A Lullaby for Witches by Hester Fox was a great conclusion to my creepy reads for the Halloween season.
The dual timeline story set near Salem, Massachusetts features Margaret in 1870s and Augusta in present time, . When 30-something Augusta lands her dream job as curator at the Harlowe House museum, she's drawn to Margaret, the Harlowe family daughter. Why is almost no information about her included in the archives? As Augusta delves deeper into history, she has inexplicable experiences that both scare and intrigue her. Will the lure to discover Margaret's full story put Augusta at risk?
One hundred fifty years earlier, teenage Margaret is struggling to find her place in the Harlowe family. Rather than feeling connected to her parents and older brothers and their wealth and influence, she prefers to spend time in the cozy cabin of a woman who is rumored to be a witch. Then a secret romance, the revelation of family secrets, and misplaced affections seriously complicate Margaret's life with tragic results.
I've heard good things about Ms. Fox's novels; this is my first. It was the perfect level of spooky for me as a scary story wimp and witchy story newbie. The atmosphere drew me in, and the last quarter was so compelling. I appreciated both storylines but connected to Augusta's more. While this story explores some otherworldly concepts, it's grounded in reality and is ultimately hopeful. My only question - how does the title relate to the plot?
Many thanks to Graydon House and NetGalley for the review copy.
The dual timeline story set near Salem, Massachusetts features Margaret in 1870s and Augusta in present time, . When 30-something Augusta lands her dream job as curator at the Harlowe House museum, she's drawn to Margaret, the Harlowe family daughter. Why is almost no information about her included in the archives? As Augusta delves deeper into history, she has inexplicable experiences that both scare and intrigue her. Will the lure to discover Margaret's full story put Augusta at risk?
One hundred fifty years earlier, teenage Margaret is struggling to find her place in the Harlowe family. Rather than feeling connected to her parents and older brothers and their wealth and influence, she prefers to spend time in the cozy cabin of a woman who is rumored to be a witch. Then a secret romance, the revelation of family secrets, and misplaced affections seriously complicate Margaret's life with tragic results.
I've heard good things about Ms. Fox's novels; this is my first. It was the perfect level of spooky for me as a scary story wimp and witchy story newbie. The atmosphere drew me in, and the last quarter was so compelling. I appreciated both storylines but connected to Augusta's more. While this story explores some otherworldly concepts, it's grounded in reality and is ultimately hopeful. My only question - how does the title relate to the plot?
Many thanks to Graydon House and NetGalley for the review copy.
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