The Witch Of Willow Hall: A spellbinding historical fiction debut perfect for fans of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
‘This debut recalls Georgette Heyer, with extra spookiness’The Times‘Beautifully written… The Witch of Willow Hall will cast a spell over every reader’Lisa Hall, author of Between You and MeThe must-have historical read for the autumn, perfect for fans of A Discovery of Witches and Outlander.Years after the Salem witch trials one witch remains. She just doesn’t know it… yet.Growing up Lydia Montrose knew she was descended from the legendary witches of Salem but was warned to never show the world what she could do and so slowly forgot her legacy. But Willow Hall has awoken something inside her…1821: Having fled family scandal in Boston Willow Hall seems an idyllic refuge from the world, especially when Lydia meets the previous owner of the house, John Barrett.But a subtle menace haunts the grounds of Willow Hall, with strange voices and ghostly apparitions in the night, calling to Lydia’s secret inheritance and leading to a greater tragedy than she could ever imagine.Can Lydia confront her inner witch and harness her powers or is it too late to save herself and her family from the deadly fate of Willow Hall?‘Steeped in Gothic eeriness it’s spine-tingling and very atmospheric.’Nicola Cornick, author of The Phantom Tree‘With its sense of creeping menace… this compelling story had me gripped from the first page… ’Linda Finlay, author of The Flower Seller‘Creepy, tense, heartbreaking and beautifully, achingly romantic.’Cressida McLaughlinReaders are spellbound by the The Witch of Willow Hall!‘I could NOT put this thing down!’‘The ULTIMATE page turner!’‘What a story! It absolutely captivated me’‘Historical fiction with a side of romance and major helping of creepiness, this debut novel hits the mark!’‘The book pulls you in from the beginning with many twists and turns. I didn't want to put it down, and could not wait to see what was going to happen next.’
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Take this as a warning: if you are not able or willing to control yourself, it will be not only you who suffers the consequences, but those around you, as well.
New Oldbury, 1821
In the wake of a scandal, the Montrose family and their three daughters—Catherine, Lydia and Emeline—flee Boston for their new country home, Willow Hall.
The estate seems sleepy and idyllic. But a subtle menace creeps into the atmosphere, a remnant of a dark history that calls to Lydia, and to the youngest, Emeline.
All three daughters will be irrevocably changed by what follows, but none more than Lydia, who must draw on a power she never knew she possessed if she wants to protect those she loves. For Willow Hall’s secrets will rise, in the end…
Everyone is enchanted byThe Witch of Willow Hall!
‘Beautifully written, with an intriguing plot full of suspense and mystery, The Witch of Willow Hall will cast a spell over every reader.’
Lisa Hall, bestselling author of Between You and Me
‘A wonderful debut novel.’
Linda Finlay, author of The Flower Seller
‘I hope Hester Fox goes on to write many more such novels. I for one will be buying them.’
Kathleen McGurl, author of The Girl from Ballymor
‘I love the novel, and will be looking forward to all new works by this talented author!’
Heather Graham, New York Times bestselling author
And readers have fallen under the spell too!
‘I could NOT put this thing down!’
‘The book pulls you in from the beginning with many twists and turns. I didn’t want to put it down, and could not wait to see what was going to happen next.’
‘Historical fiction with a side of romance and major helping of creepiness, this debut novel hits the mark!’
‘The ULTIMATE page turner!’
HESTER FOX comes to writing from a background in the museum field as a collections maintenance technician. This job has taken her from historic houses to fine art museums, where she has the privilege of cleaning and caring for collections that range from paintings by old masters, to ancient artefacts, to early American furniture.
She is a keen painter and has a master’s degree in historical archaeology, as well as a background in medieval studies and art history. Hester lives outside of Boston with her husband and two cats.
The Witch of Willow Hall is her debut novel.
An imprint of HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
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First published in Great Britain by HQ in 2018
Copyright © Tess Fedore 2018
Tess Fedore asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.
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Ebook Edition © October 2018 ISBN: 9781474083737
Version: 2018-09-10
For Donna
(and Roland, too) Not lost, but gone before.
Contents
1811
IT WAS THE Bishop boy who started it all.
He lived one house over, with his snub nose and dusting of freckles, and had a fondness for pelting stones at passing carriages. We were the same age and might have been friends, but he showed no interest in books, exploring the marshy fens of Boston, or taking paper kites to the Commons—unless of course it was the rare occasion of a public hanging. Catherine would sit in the window, watching him flee from angry coachmen, shaking her head. “That Bishop boy,” she would say. “It’s a wonder his pa doesn’t put a belt to him, the vicious little imp.”
I’d follow her gaze from the safety of the drapes, ducking back if I thought he might catch me looking at him. In my small, sheltered world the Bishop boy came to symbolize the murky edge of a larger evil of which I had no understanding. When Father lamented British aggression toward American ships, I imagined a fleet of freckled boys with sandy hair, identical in their blue coats as they drew their swords in unison. If there was news of a killer in the city, then he took on a slight frame, a shadowy figure with a snub nose protruding from his hood. The Bishop boy lurked around every dark corner, responsible for every terrible thing in the world that my young mind could not comprehend.
