SANCTUARY was a novel that blew me away. The mysterious aspects of it, coupled with the prose and excellent succinct writing totally knocked it out of the park. I liked everything about this novel - the plot, character motives and overall conclusion. This book has definitely made it to my top favorite books and I can't wait to re-read it again.

Very very enjoyable though I did feel it could have been set in England just as easily as there was nothing overly American in it for me, also it wrapped up a little too quickly towards the end which was a shame as it had been really really good and twisty until then,

This book was starnge, I wasn't expecting it. I enoyed it, but the characters were not as fleshed out as they could have been and sometimes the flow of the book didn't quite feel right. All in all it was a good and enjoyable read, just not perfect.

This book took me on one hell of a wild ride! Filled to the brim with unpredictable twists and utterly believable characters, I loved this a lot more than I expected too.

"There's a reason why Fairy tales tell us magic and a mothers love are the invincible combination."
Sarah and Abigail have been friends since before their children were born, and the friendship was cemented on a warm spring night many years ago. Daniels death throws a spanner in the works though, especially when people seem to be trying to place the blame on Sarah's gift less daughter Harper. When Harper comes out and publicly accuses Daniel of something unthinkable, Abigail knows that she has to destroy them, both mother and daughter, and she will do whatever it takes to ensure the legend of her boy remains unsullied. Maggie Knight gets put in an almost impossible situation, she believes Harper's accusations, but also can't forget the fact that magic was used in Daniels death, especially when an old state law is dug up that heightens the consequences if magic and Harper were to blame. These three women get drawn deeper into a twisted web of lies and deceptions that bring about a spectacular and horrific ending.

This book is told through multiple perspectives; Abigail Whitman, Daniels mother; Sarah Fenn and local witch & Maggie Knight, the state detective put on the case. These differing perspectives added a completely new depth to the book. The characters start off likeable, and then bit by bit their inner, truer selves come out and we see the darkness in them. The willingness to do whatever is takes to protect those they love. Abigail and Sarah are in similar situations, both trying to protect someone that they love. But its their actions that separate them from one another. Whilst Sarah is heartbroken that anyone could believe Harper had something to do with this, imploring with people to believe Harper's innocence. Abigail is quick to place the blame and twist facts to ensure others believe her, even if that means putting more and more people at risk, including someone she classed as a friend.

This book is about loss, about how far a parent will go to protect their child, even to the extent of covering up some truly heinous acts. It's about how the truth can be twisted, how people can immortalise people who don't deserve it and turn on the people who need help the most. It shows how easily people can be manipulated to see a truth that isn't actually the truth, and how these lies and twisted truths can destroy lives. We know this story, we see it all the time. Small town hero and football player gets accused of something, before or after death, and nobody wants to believe it. It's easier to blame the victim, then truly believe someone so adored can truly be that evil. But add in magic and the story takes a whole different turn, especially when the person they are placing the blame on has no powers to speak of.

James creates a world so very similar to our own, except Witches exist and are accepted into everyday life. There are strict rules in place limiting the amount of magic they can perform and ensuring the safety of those 'ungifted.' We learn about the history of Witches as the book progresses, about the laws that control them and the government bodies that aim to protect them. The author manages to seamlessly fit all this information into the story without overly deviating from the plot. In fact most of these little info dumps add necessary and relevant knowledge that we as the reader need to feel the consequences of what is happening.

Each chapter had me questioning myself, making me change my mind on who was to blame and adding a new spanner into the works. The author definitely knows how to keep us as readers on our toes, and for that reason I found it incredibly hard to put this book down. But nothing, nothing could have prepared me for the, maybe inevitable, ending. I was on the edge of my seat, white knuckled and in utter shock that events had gone this far, and then bam! We get hit with yet another twist that throws the whole book into question. I definitely needed a cooling off period after reading this, my emotions were haywire ranging from anger to sadness. I don't know why it took me this long to pick Sanctuary up, but I will certainly be searching for the authors other works after this brilliant book. There are some trigger warnings; mentions of Rape on page (including description of a video) and abusive slurs.

The new adult contemporary fantasy from V.V. James, author of the Dark Gifts trilogy (as Vic James), perfectly takes fictionalised witchcraft practices as well as real life social issues and blends them into an ideal crime thriller tale to add to your summer reading list. We follow a small fictional town of Sanctuary where the star quarterback dies at a house party, prompting a routine investigation by state police. The first to be accused is Harper Fenn, the ex-girlfriend of the deceased as well as the daughter of the only witch in town, because what other logical explanation can there be? As secrets about the town begin to unravel, the detective assigned to the case begins to question whether the perfect image portrayed by the residents is really all a mask covering some dark truths.

With an abundance of murder mysteries being published each year, audiences have started to catch on to traits that occur in the genre to figure out a case, yet I felt so tricked by this tense story as every twist deflected from anything even remotely foreseeable. I'm not exaggerating when I say I was nearly ripping the pages in order to turn them faster. Think of it as though the essence of Revenge (remember that crazy TV show with Emily VanCamp?) had coffee with the characters from Big Little Lies in Salem. And created a coven. That's the sort of chaos you can expect.

The use of witchcraft as a metaphor to discrimination in the modern world was very reminiscent of the way 'skill' (the almost sci-fi like power in James' first trilogy) was used to illustrate abuse of power by the wealthy, perfectly establishing a clear brand for the author. While showcasing real life issues embedded in society through fantasy elements, James keeps her books highly entertaining yet full of crucial life lessons.

The worldbuiling is something to be commended in this book, as although we are presented with a very similar world to our own, the mere existence and acknowledgement of witchcraft requires for there to be a lot of rewritten history to the version we know. We are presented with just enough information about how witches are embedded in society, through expanded by-laws in the legal system that apply specifically to those with the gift as well as the existence of a group called the Moot, who protect the rights of witches in america. None of this ever feels like 'information dumping', all the magic was very believable and this is largely due to the fact it wasn't the only theme in the story. Police procedure and criminal investigation perfectly balance the supernatural elements.

Vic James is one of my favourite authors, and Sanctuary is her first book writing as V.V. James. I heard amazing things about this from early reviewers, so when the hardback went on sale early at YALC this summer, I snapped up my copy. I love all things witchy and all things Vic, so it was bound to be brilliant.

Sanctuary follows a group of mum friends after the son of one of them dies and the daughter of another is accused of the murder. This book gets straight in with the tension and gripping action and it doesn't let go until the last pages. I did not want to put this book down.

It is told from the different perspectives of the group of mums, and the investigating officer. All are unreliable narrators with their own biases and secrets, and the more I read, the more suspicious I became of everyone. And I mean everyone. Sarah was instantly my favourite; I love a witch and Sarah is so caring, so down to earth and just wants to help everyone in the only way she knows how. When her daughter, Harper, is accused of witchcraft, it shakes her world. The two don't have an easy relationship, and Harper is a very troubled teen, but Sarah is convinced of her daughter's innocence and will stop at nothing to save her daughter. Abigail is a desperate grieving mother and her emotions really hit me where it hurts. The thought of losing a child is unbearable, and Abigail will stop at nothing to ensure justice for her boy. This sets to two friends firmly against each other and the whole town is dragged into siding with one or the other.

Initially, I loved the seamless merging of witchcraft into this world - the way it was written into the laws of this world, how it is accepted as part of everyday life, and how people will go to the town witch for help as easily as they would see their doctor. But when the witch's daughter is accused of murder, it turns dark, fast. It soon becomes apparent that the equality witches have been enjoying isn't all that equal: a witch accused of murder using witchcraft faces the death penalty. We see how swiftly society will turn against anything unusual in the face of a crisis, how far a grieving mum will go for revenge and how terrifying and dangerous an organised witch hunt can be.

There is an extra mystery in this book; Maggie, the investigating officer, attended another incident with this group of mums many years ago, and it takes a while for us to find out exactly what went on, but when we do it is mind blowing and devastating. It adds a new dimension to the book and I am still not over the shock.

The twists in Sanctuary are phenomenal, the final pages blew me away. V.V. James is an amazingly talented writer, and I would read 900 books in this world. If you haven't hopped on board the Sanctuary hype train, then I recommend you do so immediately.

Sanctuary is the perfect read for fans of Practical Magic and Big Little Lies. It's a gripping and fast-paced mystery that kept me engaged until the very end. I loved the witchy elements and how they elevated the murder mystery by tying into relevant social issues. I'm not sure what I expected from this book but it delivered so much more. I've been recommending it to everyone since I finished it and can see it being adapted into a popular TV show.

Hi and welcome to my review of Sanctuary, a book that I requested on a whim, an urban fantasy / thriller that broke me in a million pieces and will definitely end up on my list of fave books this year.

Sanctuary, Connecticut, the typical East Coast small town where everyone knows everyone and their dog. Nothing special, one would think. Except that Sanctuary has a resident witch, Sarah Fenn. This is not a secret at all: witches are established all over the US, their craft acknowledged, and happily made good use of. The witch in question has a coven: Abigail, Julia, Bridget, three friends without magic who give her strength, who feed her power. The problems start when Abigail’s son Dan has a nasty fall and dies at a party and his best friend points the finger at Harper, Sarah’s daughter, saying she did an incantation, making him fall, exacting vengeance because of the sex tape he made of them. Rumours fly, Sanctuary is rife with suspicion and starts coming apart at the seams. The coven falls apart: Abigail wants her son back and if threatening Harper is the only way to Dan then she’ll gladly take things a step or two too far. The town falls apart: people are shocked that their star quarterback is dead, they’re looking for a scapegoat and who better than the daughter of a witch, even though Harper hasn’t inherited her mother’s powers. Maggie, a detective from outside Sanctuary, tries to sort out this whole hot mess, but who can she trust in this little town full of secrets? Did Dan stumble and fall, or was he murdered, and if so, by whom? And then other people start getting sick. Mass hysteria, a witch’s revenge, or are there other, far more mundane, powers at work?

Sanctuary put a spell on me from the very first page. Everything I’d hoped to find in The Furies but didn’t, I found in the pages of Sanctuary.
I love the urban fantasy side to it, the fact that everything is as we know it (up to and including a BS tweeting president), except there are witches.
I love how the witches and their craft are depicted, very down-to-earth, and the whole world-building behind it. The author has created a whole history, a culture, a magical system, and woven them flawlessly into life and history as we know them, like how capital punishment was abolished in Connecticut in 2012, except for witches who kill by means of witchcraft. All that makes it very realistic, especially when you’re from another part of the world. With very little effort I could imagine there being actual witches in the US.

What got to me most was the witch hunt, literally and figuratively, that ensued from Dan’s death. The way people reacted to the Fenns, blaming them, calling them names, defiling their home, threatening them, wishing them to burn, Harper is ducked in a fountain at school “to test whether or not it’s true that she doesn’t have magic”. In a blink of an eye, the Dark Ages are back and people are ready to burn the witches at the stake. There is just so much hatred there and it made me so incredibly sad. Not like I was bawling out my eyes at every turn of a page, but like this heavy feeling in the pit of my stomach because it just could not digest that much hatred, that degree of vileness that mob mentality seems to bring out in people when fear of the unknown and ignorance turn to rage. Again, it was so realistic. It’s what made people turn against their Jewish neighbours and friends in WWII, it’s what generates gay-bashing and racism and sexism and all the other -isms and it hurt me and it scared me but it’s what makes Sanctuary one helluva lot more than a run-of-the-mill urban fantasy.

Still, there is also a huge amount of love in Sanctuary. The love of mothers willing to do whatever for their kids, the love of good friends, the love of a cop for the people she’s sworn to protect, urging her to do the right thing, even if it might not be the legal thing.

I loved everything about this book. I had to force myself to put it down at night to get some sleep. As a chronically ill and therefore chronically tired person, nothing matters more to me than sleep, but I was extremely tempted to make an exception for this one and I had to tear myself away. (Such a pity that falling asleep at my desk at work is frowned upon by the management 😉)

Whether you have an interest in the arcane, or you’re just looking for a great story, take a look at Sanctuary. From the cover to the final paragraph, it’s a hell yaaaasssss golden buzzer from me!

Many thanks to Gollancz (Orion Publishing Group) and NetGalley for the free eARC. All opinions are my own and I was not paid to give them.

https://www.runalongtheshelves.net/blog/2019/8/22/sanctuary-by-vv-james

Community is an interesting concept. It’s a place where we live, visit or inhabit where a group of us agree to live, study or work together in a form of harmony. We are increasingly getting more diverse and accepting of people that no longer form the cis white norm and barriers are breaking…but…communities are also fragile things. Unwritten codes and conventions exist; some may be more powerful than others (weirdly this still often turns out to be cis white people) and if someone is felt to be running against that hegemony then they can soon find themselves on the outside and a group of people suddenly see you as the Other and you’re no longer welcome. In VV James’ supernatural thriller Sanctuary a seemingly idyllic community explodes via rumour and magic to create something quite terrifying in how it shows that people can very soon cast aside their better natures if they think it’s the right thing to do for themselves or their own loved ones.

Sanctuary is a small US town in the 21st century where the President is a right-wing tweeter, the town is comfortable with its school principle being in a happy gay marriage and where witchcraft has long been acceptable. Sarah Fenn is Sanctuary’s only witch offering actual magical cures for a variety of metal and physical ailments. She even has a coven of three women Abigail, Bridget and Julia who lend power to Sarah to make her magic more effective. The coven regularly meets up; share each other’s lives and are debating how Sarah’s daughter Harper and Abigail’s son Daniel have broken up. Its very middle class and liberal and then at a party of teenagers Daniel falls off a balcony just as a mysterious fire starts. He breaks his neck and the police are called to investigate what on the face of it looks like an unfortunate accident. And then the local police chief’s son claims Harper was seen to be using magic at the event. Despite Sarah knowing Harper failed the routine test for magical ability that all witch families practise on their offspring. The rumours however go into overdrive as a popular teenager lies dead and then Harper announces that Daniel raped her. The coven shatters as the four women take sides and one outsider the Detective Maggie Knight has the unenviable job of trying to investigate what really happened before the quite people of Sanctuary decide to take the law into their own hands. A witch-hunt is about to begin…

Sanctuary I think I can safely say turned out to be one of the best thrillers I’ve read in ages. This is achieved by three main components. Firstly, the world building manages to be incredibly subtle with this being recognisably our world but one where we all accept magic exists via witchcraft. James gives us a world that feels amazingly plausible just one strange new element. Witches on the one hand are prized they can help people deal with physical or mental health issues, relationships and many more uses but t the same time knowing that your neighbour is powerful and can use magic for darker purposes such as injury or even murder which has resulted into an uneasy truce. Witchcraft is tightly legislated for and although persecution of witches is now a hate crime the unlawful use of magic still carries significant penalties including when used to kill the death sentence. Witches are a minority and can be viewed as second class be it their unconventional child rearing skills or approach to relationships. James has nicely set up how people see witchcraft as having both uses and dangers which means when people feel threatened the balance is quickly gone.

Into this then are the characters and we get a main set of three-character points of view – Sarah, Abigail and Maggie. Watching how a grieving mother; a terrified parent and an outsider police officer swirl around each other sometimes in alliance and other times in conflict makes for an intense read as we see the coven slowly explode. Each character section has a particular voice that makes you understand how they see the world – it can be one of wonder; one of prestige or one of secrets to be unveiled. This is very much a novel of reveals where blurry hints and pictures of the past are slowly focused on and a tale of people doing what they think is in their (or other people’s) best interests soon erupts into recriminations and a quest for revenge. Often just as you think one character realises, they have gone too gar the faint hope that sanity has returned will instead be ripped away from you. It creates a glorious uncertainty as to how the story can end and the reader continually doubts who may be the real culprit and is this town even actually capable of giving justice?

This leads to the final element the study of how society treats allegations of sexual abuse. Harper is not a straight A student – she cuts classes and is seen to have had the temerity to both date the school’s best player and then break up with him; plus, she’s a witch’s daughter and people are suspicious of her nature. It’s a book that examines how we are not often willing to accept a victim’s side of the story if she doesn’t fit the society view of what a victim should look like. There is an examination of how the privileged are protected; how social media can be used to humiliate and cast rumours leading to reputations that are both quickly built up and destroyed. It’s incredibly uncomfortable and as we never get Harper’s voice, we the reader are being asked who we believe. This is not a comfortable read but it will put a mirror up against your own beliefs and give you food for thought as to how we react against these types of allegations.

Overall I found this a thrilling, thoughtful and provocative novel where unlikeable and sympathetic characters swap places as we get to known them better but it is also a novel that is really getting under the lid of society and our prejudices; in particular when we feel our own positions of power are threatened. It raises important question of motherhood and while very differ in approach and style it reminded me of The Mere Wife as we get two mothers prepared to do anything for their children’s future that could end up destroying where they live. If you enjoy dark character focused thrillers and impressive worldbuilding then I think this is an excellent book for you to catch soon.

Sanctuary presents a modern day which hunt, it just happens that witchcraft might actually be involved. As prejudices and grief collide, accusations escalate and mass hysteria takes over any logic.

You don't have to look far to see the parallels with the current political climate. The witches could easily have been a Muslim family or immigrants, the townspeople finding someone "other" to blame. MeToo is represented too, sexual crimes hushed up to protect the wrong people and the victims being blamed for their promiscuity. Everyone knows witches are slutty... That's the narrative of those who wish to defend the star quarterback.

Sarah is a witch who helps people, that's her business. Some might seek out a doctor or therapist, others go to the local witch. Sarah knows the secrets of half the town. She was heartbroken when he daughter failed to manifest magical powers but at least that means she knows for certain that Harper is innocent. She can't murder with magic if she doesn't have any.

Daniel's death drives a wedge through Sarah's circle of friends. At first, Abigail's actions are one of a grieving mother, lashing out, everyone can see that. The others do their best not to take sides, but can their friendships withstand the hate campaign to come?

Whilst witches are legally recognised, the law does not treat crimes involving witchcraft equally, and an arcane state law means Maggie must be absolutely certain before she makes an arrest.

It's not an easy read in terms of content, but I loved the mix of police procedural and fantasy against a contemporary backdrop. It reminded me a little of Megan Abbott, if her books had witches. At the core are mothers who will do anything for their children.

There's a moment in the story when everything seems like it'll turn out all right, I breathed a sigh of relief, only for one action to completely tip it over the edge. I felt pretty anxious for the rest of it, a mark of great characterisation.

This book was completely different to how I expected it.
Witches, friendship, family. death.
Told through the eye of various characters and through different mediums this was a brilliant read.
By the end of the read, I felt real love and affection for many of the characters and with so many lessons to be taken away from this read, it went much deeper than I expected.
A brilliant read!

This book gripped me from the very first chapter and refused to let me go. I couldn’t put it down, racing through the chapters quicker and quicker to find out what was going to happen at the end. This is the perfect tense and thrilling story, and I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Set in a small American town, the story opens on the death of a young quarter back named Daniel. His death is ruled an accident but rumours start to fly that his ex girlfriend Harper could have been involved – especially when she tells everyone Daniel isn’t as innocent as he makes out to be.

I loved everything about this book. The small little town that is gripped by paranoia and mistrust really leapt off the page. It really added to the tension and was the perfect setting for this dark and twisty tale.

The story is told in a number of alternating POVs and I really enjoyed getting to see the story from different view points. Each of the voices felt quite distinct and realistic, and I enjoyed seeing the characters attempt to figure what was going on, and who to trust. Sanctuary also does come with quite a few trigger warnings, including sexual assault and violence so definitely make sure to take a look if needed.

Sanctuary is a dark and thrilling story, one that fans of James’ previous work will just adore. Her beautiful writing will suck you and and definitely keep you reading long after you’ve meant to go to bed. I ended up reading late into the night because I was just so desperate to see how it was going to end. If you love clever twists, a well executed plot and an engrossing mix of magic and mystery, Sanctuary should absolutely be your next read.

I am in two minds about what rating to give sanctuary. I spent the first few chapters getting a little overwhelmed by how many people were being introduced, but luckily there is a list of characters at the beginning as I think the author clearly realised there's a lot to take in. We read the chapters in the povs of three different characters.

Sarah: The town witch who has clearly used her magic to help her friends throughout their lives.
Abigail: Mother of football star pupil who gets murdered.
Maggie: The local detective sent in to determine whether it was a freak accident or a murder investigation.


Things I liked:
-The sense of community in the town of sanctuary is felt from the beginning, the group of friends clearly all support and love each other until this terrible thing happens. It's quite clever how the author goes from this to literally best of friends then wanting to burn each other at the stake! The description of witchy little lies is a great shout.
-The suspension of the story, most chapters Maggie was discovering new evidence that was throwing the suspects and the plot in different directions. It kept me guessing the whole way through which I like to be doing and I only started to guess the ending in the last few chapters.
- I liked having the odd newspaper, TV news show or interview transcript thrown in, I think it helped drive the story.
-James has described a modern world where witchcraft is accepted but heavily controlled by law, which was brilliantly done. At one point she was even writing tweets about the situation unfolding from the president which was so much like trump it made me laugh out loud.




Things I didn't like:
-The chapters are seriously short, this wouldn't be an issue for me usually. But I found it strange how sometimes a chapter would finish, not on a cliffhanger, and then the new chapter would be from the same POV and picking up from exactly where the last chapter left off? I personally would prefer longer chapters that finished off the plot point.
- Sometimes I felt Maggie was a little unrealistic in the things she was doing as a policewoman. There was a lot of interviewing underage people without lawyers present and not at the station being recorded. Not really sure how that would go down in real life?
-One word of a warning this is not a YA book. The first chapter is a short chapter from Sarah's daughter Harper, who ends up being the main suspect but then you don't hear her point of view again until the very last chapter (there are 109!!!) I recieved my signed copy of Sanctuary early via a popular YA subscription box so I was a little confused as to whether this was trying to be pushed as YA because it isn't in any way shape or form. This is not necessarily a bad thing as I'm happy reading adult novels but I think the publishers need to decide what they are selling here.


Overal rating:
I'm giving Sanctuary 4/5 ✨

I'm grateful to Gallancz for an advance free copy of Sanctuary via NetGalley

You should be aware that I've included a significant spoiler which I think is necessary in order to give a content warning for the book. That is at the bottom of this review: if you want to avoid the spoiler don't scroll down too quickly..

I first heard about this book at a Gollancz presentation a few months back at which James spoke. There were a few copies available then but I didn't manage to get one (competition was FIERCE!) so was very glad to be asked to take part in the tour because I REALLY wanted to read this.

James' new novel is set in a different world from her previous trilogy (Gilded Cage/ Tarnished City/ Bright Ruin) and in the US rather than the UK, but like that, it explores the theme of magic - visible, acknowledged, magic - in the real world; what the consequences might be, and how the magical and non-magical communities might see each other.

In Sanctuary, which takes place in contemporary New England, witches are accepted, even valued by some, and expressing prejudice against them can amount to a hate crime, but their activities are heavily circumscribed by law... and that prejudice is never far beneath the surface. James skilfully uses the real history of persecution in the 17th century as a springboard for present day cultural attitudes in the town of Sanctuary and in the wider US (adding modern colour by including news broadcasts and even tweets from the current President). She also deftly indicates how tolerance could have come about, and some of the complexities that accompany it.

We are though in small town America and magic or no magic, the local culture is dominated by the school football field. Tensions rise when Daniel Whitman, star player of the Spartans, dies in mysterious circumstances at a party. An outsider detective - not only a woman, but she's Black - is sent in to investigate, and to begin with, local police chief Tad Bolt pressures her ('This is how it's gonna be...') to shut things down quietly. The death was clearly an accident: nothing to see here: smooth things over and get out of town.

However, Bolt soon changes his tune, claiming that witchcraft was involved. It's clearly convenient to have an outsider take the heat of the subsequent enquiry, whatever the outcome so Det. Maggie Knight is plunged into the dark world of modern teens, complete with High School cliques, a "sex tape", lashings of misognyny - and a bunch of secrets.

Accusations fly, and they are directed especially at Harper Fenn, daughter of the town's only witch, Sarah. This is particularly unfair because, as everybody in the twin knows, Harper shows no magical ability (a great sadness to her mother). Knight has her work cut out to discover what really happened against a background of rising hysteria stoked not only by Bolt but also by one of the other characters here. (James' writing is very strong, and I guarantee by the time you've finished this book you will really dislike that person - even if you sympathised with them at first). The growing atmosphere of threat, of blame, of fear and hate, is very powerfully rendered and plausible. It's accompanied by references to other sorts of prejudice - for example racial, as when towards the end when a Black character is told by a cop to hand over his phone: ('Pierre does what every black parent, heartbreakingly, teaches their kids to do the minute they see lawmen reach for their guns. He complies instantly.')

I would like to note how well, how convincingly, James portrays this situation. In particular she shows Sarah's disbelief at the way her world is falling apart. For much of the book Sarah thinks she can resolve things by being reasonable, trying to persuade even the most hateful among the townsfolk to calm down and be fair. She even, haplessly, plays into their hands by performing (harmless) magic in public which is then used to undermine her. It is of course a feature of historical persecutions that victims have often only understood too late how far things have gone, how their friends and neighbours have turned against them and what the stakes really are.

It's a thoroughly compelling story with bags of tension. I felt there is actually a really interesting philosophical issue here. From the perspective of the early 21st century (is it still "early"?) prejudice against, and persecution of, witches, was self-evidently wrong since the modern secular worldview takes for granted that there are no witches - so accusations of harm must be mistaken at best, or invented at worst. That approach sidesteps questions of "innocence" since by definition anyone accused in historical witch persecutions must have been "innocent" - even if, at the extreme, they really thought they were a witch.

From that point of view James's aligning anti-witch prejudice with other forms of hate crime (against people of colour, for example) makes sense because both are irrational and patently based simply on prejudice. In our world, there may be people who call themselves witches, but society regards this as a harmless if eccentric practice - a kind of spiritual LARPing - and anyone who doesn't, who accuses them of actually doing harm, would I think be seen as acting from prejudice.

But this is a book where witchcraft is A Thing. In Sanctuary, witches are real and could undeniably cause supernatural harm (even if that would be illegal and most of them would never do such a thing). Against that background, I wondered whether the Salem echoes - and the implicit comparison with prejudice against marginalised groups - were really on point.

In the end, I'm not sure it matters - at the heart of this book is a disturbing campaign waged against a convenient victim, supported by prejudiced law enforcement, a sensationist Press happy to peddle half-truths and outright lies (regardless of the effect on a police enquiry) and a town willingly driven to a frenzy against a hitherto accepted and welcomed neighbour. If that doesn't have spot on contemporary resonances I don't know what does.

The book is also notable for the presence of same gender relationships and for a non-binary Indigenous person who Knight brings in for support on witchy issues (entailing an interesting subplot about different forms of witchcraft, including appropriation of Native ones - James makes clear that in this book she isn't drawing on any real practices or systems of belief, which I think is an important point to make here).

So - I'd strongly recommend this, whether you've read and enjoyed James' previous work or are simply interested in a slightly different take on UF, small town US tensions or modern magic.

Spoiler

Content warning: The events behind the story include a rape which has taken place before the main events of the book, but it is partly described and portrayed in the course of the story.

The scene is not, in my view, gratuitous and is integral to the plot.

Love this witchy crime novel! VV James brilliantly crafts a modern world in which witches live among us out in the open, and stunningly evokes the suspicions and social lives of a small town. Cannot recommend enough.

The first thing I did after I finished ‘Sanctuary’ was preorder a signed, limited edition copy from Goldsboro Books and that, in itself, tells you everything you need to know about how much fun I had reading this book. My review could end here but, because I love chatting about books so much, it won’t.

The cover image caught my eye when I first saw it in a Goldsboro newsletter (bookish emails are so dangerous for me!) and after being enticed by the blurb I investigated further. NetGalley had review copies available and I managed to snag one! Woohoo! Now I’ve come full circle, back to Goldsboro, but wanting this book has now morphed into needing it.

Daniel died at a party a few weeks before the senior class graduates. He was a quarterback for the Sanctuary Spartans and had a football scholarship lined up. Harper, Daniel’s ex-girlfriend and the daughter of Sanctuary’s only witch, is suspected of having killed Sanctuary’s golden boy. A police investigation begins to determine the cause of Daniel’s death. Friendships are tested and loyalties are divided as the facade of this picture perfect small town cracks, spiralling into a witch hunt as long held secrets and lies are revealed.

“#JusticeforDaniel”

This story is told by Sarah, Abigail, Harper and Maggie, and also includes various transcripts, newspaper articles, emails and police documentation. I enjoyed the different perspectives and although I didn’t feel the four voices were distinct, I didn’t really mind as I was so occupied watching the chaos unfold.

“Our moms were drinking champagne when Daniel died. Sipping on bubbles as Beatriz screamed outside the burning party house and I was loaded into an ambulance.” (Harper, daughter of Sarah)

“I always felt proud to be the mom of a boy - they’re so much more straightforward and honest. Girls can be sly, slinking things.” (Abigail, mother of Daniel)

“To those who don’t need me, I’m an irrelevance. To those who do, I’m a help, a friend, a guide.” (Sarah, witch)

“I don’t want to let down another girl by not being a good enough cop.” (Maggie, out-of-town state investigator)

I always get a tad anxious when a book begins with a list of characters. Are there so many people that I won’t be able to tell them apart? Do I need to make copious notes to remember who everyone is in relation to everyone else? I’ll admit that as soon as I saw that list I put this book down and picked up another, delaying my read for several days. I needn’t have worried though. After the first couple of chapters I didn’t need to look at it again.

“The four of us were friends, despite our obvious differences. And we became a true coven. Bridget grounds me, Abigail fires me up, and Julia reminds me of the beauty of my craft.”

I enjoyed getting to know the various kids, coven members and their partners, and the police investigating Daniel’s death. I appreciated that Maggie’s perspective was coloured by a previous investigation, giving her character more depth. I wanted to give Sergeant Chester Greenstreet, A.K.A., Helpful Cop, a bear hug for some reason, and I really wanted to get to know Rowan Andrews, independent magical investigator (them/they/their), more. Rowan’s character intrigued me but they weren’t as involved in the story as I’d hoped.

I loved learning about this world’s magic system, with its rules, restrictions and fascinating powers. I enjoyed learning the rituals and watching Sarah’s preparations. Having consent as its foundational principle and it working by exchanging one thing for another made sense to me both generally and in the context of the storyline.

“Something given for something gotten.”

Witchcraft aside, I could see this story playing out in reality. The issues it raises about consent, xenophobia, discrimination and mob mentality could have been pulled from any number of new stories. The exploration of how our past influences our decisions in similar situations interested me and seeing how grief affects different people played out in believable ways. The escalation I saw in this book typifies how the fear of what we don’t understand can explode into witch hunts, literally and figuratively.

“Magic is the art of choosing the best path to where you wish to be. And, as with life, where you end up is the result of the choices you’ve made.”

I predicted some of the reveals from fairly early on but didn’t mind as they were what I wanted to happen anyway. If you don’t want the answers to be too obvious please try to avoid comparisons between this book and certain others.

Having said that (and this is not spoilery), as I read I kept thinking that this is exactly how I’d imagine a story unfolding for the residents of Wisteria Lane if witchcraft was a part of their world. They both involve a group of female friends and their children whose lives look picture perfect, but beneath the surface there are secrets that have the power to change the dynamics of their friendship if they were to come to light.

Was this a perfect book? No. I had unanswered questions (like if Tad and Mary-Anne truly believed their youngest son was in intensive care, then why weren’t they with him at the hospital?) and I would have liked more information about what happened to some of the characters after I finished the last page. But did I have so much fun reading it that ultimately I didn’t care about any of my quibbles? Absolutely!

Content warnings include bullying, domestic violence and sexual assault.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Gollancz, an imprint of Orion Publishing Group, for the opportunity to read this book.

Big Little Lies meets witches is probably the most accurate tagline.

My reading experience went like this: I swallowed Sanctuary whole. Just like that. I couldn't put it down. It's gripping from the very first page. Just like with Big Little Lies, I had to know what happens next, and I did not stop until the very end.

And the author got me as well. I thought I'd figured it all out. The secret, the culprit, the motive and for one hot minute I felt incredibly smug, but of course, I was wrong.

Sanctuary is filled with twists and turns, but it's the characters that make it. The cast is diverse, and everyone is complex, filled with a drive to do what they think is right. And this is what James is so very good at: showing us people whose actions we disagree with, people we loathe, people we think are utterly wrong, and making us see why they do it.

They're not bad people. They truly believe they and their families are in grave danger, and that they're the only ones doing something about it.

A small, peaceful community can unravel in a matter of days...and James takes it all the way to the terrifying end.

As usual, nothing is black and nothing is white. Most of these people are grey, and I believe we're all grey, and the author is a master at portraying that emotional baggage we carry with us. Those mistakes we've all made, and how they sometimes haunt us.

But we're still good people, right?

The element of magic and witches is cleverly folded into the world building, and it feels entirely plausible that if witches were real, this is how they'd operate. You're feeling tired? You can either visit your GP or you can go to your local witch. Both will be able to help you.

I can't discuss the themes too much without spoiling the plot, but they're incredibly interesting: Innocent until proven guilty is a cornerstone of our society, but what happens when a mob thinks the justice system is failing them? What if a small community decides the police aren't handling things as they should?

From mass hysteria to mob mentality and vigilante justice, this book has it all.

It's human not to trust what we can't understand, but accusing someone of murder just because of who they are is wrong...and, of course, the president is tweeting.

I recommend Sanctuary to everyone who is looking for an interesting mystery filled with twists and turns and witches. Target audience: all mystery fans who like magic, and all fantasy fans who like a good mystery.

In the small town of Sanctuary, the death of the town’s star quarterback, Daniel, seems like a tragic accident. Detective Maggie Knight is brought in to close the case neatly but the case turns out to be anything but simple. Fingers are pointed at Daniel’s recent ex-girlfriend Harper, the daughter of the town’s witch, Sarah. Even though Harper is known not to be gifted with magic, she was there the night Daniel died and had a strong motive to harm him. Maggie has to try to keep her head as the whole town seems to lose their minds as the accidental death case turns into a terrifying witch-hunt.

This is a gripping small-town mystery. I really liked the details and lore of the fictional magic system, which gave a sense of wonder with an edge of danger while seeming vivid and realistic. The story is told through several first-person point of views, showing strong emotions from desperate mothers. Abigail, Daniel’s mother, desperate and grief-stricken, will do anything to get justice for her son. Sarah, mother of the accused Harper, will do anything to protect her daughter. Meanwhile, Detective Maggie Knight has to explore what justice means to her as a dark secret resurfaces and close friendships are torn apart, leading to devastating events.

I found Abigail’s actions, echoing out into the actions of the whole town, infuriating at times. However, the insights into her thoughts show how and why she descends into madness. I almost wanted to stop reading with the tension so high as the town reached boiling point, but I just had to read on.

The novel is carefully plotted, revealing just the right amount of information mixed with doubt to keep the reader gripped until the very end. The story is a great exploration of family, friendships, types of guilt and justice, and how good intentions can have tragic consequences. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a thrilling mystery.

Thank you to NetGalley and Gollancz for the opportunity to read and review this title.

(Rating is actually 4.5 stars)
I want to start off by saying I've not read any other books by this author (although I do have another on my overflowing shelves) but after reading this it definitely won't be the last book by her I read. I was up until late reading this because I could just not stop reading until I was finished. It was dark and full of suspense, and qill, quite frankly, have you hooked. I also feel it's important to mention the trigger warnings; there is rape, including the rape of a minor.

The story is told from the points of view of Abigail; the mother of the boy who dies, Sarah; the mother of the girl accused of killing Daniel and Maggie; the out-of-town detective working the case. The witchcraft was written very well, I liked the aspect of the covens having only one witch (in this case Sarah being the witch and her three friends; Bridget, Abigail and Julie not possessing the gift). It shows the breakdown of life-long friendships and how one tragic event can very easily strike mob mentality and leading to hate crimes. The whole town turns on Sarah's witchcraft, even though she has used it to help most/all of the town's residents over the years, but because her daughter is accused they suddenly look down on witchcraft as a sinful and dangerous thing.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I expected to enjoy this book as it reminded me of The Crucible and The Craft but I hadn't anticipated it being so addictive! Read in one sitting, this completely caught my attention and every time I thought I'd take a break, the chapter ended in a way that had me reading on. Some of the characters were brilliantly repellent, written in such a way that I found myself hoping for them to meet a nasty end! There are plenty of twists and turn to Sanctuary and I found myself disappointed when I reached the end so soon.