My verdict? A chilling show that links the 17th and 21st centuries in a truly terrifying way – atmospheric sound design takes the production to a whole new level. But it also triggers memories of 30 years ago when another boy died in traumatic circumstances, and she's been left haunted by his death ever since. The story flits between the 2 timelines seamlessly and both are full of mystery, deception and tragedy.

Play Review: The Witchfinder’s Sister - The London Horror Play Review: The Witchfinder’s Sister - The London Horror

Half of the mysteries were not engaging. The only thing that caught me by surprise was whose *the* child turns out to be. But it lasted one second and then I only thought, okay, I guess?I liked it that the story is told alternating between 1888 and 1918. It is beautifully written with touching stories about WWI, which show how much the world has changed between 1888 and 1918. This is a very well written novel in a style in keeping with the times and gives excellent historical context, depicting the world of 1888 and the changing world of 1918/19. It is abundantly rich in atmosphere especially in Polneath, Cornwall, allowing you to picture the big house, the gun powder mills, the unlikeable character of Old Tremain and the enigma of Edward Tremain, his son and William’s father. Polneath lies at the heart of everything we learn about Ivy and the death of William. The 1888 storyline is spooky, chilling, secretive and deeply mysterious and links well to 1918 when characters are unmasked. There are two time lines in this story and two boys deaths, one a mystery. Ivy is the mother of one of the boys and the main character in the book. The story is told through her. What a gothically infused gem of a novel. A dark, mysterious manor house in Cornwall, some of the creepiest characters you will ever meet, and a distinct flavour of Du Maurier throughout. This is a novel where the tiniest of details means something very significant. Keys, shadows, noises next door….and a veil of truth and lies covering anything that might explain away the fog.

The Witchfinder’s Sister, Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch Review: The Witchfinder’s Sister, Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch

For Ivy is sure there is more to what happened all those years ago: the fire at the great house, and the terrible events that came after. A truth she must uncover, if she is ever to be free. Laced with a heavy sense of loss and sadness this book is a slow burn, the story itself quite emotionally harrowing which is exacerbated by the grief felt by Ivy, as well as the, often cloying, atmosphere that the author weaves around the characters. The tension increases as the two threads and timelines start to come to their conclusions, and the sedate pace of what has come before is ramped up a notch or two.I still dream, every night, of Polneath on fire. Smoke unfurling out of an upper window and a hectic orange light cascading across the terrace. In the 1918 section, Ivy has married Richard Boscawen who is the coroner. She has always regretted not marrying the love of her life, Edward Tremain. She has recently found out her son has been killed in the war, and is determined to find out exactly how he died. When she reads in the deaths section of the newspaper that Edward’s son had died in the war she begins writing to Edward in the hopes of rekindling their friendship and perhaps take it further, now that her husband does not have long to live. In the dead of night a fire sweeps through a Manor House claiming more than just timber and objects of every day life. No, this fire also claimed the boy that Ivy still cannot forget for something happened that fateful night which to this day still haunts her.

Beth Underdown - School of Arts, Languages and Cultures Beth Underdown - School of Arts, Languages and Cultures

Want to join one of the fastest-growing communities of UK indie horror fans and creators for FREE? Now you can! So when the publisher asked if I’d like a copy sent to me in the mail, I did not hesitate for one second.The mystery was very drawn out and took place over the two timelines. There is certainly a twist there and I didn't see it coming. In fact there are quite a few twists and turns. In 1918, Ivy is a mother in mourning. Her son died in the Great War, and her husband's reaction led to more suffering close at home. Life in the Boscawen house is pared down to the essentials and cloaked in a shroud of sadness and secrets. There are excellent performances from the whole cast, in particular George Kemp as the unflinching & single-minded Matthew, Anne Odeke’s independent (but surprisingly naïve) Rebecca, and Lily Knight’s portrayal of Alice – full of hope, passion & determination. All in all, a disquieting show that shines a light on a truly terrifying period in history – a story that feels startlingly relevant today. The Witchfinder’s Sister I really wanted to love this book, as the blurb sounded like something right up my alley, but unfortunately I did not. I loved The Witch-finders Sister, but this one didn't have that magic for me. Its very well written, I think maybe its the characters I just didn't connect with in the same way. For me I need to like – or at last feel something – for the main characters and here somehow I just couldn't feel empathy, sympathy, and kind of deep emotion for them. They acted in ways I found hard to accept even as I understood why. And of course there's that time period, it is hard now to understand just how much more flawed the law was then, how women and the poor could lose everything through actions they had little control over. Maybe I'm being a bit too harsh on some of them.