Synopsis
'WHAT A FASCINATING READ. I WAS TOTALLY IMMERSED IN THIS WORLD ANNA CREATED. SHE IS A WONDERFUL STORYTELLER' - LORRAINE KELLY
'A BEAUTIFULLY PORTRAYED AND IMAGINATIVE TALE OF WOMEN IN MEDIEVAL SCOTLAND IN ALL THEIR VULNERABILITY AND POWER' - S. G. MacLean, author of THE BOOKSELLER OF INVERNESS
'IMMERSIVE STORYTELLING AND GREAT CHARACTERS' - Philip Paris, author of THE LAST WITCH OF SCOTLAND
1593, Scotland. King James VI launches a bloody witch hunt across the length and breadth of the country. But the women he fears most are already within his court.
Elspet is a spae-wife, a wise woman and healer from the isles of Orkney. Some might call her a witch.
When the king's new bride, Anna of Denmark, summons her to deliver her baby and cast a binding spell over the child, Elspet is trapped between two impossible choices - for she cannot refuse the queen, and she cannot be discovered by the king.
While Elspet struggles to hide her secret identity in a court that wishes her dead, another woman seeks her aid: Kitty Muirhead, outcast, persecuted and desperate to escape the shadows of her past. Kitty and the queen could not be more different, but they may yet be each other's salvation.
The hunt is closing in on the three women. They must concoct a reckless plan to save one another before that fearful death sentence is cast upon them - witch.
'Anchored by a marvellous central character, Caig's plot is brought to life by a strong female cast with distinct, well-drawn personalities' - Alastair Mabbot, THE HERALD
'Caig blends fiction with history for a great debut novel ... it had me hooked from the beginning' - SCOTTISH FIELD
'A BEAUTIFULLY PORTRAYED AND IMAGINATIVE TALE OF WOMEN IN MEDIEVAL SCOTLAND IN ALL THEIR VULNERABILITY AND POWER' - S. G. MacLean, author of THE BOOKSELLER OF INVERNESS
'IMMERSIVE STORYTELLING AND GREAT CHARACTERS' - Philip Paris, author of THE LAST WITCH OF SCOTLAND
1593, Scotland. King James VI launches a bloody witch hunt across the length and breadth of the country. But the women he fears most are already within his court.
Elspet is a spae-wife, a wise woman and healer from the isles of Orkney. Some might call her a witch.
When the king's new bride, Anna of Denmark, summons her to deliver her baby and cast a binding spell over the child, Elspet is trapped between two impossible choices - for she cannot refuse the queen, and she cannot be discovered by the king.
While Elspet struggles to hide her secret identity in a court that wishes her dead, another woman seeks her aid: Kitty Muirhead, outcast, persecuted and desperate to escape the shadows of her past. Kitty and the queen could not be more different, but they may yet be each other's salvation.
The hunt is closing in on the three women. They must concoct a reckless plan to save one another before that fearful death sentence is cast upon them - witch.
'Anchored by a marvellous central character, Caig's plot is brought to life by a strong female cast with distinct, well-drawn personalities' - Alastair Mabbot, THE HERALD
'Caig blends fiction with history for a great debut novel ... it had me hooked from the beginning' - SCOTTISH FIELD
Details
01 October 2026
384 pages
9781785308512
Imprint: Black & White Publishing
Reviews
“'What a fascinating read. I was totally immersed in this world Anna created. She is a wonderful storyteller'”Lorraine Kelly, author of The Island Swimmer, Lorraine Kelly, author of The Island Swimmer
“'Immersive storytelling and great characters. I look forward to reading more from Anna Caig.'”Philip Paris, author of The Last Witch of Scotland, Philip Paris, author of The Last Witch of Scotland
“'A beautifully portrayed and imaginative tale of women in medieval Scotland in all their vulnerability and power.'”S.G. MacLean, author of The Bookseller of Inverness, S.G. MacLean, author of The Bookseller of Inverness
“'Anchored by a marvellous central character, Caig's plot is brought to life by a strong female cast with distinct,
well-drawn personalities'”Alastair Mabbot, The Herald, Alastair Mabbot, The Herald
