The Familiars by Stacey Halls is a debut to look out for, one of these books that once you start reading, you cannot put down -- Galina Miteva * The Fountain *

I liked how we didn't get a clean resolution on everything. Much of Alice remains a mystery. We know what Fleetwood knows, nothing more. What happened to the blood for example? What was the situation with the dead rabbits at the beginning? Did Alice kill them? If not, who or what did? The fox?We never find out for sure, and there is something oddly pleasing about that. What a wonderful Enchanting and captivating novel. An unputdownable ripped from real life tale that kept me up late at night. The novel is based on true events, Pendle Hill Witch Trials, and most of the characters did exist, although it was the Author's imagination that directed their actions. The story revolves around a noblewoman, Fleetwood Shutterworth who is expected to provide her husband with an heir. She miscarages several times, and one day, when pregnant again, she meets a local woman, Alice Grey, who has a knowledge of the herbs and skills which may help Fleetwood during her pregnancy. The story seems simple, but the Author managed mastefully to create a novel which I couldn't put down. There are several themes in the novel which I found interesting: position and fate of woman in the early 17th centrury, prejudice against wise women which in consequence led directly to the accusations of witchcraft and then to stake, and the role children played during the so-called witchhunt. A very good atmospheric novel which I would recommend to FH lovers. Sarah Davis-Goff, who runs independent publisher Tramp Press, agrees. “I do think that the #MeToo movement has been quite enabling for women in that it’s confirmed our worst suspicions,” she says. “There is something incredibly powerful about finding out that you are not alone, and what we’re seeing in a lot of upcoming fiction is authors working through this and really digging into their experiences.” Even in life I had been the little ghost, and now I was consigned to death. I held my stomach, and imagined disappearing. It would come soon, no doubt, but it would not be gentle, like the light leaving the sky. It would be painful, and terrifying, and lonely, with no cool hand on my head, no amber eyes willing me calm. There would be a trial, and Alice would die, then I would die, both of us killed in an outbreak of misfortune.’Dalton, an apprentice wizard and Skylar's loyal, as well as the oldest of Kalstaff's three apprentices. When I search about the meaning of familiar, I found out that it meant an animal, close to the witches, acting like her servant, guardian, spy, protector, companion. This brings a different kind of meaning to the story and relationship of two women. Alice is later accused of witchcraft and faces death if she’s found guilty. After hiring Alice to try and save her and her baby’s life, Fleetwood has to risk everything to try and save her new friend. I was not entirely convinced by the ending either. I didn’t think all characters needed to be excused for their actions… and I didn’t think certain admittances excused some characters behaviours… Which meant that I felt some people were forgiven too easily for what they did, and that didn’t quite sit right with me. I was satisfied with the end in some ways, and in some ways, I wanted to change it.

I had mixed feelings about Fleetwood's husband -- in some ways he was a good man, but I hated him for most of the book. Keeping his pregnant mistress in his wife's childhood home is despicable, even if she held no fond memories of it. Fleetwood's forgiveness of his actions and her willingness to turn a blind eye to his other life and family was difficult to read, but felt realistic, especially for the time period (1612). I spent a good portion of the book horrified that he would deliberately get his wife pregnant, knowing it would kill her, so finding out that this wasn't the case did go some way to dissolving my dislike of him. Fleetwood is distressed by the letter and wants to confront her husband about it but doesn’t know how. She decides to go a different route and hire a local woman to be her midwife, a woman that knows all about potions and herbs and promises to deliver a healthy baby – Alice Grey.

If you enjoy Historical Fiction with an eerie gothic feel, that has a captivating and powerful plot, then you will adore THE FAMILIARS. The story opens with Fleetwood blindly seeking refuge in the woods surrounding her stately home. In her tenuous emotional state, being the mistress of Gawthorpe Hall is cold comfort. She is upset because she inadvertently discovers a letter to her husband from a physician. She re-reads the blunt, frightening words, “…if she finds herself once more in childbed, she will not survive it, and her earthly life will come to an end.” Fleetwood encounters a strange woman, so camouflaged by her shabby, sodden, earth-colored clothing that she is almost impossible to see. I've just read The Familiars by Stacey Halls and enjoyed it immensely. I don't know much about the C17th witch trials so was really gripped. I loved the bravery of the heroine and wonderful period detail * A J Pearce, author of DEAR MRS BIRD *

This is a brilliant debut, pacy and inventive, from a terrifically talented new voice * Daily Telegraph * Young Fleetwood Shuttleworth, a noblewoman, is with child again. None of her previous pregnancies have borne fruit, and her husband, Richard, is anxious for an heir. Then Fleetwood discovers a hidden doctor’s letter that carries a dire prediction: she will not survive another birth. By chance she meets a midwife named Alice Grey, who promises to help her deliver a healthy baby. But Alice soon stands accused of witchcraft.The fact that this novel was originally published soon after Doctor Who explored this time period last series seems like a happy coincidence, but this was the main reason why I wanted to read this debut novel. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It left me feeling enthralled with parts and spellbound by others * Whisperingstories * If the doctor was to be believed—and no doubt he was—the child was fattening like a conker in a spiked green shell, and eventually would split me open. A child was what Richard wanted more than anything, and where I had failed before perhaps I would not this time…but at the cost of my life?