She is terrified of losing another child, especially as she wants to give her husband an heir. Set in 1612 in Pendle, Lancashire 17 year old Fleetwood Shuttleworth (I bloody love that name by the way) has been married for four years and is now pregnant again for the fourth time having miscarried her first three babies. If you follow my blog, you will know that historical, gothic or witchy books are really NOT my go-to-genre however I had heard such positive things about Stacey’s books that I thought I should have a listen to see what I’m missing, and I am so glad I did. I listened the audio version of The Familiars by Stacey Halls which was beautifully narrated by the extremely talented Katy Sobey. She was media editor at The Bookseller and books editor at .uk, and has also written for Psychologies, the Independent and Fabulous magazine, where she now works as Deputy Chief Sub Editor.
She studied journalism at the University of Central Lancashire and moved to London aged 21. She has always been fascinated by the Pendle witches. Stacey Halls grew up in Rossendale, Lancashire, as the daughter of market traders. King James I was obsessed with asserting power over the lawless countryside (even woodland creatures, or “familiars,” were suspected of dark magic) by capturing “witches”-in reality mostly poor and illiterate women. Rich and compelling, set against the frenzy of the real Pendle Hill Witch Trials, this novel explores the rights of 17th-century women and raises the question: Was witch-hunting really women-hunting? Fleetwood Shuttleworth, Alice Grey and the other characters are actual historical figures. Time is running out both their lives are at stake. As the two women’s lives become intertwined, the Witch Trials of 1612 loom. Is there more to Alice than meets the eye? Fleetwood must risk everything to prove her innocence. But Alice soon stands accused of witchcraft. By chance she meets a midwife named Alice Grey, who promises to help her deliver a healthy baby.
Then Fleetwood discovers a hidden doctor’s letter that carries a dire prediction: she will not survive another birth. None of her previous pregnancies have borne fruit, and her husband, Richard, is anxious for an heir. Young Fleetwood Shuttleworth, a noblewoman, is with child again. To protect a secret, she must risk her life.
To save her child, she will trust a stranger.
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