The Witch of Willow Sound

“Part mystery, part tragedy, and all feminine ferocity, The Witch of Willow Sound is a spellbinding debut novel.” — Foreword Reviews, starred review“Fast-paced and forward-moving, The Witch of Willow Sound is an original, poignant story with a fresh perspective on magic.” — Cemetery Dance“This fun and twisty story is… an ode to the wisdom of nature and the women who carry it, as well as [a] reminder of the importance of balance and the way that histories will haunt us unless we are honest about what our stories really are.” — Pickle Me This blog“This is a moody, atmospheric, and fast-paced novel with a lot of suspense, tempered with a good amount of humour as well, thanks to Fade’s acerbic wit. Penney evokes an incredible sense of place throughout the book with vivid and detailed descriptions of the landscape, the woods, the cottage; we feel we are right there with Fade, moving through this place.” — Elizabeth Obermeyer’s blog“Penney understands intimately the craft of writing fiction, of good research, of creating a story which, while most definitely genre fiction, moves beyond genre by exploring believably and credibly a history, the interweaving of relationships, of the effect of willful ignorance upon those who don’t conform to rigid, closed-societal standards…. A resonant and prevalent voice of Canada’s East Coast.” — On Spec Magazine“The Witch of Willow Sound is perfect for readers who love modern gothic stories, feminist reimaginings of folklore, and atmospheric mysteries with emotional depth. It’s a gripping reminder of how superstition and fear can shape entire communities—and how easy it is to lose those we love when we don’t take the time to listen.” — Write on the World blog“The Witch of Willow Sound by Vanessa F. Penney is a history lesson wrapped in a murder mystery. Utilizing the true dark past of Nova Scotia, this book is a sobering example of how true horror needn’t be supernatural.” — Horror Tree“While [The Witch of Willow Sound] wasn’t super scary, I still liked the creeping dread and unexpected craziness of it. I might even call it… cozy horror? … It was a compelling story and pushes me further in the direction of ‘I need more nature horror.’” — FanFiAddict“Penney’s story is at once, both mesmerizing, complex, highly entertaining, and an unapologetic statement illustrating the horrors historically and culturally perpetrated against women and children marginalized by society… The book is destined to become a classic of East Coast regional folklore.” — Ottawa Review of Books“With her fairy-tale-esque debut, Vanessa F. Penney keeps the pages turning, delivering the plot through punchy, compact sentences and chapters that can be read in a single exhale. The prose is carried by a remarkable eye for vivid detail.” — Literary Review of Canada

Vanessa F. Penney was born in northern Newfoundland and raised in rural Nova Scotia. The coal-black ocean depths and bone-buried shorelines of the East Coast inspire her writing. Vanessa lives in Dartmouth, NS. This is her first novel.

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