The Leviathan by Rosie Andrews

 

The Leviathan by Rosie Andrews.

Published in hardback 3rd February 2022 by Bloomsbury Raven.

Audio Book narrated by Rupert Farley.

From the cover of the book:

SHE IS AWAKE...

Norfolk, 1643. Reluctant soldier Thomas Treadwater has been summoned home by his young sister in a letter accusing their new servant of improper conduct with their widowed father. By the time Thomas reaches the family farm, his father is on the verge of death, Esther is near hysterical and their new servant is in prison, facing charges of witchcraft.

Thomas prides himself on being a rational, modern man. He is confident that he can free their servant, a beautiful if peculiarly self possessed young woman, and reassure his sister that there is nothing further to fear, now he has returned.

But as he begins to unravels the mystery of what has happened to his family, he uncovers a tale, not of witchcraft, but of something dark and ancient, linked to a shipwreck many years before...

Something has awoken, and now it will not rest.

Richly atmospheric and deliciously unsettling, The Leviathan is a tale of family and loyalty, superstition and sacrifice, but most of all it is a spellbinding mystery and a story of impossible things.

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1643. Parliament soldier Thomas Treadwater is called home to Norfolk by a disturbing letter from his younger sister, Esther, talking of an inappropriate relationship between their widowed father and a newly employed servant. By the time he reaches their family farm, events have taken a worrying turn: his father lies on his deathbed, and Esther is alone and unprotected in the farm house. Thomas is at a loss to understand what has been going on in his absence, especially since Esther's story of ungodly acts sounds far fetched to his rational mind.

The servant Esther claims to be at the root of the mayhem, Chrissa Moore, stands accused of witchcraft. She has been imprisoned awaiting trial, but when Thomas meets this beautiful and defiant woman he finds it hard to believe she is guilty, despite Esther's testimony.  Thomas is determined to get to the bottom of the matter, but rather than being able to dispel superstitious stories, he discovers a dark and terrifying tale of murder, shipwreck, and evil at work in the world.

I came to The Leviathan expecting a novel about witch trials set against the political and religious turmoil of the English Civil War, and although Rosie Andrews draws you cleverly into thinking that this is indeed what this brilliant debut is about, it gradually becomes clear that this is a tale far darker and more deadly. Here there be monsters... something has awakened and it will not rest until chaos reigns.

It is difficult to talk too much about how this story unfolds without giving away spoilers, but I can tell you that Thomas' narration moves seemlessly back and forth between the time of his alarming discoveries that defy rational thought in 1643, and his later account from 1703 when he is an old man struggling with a terrible burden. The two combine to make a glorious whole in which Andrews conjures up a tale of ancient forces, possession, and the eternal struggle between good and evil, that is as spellbinding as it is terrifying.

Andrews delves into faith, responsibility, and human frailty, building tension slowly and keeping you on a knife edge of suspense about how the unenviable situation Thomas finds himself in can ultimately be resolved. She asks some intriguing philosophical questions along the way about the fate of humankind, and its path towards destruction, which are really thought provoking and work well with the surprising appearance of poet John Milton. 

This book is one of the creepiest tales I have read in ages, with highly original twists and turns that kept me focused from beginning to end. For the ultimate experience, I recommend listening to the epic audio book narrated by Rupert Farley who does an excellent job of driving the story on through all its disquieting moments, and has the best Norfolk accent I think I have ever heard in an audio book production.

The Leviathan is available to buy now in hardcover, paperback, ebook and audio formats.

About the author:

Rosie Andrews was born and grew up in Liverpool, as the third of twelve children. She studied History at Cambridge before becoming an English teacher. She lives in Hertfordshire with her husband and daughter.