Synopsis:
“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.
Edition:
E-ARC – I received an Advance Reader copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for review consideration.
My Thoughts:
I love stories on windy cliffsides. I love the sea, and I love witches – good, evil, even morally ambiguous, I don’t really care. But most of all, I love crows. I just love their shiny feathers, their beady eyes, and their propensity for holding grudges.
“It starts with the name. Malan is connected with the Devil, one of his army you might say.”
The Malan Witch gave me all of these things. It also gave me a short, easily digested tale of pure folk horror goodness. I easily could have read this book in a single sitting. I didn’t though – I read it only while on work breaks. It’s not a slow burn like a lot of folk horror tends to be. It’s short and pretty fast paced, all things considered.
The Malan Witch tells the story of Robyn, a woman who has lost her husband after a long illness. She is still mourning him, and is unable to move on with her life. In order to try to allow herself the chance to grieve him properly and get on with things, she determines that some time away from her everyday life is just what is needed. So she decides to spend the summer at her sister’s newly renovated cottage – known locally as Malan Cottage.
But something sinister is going on at Malan Cottage. And Robyn is determined to find out what it is and how to stop it. There are horrible smells, haunting dreams, a lone figure who seems to be watching her, and worst of all, one very aggressive crow that won’t leave her alone.
Armed with a little bit of local lore, and the help of a few new acquaintances, can Robyn put things to right before it’s too late?
About the Author:
(From the author’s website)
Hello, my name’s Catherine Cavendish and I write horror fiction – frequently with ghostly, supernatural, Gothic and haunted house themes.
My 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.
My 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.
Also from Flame Tree Press – THE HAUNTING OF HENDERSON CLOSE. Ghostly horror set in Edinburgh’s Old Town.
Available now from Kensington-Lyrical – the NEMESIS OF THE GODS 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.
My 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.
My 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.
I live with a long-suffering husband and a delightful black cat who has never forgotten that her species used to be worshipped in ancient Egypt. She sees no reason why that practice should not continue. Who am I to argue?
When not slaving over a hot computer, I enjoy wandering around Neolithic stone circles and visiting old haunted houses.
My Rating:
If you’re looking for something quick and spooky to read while vacationing in that possibly haunted seaside cottage on a windswept cliffside, this might be just the ticket.
The Malan Witch By Catherine Cavendish Silver Shamrock Publishing ASIN: B08BFH33K8 Published: August 18, 2020 E-book, Paperback 130 Pages Author's Website Publisher's Website
