The Witchfinder's Sister
Beth Underdown
Beatifully written and utterly engrossing, this is the haunting tale of Alice and her brother Mattew, based on the real Essex Witch Trials in the 1600s. After her husband dies, Alice returns to her home in Essex, where her brother lives. He is a strange and unpleasant man, and after listening to the whispers in the streets, she soon discovers he is obsessed with accusing women of witchcraft. But that's only the start of it, and she's forced to begin a dark and horrifying journey in order to save innocent lives. It's a gripping historical thriller and it's also pretty terrifying. Clever, pacey and sinister, it'll stay with you long after you've switched off the lights.