The Burnings is set in 16th century Scotland and centres around Margareta, a lady's maid to Anne of Denmark.

Witchcraft, specifically the North Berwick witch trials, feature throughout, but there's also politics, spies and even romance.

Admittedly, I was quite out of my depth early on in the book. But I did some Googling and quickly got into it. This is down to my own ignorance of the history the book is based on and not the author though.

What stands out for me is the clear level of research that went into the writing, plot and characters.

A fabulous Historical fiction book which delves into the brutal North berwich witch trials of the late 1500s.
I was blown away by the authors writting style. Also the depth and development with each individual character was so gripping at times it was very hard to put down. While reading this i was pulled in emotionally with certain characters and i must say i do not have any negative comments about this story at all.

Brilliantly put together. Intriguing. Moreish. It will have you desperate to find out what happens.

The shamefull acts of these witch trials and the amount of people that were accused and killed at this time is heartbreaking. Each character accused within this story makes us feel this. This diabolical rebellion between Bothwell and King James v1 was done expertly by this Author.
She has won the Northern writters award in 2014 and the Arvon Award in 2020 and reading this novel it is obvious why she has.

I would thoroughly reccommed if this is your genre and even if it is new for you. I will definatly be looking forward to any future work from this lady

What a great story - witches, kings & queens, double agents & murderous men in power. This is a well written novel about one of the darkest periods in Scottish history. I really enjoyed it.

Political intrigue, double crossings, witchcraft. The Burnings fills in the gaps of one of Scotland's darkest periods through the imagined experiences of two of it's unwitting major players: Margareta, lady's maid to the newly anointed Danish queen of Scotland, and Geilis, Scottish servant and apprentice midwife. Like soot, the seeds of doubt and fear of witchcraft pervade the minds of powerful men throughout this well researched historical novel, and no one, no woman, is safe in the wake of such fear. Loyalties are tested, bonds of kinship frayed, and the very limits of the accused's resolve are tested in this tense drama.

I can't recommend this highly enough. It is well written, well researched, and a totally enthralling read. The main protagonists are Margareta, a Danish lady-in-waiting to Anne of Denmark, and Geillis Duncan, a herbalist and midwife during the reign of James VI of Scotland. The fear aroused by treachery and James' belief that stormy sea-crossings and his lack of an heir are all the result of witchcraft lead to horrific tragedy for many.

With thanks to HarperNorth and NetGalley for an ARC.

An outstanding detailed read based on the true events of the North Berwick witch trials in sixteenth century Scotland. The historical detail and research is meticulous and reminds me of Philippa Gregory's work. There are many great fiction books on the lives and fate of women and midwives who were often accused of witchcraft for being healers and using plants for remedies, and this book is up there with the best of them. I read this as an advance review copy on a kindle but I would have loved to read it on a brand new hardback and savour the experience. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to review this one.

1589- where no woman is safe from the accusations of witchcraft.

Great start to a book.
This combines very nicely the growing suspicion on women who may be witches, and the going on in the court of King James VI
Margareta and Geillis were characters I grew to like, and sympathise with more with each page.
There's drama, tension and danger everywhere.
Definitely a good read.

The Burnings by Naomi Kelsey

A brilliant read worked around the real life shocking story of the North Berwick witch trails in Scotland.
We are taken back to 1589where any woman ( and sometimes men ) were accused of witchcraft at any given point. Upset someone - your a witch , be old - a witch , help an ill person - a witch !
A great storyline where the author obviously researched her subject matter and it really helped to bring their story alive.
At times shocking , often emotional , and showed that in those times , and as a woman , you were only a hairs breath away from being accused.

Beautifully written, I was transported to 16th Century Scotland and the horror of the North Berwick witch trials. The author has a talent for bringing historical figures and events to life and I found myself rooting for Geillis despite knowing the end of her story. This reminded me of a prequel to Tracy Borman’s The Kings Witch and I’d love to read more from this author.

Thank you Netgalley, Naomi Kelsey and HarperNorth for this ARC.

Set in 1589 and Inspired by the north Berwick witch trials in Scotland this an an emotional and immersive historical novel
Margareta and Geillis are complete opposites but comes together when King James VI And Anna of Denmark are set to be wed
Full of witchcraft, power, class, betrayal and loss this takes you on an emotional rollercoaster by the way the women were treated and accused of being witches for trying to help others
This feels like a very feminist novel about women being strong and loyal to each other while the men are holding all the power
A bit of a slow start but once the story got going and I was familiar with all the characters I really couldn’t put it down. Loved this so much!