Description
Four hundred years separate them.
One book binds them.
Glasgow 2024: Clem waits by her daughter's hospital bed. Erin was found on an idyllic beach in Fynhallow Bay, Orkney, with catastrophic burns and only one memory: her name is Nyx.
But how did she get these burns? And how did her boyfriend end up burned alive?
Orkney 1594: accused of witchcraft, Alison Balfour awaits trial. The punishment? To be burned alive.
Separated by four hundred years but bound by the Book of Witching, two women stand imperilled. Can they unlock a centuries-old mystery? And will Fynhallow Bay give up its secrets before someone else dies?
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Readers have fallen to The Book of Witching:
'My heart was in my mouth from the opening pages until the final paragraph and I couldn't guess just how events would end...'
'I raced through this book in one day and absolutely recommend for anyone who loves a chilling read, especially one with a historical basis and witchy topic.'
'It's atmospheric, witchy, magical, mysterious and thrilling and I felt compelled to read on...'
'This book was both thrilling and engaging, it was written superbly, and it had me hooked from the beginning.'
'Exciting, thrilling and absorbing. I loved this book from start to finish. The different timelines kept me hooked and kept the pace moving. Beautifully haunting.'
*A BBC Radio 2 Book Club Pick* The new haunting Orkney-set gothic thriller from the author of The Lighthouse Witches, perfect for Halloween 2025
About the Author
C.J. Cooke is a poet and internationally bestselling Edgar- and ITW-nominated gothic novelist. She takes inspiration from real women she discovers in detailed historical research, and her books have been critically acclaimed for their atmospheric use of time and place. She has been published in 23 languages. Born in Belfast, C.J. has a PhD in Literature and teaches Creative Writing at the University of Glasgow, where she also researches creative writing interventions for mental health. She lives by a river with her husband, four children, and a cocker spaniel.
X: @CJessCooke
Instagram: @cjcooke_author
Facebook: /CJCookeBooks
Reviews
'Chilling and beautifully written, THE BOOK OF WITCHING gripped me from the very first sentence: I read it in one sitting. A haunting recreation of a real Scottish witch trial, this is CJ Cooke's finest novel yet' Emilia Hart, Weyward
'A fantastic blend of folklore and feminism, Cooke delicately balances terror and tenderness in a gothic, gripping tale' Daily Mail
'A pacy, atmospheric story' Good Housekeeping
'A spellbinding thriller' Scots Magazine
'A gothic treat' Heat
'An atmospheric one-sitting read' Woman&Home
PRAISE FOR C.J. COOKE
'Rich, chilling and gorgeously gothic. A Haunting in the Arctic is the kind of enchanting, terrifying mystery I just adore' Chris Whitaker
'Mesmerising and terrifying, this is a powerful story lovingly told ... with characters that remain with me. Highly recommended' Lisa Ballantyne
'Evocative and chilling, an addictive piece of polar gothic' Anna Bailey
'A Haunting in the Arctic is a story of a woman haunted in every way. An eerie, atmospheric novel that is full of tension and suspense, this is a beautiful gothic chiller of a book' Elizabeth Lee
Book Information
ISBN 9780008656256
Author C.J. Cooke
Format Paperback
Page Count 384
Imprint HarperCollins
Publisher HarperCollins Publishers
Weight(grams) 270g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 24mm
