The Familiars - Stacey Halls

nIn 1612 Lancaster, England, the hunt for witches has reached a fever pitch... nBut in a time of suspicion and accusation, to be a woman may be the greatest risk of all. n nFleetwood Shuttleworth, the mistress of Pendle Hill's Gawthorpe Hall, is with child.

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. n nDevastated, Fleetwood wanders the estate grounds, where she catches a young woman poaching. Alice Gray claims she is a local midwife and promises to help Fleetwood deliver a healthy baby.

But a witch-obsessed frenzy sweeps the countryside. Even woodland creatures or familiars are thought to be dark companions of the unholy. And Alice soon stands accused of witchcraft.

n nTime is running out. The witch trials are about to begin. With both their lives at stake, Fleetwood must prove Alice's innocence.

Only they know the truth. n nSet against the real Pendle witch trials, this compelling novel draws its characters from historical figures as it explores the lives of seventeenth-century women. Ultimately it raises the question: Was witch hunting really just women hunting?n