Three women. Three centuries. One legacy of fury, love, and a power that refuses to die

In this fiercely captivating novel, horror meets historical fiction when a curse bridges generations, binding the fates of three women. Anne Bolton, a healer facing persecution for witchcraft, bargains with a dark entity for protection—but the fire she unleashes will reverberate for centuries. Mary Shephard, a picture perfect wife in a suffocating community, falls for Sharon and begins a forbidden affair that could destroy them both. And Camilla Burson, the rebellious daughter of a preacher, defies conformist expectations to uncover an ancient power as her father’s flock spirals into crisis.

When I first started this book, I had no idea how it was going to pan out. It follows three women in three different eras, and I figured their stories would collide at some point. For a good chunk of the book, though, I couldn’t see how.

In the 1750s, Anne Bolton is a healer living with the constant threat of being accused of witchcraft. Scared and out of options, she makes a deal with an ancient, dark presence in exchange for protection. This single event sets off a curse that follows her family line for centuries. Later on, we meet Mary Shephard, a wife who lives inside a strict, suffocating religious community and behaves as any good housewife should. When she begins a secret affair with a woman named Sharon, she knows she’s walking a thin line. And then the curse starts to stir. Then there’s Camilla Burson, a preacher’s daughter who’s tired of her father’s control, not just over her, but of the entire town. But then Camille starts digging and taps into the curse which may or may not have dire consequences.

At its core, this book is about men and the awful things they’ve done to women throughout history, (and, let’s be honest, a lot of them still do). It’s about how they ride on women’s coattails, steal their power, and keep them down no matter who those women are or what it costs. There’s a lot being said here, and it gets pretty surprising at some points.

As I mentioned, when I first started this it read as three separate stories that might be connected, but it wasn’t really clear how. Characters from the past weren’t talked about and didn’t make an appearance in the other stories for a very long time. Once the threads finally started to tie together, and the reality of what had been happening for years came to light, things got more intense. I’ll admit the first stretch had me a little lost, but the payoff made it worth sticking with.

While it took a while for things to start coming together, once they did, I was locked in. Despite a slower pace, I ended up really liking this one. If you want horror and historical fiction with a healthy dose of female rage and revenge, and you don’t mind a slower pace, this one is worth picking up.

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