Now: When Megan’s father gets a letter containing a secret from the past, he asks her to go to the Cornish village of St Mawgen Cove to get to the bottom of the mystery. Megan is happy to take a
holiday after a challenging year but as soon as she checks into The Ship Inn something feels amiss.
There are noises in the room above, the locals tell tales of smugglers and shipwrecks and she can’t escape the story of the witch who waits and watches, weeping on the top of the cliff.
1625: Susanna and her daughter Katel live a contented life, but without the protection of a husband and father, Susanna fears for Katel’s future as she blossoms into womanhood. The fishing community
of St Mawgen Cove is close knit but when misfortune arrives in the cove, it’s not long before villagers are looking for someone to blame. And when talk turns to witches, Susanna knows she and Katel are no longer safe.
Can Megan bring peace to St Mawgen and to two women who have been broken-hearted for centuries?
Leigh writes dual timeline stories under the name of Elena Collins: the name is a tribute to her grandmother who was a teller of stories and fortunes, and she had healing hands.
These novels combine three of her passions: delving into rich historical tales, exploring stunning locations, and evoking the supernatural. They weave together stories of people’s lives both past and
present, with some spine-tingling moments along the way. She loves writing these novels and hopes readers enjoy them as much as she does. The characters and settings are particularly close to her
heart.
Writing under the name of Judy Leigh, she is also the author of uplifting novels that explore the lives of older women and the possibilities of second chances, change, and happiness. Under this name, she writes the Morwenna Mutton/Seal Bay cozy crime series, set in Cornwall, featuring a sixty-something sleuth who enjoys solving crimes and getting into mischief.
Outside of writing, Leigh enjoys traveling, reading, music, and theatre. She holds an MA in Professional Writing. When she’s not at her desk or spending time with her two black cats, she’s often researching her next novel in some of the country’s most beautiful locations and beyond.
Facebook: @judyleighuk
Twitter: @JudyLeighWriter
Instagram: @judyrleigh
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Bookbub profile: @elenacollins
My thoughts: The persecution of women seen as “witches” is a dark part of our national history, with people who had committed no crime tortured and executed on the say so of often bias and ignorant others.
Susanna is one of a long line of women who ministered to the sick, delivered babies and prepared the dead for burial. Her folk remedies and herbs probably saved some lives along the way, but all it takes is one tragic death after another for the villagers to start muttering and looking her way. Unmarried and with a daughter whose father she has never named, they’re instantly the suspects. What happens next will haunt the village for centuries, literally.
Megan runs a business selling herbal remedies and crystals, a sort of modern day version of Susanna. Drawn to St Magwen by a letter her father receives, she finds joy in the sea and the people she meets. She also finds relics of the darkest moments of its past, a weeping woman can be heard in one of the pub’s guest rooms, and a woman dressed in white haunts the clifftop. With the help of a few new friends, she decides to try to put the restless spirits to peace. She’s also looking for the half-sister she’s only just learnt about, a new relationship she’s keen to build.
Both women are unapologetically themselves, Susanna stands her ground until her world is shattered, and Megan’s open hearted, generous nature draws others to her, and helps her unlock the secrets of the past.
A really enjoyable and fascinating book with real heart and great characters. I was gripped from the start by the strong women in this book.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.
ramblingmads 