It’s 1739. An abused girl accused of witchcraft must be defended by a man married to an actual witch.
William MacLeod, a fierce Scottish lawyer with a kind heart, takes on a daunting task—rescue young Annaliese from the clutches of her tormentors in the untamed wilds of Virginia colony and deliver her safely to her aristocratic father in London. But lurking in the shadows are enemies eager to expose MacLeod’s own wife, Fiona, as a witch with a dark secret.
Their perilous journey takes an unexpected turn when their ship wrecks, and Annaliese’s haunting nightmares and unexplained Devil Marks trigger suspicion among the crew. Tension peaks when MacLeod must become Annaliese’s unwavering protector in a witch trial, where Fiona’s clairvoyance and a murder are unveiled.
To Rescue a Witch navigates themes of betrayal and redemption in a spellbinding narrative that blends history, magic, and the unyielding resilience of the human spirit.
Lisa A Traugott pushes readers into the harsh realities of the 1700s, combining English society, Scottish determination, and outliers in the struggling Virginia colony. The people’s details and behaviors are based on their societal circumstances, greed, and even love. Aristocrats, men or women, use their positions and power to get what they want regardless of the consequences.
Each character’s perspective is framed against a timeline of life events to make this a well-rounded story. Four characters stood out: Fiona, who is a real witch with second sight and the wife to William MacLeod; MacLeod, a Scottish attorney, works for his once close friend, now employer, Lord Hallewell. (MacLeod’s role in protecting Hallewell expedites situations when they get out of hand). Lord Hallewell is a wealthy, married womanizer who loved one of his conquests and sired a daughter, Annaliese. And Annaliese.
Annaliese was born in Virginia and raised by a man who abused her physically and mentally, yet her survival instinct kept her alive after her mother died. As a scrappy young girl, she did her best with no good examples of behavior or loving guidance. MacLeod travels to find and bring her to her father. Realistic dialogue exchanges bring depth to each scene. One particular exchange between MacLeod and Annaliese is timeless. She asked, “How come the truth’s so confusing?” He responded, “Because people are complex and flawed.” As the story’s synergistic threads unfold, the connections between characters and activities become a tapestry of lives driven by secrets, greed, heartache, love, regrets, power, and choices etched in time. It is an emotion-filled read, not for the faint of heart. Fans of historical women and Scottish fiction will appreciate the attention to detail Ms. Traugott delivers in this heart-wrenching tale, To Rescue a Witch.
Lisa A. Traugott is an award-winning author and World Championship public speaker semifinalist and spoke five lines on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She lives in Austin with her husband, two kids, and English bulldog, Bruno.
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4 replies to "To Rescue a Witch"
Thanks for sharing your thoughts about this intriguing book. It sounds like it hits readers in a lot of places. I’m looking forward to reading.
It is very different and at times harshly realistic. Thank you for stopping in.
Love your review, Rox. I enjoyed this book so much. The author did a great job with the story. It was harsh, but it was, as you say, realistic for the time period.
Hi Jan, so nice to see you. It has dimensions I had not considered. It’s a wonder how people can be so cruel. Talk soon.