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Witches of Pendle #1
The Gisburn Witch
A tragic tale of friendship, passion and betrayal set against the backdrop of the Pendle witch trials of 1612, one of the most famous witch trials in English history.
Scandalised as a young woman after being accused of seducing Tom Lister, a gentleman’s son, Jennet Preston’s life is filled with shame and hardship. An outcast in her own village, she befriends the Device family in Blacko, and she is quickly embroiled in their world of folk magic and superstition, of old family feuds and dangerous reputations.
When fate intervenes to reunite her with Tom, Jennet risks everything for love and happiness, but when tragedy strikes Jennet finds that she is vulnerable to accusations for which she could pay the ultimate price. The Gisburn Witch is a novel about falling in love with the wrong person, making the wrong friends, and being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Scandalised as a young woman after being accused of seducing Tom Lister, a gentleman’s son, Jennet Preston’s life is filled with shame and hardship. An outcast in her own village, she befriends the Device family in Blacko, and she is quickly embroiled in their world of folk magic and superstition, of old family feuds and dangerous reputations.
When fate intervenes to reunite her with Tom, Jennet risks everything for love and happiness, but when tragedy strikes Jennet finds that she is vulnerable to accusations for which she could pay the ultimate price. The Gisburn Witch is a novel about falling in love with the wrong person, making the wrong friends, and being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
282 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2015
27 people are currently reading
1061 people want to read
About the author
Sarah L. King
7 books34 followersSarah L King writes historical fiction and contemporary mysteries which she self-publishes via her own Ethersay Publishing imprint. These include historical fiction novels, The Gisburn Witch (2015), A Woman Named Sellers (2016) and The Pendle Witch Girl (2018), all set during the Lancashire witch trials in the seventeenth century. She is also the author of two contemporary mystery novels, Ethersay (2017) and The House at Kirtlebeck End (2019). Her latest novel, The Wax Artist, was published in 2021 and is the first in a planned historical mystery series set in Georgian era Edinburgh.
She also writes historical romance novels under the name of Sadie King, and has Regency romance novels published by Harlequin Mills & Boon. For more information, please visit www.sadieking.com.
Sarah L King was born in Nottingham and raised in Lancashire. After graduating with a degree in History from Lancaster University, she moved to West Lothian, Scotland where she now lives with her husband and children. When she’s not writing, she loves long country walks, romantic ruins, Thai food and travelling with her family.
She also writes historical romance novels under the name of Sadie King, and has Regency romance novels published by Harlequin Mills & Boon. For more information, please visit www.sadieking.com.
Sarah L King was born in Nottingham and raised in Lancashire. After graduating with a degree in History from Lancaster University, she moved to West Lothian, Scotland where she now lives with her husband and children. When she’s not writing, she loves long country walks, romantic ruins, Thai food and travelling with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 5, 2024
It's my own book and I just couldn't give myself 5 stars as that would be cheeky.
In all seriousness, the reason I wrote this book is that it was a story I wanted to read myself. Now it is finished I am very proud of it and enjoyed reading as much as I hoped I would.
In all seriousness, the reason I wrote this book is that it was a story I wanted to read myself. Now it is finished I am very proud of it and enjoyed reading as much as I hoped I would.
May 6, 2015
"The Gisburn Witch" is a historical fiction novel written by debut author Sarah L King. In the interest of upfront honesty, I want to start by informing you all that the author is my wife and I was involved in some of the initial edits of the book. I am still trying to write a fair review but wanted to make sure everyone knows about the relationship I have with the book as I doubt I can keep it completely bias free.
Anyway, the novel itself is based around the events that led up to the infamous witch trials of Pendle in Lancashire, England during the early 17th Century. The specific story we follow in this book is that of Jennet Preston, a woman who was from the village of Gisburn which is in the neighbouring county of Yorkshire. Scandalised as a young woman after being accused of seducing Tom Lister, a gentleman’s son, her life is soon filled with shame and hardship. As an outcast in her own village she befriends the Device family in Blacko and is quickly embroiled in their world of folk magic, superstition, old family feuds and dangerous reputations. When fate intervenes to reunite her with Tom, Jennet risks everything for love and happiness, but when tragedy strikes Jennet finds that she is vulnerable to accusations for which she could pay the ultimate price.
So my first comment on the novel is in regards to the pacing, the novel does start off relatively slowly as King attempts to introduce the reader to Jennet herself and the society she lives within. However, as the story progresses the pace gradually increases until the final part of the novel more or less flies by as the tension builds and the drama unfolds. I pretty much read the final quarter of the novel in one sitting as I really wanted to know how this obvious tragedy was going to unfold. Other than that, the writing was very competent and it had a heavy descriptive element which really helped to bring out the obvious love felt by the author for the Lancashire countryside and climate.
In regards to the characters, I found myself quite split as there is basically nobody in this book who you could define as being a classical "good guy"; even Jennet herself acts and behaves in a manner which I didn't always like. I actually found myself moving from an initial feeling of pity for Jennet, to frustration with her, to mild anger and then back to feeling a sense of pity for her again. King has basically tried to create people with flaws and defects in an attempt at providing an element of realism within the novel which is commendable but at times it did lead to me wondering if I would end up caring about any of them by the end. Thankfully, as mentioned above, I did feel sorry again for Jennet by the end and I especially felt a sense of empathy for her husband, William who had suffered a lot throughout the novel.
Overall, I did really enjoy the book, it isn't a genre I read regularly but I think it was a well written, successful attempt at trying to bring to life a real historical tragedy with people full of their own hopes, weaknesses and flaws. As said, I am probably biased as my wife wrote it but during the editing process she altered parts of the story I had issues with so the final product was probably always going to please me. If you are interested in exploring a Historical Fiction novel that takes a look at some of the lives of the common people within English 16th/17th century society rather than royalty etc. then I think you should give this book a try.
Anyway, the novel itself is based around the events that led up to the infamous witch trials of Pendle in Lancashire, England during the early 17th Century. The specific story we follow in this book is that of Jennet Preston, a woman who was from the village of Gisburn which is in the neighbouring county of Yorkshire. Scandalised as a young woman after being accused of seducing Tom Lister, a gentleman’s son, her life is soon filled with shame and hardship. As an outcast in her own village she befriends the Device family in Blacko and is quickly embroiled in their world of folk magic, superstition, old family feuds and dangerous reputations. When fate intervenes to reunite her with Tom, Jennet risks everything for love and happiness, but when tragedy strikes Jennet finds that she is vulnerable to accusations for which she could pay the ultimate price.
So my first comment on the novel is in regards to the pacing, the novel does start off relatively slowly as King attempts to introduce the reader to Jennet herself and the society she lives within. However, as the story progresses the pace gradually increases until the final part of the novel more or less flies by as the tension builds and the drama unfolds. I pretty much read the final quarter of the novel in one sitting as I really wanted to know how this obvious tragedy was going to unfold. Other than that, the writing was very competent and it had a heavy descriptive element which really helped to bring out the obvious love felt by the author for the Lancashire countryside and climate.
In regards to the characters, I found myself quite split as there is basically nobody in this book who you could define as being a classical "good guy"; even Jennet herself acts and behaves in a manner which I didn't always like. I actually found myself moving from an initial feeling of pity for Jennet, to frustration with her, to mild anger and then back to feeling a sense of pity for her again. King has basically tried to create people with flaws and defects in an attempt at providing an element of realism within the novel which is commendable but at times it did lead to me wondering if I would end up caring about any of them by the end. Thankfully, as mentioned above, I did feel sorry again for Jennet by the end and I especially felt a sense of empathy for her husband, William who had suffered a lot throughout the novel.
Overall, I did really enjoy the book, it isn't a genre I read regularly but I think it was a well written, successful attempt at trying to bring to life a real historical tragedy with people full of their own hopes, weaknesses and flaws. As said, I am probably biased as my wife wrote it but during the editing process she altered parts of the story I had issues with so the final product was probably always going to please me. If you are interested in exploring a Historical Fiction novel that takes a look at some of the lives of the common people within English 16th/17th century society rather than royalty etc. then I think you should give this book a try.
June 2, 2015
Where to begin? The Gisburn Witch is a novel which follows the life of Jennet Preston over many years. As to be expected in any novel which undertakes such a long period of time there are often gaps of several years between each chapter, but the author did great job in working in important information for the reader without it feeling forced. As a reader I welcomed this more than just as the tools for the story but I found myself generally interested in Jennet's life. What struck me about this novel is that I only really felt bad for one character and it wasn't the one I expected from the outset. I won't reveal details as I do think this novel is truly worth a read, but it did me take by surprise. That's not to say the other characters were undeserving of empathy and compassion, but in some ways they were their own worst enemy.
There wasn't much that I considered negative about the novel. To nit pick certain sections felt a bit rushed or to put it another way only lightly touched on situations which I think could have been expanded upon. I feel this would have conveyed the mood and feelings of the character better and would have been welcomed. This is nitpicking as I said and certainly didn't detract from my enjoyment of the novel.
The book itself is an easy read and very hard to put down, in fact I read it within two sessions as I just wanted to continue with the story until completion. I never once felt bored, tired or struggled to get to the end of a chapter. Being historical fiction a lot of the characters existed and witch trials certainly took place. Being generally ignorant about the witch trials I knew nothing of them except they happened within England's past. This book has triggered a curiosity though and I will certainly be doing further reading on the Pendle Witches, if this was part of the authors intentions than she certainly succeeded.
I really do recommend this book, even if it's not a genre you generally read.
There wasn't much that I considered negative about the novel. To nit pick certain sections felt a bit rushed or to put it another way only lightly touched on situations which I think could have been expanded upon. I feel this would have conveyed the mood and feelings of the character better and would have been welcomed. This is nitpicking as I said and certainly didn't detract from my enjoyment of the novel.
The book itself is an easy read and very hard to put down, in fact I read it within two sessions as I just wanted to continue with the story until completion. I never once felt bored, tired or struggled to get to the end of a chapter. Being historical fiction a lot of the characters existed and witch trials certainly took place. Being generally ignorant about the witch trials I knew nothing of them except they happened within England's past. This book has triggered a curiosity though and I will certainly be doing further reading on the Pendle Witches, if this was part of the authors intentions than she certainly succeeded.
I really do recommend this book, even if it's not a genre you generally read.
August 3, 2016
Jennet Preston was twice tried for witchcraft in the early part of 17th Century, at the same time as the Pendle witch trials, but because of the singular location, her story is largely ignored.
We first meet Jennet when she is a teenager, working as a kitchen maid at Westby Hall, Gisburn where she falls in love with Thomas Lister, heir to the estates. Although their relationship is purely platonic, she is accused of seducing the boy and forced to leave her employment. Her father arranges a marriage for her, to William Preston, a good man who she grows to like very much, but Tom remains her first love.
It transpires that Jennet is unable to carry a pregnancy to its full term and despairs of ever having children. In order to supplement their meagre income from the farm that William rents from the Listers, Jennet finds employment spinning for a nearby businessman. In order to learn the work, Jennet is sent to Elizabeth Device a few miles away. Elizabeth's mother gives Jennet charms to help her have a child. Meanwhile, Tom has married and produced children of his own.
Years later, Jennet has fallen out with the Device family and a chance encounter with Tom leads to her being re-employed at Westby Hall as a nursemaid to his children. The inevitable happens and all comes to a head at the wedding of Tom's eldest son when Tom suffers a stroke and dies, declaring his love for Jennet and she tells him that the child she now carries is his.
Five years later that Jennet is arrested and charged with witchcraft.
The main problem I had was that the character of Jennet was never really fully explored; she seems to be in a bit of a daze throughout the book and I feel a great opportunity has been missed by the author to create someone memorable. The years also skip by rather quickly and the final sequences are dealt with too speedily for my liking.
However, that is not to say that it is a bad book; I really think more could have been made of it, especially as there is virtually a blank canvas to paint on. There will be, I understand, a sequel.
(for the Historical Novel Society)
August 21, 2015
This is a haunting, fascinating story. I had not heard of the Pendle witches, so partway through the story I looked them up. That was perhaps a spoiler, but I think it actually heightened the sense of dread and inevitability, which the author does very well in playing on through the last half of the book. Jennet, the protagonist, is a complex, well-constructed character: her very human mix of need, desires, confusion, yearning, loving and sadness is potent and makes her a character that lingers in my mind. This is an very satisfying novel about a little known event in 16th and 17th century England.
April 25, 2024
As the author says herself in her notes at the end of this book, Jennet Preston’s home being over the county border into the West Riding meant that she was tried at the assizes in York, rather than Lancaster with the others in the infamous Pendle witch trials. This often means her story is somewhat forgotten or sidelined. So, this book is dedicated to her potential viewpoint.
Little of actual fact is known about her, other than that she was probably a mistress of Master Tom Lister senior, that she married William Preston, was accused of being present at the infamous Good Friday sabbat at Malkin Tower and that she was tried and acquitted of the murder, by witchcraft, of baby Thomas Dodgson in the spring assizes in the same year of 1612.
What Sarah L King delivers is a very credible and evocative account of what may actually have happened during her lifetime. Serving in local houses of importance, tenant farming and producing woollen cloth from home were three common types of employment around this landscape and at this time, and this novel contains them all. Arranged marriages did take place regularly, up and down the old class system, with as much pressure on women as you’d expect amongst the royal and other ruling houses throughout European history. Again, we see this in the book, to excellent effect.
The injustices meted out to females - of any class - as well as the obvious tragedy of the witchcraft accusations and trials, are addressed with realistic brutality, resulting in a tale which will take you on an absorbing, heart-rending journey through the life of this particular “witch”. We experience her very human friendship with the Device family, themselves portrayed as people with normal feelings and viewpoints consistent with the times. The writing is clear, coherent and gripping, with some lovely descriptions of the locality to boot.
Verdict: absolutely worth the time for anyone looking for a more real, empathetic rendering of how events may have unfolded for “the other Jennet”. It’s very well crafted and leaves the reader in no doubt as to how perceived character flaws were likely to have been key to the whole sorry affair.
Little of actual fact is known about her, other than that she was probably a mistress of Master Tom Lister senior, that she married William Preston, was accused of being present at the infamous Good Friday sabbat at Malkin Tower and that she was tried and acquitted of the murder, by witchcraft, of baby Thomas Dodgson in the spring assizes in the same year of 1612.
What Sarah L King delivers is a very credible and evocative account of what may actually have happened during her lifetime. Serving in local houses of importance, tenant farming and producing woollen cloth from home were three common types of employment around this landscape and at this time, and this novel contains them all. Arranged marriages did take place regularly, up and down the old class system, with as much pressure on women as you’d expect amongst the royal and other ruling houses throughout European history. Again, we see this in the book, to excellent effect.
The injustices meted out to females - of any class - as well as the obvious tragedy of the witchcraft accusations and trials, are addressed with realistic brutality, resulting in a tale which will take you on an absorbing, heart-rending journey through the life of this particular “witch”. We experience her very human friendship with the Device family, themselves portrayed as people with normal feelings and viewpoints consistent with the times. The writing is clear, coherent and gripping, with some lovely descriptions of the locality to boot.
Verdict: absolutely worth the time for anyone looking for a more real, empathetic rendering of how events may have unfolded for “the other Jennet”. It’s very well crafted and leaves the reader in no doubt as to how perceived character flaws were likely to have been key to the whole sorry affair.
September 13, 2025
This is a story of a tragic friendship and betrayal set in the time of the Pendle witch trials of 1612, one of the most famous in English history.
Jennet Preston’s life, scandalized as a young woman, is filled with shame and hardship after being accused of seducing Tom Lister, a gentleman’s son. As an outcast in her own village, she befriends the Device family in Blackout and is quickly embroiled in their world of folk magic and superstition, old family feuds and dangerous reputations.
Jennet risks everything for love and happiness when fate intervenes to reunite her with Tom. When tragedy strikes she finds that she is vulnerable and could pay the ultimate price.
This novel is about falling in love with the wrong person, making wrong friends, and being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Jennet Preston’s life, scandalized as a young woman, is filled with shame and hardship after being accused of seducing Tom Lister, a gentleman’s son. As an outcast in her own village, she befriends the Device family in Blackout and is quickly embroiled in their world of folk magic and superstition, old family feuds and dangerous reputations.
Jennet risks everything for love and happiness when fate intervenes to reunite her with Tom. When tragedy strikes she finds that she is vulnerable and could pay the ultimate price.
This novel is about falling in love with the wrong person, making wrong friends, and being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
August 30, 2018
What a gripping story. It’s based on a true story as there really was a Jennet Preston hung as a witch. The author cleverly constructs the possible way in which Jennet May have come to this end. It highlights the superstition and fear which was so prevalent at that time. Jennet is a character not without faults and her actions bring her to the attention of someone who wishes her harm.
At that time an allegation of being a witch was enough to condemn a person to almost certain death. Women, of course, were particularly vulnerable to such charges. Jennet was,amazingly, found not guilty on a charge of being a witch but ultimately could not escape. I now need to read the next books in the series. For anyone interested in history I would recommend this book.
At that time an allegation of being a witch was enough to condemn a person to almost certain death. Women, of course, were particularly vulnerable to such charges. Jennet was,amazingly, found not guilty on a charge of being a witch but ultimately could not escape. I now need to read the next books in the series. For anyone interested in history I would recommend this book.
August 12, 2020
Very gritty story
I have only really started reading historical fiction and this is a great example. After finishing the book, I can't stop reading about this books historical events, as it's so fascinating! A very good portrayal of the poverty and inequality of this time period, with illness being attributed to curse's and powerful men using their influence to dominate poorer families. Women are the lowest ranking in society and are easily picked on with no voice of their own to stand up for themselves. This author knows her subject matter, she has a 1st class degree in history and really brings the story of Jannette's life alive. I really cried at the end and can't stop thinking about this story.
I have only really started reading historical fiction and this is a great example. After finishing the book, I can't stop reading about this books historical events, as it's so fascinating! A very good portrayal of the poverty and inequality of this time period, with illness being attributed to curse's and powerful men using their influence to dominate poorer families. Women are the lowest ranking in society and are easily picked on with no voice of their own to stand up for themselves. This author knows her subject matter, she has a 1st class degree in history and really brings the story of Jannette's life alive. I really cried at the end and can't stop thinking about this story.
February 24, 2025
So sad....
So sad that so many innocents were killed back then due to fear, anger, jealousy or superstition. Now a days we did name these 'bewitching' as having strokes, heart attacks or epilepsy to name but a few. I loved the way the author built up a story around very few facts of Jennets life mainly how and when she died and connecting her to Thomas Lister Snr due to her name being the last words recorded he said wen he died. It's a totally believable story how this woman's life led up to such terrible events that unfortunately many women also suffered around this time due to the witch trials...A worthy read for sure..
So sad that so many innocents were killed back then due to fear, anger, jealousy or superstition. Now a days we did name these 'bewitching' as having strokes, heart attacks or epilepsy to name but a few. I loved the way the author built up a story around very few facts of Jennets life mainly how and when she died and connecting her to Thomas Lister Snr due to her name being the last words recorded he said wen he died. It's a totally believable story how this woman's life led up to such terrible events that unfortunately many women also suffered around this time due to the witch trials...A worthy read for sure..
December 12, 2025
A good pick. A good start to the series! Let's see what next...
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews