The Malan Witch by Catherine Cavendish

The Malan Witch by Catherine Cavendish.

Published 18th August 2020  by Silver Shamrock Publishing.

From the cover of the book:

"Naught remained of their bodies to be buried, for the crows took back what was theirs."

An idyllic coastal cottage near a sleepy village. What could be more perfect? 

For Robyn Crowe, borrowing her sister’s recently renovated holiday home for the summer seems just what she needs to deal with the grief of losing her beloved husband.

But behind those pretty walls lie many secrets, and legends of a malevolent sisterhood—two witches burned for their evil centuries earlier. 

Once, both their vile spirits were trapped there. Now, one has been released. One who is determined to find her sister. Only Robyn stands in her way.

And the crow has returned...

***********************************

If you haven't come across books by Catherine Cavendish before this is an excellent place to start, as at only 114 pages it manages to pack a pretty scary punch and will leave you with the kind of chill in your heart that she is so good at eliciting in her readers. I first came across her work earlier this year when I read her wonderful Bronte inspired tale The Garden of Bewitchment, which I can highly recommend for some excellent Gothic horror vibes - see my review HERE.

This novella draws heavily on some well known and terrifying themes that are guaranteed to scare the bejesus out of you - an eerie village full of people who are not quite as friendly as they might be... a newly widowed woman, weighed down by the loss of her beloved husband... all alone in an isolated cottage that has a history steeped in witchcraft and dark folklore...  just the ticket!

It rattles along at a good pace, starting gently with just the right amount of creepy suspense and ramping up to full on witchy combat between good and evil, against the backdrop of a tiny Cornish village that takes its folklore very seriously indeed, and has the kind of ending that will have you holding your babies very close and sleeping with the lights on.

Shades of Susan Hill, Tales of the Unexpected, Hammer House of Horror and the Wicker Man can be found in these pages, all combined into a spooky tale that is just perfect for this time of year!

The Malan Witch is available to buy now from your favourite book retailer in paperback and ebook formats.

Thank you to Catherine Cavendish for gifting me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

About the author:

Catherine Cavendish writes horror fiction - frequently with ghostly, supernatural, Gothic and haunted house themes.

Her latest novella, The Malan Witch, has recently been published by Silver Shamrock. An idyllic cottage set on a rugged coastline seems the perfect place for Robyn to relax and recuperate. But recent renovations have released the spirit of an evil witch bent on revenge...

Her latest novel, The Garden of Bewitchment, is out now from Flame Tree Press. Historical haunted Gothic horror set in the wilds of the Yorkshire moors - pure Bronte country - with a Bronte theme.

Also from Flame Tree Press is The Haunting of Henderson Close, a ghostly horror set in Edinburgh's Old Town.

Her novella, The Darkest Veil, is published from Crossroad Press. In case you were thinking of messing with an ouija board - don't. Especially if you're not prepared to follow the rules.

Her other novellas Cold Revenge, Miss Abigail's Room, The Demons of Cambian Street, Dark Avenging Angel, Linden Manor, The Devil Inside Her and The Second Wife have now been released in new editions by Crossroad Press.

Her other novels The Devil's Serenade and Saving Grace Devine have also been released in new editions by Crossroad Press, as has my novel of the Lancashire Witches, The Pendle Curse. 

Also available  from Kensington-Lyrical - the Nemesis of the Lords trilogy: Wrath of the Ancients, Waking the Ancients and Damned by the Ancients - set in Egypt and Vienna and featuring the sinister Dr. Emeryk Quintillus whose obsession has stayed with him long past the grave.