The Familiars By Stacey Halls

The Sunday Times Bestseller and Richard & Judy Book Club Pick

Fleetwood Shuttleworth is 17 years old, married, and pregnant for the fourth time. But as the mistress at Gawthorpe Hall, she still has no living child, and her husband Richard is anxious for an heir. When Fleetwood finds a letter she isn’t supposed to read from the doctor who delivered her third stillbirth, she is dealt the crushing blow that she will not survive another pregnancy.

Then she crosses paths by chance with Alice Gray, a young midwife. Alice promises to help her give birth to a healthy baby, and to prove the physician wrong.

As Alice is drawn into the witchcraft accusations that are sweeping the North-West, Fleetwood risks everything by trying to help her. But is there more to Alice than meets the eye?

Soon the two women’s lives will become inextricably bound together as the legendary trial at Lancaster approaches, and Fleetwood’s stomach continues to grow. Time is running out, and both their lives are at stake.

Only they know the truth. Only they can save each other…

‘The new Hilary Mantel’ COSMOPOLITAN

‘Captivating’ SUNDAY EXPRESS

‘Arresting’ THE TIMES

‘A brilliant debut, pacy and inventive, from a terrifically talented new voice’ DAILY TELEGRAPH

‘Truly spellbinding’ GOOD HOUSEKEEPING

‘A must-read novel’ HEATHER MORRIS bestselling author of THE TATTOOIST OF AUSCHWITZ

‘Enthralling, spellbinding, full of twists and turns, written with heart and style – and the final chapters will have you racing to the end’ KATE WILLIAMS

‘Phenomenal. Beautiful, haunting, strange and evocative’ LIZ HYDER

‘Historical fiction at its feminist best’ RED Magazine