Witch Hunt

A chilling, haunting ghost story that delves into the dark past of the 16th century Essex witch trials.

To find the truth, she’ll risk her life…

Sadie Asquith has been fascinated by the Essex Witch Trials for as long as she can remember. And for good reason too: between 1560 and 1680, hundreds of innocent women were tried for witchcraft.

She begins researching the subject, but soon starts to experience strange, ghostly visions. Dark shadows haunt her every step, sobbing sounds wake her in the night, and black moths appear from nowhere. It’s as if by digging up history, she has opened an unearthly connection to the women who were tortured and killed centuries before.

And when a long-buried secret entwines Sadie’s own past with what she has discovered, she must risk everything – even her life – to uncover what really happened all those years ago…

A haunting and atmospheric psychological suspense with a historical twist. Perfect for fans of The Lost Notebook and The Familiars.

“Praise for The Drowning Pool: 'a stunning reinvention of the ghost story and an exploration of a 19th-century Essex witch hunt.' The Guardian 'a goose-pimply old-fashioned ghost story' Christopher Fowler, author of the Bryant and May series 'A must for any intelligent Essex girls out there and a gripping ghosty read for everyone. Hurry up and write the next one please Syd…' The Women's Room Blog 'This enjoyable and fast-paced tale kept me gripped throughout' Urbanmum.org”

‘Moore's merging of horror, ghost story, detective fiction and psychogeography is a heady addition to Jeanette Winterson's book about the witches of Pendle and increasingly popular genre mash-ups.’ Guardian

‘Thrilling, chilling … An intriguing read for lovers of history, the supernatural, detective fiction and horror.’ Lancashire Evening Post

Praise for Syd Moore:

‘A stunning reinvention of the ghost story and an exploration of a 19th-century Essex witch hunt.’ Guardian

‘A goose-pimply old-fashioned ghost story.’ Christopher Fowler, author of the Bryant and May series

‘A must for any intelligent Essex girls out there and a gripping ghosty read for everyone. Hurry up and write the next one please Syd…’ The Women’s Room Blog

Syd Moore is an author inspired by the history and legacy of the 19th Century Essex witch trials. She is also co-creator of Super Strumps, the game that reclaims female stereotypes through the medium of Top Trumps, and was founding editor of Level 4, an arts and culture magazine based in South Essex. She has worked extensively in publishing and the book trade and presented Channel 4’s late night book programme, Pulp.

A chilling, haunting ghost story that delves into the dark past of the 16th century Essex witch trials. Sadie Asquith has been fascinated by the dark past of Essex's witch hunts for as long as she can remember. And for good reason: between 1560 and 1680, over 500 women were tried for witchcraft in the county of Essex. But as she researches a book on the subject, Sadie experiences strange, ghostly visions. She hears noises at night, a sobbing sound that follows her, and black moths appear from nowhere. It's as if, by digging up the truth about the witch hunts, she has opened an unearthly connection to the women treated so cruelly and killed centuries before. And something else in the modern world is after her too: Sadie is sure she's being followed, her flat is burgled and she finds clues that reveal her own past isn't all that she believed. Can she find peace for the witches of Essex's history and can she find a safe path for herself? For fans of Christopher Ransom and Susan Hill. So scary you'll sleep with the lights on...

This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.