In 1595, life at the Cleworth estate is fraught and oppressive: mistress of the house, Anne Starkie, is haunted by the deaths of her first four children and believes herself cursed by her family. Then her two surviving children, John and Ann, start to present strange and terrifying symptoms. The master of the house, Nicholas, at first more rational, employs a series of doctors and priests to help - to no effect. In order to appease his wife, he skeptically employs the services of a famous cunning man, Edmund Hartlay. Surrounded by superstition, strange behaviour and the suggestion of dark magic, Nicholas begins to believe in Edmund's powers. But the house is full of damaged people, and when the enigmatic Edmund comes among them, he fractures what small stabilities Nicholas' world has...with devastating consequences.
- ISBN10 1780871295
- ISBN13 9781780871295
- Publish Date 7 May 2015
- Publish Status Cancelled
- Publish Country GB
- Imprint Quercus Publishing
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 400
- Language English