At a time when the #MeToo movement was beginning to gather momentum, it is easy to see why its subject matter, a fictionalised account of the Pendle witch trials in 17th-century Lancashire, might garner such interest, culminating in a nine-way bidding auction won by Bonnier Zaffre. 'Set against the furor leading up to the Pendle Witch Trials, Halls's winning novel is a quietly powerful and richly evocative tale.A debut novel, The Familiars by Stacey Halls, cast a spell over the publishing world in November 2017. ' will suck you right into the prose and hold you there, like a witch with a powerful charm.' -All About Romance acting in socially inappropriate ways could get one condemned to hanging.'-Kirkus Reviews 'The lives of two young women intersect in a novel that imagines the story behind a famous 17th-century witch trial. 'Rich with intrigue and filled with details of the constraints faced by seventeenth-century women, both well born and common, The Familiars offers a look into the real-life world of the notorious Pendle witch trials that ended with 11 executions.'-Booklist

'A rich and atmospheric reimagining of a historical period rife with religious tensions, superstitions, misogyny and fear.Now with so many high profile men claiming to be victims of a witch hunt, it's good to understand what a real one feels like.' New York Times Book Review 'Assured and alluring, this beautiful tale of women, witchcraft and the fight against power is a delight.'-Jessie Burton, NYT bestselling author of The Miniaturist A must-read novel.'-Heather Morris, bestselling author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz 'An intricate and sensitive portrayal of a brave, tenacious young girl carving her place in the world.

Ultimately it raises the question: Was witch hunting really just women hunting? Set against the real Pendle witch trials, this compelling novel draws its characters from historical figures as it explores the lives of seventeenth-century women. With both their lives at stake, Fleetwood must prove Alice's innocence. And Alice soon stands accused of witchcraft. Even woodland creatures or 'familiars' are thought to be dark companions of the unholy. But a witch-obsessed frenzy sweeps the countryside. Alice Gray claims she is a local midwife and promises to help Fleetwood deliver a healthy baby. Anxious to produce an heir, she is distraught to find a letter from her physician that warns her husband she will not survive this pregnancy.ĭevastated, Fleetwood wanders the estate grounds, where she catches a young woman poaching. Description In 1612 Lancaster, England, the hunt for witches has reached a fever pitch.īut in a time of suspicion and accusation, to be a woman may be the greatest risk of all.įleetwood Shuttleworth, the mistress of Pendle Hill's Gawthorpe Hall, is with child.

The familiars book