A compelling tale of witchcraft, friendship and divided loyalties Perfect for fans of Mary Stewart, Fay Weldon and Barbara Pym.Is Imogen strong enough to ward off the dark forces that threaten to engulf her?Northern England, 1994. Newly widowed and emotionally fragile, Imogen Lacey feels smothered by her bossy friend Alice when she visits her home in the northern dales. But intrigue draws her towards the nearby village of Haraldstone. Whispers of witchcraft surround its ancient stone circle, yet it exerts an irresistible pull on Imogen. Tired of letting others control her, she sets up a hat shop in Haraldstone - and scandalises Alice by befriending the local coven of white witches. Meanwhile, charming Philip Gregory is keen to stake a claim on Imogen ... but can she trust him? Soon Imogen is branded a witch herself, and as tensions in the community start to reach boiling point, the locals are about to discover that true evil walks among them... Set in 1990s northern England, The Witching Time is a story of loyalty and healing with a dark supernatural twist. 'A subtly shaded, quietly insightful story' - Kirkus Reviews
Unlike the first reviewer, I fell in love with "The Witching Time". The author, Jean Stubbs, manages to evade the cliches that seem generally inherent in a story line that revolves around witchcraft. Sure, there is the obligatory stone circle and the fight between the the forces of Light and Dark, but it's done with intelligence and a lot of humor.The main character of Imogen Lacey is someone you can relate to. She's good looking without being intimidating...intelligent, but capable of making bad choices...and all-in-all, a very likeable person. In fact, all of Jean Stubb's characters are fully formed individuals. Some you like...some you hate, just like in real life. As for the village of Haraldstone, well, I'd live there in a heartbeat. And to give Stubbs her due, she does manage to make the reader feel as if they DO indeed live among the inhabitants of this quirky little hamlet. This is more than a story about witches. It's a rich blending of the fantastic, mixed with a good old fashioned "Who-Done-It". Take these elements and combine them with a touch of romance and the meaning of true friendship and what you come up with is story telling at it's best. Yes, this may be light-hearted fluff to some, but if you are in the market for an entirely enjoyable mental vacation, then this book has your name on it. I personally rate this in my top 10 books of last year. I work at a library and read over 400 books last year, so this is no small recommendation. At the least, if you are still not certain, go to your local library and check it out. I think you are in for a most pleasant surprise. Enjoy.
ThriftBooks sells millions of used books at the lowest everyday prices. We personally assess every book's quality and offer rare, out-of-print treasures. We deliver the joy of reading in recyclable packaging with free standard shipping on US orders over $15. ThriftBooks.com. Read more. Spend less.