Book Review: The Book of Witching by C.J. Cooke

I received a review copy from the publisher. This does not affect the contents of my review and all opinions are my own.

The Book of Witching by C.J. Cooke

Mogsy’s Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Genre: Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Horror

Series: Stand Alone

Publisher: Berkley (October 8, 2024)

Length: 384 pages

Author Information: Website

Another winner from C.J. Cooke! The author was already a must-read, and The Book of Witching has only solidified that for me.

Set on the Orkney Islands, the novel immediately wraps the reader up in its thick and eerie atmosphere. Back in 1594, a woman wrongfully accused of murder was burned for witchcraft on these very isles, but over four centuries later, a modern woman with seemingly no ties to that distant past soon discovers that this dark history is about to turn her world upside down. In 2024, Clem is pulled into a nightmare she never saw coming when she is informed that her nineteen-year-old daughter Erin is in the hospital after being found unconscious along the shore, covered in severe burns. The body of her boyfriend was also found nearby, having succumbed to his injuries, while a third member of their group remains missing. The three friends had gone to the Orkney Islands for a hiking trip, but it was clear something far more sinister had unfolded.

But the mystery only deepens when Erin wakes up from her coma, no longer answering to her own name, instead claiming to be someone called Nyx. Her behavior, along with her cold indifference to the fates of her dead boyfriend and missing best friend leads detectives to consider Erin as a person of interest, but Clem refuses to believe her daughter could have played any part of the tragedy. Together with Erin’s father, Clem travels to the site of the accident, determined to find out the truth. The answer may lie in the history of the Orkneys, where a sixteenth century healer named Alison Balfour became implicated in a murder plot. The persecution of Alison led to her torture and eventual execution during a contentious period of political turmoil, which provided the backdrop for the North Berwick witch trials. In alternating chapters which run parallel with Clem’s in the present, readers follow Alison’s story of injustice which gradually reveal the connection between the two women.

The Book of Witching was my fourth book by C.J. Cooke, and I enjoyed it almost as much as I did her previous novel, A Haunting in the Arctic—which remains my favorite. Perhaps it’s not surprising, since the two share many similarities, including a familiar pattern of blending horror and fantasy, mystery and history, in addition to connecting past-present timelines, and, of course, the paranormal factor. However, this one did feature a very different and distinct angle, exploring witchcraft, folklore, and deep-rooted historical tensions.

Once again, the momentum is driven by the question: How are all these things related? The genius (and admittedly the frustration) of this novel is that it reads like two books in one—simultaneously trying to tell Clem’s story while juggling Alison’s as well. This time, the author keeps the answers under wraps for much longer than expected, waiting until near the end to reveal the connections. This may not be for everyone and depends on how much patience the reader has for books with layers that unfold slowly, but Cooke is such a good storyteller that even with the lack of clarity to all these secrets, I couldn’t stop reading because of the suspense.

It is also worth mentioning that Erin is herself a mother to a toddler, which only further convinces Clem that her daughter is innocent since she has so much to live for. Erin’s injuries also bring her estranged father and Clem’s ex back into their lives, and in many ways he’s even more ferociously protective of his daughter. Similarly, Alison’s story is one about resilience as she endures unspeakable pain and torture to keep her children safe. There’s this powerful overall emphasis on family, with the bond between parent and child serving as a central theme for both timelines, and both women feel more relatable and sympathetic because of it.

But the book’s strengths may be weaknesses for some. The constant jumping around between timelines, the way the author keeps the links between them close to the vest—it could be rough on the pacing. Still, I’ve always been a fan of a slow-burn narrative, especially when the payoff is worth it.

And The Book of Witching is definitely worth it. With its Gothic ambience and haunting atmosphere, this novel should appeal to readers drawn to complex family dynamics and the mysterious threads that bind the past to the present. While it doesn’t quite cross the threshold into horror territory, it still gave me chills. Recommended for fans of psychological and historical suspense.