Synopsis
'A masterpiece of historical fiction – I literally didn't look up from the first page to the last' – Janice Hallett, bestselling author of The Appeal
The King’s Witches by Kate Foster is a compelling and beautiful historical novel that gives voices to the women at the heart of the real-life witch trials in sixteenth-century Scotland.
Edinburgh, 1589. Princess Anna of Denmark is to wed King James VI of Scotland. First, she must pass the trial period: one year of marriage to prove herself worthy. Under the watchful eye of her loyal lady-in-waiting, Kirsten, Anna resolves to be the perfect royal bride. Until she meets Lord Henry . . .
Meanwhile, young housemaid Jura has recently fled to the capital, seeking protection and anonymity. But her newfound safety is soon threatened when she is caught up in the witchcraft mania that has gripped the country – and the new queen.
'Enthralling, compelling and at times chilling . . . An utterly timely tale' – D. V. Bishop, prize-winning author of A Divine Fury
'A beautifully written tale of love and duty, fear and courage' – Jenny Ashcroft, bestselling author of The Echoes of Love
*The Maiden was longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction on 05/03/2024
Details
06 June 2024
9781529091786Reviews
Kate Foster is an exceptional writer and masterful storyteller with a resounding talent for making historical settings and characters exciting and relevant for today’s readers. Like her debut novel, The Maiden, The King's Witches is a masterpiece of the historical fiction genre - I literally didn’t look up from first page to lastJanice Hallett, bestselling author of The Appeal
The King's Witches is enthralling, compelling and at times chilling. Foster transports the reader back in time, bringing alive the forgotten and hidden voices of women in the past. An utterly timely tale that surpasses The Maiden, her rightly celebrated debutD. V. Bishop, author of Ritual of Fire
With shades of The Familiars, this incredible tale of Princess Anna of Denmark's betrothal to King James VI, all set against the Scottish witch trials, had me absolutely gripped. Kate Foster has spun a beautifully written tale of love and duty, fear and courage, and I can't recommend it highly enough. I'm already beside myself to read her next!Jenny Ashcroft, author of The Echoes of Love
Beautiful and brutal . . . a terrifyingly real story of how men control and fear us, and the extraordinary lengths some women have to go to in order to survive.Claire Evans, author of The Graves of Whitechapel
Books by Kate Foster
Related articles
Featured in
Best new historical fiction!