The Book of Witching by C.J. Cooke – ★★★★☆ (4/5)

The Book of Witching drew me in with its rich atmosphere and emotional depth. C.J. Cooke blends folklore, historical horror, and maternal love in a chilling, well-researched tale set in the haunting Orkney Islands.

The story moves between timelines, tying a modern-day tragedy to a 16th-century witch trial. The torture scenes are disturbing but powerful, highlighting the brutal injustices faced by women under the guise of religion and control.

Dark, gripping, and evocative—this is a haunting read that lingers long after the final page.

The Book of witching follows two families across two different timelines, both seemingly linked by the mysterious book with black pages. The prose is beautiful and the narrative woven in such a way to keep you guessing what will happen right until the end.

In the past, Alison Balfour has been falsely accused of witchcraft, her story is a true one and you can see the research that Cooke put into this section of the book.

In the present day nineteen year old Erin is fighting for her life after visiting Orkney with her friends and setting a fire that has left her unconscious and her boyfriend and friend are missing.

I absolutely love historical fiction novels based on real women and the Book of Witching shone a new light on the Orkney witch trials, bringing them to the fore.

There were some parts of the pacing that I found dragged and so I can't rate it above a 4 but overall an enjoyable read.

As always, C.J. Cooke delivers an atmospherically tense thriller, peppering a modern day mystery with a historical account of witches, magic, and the hope of a mother. The pacing is on point, as is the timing and frequency of switches between timelines. I was enthralled throughout, desperate to know more about each storyline, and each of our heroines telling their stories. A remarkable book, and another reason why C.J. Cooke is an autoread author for me

Told in alternative timelines, CJ Cooke begins this tale interwoven with witchcraft, historical fiction, horror and folklore in the town of Orkney in 1594. Alison Balfour has been falsely accused of witchcraft. In present day (2024) nineteen-year-old Erin is fighting for her life on a hospital bed after a hiking trip with friends on Orkney Islands left her unconscious with burn wounds and her boyfriend dead. Clem, her mother, is determined to find out what happened to Erin

CJ Cooke takes us on a parallel journey of what took place in 1594 leading up to Alison's death and how this story is impacting Erin and her mother in the 21st century. Once upon a time there was a book in which select few people of the town screamed their fears into and banded together to protect and guard it. In present day, the book is coveted by those who know little to nothing about it. In this story of family (lost and found), legend, cults, traditions, lineage and ties that may or may not bind, CJ Cooke reveals what happens when we 'play' with artefacts that we do not fully understand and how some of these objects can bind and draw those they call to. It is also a story of how, even when deemed lost, we can never lose our lineage.

I'm forever drawn to books that have women at the centre. When these women act for the good of each other and their communities, it captures me even further. CJ Cooke delivers on the beauty of what happens when women stand up, guard each other and what is theirs.

The Book of Witching is all together spellbinding, enthralling and well crafted. As a historical fiction piece, real life events are meticulously interwoven with fiction.

The Book of Witching by C.J. Cooke is a spellbinding and atmospheric read, seamlessly blending history, mystery, and the supernatural. I was hooked from the start, drawn into the parallel stories of Clem in present-day Glasgow and Alison Balfour, accused of witchcraft in 1594 Orkney.

The dual timelines are woven together brilliantly, with the enigmatic Book of Witching binding their fates across the centuries. Clem’s quest to uncover the truth behind her daughter’s burns is intense and emotional, while Alison’s struggle for survival is haunting and heartbreaking.

Cooke’s writing is vivid and lyrical, capturing the raw beauty of Orkney and the ever-present sense of danger and intrigue. The tension builds steadily, keeping me guessing right to the end.

Dark, captivating, and thought-provoking, this is a novel that lingers in your mind long after you turn the final page. An absolute must-read!

We follow 2 women’s stories in dual timelines. In present day Scotland we follow Clem whose daughter has been found close to death under mysterious circumstances. In 1500’s Orkney we follow Alison as she is accused of witch craft.

I felt more intrigued by the mystery of Clems storyline and at times felt like I was rushing through Alison’s. I felt the link between both timelines could have been stronger as for me I felt they could have been different stories altogether with no link.

I really wanted to love this book and although I did enjoy it there were some areas that let it down. I felt the ending was quite abrupt and wish there had been a bit more explanation.

Thank you Netgalley, C J Cooke and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction | HarperCollins for the Arc of The Book of Witching.


I have read a few of CJ Cooke's books over the last few years and I love her slow build writing style. This gives the reader a real chance to bond with the characters and world building. I always enjoy the duo timelines and how they end up melding together. It does keep you guessing which adds to the mystery side of the narrative. Combining mystery, chilling vibes and historical fiction about witches and women makes a wonderful mix for me and brings a multitude of emotions to be experienced throughout reading..

I also had the pleasure if listening to the audio version of this book and Paula Masterton did a wonderful job. She has a great voice which builds tension, mystery and you are hanging on every word. Either way, if you read the physical or audio version, you will thoroughly enjoy.

4.25 stars on Storygraph and 4 stars on other review sites

I really enjoyed this in the end although I did struggle to get into it to begin with, about a third of the way in it really picked up and I was gripped.
A great witchy tale.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the advance reader copy.

It’s taken me a while to write a review of this book because I found it took around 30% of the book for me to interested and then I found I wanted to finish it to know what the point of the book was.

I don’t think this book was for me as I found the pacing a bit slow. I wasn’t a huge fan of the switched POV’s each chapter and would have preferred a block of chapters.

Overall I think a lot of people will enjoy this but unfortunately this wasn’t for me.

I absolutely loved this book, CJ Cooke writes so well about women's lives; healers and witches, mothers, daughters, family dynamics both in the 1500's and the present day. The research shines through without weighing heavily and adds so much so dimension to Alison Balfour and those like her. Brilliant storytelling, well crafted and beautifully delivered. I've really enjoyed her other books and hope for more to come.

I usually am a fan of this genre of books and of the timeline jumps/dual povs. However, this fell flat for me. I struggled to connect with the characters, and the story was underwhelming.

I enjoyed the overall ~vibes~ of the book and would be willing to give this author another chance.

Thanks: Received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

There are some books you that make you sit for a minute after reading. The Book of Witching is one of them.

Any book that includes sections on the witch trials will always leave me reeling. It’s so harrowing when you read the real accounts, but even when it’s fictional I still struggle. I think it’s particularly challenging if you know how pervasive it was in Scotland during that time period.

Knowing how horrifying an ordeal this was to so many women is incredibly tragic. Huge sections of the book are local to me and my family are from the islands, even though this one is fictional, there is something so familiar about it. You definitely don’t need that connection for this to be impactful as the authors note explains some of the historical significance, but this had a lil kick to it.

Beyond the elements of the trial, the descriptions of the islands were incredibly immersive and atmospheric. I found the parallels between the new fear mongering tactics and the ones used in the past was very powerful. This is a genuinely dark, compelling thriller and I would definitely recommend you read it!

C.J. Cooke delivers a fierce and chilling tale of witchcraft, revenge, and maternal love in this gripping book. When Clem’s daughter, Erin, is found unconscious after a hiking tragedy on the remote Orkney Islands, Clem’s nightmare deepens as Erin wakes up unable to recognise her mother and insists she is someone named Nyx. Determined to uncover the truth, Clem travels to the site of the accident, where she unearths dark secrets buried in the history of the Orkneys—particularly the tale of a woman wrongly accused of witchcraft four centuries ago.

Cooke masterfully weaves folklore, historical fiction, and horror through alternating timelines, striking the perfect balance to keep readers engaged without confusion. The haunting atmosphere, combined with the tension of a mother’s fight to save her daughter, creates a story that is equal parts suspenseful, unsettling, and emotionally resonant. A spellbinding and evocative read that lingers long after the final page.

Read more at The Secret Bookreview.

This novel has many dark, gothic themes and weaves in folklore, many witchy vibes and family tragedy across two separate timelines. I liked how one timeline was set in the past and one in the present. I felt I enjoyed the timeline in the present the most, though both were interesting. I enjoyed the way the narratives intertwined.

I did struggle to stay motivated while reading this book, but am glad I finished it.

Overall, I rate this 3.5 out of 5 stars, rounded up to 4.

This is one of my favourite book of 2024. It's dark, powerful, atmospheric and the mystery in both timelines kept me immersed until the very end. CJ Cooke's writing just keeps getting better

The Book of Witching is an unforgettable dive into history, folklore, and the supernatural, blending the eerie beauty of Orcadian myths with the dark reality of 16th-century Scottish witch trials. Told from the perspectives of two women—one living in 1594 and the other in 2024—it masterfully weaves their lives together across centuries, creating a story brimming with intrigue and suspense.

From the very first page, I was completely immersed. Each time the perspective shifted, I found myself equally captivated, drawn deeper into the mystery of how these women’s lives were intertwined. The author’s skill in gradually unveiling the connections kept me on edge and turning pages late into the night.

The atmosphere is hauntingly vivid, steeped in folklore and the raw tension of historical witch hunts. It’s a perfect blend of chilling suspense and emotional depth, making it an ideal read for spooky season. And don’t skip the author’s note—it offers fascinating insight into the real-life events and folklore that inspired the story, adding another layer of meaning to the narrative.

This was my first book by Rachel Cooke, and it absolutely set a new bar for my autumn reads. Atmospheric, compelling, and deeply haunting—I’ll definitely be diving into her backlist after this one!

A captivating blend of mystery and folklore set across two timelines, modern day Glasgow and 1500's Orkney. CJ Cooke's books are always meticulously researched and rich in historical detail and this is no exception.

Centred around the Orkney witch trials, it tells the story of Alison Balfour, on trial for witchcraft and conspiracy to murder the local tyrannical Earl, and Clem, whose daughter has been found horrifically burnt while on a sightseeing trip with friends in Orkney.

The author skilfully weaves the stories of these two mothers together - both trying to protect their daughter and trying to get to the truth of what's happening.

it's a bit grim sometimes - the torture scenes from the 1500s are every bit as awful as you might expect - but CJ Cooke is unflinching in bringing to light the horrendous things which women have been subjected to throughout history and doesn't gloss over the realities of just how bad the witch trials were.

A fascinating and atmospheric horror story that will keep you hooked from start to finish.

Fantasy, Folklore and Feminism served up in dual timelines both of which were executed to perfection. Based on true events the dedication the author has put into the historical research comes through in every word as she tells the story of the execution of seventy-two women at the North Berwick Witch Trials in 16th century Scotland.

The blend of mystery and horror coupled with rich historical detail makes this a compelling read. My first CJ Cooke, it will most definitely not be my last, and I will be gifting this to all my female friends and family. Thank you so much to NetGalley not only for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book but for introducing me to this wonderful author.

I loved this book, its so well written I can't wait to read more from this author.
The pacing was brilliant, there were no fillers or pauses in action, and the details were all captured nicely. What a great read

Separated by 400 years, this story is told mainly through the eyes of Clem in Glasgow in 2024 and Alison in Orkney in 1594

Clem gets the call every parent dreads, there's been an accident.... luckily Clems daughter Erin survived the fire but what happened to her, and her friends. It was only meant to be a trip to Orkney to look into her heritage and she's now severely injured with a lot of questions to answer... well when she is able to that is...

Back in 1594 with Alison, she hears the words every Healer dreads, that she is being accused of Witchcraft and is to stand trail. With not just her own life at stake, what can she do to try and save herself but also her family and fellow healers...

The answers to all questions may lie in where these two tales cross over and I throughly enjoyed seeing it all play out.

Having read and enjoyed Haunting in the Arctic by the same author, and being from Glasgow, I knew this was one I wanted to dive into.

Out now and if you love a witchy tale intertwined with history, this one's for you. Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the review copy, all opinions my own