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The Wise Witch of Orkney

A spell-binding debut novel about Scotland’s witch-hunting hysteria

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The Wise Witch of Orkney

By: Anna Caig
Narrated by: Sarah Barron
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'A BEAUTIFULLY PORTRAYED AND IMAGINATIVE TALE OF WOMEN IN MEDIEVAL SCOTLAND IN ALL THEIR VULNERABILITY AND POWER' - S. G. MacLean, author of THE BOOKSELLER OF INVERNESS

'IMMERSIVE STORYTELLING AND GREAT CHARACTERS' - Philip Paris, author of THE LAST WITCH OF SCOTLAND

1593, Scotland. King James VI launches a bloody witch hunt across the length and breadth of the country. But the women he fears most are already within his court.

Elspet is a spae-wife, a wise woman and healer from the isles of Orkney. Some might call her a witch.

When the king's new bride, Anna of Denmark, summons her to deliver her baby and cast a binding spell over the child, Elspet is trapped between two impossible choices - for she cannot refuse the queen, and she cannot be discovered by the king.

While Elspet struggles to hide her secret identity in a court that wishes her dead, another woman seeks her aid: Kitty Muirhead, outcast, persecuted and desperate to escape the shadows of her past. Kitty and the queen could not be more different, but they may yet be each other's salvation.

The hunt is closing in on the three women. They must concoct a reckless plan to save one another before that fearful death sentence is cast upon them - witch.

'Compelling and compulsive reading . . . heralds an exciting new voice in historical fiction' - D. V. Bishop, author of the CESARE ALDO series

'Full of intrigue and feisty female characters, this is a spellbinding debut that had me gripped from the first page to the last' - Naomi Kelsey, author of THE BURNINGS

'An accomplished and impressive debut, which I highly recommend' - Paula Greenlees, author of JOURNEY TO PARADISE
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Loved the historical insights and witnessing the relationships that developed between the women of diverse backgrounds. Beautifully narrated and sensitively written.

Insightful and very listenable

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The Wise Witch of Orkney by Anna Craig completely drew me in. Beautifully written, atmospheric, and deeply moving, it brings to life not only the landscape and folklore of Orkney, but also the brutal reality of how women were treated in those times.

What I appreciated most was the humanity in the storytelling. The book never loses sight of the real people behind the accusations, fear, and cruelty. It felt both heartbreaking and important — a reminder of how easily society can turn against those who are different, vulnerable, or misunderstood.

Knowing Anna made the experience even more special, and I came away with even deeper admiration for her writing. She has such a gift for weaving history, emotion, and humanity together in a way that stays with you.

And a special mention to the audiobook narrator, whose performance was absolutely excellent and brought the story vividly to life.

Stories like this remind us how dangerous fear and judgement can become when people lose sight of each other’s humanity.

History, humanity and the voices of women

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This is just everything an audiobook should, great story, wonderful narration with so much feeling, loved it

I loved everything about this, listened in 2 days!

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Liked the strong female characters, well developed. Enjoyed the descriptions of Scotland and life at court.

An intriguing story about female friendships and using any limited power available to them at the time.

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Charming characters and a wonderful story. Took me back in time and I couldn’t stop listening. Loved the narrator too.

Wonderful

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