect fall read: witchy and brimming with feminine rage, empowering female friendships, self discovery, and lush imagery.

A Time of Witches follows Lilith, in present-day Georgia, and Sybil, in 17th-century England, as Lilith has to try prevent a terrible tragedy from occuring to centuries before her birth.

I loved the way this blended historical fiction with magical realism and fantasy. The historical aspects are incredibly well researched, and I was deeply touched to learn that the author named several characters after people died in real-life witch trials. Both settings are immersive, but I especially loved how dark and atmospheric Sybil's timeline was.

While there is romance, this book is love letter to friendship and womanhood. The resilience, strength, kindness, and love of women is placed front and center throughout the story, which was deeply impactful to me.

I read this half via the physical book and half via audio, and I loved both formats. The narrator, Saskia Maarleveld, is excellent (!!) and now I need track down every audiobook she's ever narrated.

Thank you so much to The Hive and Hanover Square Press for the advance copy and Harlequin Audio | Hanover Square Press and for the ALC via NetGalley.

[MyNeverEndingTBRList · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quick and enjoyable read, and I liked the narrator. I love a good witchy book, but this one left me wanting a little more.

3.5 stars

[Stephanie Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Madeleine Martin did a fantastic job with A Time of Witches. This is an immersive, beautifully written historical fiction novel with compelling characters, a strong storyline, and just enough magic woven through the history to keep me completely invested.

The story follows two women separated by centuries—Lilith in present-day Savannah and Sybil in England in 1645. I’m always drawn to a good dual timeline, and while I enjoyed seeing how the two stories connected, I definitely preferred the historical timeline. Sybil’s story felt especially compelling, and I thought the historical setting and supporting characters were more richly developed.

The beginning was a little slow for me, but I think that groundwork was necessary for everything that came later. Once the story started gaining momentum and the connections between the timelines began falling into place, I was hooked.

I also appreciated that romance is not at the forefront here. At its heart, this is a story about women—the ways they have been viewed, controlled, judged, and persecuted by society, but also their resilience, friendships, family bonds, and refusal to be silenced. The witch trials add a darker and more emotional layer to the story, particularly knowing the very real history behind them.

And I have to mention the author’s note! It was spectacular. I always love when an author shares the research and thought that went into a novel, and Madeleine Martin’s passion for this story and its history really came through. And don’t forget the recipes at the end! That was such a fun extra touch and a wonderful way to finish the book.

Historical fiction, witchcraft trials, family secrets, strong women, magical realism, and dual timelines, there was so much to enjoy here.

Definitely add A Time of Witches to your TBR! 🖤

Many thanks to NetGalley, Hanover Square Press, and Madeleine Martin for the advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Stephanie (TheBookishBoyMom) · Rating 4 out of 5]

First things first — Martin is always going to deliver a story filled with female empowerment and because of that, she’s now an auto read author for me. The way her female characters support and encourage each other is always welcomed and fortunately for us readers, she knows how to write female relationships perfectly!

Now, about “A Time of Witches” — told through a dual timeline, present-day Lilith begins having strange dreams that pull her into 1600s England during the witch trials, where Sybil, an independent widow, is doing everything she can to protect her sister and friends.

The desperation and determination of these women really stood out to me. Martin writes such strong, resilient characters and I loved watching that strength come through the storytelling.

[Monika · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really like the concept and how the author used the historical events and people surrounding the witch trials in England. This is told in past/present, because Lilith in today’s world is tasked to stop the death of Sybil in the past. This isn’t an easy read because the experiences of those who were accused of witchcraft went through. Still, a good read with good characters.

[Alanna Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a 4.5 star read for me. Books I rate 4.5 stars are books I will continue to recommend! It was an enjoyable read. If this author writes another novel, I will pick it up! I will be over on my social channels discussing this book and all the others!

[Nichole · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Time of Witches by Madeline Martin

I walked into this book thinking it was historical fiction, and was pleasantly surprised that it is fantasy historical fiction. The story is a dual timeline and follows the two main female characters: Sybil and Lilith. Lilith is from present day Savannah and Sybil is from 1645 Suffolk.

The writing throughout the book was simple and straight forward, in a good way. The story felt faster paced and flowed well due to the simplicity. There were a few areas of the story that I wished had more detail (the prison was one that could have been delved into more to create a darker atmosphere), however that is more personal preference.

I loved that Sybil was kind, almost to a fault. I wish that I knew more of her outside of the ‘three day’ timeline that we had for her. I would have loved to get to know her more in depth. I also loved the female friendship portrayed in both timelines. This was so well done and made my heart squeeze in both joy and sadness.

A Time of Witches explores persecution against women, specifically during the witch trials. I would have loved this theme to be tied more into the present day timeline to make it feel more relevant to the reader. With the theme focusing mostly during the witch trials, it felt like it lost some of its weight because we are so far removed from these events.

The conflict of the book really peaked during the witch trials and the imprisonment scenes. Again, the conflict did not carry over for me during the ‘current time’ pieces of the story. The focus there was on the character not disappearing and the crux of the conflict felt ‘meh’. I kept getting caught on details that just weren’t fitting together. *SPOILERS*

*SPOILERS*

Why was it mentioned that Asher painted Lilith disappearing? She found the paintings and then….nothing? That felt like a big deal and was just brushed past. Why did she actually disappear even though the timeline in the past was that Sybil was almost immediately freed from the fire and it didn’t take another few hours? She would have only disappeared if Sybil had actually died? I was confused about this point. It felt like the author needed a ‘climax’ for the current timeline and struggled to make it feel as important as the past timeline.

It was due to some of the confusion in timeline and the current timeline not feeling as important that I gave ⅗ stars. However, it was a really fun and fast read and I loved how the author utilized true historical events to structure the story around.

[Kyla Schmidt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first Madeline Martin book, even though I have others waiting on my TBR!! I won this ARC through a HarperCollins contest on IG!

I love historical fiction and do like magical realism and witch vibes; this was a perfect combo.

The dual POVs and timelines get better and better as the story weaves its way to the finish. It’s a bit of a slow start but worth it when more is revealed about Sybil, Lilith, and Jacinda’s connection and how it crosses the boundaries of time.

4⭐️

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Would you embrace your power and step into the past to save the future?

Madeline Martin takes historical facts and blends it with a bit of magic to deliver an atmospheric novel about claiming your power, resilience, intergenerational connection, and hope in the face of fear. Told through a dual timeline, present-day Lilith begins experiencing unexplained dreams of a past that feels both foreign and familiar. Those visions pull readers into 1600s England during the witch trials, where Sybil, an independent widow, is striving to protect her sister as well as her friends. This book explores how women, especially in the 1600s, were marginalized and silenced in the face of the unexplainable.

I always enjoy reading Madeline Martin and am consistently impressed by the depth of her research and the way she crafts such compelling narratives with the perfect fictional twist. Her writing is beautiful and descriptive, and the imagery floats through your mind as you read. You can’t help but feel the desperation these women carry as they search for ways to make their situation better — to fight ignorance and oppression. Martin writes fierce women, whether they are central to the plot or supporting characters. While there are still hurdles to overcome, this book highlights the battles women have fought to help shape a better future. There are definitely moments here that make you pause and reflect on how far women have come.

The one thing that kept this from being a five-star read for me was the present-day perspective. Lilith’s storyline felt a bit repetitive at times, and while each return expanded on what came before, the repetition occasionally pulled me out of the narrative.

If you’re looking for a little witchy atmosphere especially for Fall with rich historical context, A Time of Witches is a perfect read, complete with a black cat and grimoire.

Thank you to Madeline Martin and Hanover Square Press for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a delightful ARC to win and enjoy!

I enjoyed the dual POV, it blended together quite well and the story was engaging. (3.75)

[The Bookish Elf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three candles go out at once in a bedchamber at Brackenmere Manor, with no wind in the room and no window open. Four hundred years later, a woman in Savannah watches the photographs on her phone delete themselves one by one. A Time of Witches by Madeline Martin runs those two clocks side by side and points them at the same date, and the date is real: 27 August 1645, when eighteen people were hanged on Thingoe Hill outside Bury St Edmunds after Matthew Hopkins declared them witches.

Martin is best known for her wartime bibliophile novels, and readers arriving from those will find this a genuine departure. The bookshop warmth is still here. So is a prison chapter that will sit in your chest for a week.

How A Time of Witches Works

A Time of Witches by Madeline Martin runs two strands, alternating in short chapters. In the present, Lilith Legare is twenty-six, newly motherless, and has started noticing that plants lean toward her and the weather answers her moods. A fortune teller who turns out not to work at the shop she was found in tells her that she is tied to a woman named Sybil, that she must help her, and that failing means she will cease to exist.

In 1645, Sybil Brantham is a wealthy widow in Suffolk with a dead husband, a herb garden, a sixteen-year-old in her care whose power she is frightened of, and a magistrate who has been refused too many times. When Hopkins arrives in town, all of that becomes evidence.

The connecting device is a spell that binds Sybil to a descendant born under a full moon, which is why Lilith has dreamed of a burning since childhood and why she is now dissolving. The rules are laid out plainly and the countdown is honest. Lilith has three days, and the reader can feel each one go.

What Madeline Martin Does With the Prison

The seventeenth-century chapters are the reason to read this. Martin travelled to Bury St Edmunds and worked with the guides and with Moyse's Hall, and the research does not sit on the surface as decoration. It arrives as procedure.

There is a cell where women are separated by whether they have confessed, so that the ones who have not can be starved in front of the ones who have. There is the walking test, which is simply being made to run between two chairs for a day and a night while a man asks the same questions until exhaustion turns a denial into an admission. And there is a woman brought in to shave a prisoner's entire body and prick her with a bodkin whose point retracts into the handle, so that the absence of blood proves what the town has already decided. And there is a detail Martin found in a pub basement: the accused had their nails and hair clipped into jars before execution, so they could not be buried whole and could not enter heaven.

Martin also names real victims and lets them keep their names. Mary Bacon, John Lowes, the Everards, Margery Spearham. That choice gives A Time of Witches by Madeline Martin a spine that its supernatural plot alone would not have supplied.

What works

The strengths of A Time of Witches by Madeline Martin are almost all in the past, and they are specific rather than atmospheric.

Edith. An old woman covered in warts who feeds everyone the town forgot, and whose only complaint about her life is that she has never been beautiful. What her friend does about that, days before the swimming test, is the finest sequence in the novel.
Kat. Seven children, a sharp tongue, a seamstress with a genius for using people's own consciences against them. Her speech to the crowd is the best-constructed scene in the book.
The erasure. Lilith's photo count ticking downward, a reflection that stops arriving, and a best friend who texts back asking who this is. That last one lands hard.
The animals. A rescued racehorse, a kestrel, a woodlark, a squirrel and a black cat named Dragon, all treated as companions rather than props. Martin's afterword on why she wrote a black cat is worth reading.
The appendix. Seven usable tea, balm and bath recipes closing the book, which is a lovely idea and executed without whimsy.
Where it gives ground

Five things keep A Time of Witches by Madeline Martin from being the novel its prison chapters promise.

The two halves are not weighted equally. One timeline contains starvation, forced stripping and eighteen hangings. The other contains lasagna, two bottles of wine and a skunk called Lord Wimbleton the third. Both are enjoyable. They do not belong to the same book, and the novel never resolves the gap.
Asher is thin. His secret is signposted for two hundred pages and dissolved in a single conversation with no real friction. The romance is pleasant and carries no risk.
Essie exists by text message. She is the warmest, funniest character in the present-day strand and appears in person on roughly three pages.
Aunt Jacqueline solves too much. She knows everything, supplies every ingredient, and can perform the one spell the plot requires. Charm is not the same as opposition.
The investigation is short. Lilith watches one day loop, follows the wrong servant once, then overhears the entire answer in a single unguarded conversation.
Content notes for A Time of Witches

Eighteen on-page hangings, described. An attempted burning at the stake. A death by drowning during a swimming test. Starvation, thirst and sleep deprivation used as torture. A woman stripped, shorn and searched by other women, at length. Sexual assault and coercion, referenced repeatedly. An unwanted pregnancy used to force a betrayal. A man beaten to death in a cell. A mute child imprisoned and starved. Plague deaths, parental death, maternal emotional abuse, and a deliberate blood offering. The English witch trials are the subject rather than the backdrop, and the book does not soften them. Romance is closed door. No heat rating needed.

Read it if / Skip it if

Read it if you want witch-trial fiction that treats the procedure as the horror rather than the magic; if you liked Weyward and wanted the historical strand to run longer; if you read author's notes and want a good one.

Skip it if you need both halves of A Time of Witches by Madeline Martin of a dual timeline to hold equal weight; if a love interest with no obstacle bores you; if the mechanics of a countdown spell feel like homework.

The Verdict

A Time of Witches by Madeline Martin is two novels sharing a spine. One is a cosy contemporary about a woman inheriting her power, a bed and breakfast, a grumpy vet and a rescued black cat, and it is pleasant company. The other is a furious, exact account of what a paid witchfinder actually did to a hundred and twelve people between 1645 and 1647, and it is not pleasant at all. The second one is why the book matters. Martin has spent twenty-five years wanting to write this, and it shows most in the pages where nothing supernatural happens: a woman running between two chairs until her feet break, a jar of clipped fingernails in a cellar, a friend sewing a silk gown so that someone can feel beautiful on the last morning of her life. The magic is the frame. The record is the point.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

What is your favorite book/movie/show featuring witches? I always loved watching Bewitched on reruns growing up.

Lilith has been having strange things happen to her lately including a reoccurring nightmare about being burned at the stake. She feels called to visit Brackenmere Manor in England. There she can see and interact with the past. Her ancestress Sybil has been accused of being a witch in 1645. She is an educated wealthy widow who helps others with her herbal medicines. When she refuses to marry the local magistrate who has used violence against her in the past, he accuses her of witchcraft. Will Lilith be able to save Sybil?

My thoughts on this novel:
• I couldn’t put this book down – it was the most engaging book I’ve read in recent months.

• It is a dual timeline novel set in current day and 1645 England.

• I would classify this book as fantasy, historical fiction, historical fantasy, witches, Halloween, and magical realism.

• It was horrifying and scary to see how the women accused of witchcraft were treated. It seemed to be a way to punish women who wouldn’t do what a man wanted, a way to get your neighbors property, or just a way to punish a woman who used herbal remedies or was an old woman living on her own.

• I enjoyed the Last Bookshop in London by this author. I need to read more of her works.

• There is a wonderful author’s note at the end detailing the real witch trials. Bury St. Edmunds in Suffolk, England was the site of witch trials in 1645.

• The romance between Lilith and Asher in the present timeline was nice. I liked how they seemed to be fated to be together.

• The women in prison in the past supported each other through the most difficult of times. I enjoyed their camaraderie.

• There was a bit of a twist at the end that I enjoyed.

• I loved the characters such as Lilith’s best friend Cassie, who is always there for her. She was also part of a plot point that reminded me of Back to the Future as Lilith seems to fade from the present as she can’t get past events changed.

Overall, A Time of Witches by Madeline Martin was a very engaging dual timeline novel that is an especially perfect read for fall.

Book Source: Thank-you @angelamelamud and Hanover Square Press for the review copy.

This review was first posted on my blog at: https://lauragerold.blogspot.com/2026...

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⚡️
Thank you HTP Hive & HTP Audio for the gifted copies!

A Time of Witches
Madeline Martin
Publishing Date: September 1, 2026

🎧 Narrator: Saskia Maarleveld 🎧

Witchy season is upon us! Madeline Martin delivers a solid novel here, mixing magical realism with historical fiction, to give us a mix of atmospheric witchy vibes and feminine rage and depth. I appreciated how this story was largely about women and witches and the atrocities of the past, but she also tied in parallels to present day. Power hungry men simply cannot handle women with power in any form at all.

Told with dual POV and a time loop component, we have Sybil in the past and Lilith in the present. As their worlds and stories start to collide, we learn more and more about them, their power, and what needs to be done to save their family line. I personally preferred Sybil’s chapters over Lilith’s. I wish we had gotten more character development from the Lilith chapters and I felt the attempt at a romance subplot was not developed enough to really land for me. However this did keep the spotlight firmly planted on our FMC’s so maybe that was the point!

This is a slower atmospheric story for the majority of it, but the end wraps up pretty quickly. I loved the very very end and how the author tied in autonomy and choice. I love the authors note. But the top highlight of this one has got to go to the animal sidekicks 🐈‍⬛🐴… I just loved them!

🎧 Saskia Maarleveld is one of the best out there so it should come as no surprise that this book is absolutely fantastic in audio format!

[Jessica Tengco · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Time of Witches is inspired by Madeline Martin’s own terrifying recurring dream as a teenager of being burned alive at the stake. I stayed up way past my bedtime reading this book. *Make sure you read the author’s note after reading the book.

After the death of her mother, Lilith begins noticing plants reaching toward her, animals being drawn to her, and the crescent moon birthmark on her arm beginning to tingle. She discovers a family link in England and travels to Brackenmere Manor where she gets caught between centuries and has to preserve her existence.

One of my favourite things about this book was the historical detail. Martin researched real people and events surrounding the witch trials in England in 1645. Knowing that so much of the story is rooted in actual history made it all the more fascinating and unsettling.

I was so impacted during my visit to Salem, Massachusetts, earlier this year. Now I have to add Bury St. Edmunds in Suffolk, England, to my travel list.

The witch trials are reminder of what can happen when fear, accusation, and unreliable evidence are allowed to influence justice. A Time of Witches also explores the fight against the patriarchy, friendship, choice, and empowerment. There’s a touch of romance, some charms and enchantments, and I absolutely loved the animals woven into the story.

[Kaitlin Zimmermann · Rating 4 out of 5]

ALC - I received this book for free from Harper Collins via NetGalley for my honest review

I really enjoyed this one! I love anything that has to do with magic, historical fiction, etc. and this one did not dissapoint. Not only did I get that but I also loved how much it centered around ancestry, finding yourself and the power / magic within you.

I loved the dual time lines - The story jumps between present-day Savannah GA with Lilith and 1600s England with Sybil. The author did such an amazing job making you feel like you’re in both worlds with the imagery and vocabulary used- it was spot on and really brought the story to life.

My only complaint is that it was a little slow for me at times. I found myself wanting a little more excitement and a few more moments that really wowed me. That being said, I still really enjoyed watching the two timelines slowly come together!

I would absolutely recommend this to anyone who loves witchy vibes, historical fiction, and a sprinkle of romance.

It’s also the perfect time to read with Practical Magic 2 coming out this month !!

[Kellie (kelliesbooknook) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this historical fiction with a dash of magical realism. A Time of Witches follows two women separated by centuries, Lilith in present-day Savannah and Sybil in 1645 England, where she’s been accused of witchcraft. As a Georgia native, I could not agree more that Savannah is the perfect present day Southern Gothic setting.

The book was a bit slow to start but needed for background. I loved watching the two timelines slowly come together, but Sybil’s story was definitely my favorite. Give me witch trials, family secrets, a creepy old English manor and a little bit of magic and I’m IN.

A Time of Witches is full of atmospheric, witchy historical fiction that is the perfect book to start your Fall. 4 stars for me!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for my ARC! This review is my honest and accurate opinion.

[Danielle Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Hanover Square Press via Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book is loosely based on the largest 1654 Witch Trials in Suffolk England. Sybil and Lillith are bound by blood centuries apart. Sybil is on trial as a witch to be burned at the stake. Lillith must find a way to save Sybil before her life ceases to exist.

This is such a wonderful coming of age story mixed with how women and some men were treated in the past and accused as witches and then persecuted wrongfully and painfully. I loved the characters and how they came into their gifts and the story in general was just so good. I loved the author’s blending of truth with fiction for the witch trials it really rips your heart out to know people endured this centuries ago. Her authors note explains the research she did into the background stories, places, & people she based it on. Highly recommend this book.

[Candace Sewell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I had high hopes for this one, but it did a fall a little short for me.

Lilith is struggling with life and her friend Essie tells her maybe she needs to check out a fortune teller. What she discovers will change her life… or maybe end it.

Let’s start with the good.

I love a good split timeline. The past story, Sybil’s timeline, is great. I was entranced, hooked, and dying to know what came next in her world. The injustices she experienced, the strength of her character, and her sisterhood were all immaculate. I loved her story. The current story, Lilith’s part was very underwhelming for me. Everything was just a little too convenient and people a little too believing. She definitely has her hardships and of course the reader is rooting for her success, but it doesn’t hit as hard as Sybil’s story for me and really brings this book down. If I was rating the past half of this book, it would be approaching a 5 star rating, but as it stands it really didn’t do that for me.

The characters… at risk of sounding a bit too scathing, who names their main witch character Lilith? It felt way too on the nose for me and had me immediately rolling my eyes.

Moving past that, the characters are pretty well rounded. They have weak moments and strong moments, and they’re not perfect people, which is always nice. The lead male character contributes to the story but doesn’t overpower the plot, and the villains are really, really unlikable. Lilith is not my favorite FMC, and Sybil and Jacinda far outshine her.

The writing is very easy to read and the tone feels appropriate for this. It’s ominous and feels suspenseful when it needs to as there is a lot of time sensitive elements in this book.

I don’t regret reading this book, but it did not meet my high expectations. The premise was great and the past story was fantastic, but the current timeline and choice of name for the FMC made this one flop a bit for me. It was still enjoyable, but it could’ve been better for me personally.

[Novel and Latte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, A Time of Witches is a gorgeous, profound, and difficult look at the historical aspect of women being persecuted for being witches in the 1600’s.

Thank you to HTP Books & The Hive for the ARC via NetGalley! All opinions are my own.

Madeline Martin does a wonderful job taking us through the lives of Sybil (then) and Lilith (now) as they struggle to save themselves from being lost to the earth; one at the hand of another and one at the hand of time.

Sybil is accused of being a witch, and Lilith is having recurring nightmares of being burned at the stake. Lilith travels from Georgia to England to the decaying manor of her ancestors to find answers. She needs to fix history or she too will die.

Each of the characters came alive for me in Martin’s writing. From Aunt Jacinda to Asher, and Essie, Kat, and Edith… each person played their part in the story and it was done so incredibly well.

I was captivated and returned eagerly to the book every time I had a minute to pick it up!

[Amy]

NO: A book I borrowed from the library to try before I buy (tired buying hundreds books and hating half)

I do not rate these “tested”
books. This is really for me. I will not be buying, reading borrowing this book.

I read first ch or more -first 10-100 pages skim around at times. I read many of my GR friend’s reviews. This is what I did and didn’t like:

Love this cover.

I have her other book by her that I like “The secret book society”.
This one is written very different. It’s very choppy and weird imo. I don’t like it.

[Zoe Riemer]

This book is really good, do not let my DNF disway you. I DNFed for a very personal reason.

[Jymmi is Booked · Rating 4 out of 5]

**Thank you to the NetGalley & Hanover Square Press for the opportunity to read this e-ARC through the NetGalley. **

4.5⭐️ one of the best historical fictions I’ve read in a long time. This is a captivating story about the power of women, female friendship, ancestral roots and the power rediscovery. You could really tell the level effort and research in each character.

Lilith’s story really felt like a coming of age. She no longer has her mom telling her what she can and cannot become. Her journey for answers was fast pace and I was cheering her on to finally find her power.

Sybil’s story is captivating and heartbreaking. She’s accused of witchcraft and yet shows resilience, poise and strength through some the darkest and tortuous times. I could feel both her strength and fear through the pages.

I have to personally thank the author for Edith. Oh Edith the character and storyline that utterly broke and healed me at the same time. 🖤🫶🏽✨

This is a fascinating read and highly recommend!