I didn’t know what to expect going in to this one but I loved it. There was magic and mystery, a young girl getting wrapped up in a cult, a mysterious book of magic , a murder and a missing girl, as well as a different perspective set in the past during the witch trials in Scotland and Orkney (which was incredibly well researched). Really enjoyed this dark and twisty book.

Fabulous story very similar to Barbara Erskine whom I love. This book grabbed me right from the first page and I was hooked. Such a sad story but, that's how people behaved way back in the 1500's. I loved the dual time-line and the creepy ending. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

A compelling and frightening read that mixes historical fiction, fantasy and horror to create a truly scary story about a mother's love.

The Book of Witching is the story of every mother's nightmare. The narrative switches between modern day and roughly 500 years previously, during the height of the witch trials. In 2024, a group of friends are involved in a terrible fire that ends with one dead, one missing, and one with severe burns covering her whole body. In 1594, a mother is accused of witchcraft, shaved, beaten, starved and imprisoned. A mysterious book connects them all, and an ancient group called the Triskale.

This book was such an interesting read, I read it all in one sitting. The perfect book for the spooky season. It flowed well, it had an interesting cover, and it showed just how easy it is to get into very dangerous situations. Just enough truth in it to make the reader question themselves. I would have liked the death of the Father to have been described during an epilogue. Fantastic Halloween read

4.5 stars - fantasy horror.

Clem wakes up to call to say her 19 year old daughter, Erin, has suffered serious burns due to a fire on a deserted Scottish island that has left her boyfriend dead and her friend missing. When she wakes she claims she is called Nyx. Meanwhile in 1594, healer woman Alyson is on trial for witchcraft for a murder she did not help to commit. How are the two stories linked, what happened in the fire and who is Nyx?

I loved the dual POV in this one, I was invested highly in each story and struggled to put the book down as after each chapter I wanted to read the other POV. I was drawn straight into the story with Clem and Erin, having a daughter myself, I can't imagine waking to a call like that.

Based on true events, it was frustrating to read how the trials were conducted - of course someone is going to confess if you torture their family when they are innocent! I absolutely hated Father Colville as a character.

I knocked it down half a star as I felt the ending was rushed and I was hoping for a just ending for Alyson which she never received. I also felt as if Clems heart problem didn't really bring anything to the story, it was mentioned at the beginning and took up most of the epilogue. Overall though, a fantastic read! I would say the lighthouse witches is still my favourite of the authors, but this is a very close second.

This book had me gripped from the start. I loved the way that the two timelines kept weaving with one another and how each one unvielded something new and surprising. It really kept me on the edge of my seat and I found myself tearing through the pages to see where it leaded. It as so heartbreaking and stunning. It was creepy and haunting with some twists that I didn't see coming. This was my first book by Cooke, but it won't be the last!

As you’d expect with the premise, this covers some heavy/dark themes - so reader beware!

This one was so atmospheric and creepy - with proper horrific elements. I loved it! I was hooked right from the start. You follow multiple viewpoints across different timelines, all centring around a mysterious book. Mainly focusing on Alison in 1500s who is accused of witchcraft (based on elements of a true story) and Clem in 2024 whose teenage daughter is the sole survivor of a horrific accident that leaves the police with so many questions, but is somehow connected to that mysterious book (and with it witchcraft). But aside from that, there’s also complicated family dynamics to contend with.

This is my first book by Cooke, but it won’t be my last.

Thanks to the team at Harper Collins, Netgalley and the author for the opportunity to read this review copy.

4,5 stars
Wow! This author is truly exceptional.

Having just finished my second book by her, I’m now eagerly awaiting to dive into her backlist!

If you’re intrigued by witches, pagans, and cults, this book is a must-read. What I find particularly captivating about Cooke’s writing is her remarkable ability to transport us seamlessly from the present day to the 16th century, intertwining the two timelines with exquisite finesse.

The story centers on Clem and her daughter, Erin, who live in Glasgow. When Clem receives a frantic call from the hospital about Erin's severe burns, she quickly learns that her daughter, while on a hiking trip to the Orkney Islands with her boyfriend, Arlo, and her best friend, Senna, is now in a dire situation.
Tragically, Arlo has been killed—burned alive—while Senna has vanished without a trace. To Clem’s shock, when Erin finally awakens in the intensive care unit, she does not recognize her mother, insisting instead that her name is Nyx.

The narrative deftly shifts back to 1594 on the Isle of Gunn in Orkney, where Alison faces grave accusations of witchcraft after refusing the Master of Orkney's demand to conjure a charm for death.

Alison’s harrowing ordeal is at times difficult to read, tugging at my heartstrings. Yet, I found myself equally invested in Clem’s journey and the mysterious black book that ties their fates together.
All in all a very intriguing story which I had difficulty putting down.

I especially appreciated the author’s afterword, where I learned that Alison's story is rooted in reality. Remarkably, her final words during the trial were recorded by a notary—an extraordinary detail for a woman accused of witchcraft.

Thanks to @netgalley and @harpercollinsuk! Sorry for the late review due to family and health issues.

I loved this book SO much! I really recommend this book to anyone who thinks that they will like it and this is now an author that I will be reading more books from.

Two women, four hundred years apart, are bound by a dark and mysterious book: the book of witching in this unnerving gothic thriller.

The story is told in dual timelines, moving between Glasgow in the present day and Orkney in 1594. In the present, Clem’s daughter, Erin, is hospitalised with catastrophic burns after being found on a beach in Fynhallow Bay. At first she’s unconscious, but when Erin comes around, she doesn’t remember her parents or who she is and insists that her name is Nyx. 1594, Alison is accused of witchcraft and awaiting trial. If convicted, she will be burnt alive. Can she prove her innocence to people who only want to hear she’s guilty?

In the last few years C. J. Cooke has solidified herself as one of the Queens of the Gothic Thriller, even counting Stephen King among her fans. Her books have become a Halloween staple for me so I was determined to squeeze in her latest offering, The Book of Witching, before October was over. Eerily atmospheric, witchy, malevolent and haunting, I inhaled this in a day, completely transfixed by this spellbinding tale. Spectacularly written, perfectly plotted, intricately interwoven and with vivid imagery, she held me in her thrall, my heart in my throat the entire time I was reading. And that ending! Omg. I still have chills.

Cooke’s meticulous research is evident throughout and she doesn’t shy away from the grisly torture that those accused of witchcraft was subjected to. The lengths these powerful men went to as they tried to force Alison to confess were horrific and even included the torture and murder of people they knew were innocent to try and reach their goal. I could understand why women falsely confessed during the witch trials when they were subjected to such awful torture and it made me angry to think of everything they went through.

Dark, mystical, sinister and addictive, I highly recommend this magnificent bewitching tale.

I’d heard some good things about this author and when I read this book description it was something that sounded right up my street.

This book involves two stories, one in the present day and one in the late 16th century. I really enjoyed the story set in the past, following Alison as she is tried for witchcraft. I highly recommend reading the authors note afterwards!

I really enjoyed this book, and I’ll be reading the others by this author now.

This book was simply addictive! I loved everything: the double timelines, the plot twists, the historical facts mentioned. I had such a great time reading it, i will definitely check this author’s other titles!

In May 2024 Erin is seriously ill in a Glasgow hospital. She's been very badly burned in a camping accident on Orkney in which her boyfriend died. After being brought out of a medically induced coma she claims her name is Nyx. On Orkney in 1594 Alison Balfour awaits trial, accused of witchcraft. If found guilty she'll be burned alive. With over 400 years separating them, how are Erin and Alison linked?

Set during dual timelines, The Book of Witching is a compelling read. The historical aspect is fascinating and although incredibly cruel and brutal, it's hugely interesting and educational. I found myself glued to the pages and totally immersed — a testament to the author's research and knowledge. The fact that the book is inspired by real events adds extra depth and brings home how despicably the accused were treated. A great read.

This was a gothic-infused mystery with some horror/supernatural elements, told in dual timelines. The historic witch persecution element of this story for me provided more horror than the slight supernatural element provided by the Book of Witching itself, on the occasions when it featured. That, and the body horror of visiting your horrifically burned daughter in hospital. There are a lot of descriptions of torture and injuries, not gratuitous but necessary for the story. I've read a few stories about witch trials and they tend to be quite a difficult read for a number of reasons. I thought this was a good story overall.

This is another wonderful story from the brilliant C.J Cooke. A historical fiction story set in Scotland (Glasgow and Orkney mostly), over two timelines. I really enjoyed this story, anything about witch trials wherever they may be is always of great interest to me. The settings in both the time lines are atmospheric and totally believable. A great read for autumnal evenings.

This isn't my usual genre but given we're in October I thought I'd give it a whirl. I was surprised how much I enjoyed the twin timelines and from about halfway through I was really engrossed. I would definitely read another by C J Cooke.

I enjoyed this book, initially i thought the pacing was a little off but it came together well and I was completely hooked from around the 60% mark.

The story follows a number of POVs by the end but we spend most of the book with Alison in 1594 and Clem in 2024 and learn how their stories are linked by the Book of Witching.

This was an easy read, slightly creepy at all the right times and had a few good twists and turns I didn't see coming. Overall a great read for the spooky season.

An exceptional book of historical fiction.
This is from a genre which I generally don't read but this one has turned out to be the exception.
The story is set between two timelines, one in the modern day and the other in the 1500's. This method of storytelling was delivered with perfection by Cooke. The storytelling was exceptional and kept making me want to read on and on.

Witch fiction made to perfection!

C.J. Cooke did it again! Similar to the Lighthouse Witches, we get in this book a dual timeline and another witch story.

Be warned though, this one is rough and doesn't hold back! This is partly the story of what happened to witches during the witch hunt in the 1590's, so go in it knowing its not all rainbows and butterflies...
I liked both stories and once more the author is really good at leaving tiny details along the way and tying it all up very nicely by the end.
It's atmospheric and a perfect October read!

*Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins for access to the ebook against an honest review.*

It's hard to imagine a time when women were routinely accused of witchcraft because of their healing skills, but C. J. Cooke takes us there. The Book of Witching is two parallel stories, one the story of Clem, badly burned and in the burn unit of a local hospital after being found on the island of Gunn, on the beach of Fynhallow Bay, Her boyfriend, Arlo, is dead, and her good friend, Senna, is missing. The alternating chapters describe the history of Orkney, and the story of Allison, accused of witchcraft. We witness her imprisonment, her unfair trial, and eventual death. And throughout it all is the mysterious Book of Witching, which will drive anyone unauthorized to own it mad.

C. J. Cooke is an auto-buy for me, one of the few authors of historical fiction with supernatural, paranormal, or gothic vibes that I intensely enjoy!

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, Harper Fiction for an advance reader's copy.

I am a huge fan of CJ Cooke and this did not disappoint. The story is told through a dual timeline. It’s Glasgow in 2024 and Clem is called by the hospital to tell her that her daughter Erin is in intensive care. The last Clem knew Erin was in the Orkney Isles with her boyfriend Arlo and best friend Senna. Clem rushes to her bedside, where she finds Erin is in a coma and has horrendous burn injuries, Senna is missing and Arlo has burnt to death. Clem is desperate for Erin to wake, but when she does she has no memory of what happened, or her life, telling her mother she is called Wyx.

It’s 1594 in the Orkney Isles and a woman is accused of witchcraft. Alison Balfour is innocent of the charges but is arrested and taken to await trial. If she is found guilty the punishment will be to be burnt alive. Alison’s family are desperate to save her from this fate, but will they be able to do so?

This book is a powerful piece of fiction that drew me into the women’s lives and the mystery of how they are linked. I particularly felt for Alison and the way women were persecuted and forced to confess to crimes to stop their families suffering torture, and I was desperate for her to be found not guilty against the odds. CJ Cooke explores the themes of gender, power, and maternal love, particularly the ability of mother’s to endure anything to protect their families, in a beautifully written and emotional atmospheric read. If you like historical fiction with strong female characters and narratives you will love this. Such a thought provoking book again from CJ Cooke.