In "A Witch's Lament" by Cathy Walker, the historical town of Salem, Massachusetts, comes alive with a potent blend of ancient darkness, witchcraft, and a haunting past. Skye Temple, unaware of the looming danger, purchases a historic house in Salem, only to uncover a skeleton and ancestral diaries on her first day. What follows is a gripping tale of magic, murder, and revelations as Skye unravels her true bloodlines and the responsibilities that come with them.

Walker skillfully immerses readers in the bewitching atmosphere of Salem, seamlessly blending its tourist appeal with the lingering shadows of its infamous history. The vivid descriptions of the town's bewitching charm and the interplay of modern life with the echoes of the past create an immersive and captivating setting. The author's attention to detail and knowledge of Salem's historical context lend authenticity to the narrative, enhancing the reader's experience.

Skye Temple emerges as a compelling protagonist, thrust into a world of secrets and ancestral tasks. Her journey of self-discovery and embracing her magical heritage is filled with suspense and intrigue. As Skye unravels the truth about her bloodlines and the significance of guarding a powerful knife, the stakes heighten, drawing readers deeper into the story. Skye's determination and resilience make her a relatable and admirable character, and her growth throughout the novel is a delight to witness.

The narrative also introduces Jerome Phips, a police officer haunted by his mother's disappearance during a ritual many years ago. Walker masterfully weaves together Skye and Jerome's stories, intertwining their paths and their shared quest for answers. The complex dynamics between the two characters, fueled by anger, blame, and a deep desire for the truth, add depth and emotional intensity to the plot. Their journey becomes a thrilling race against time to prevent the return of darkness and fulfill their intertwined destinies.

The pacing of the story is well-maintained, with a perfect balance of suspenseful moments, magical revelations, and character development. Walker's prose is engaging and descriptive, immersing readers in a world where ancient powers and modern-day struggles collide. The integration of historical elements, witchcraft, and familial secrets creates a captivating tapestry that keeps readers eagerly turning the pages.

While "A Witch's Lament" delivers an engrossing narrative, some readers may find certain aspects of the plot predictable or reminiscent of familiar witchcraft tropes. Additionally, further exploration of certain secondary characters and their motivations could have added more depth to the story.

In conclusion, "A Witch's Lament" is a bewitching tale that takes readers on a thrilling journey through the shadowed streets of Salem. Cathy Walker's skillful storytelling, atmospheric setting, and well-drawn characters make this novel a captivating read for fans of witchcraft, mystery, and the enduring allure of Salem's dark history.

While I love the idea of Salem Witch Trial vibes and badass witchy women, this wasn't my cup of tea. But I really appreciate the theme of mercy and forgiveness woven into the story.

A Witch's Lament by Cathy Walker.
The Salem Witches Book 1.
Salem, Massachusetts has managed to build a thriving industry of tourism on the foundations of its dark past. But, beneath the seaside charm, bewitching shops, and seasonal surge of wannabe-witches and thrill seekers, the ancient darkness still lurks. Oblivious to the brewing danger, Skye Temple buys a historic house in the witch capital of the world and on her first day uncovers a skeleton and ancestral diaries in her new home's library. In escalating events of magic and murder, Skye discovers her true bloodlines and a familial birth-task which involves guarding a powerful knife. 
Really good read. Great story. 5*.

A witch’s tale full of secrets, lies and murder.

A house which calls to its new owner. A daughter of magic that has been discouraged from learning her abilities. A magic knife handed down generations. A coven that may/may not be using dark magic. A serial murderer on the loose.

An interesting story that reads a bit like women’s fiction but has plenty of paranormal activities.

I enjoyed the overall story for the most part. The MC however was way to docile for my taste. She’d trip over information right in her face and would pretend not to see it or understand it, thinking she needed to look into it more or do some research. Reminded me a lot of the girls in a horror film that always fall during the chase scene.

That’s not really my cup of tea. But for an overall mystery witchy read, you may want to pick this one up.

Not really interested in reading this and it is quite old at this time. I want to try and be more selective of the arc's I request because selecting everything that sounds somewhat interesting.

loved the use of salem witch trials for a suspenseful thriller. it was a engaging read that had me on the edge of my seat.

This is the first book I have read by Cathy Walker and believe me it won't be the last. A Witch's Lament grabbed me from the start and didn't let go to the end. Fast paced and with great characters this is an amazing book. I can't recommended it highly enough. 5 stars! I can't wait to read the next one.

This was a very fun fast-paced thriller set in Salem, Massachusetts! My favorite part was the witch trials! The only part I did not like was that I found the heroine to be annoying at times! Still, thus is the perfect book to read during Halloween season!

Salem witches and witchcraft have long fascinated me, so any fiction that is based around the period in history I’m always picking up to read. And the fact this was the start of a series was an even bigger win for me. Spooky and emotive in many places this is really good escapism

A quick and enjoyable read. To begin with, it did feel a little like there was too much coincidence happening, but that's later explained as forces at work to bring the past to light.
I found the mixture of past and present held my interest, and while I did guess who the perpetrator was, it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book.
A Witch's Lament delivers what its blurb promises, and interesting mystery (partially) set in the time of the Salem witch trials. One to look for if this period of time is of interest to you.

I really enjoyed this novel about witches, fairies, dark power and magic. It was a love from the first page and I liked Skye, Flora and Jerome as a characters.
Skye being triggered by some invisible pull to buy an empty house in Salem, after one visit of the town started a great story for the mystery of Salem witches and trails which happened in the past.
The connection with the Good's family twists and we learn about he recent murders of the young girls which are killed as an offer during the dark rituals.
Solving 30 year old mystery, which has it's roots in ancient history is a great theme and here we find great twists in the plot as well.

I don't even mind a bit of a romance in this book, I find it complimentary to the story.
Although I knew a bit who will be the real murder, I was still happy with this book and eager to finish it up to the last page. I don't remember when was the last time I read a book about witches, but this one was great.

I wanted to like this book so so much, but just never fully connected with the material. At first the language and style of writing just felt like the author was trying too hard to sound interesting. Then as Skye starting investigating and finding out more about the house it got good and then parts felt too drawn out. For the most part I liked Skye but there were times when she was just so naive and did really dumb things. She was way too trusting of Matthew - he was present when his mother tried to drug her and yet she never suspects him of being involved in any of the creepiness going on. I'd probably give this somewhere between 2.5 and 3 stars.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for an eARC of, A Witch's Lament, by Cathy Walker, in exchange for an honest review.

This story was a fast paced enthralling first book of a series. I enjoyed the witch related elements as well as the characters. The location was perfect for setting the witchy tones and mystery.

I definitely had my suspicions of a certain character from the beginning and it was exciting following the storyline, even though it flipped around a bit.

I am looking forward to book #2.

This is book 1 in the Salem Witches series. It was originally published in 2015. Skye is moving to Salem and when she discovers a skeleton in a hidden room of the house she just purchased the police are very interested. In fact officer Jerome Phips is sure it's his mother that disappeared 30 years ago. The investigation finds plenty of magic and witches as an unusual knife is found that is definitely covered with dark magic. Skye was tasked at her birth to find and bind the knife and there are many trying to prevent her from succeeding. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Like many others, mention the Salem Witch Trials and I'm totally here for it! This was a really interesting fictional account of the trials. I love that this is a series, so it has time to build all the necessary scenes. It's a book I would recommend to anyone who appreciate historical fiction and books taking place in the Puritan era.

Well written, great characterisation and really held my interest. I have already downloaded and read the second book.

I was looking for a new and interesting series to fall into on NetGalley and this really peaked my interest. This was a fantastic quick read and really fascinating. This author has truly mastered the art of storytelling and this was a great introduction to their work. Magic, ancient evil, Salem, family bloodlines. It's truly a great fantasy world.

Well written. Magical. Witches.

What more could a girl want to read!

Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for a copy of this book

This book sounded so interesting from the premise,, it just felt a bit predictable and the love interests didn't have any chemistry , it felt a bit stilted . I think it just wasn't quite what I was expecting it to be . It was well written but the characters didn't connect with me and I was a bit disappointed with the outcomes .

Normally I love stories about witches, magic and story threads that pull the past and present together. However, I felt there were too many plotlines without focus.

I kept putting this book on the finish it later pile.

I appreciate the opportunity to read the book but it did not hold my interest.