Fourteen-year-old Rachel Hollingsworth is a turtle, hard on the outside and soft on the inside. And it’s easy to see why – she’s had a tough childhood that’s made affection difficult. But this foster care escapee is about to learn a secret about herself that will change everything – she’s a witch. But Rachel’s new powers are out of control, and she accidentally travels back in time, first to the English Witch Trials in 1645. And a sarcastic cat, Oscar, who thinks he sounds like De Niro tags along. Bryony, Rachel’s social worker, and witch mentor goes back to save her, but coming home to present-day London remains out of reach. Stuck in 1645, they transport to old Istanbul, the capital of one of the most amazing empires ever. There, life is wonderful, and the independence Rachel’s craved for so long seems within easy reach. Can she stay? What could possibly go wrong?