Manningtree Witches

The Manningtree Witches is a dark and thrilling debut that takes place in 1643 in England during the war between the Roundheads and the Cavaliers. It follows the story of Rebecca West, daughter of the formidable Beldam West, who chafes against the drudgery of her days and her infatuation with John Edes. When Matthew Hopkins takes over the Thorn Inn and begins to ask questions about the women of the margins, suspicion, mistrust, and betrayal run amok during the English witch trials. The book is a visceral and thrilling read that announces a bold new talent.

Format: Hardback
Length: 304 pages
Publication date: 04 March 2021
Publisher: Granta Books

In the depths of 1643, amidst the turmoil of a nation divided by war and plagued by puritanical fervor, a dark and thrilling tale unfolds in the small town of Manningtree. Depleted of men due to the conflicts, the women are left to fend for themselves, their lives reduced to a monotony of drudgery. At the fringes of this diminished community, those who are barely tolerated by the affluent villagers—the old, the poor, the unmarried, and the sharp-tongued—struggle to survive. Among them is Rebecca West, the daughter of the formidable Beldam West, fatherless and husbandless. She yearns for something more, her days filled with longing for the clerk John Edes, the only spark of excitement in her otherwise mundane existence. However, everything changes when Matthew Hopkins takes over the Thorn Inn and begins to inquire about the women of the margins. When a child falls ill with a fever and begins to rant about covens and pacts, the questions take on a chilling edge. The Manningtree Witches, a visceral and thrilling debut novel, plunges its readers into the fever and menace of the English witch trials. In this era of suspicion, mistrust, and betrayal, where the power of men went unchecked and the integrity of women went undefended, the stakes are higher than ever. The author showcases a bold new talent, weaving a intricate tapestry of characters and events that will leave readers breathless and craving for more.

Weight: 390g
Dimension: 143 x 222 x 30 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781783786435