Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme created by The Broke and the Bookish and now hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl.
The rules are simple:
Each Tuesday, Jana assigns a new topic. Create your own Top Ten list that fits that topic – putting your unique spin on it if you want. Everyone is welcome to join but please link back to That Artsy Reader Girl in your own Top Ten Tuesday post. Add your name to the Linky widget on that day’s post so that everyone can check out other bloggers’ lists. Or if you don’t have a blog, just post your answers as a comment.
This week’s topic is a freebie on the theme of Halloween. My list is made up of books I’ve read that feature witchcraft in some form. Links from the book titles will take you my review or the book description on Goodreads.
Widdershins by Helen Steadman – in 17th century England, Jane Chandler is learning the herbalist skills of her mother whilst John Sharpe sees his vocation as a witch finder
Sunwise by Helen Steadman – the sequel to Widdershins, in which the stories of Jane and John come together once again
Witch Wood by John Buchan – a young Presbyterian minister, David Sempill, battles ignorance, superstition and pagan beliefs in 17th century Scotland
The Familiars by Stacey Halls – two women’s lives become enmeshed in the witchcraft accusations sweeping the north-west of 17th century England
The Good People by Hannah Kent – newly widowed Nora finds herself the subject of rumours about the circumstances of her husband’s death and comes to believe her grandson, Micheál is a ‘changeling’. She enlists the help of the local wise-woman, Nance, embarking on a path that will have consequences for them both.
The Vanishing Witch by Karen Maitland – when during the reign of Richard II people start dying unnatural deaths it’s all too easy to spy witchcraft at every turn.
The Glass Woman by Caroline Lea – set in an isolated community in 17th century Iceland, Rósa finds herself and her husband mistrusted by the villagers and senses evil all around her.
The Poison Bed by Elizabeth Fremantle – in the autumn of 1615 scandal rocks the Jacobean court when a celebrated couple are imprisoned on suspicion of murder. Some believe she is innocent; others think her a witch or insane.
‘Lois the Witch’ in Gothic Tales by Elizabeth Gaskell – the reader gets a bad feeling for the fortunes of the heroine, Lois, as soon as it becomes clear she’s headed for 17th century Salem and that not everyone is pleased to see her
‘The Ash Tree’ in Collected Ghost Stories by M.R. James – during a witch trial in 1690, Sir Matthew Fell, proprietor of Castringham Hall, testifies against Mrs. Mothersole who is found guilty of witchcraft and hanged. She is heard to mutter, “There will be guests in the hall”…and there are.
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