Isabella Ashford is young, wealthy, and engaged to Thomas Huxley, who owns the most profitable sawmill in the American colonies. She appears to have the perfect life. Unfortunately for her, Thomas is a sadistic tyrant, and she has unwittingly fallen in love with Jacob, her father’s handsome young carriage driver.
The local apothecary, the Lady of the Hill, offers an elixir to make Thomas fall out of love with her. Isabella is skeptical at first, but to her surprise, is soon free of her engagement.
Then her father turns up dead. A watchman discovers Isabella's potion and accuses her of witchcraft. She’s dragged to the town gaol, where Thomas and his family delight in her torture. Isabella soon meets the Lady again. This time, the crone offers a new choice: continue to suffer at the hands of her tormentors, or become the very thing they fear.
As a horror lover and frequent reader of historical fiction nothing could pique my interest quicker than a story of witchcraft in the 1700s. It brought to mind the Witch movie by Robert Eggers in that Isabella was not a witch when she was accused and tortured. What she was, was desperate. What wouldn't we do to keep a loved one healthy for a little bit longer? Isabella was desperate to keep her father among the living. She was desperate to be free of an unwanted marriage to a vile and foul excuse for a man. It seems the good and godly people of Blackfriar see nothing wrong in bearing false witness against her, as long as it serves their purpose. When her friends and neighbors turned their backs on her, she found acceptance elsewhere. Together with the Lady of the Hill she will seek her revenge on those who have tormented her, and I can still hear their screams!
I received an advance copy for review.
About the author
David Barclay is the author of The Devil's Mistress and the forthcoming novella, The Maker's Box.
After growing up in Maryland and attending Washington College, David believed he was going to use his English degree for good and become a teacher. Instead, he used it for evil and became a game developer. He's worked as a designer and writer in the industry for over fifteen years, providing blood sports for the masses and corrupting today's youth. When he's not busy in games, he's writing novels, and is already hard at work on his next project. He enjoys expensive wine, cheap paperbacks, Dark Souls, and all manner of combat sports.
He currently lives in Napa with his two black cats and his wife, novelist Merry Ravenell.
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