Montacute House

Description

Cess works caring for the chickens at Montacute House but on her thirteenth birthday everything changes. She finds a precious locket hidden in the chicken coop and is convinced someone has placed it there for her to find. But the day is overshadowed by fear as a boy's body is found by the river, and then when William disappears, Cess is accused by the villagers of bewitching her best friend. Cess is determined to find William and prove the villagers wrong, but is soon embroiled in a plot that threatens her world and forces Cess to draw on powers she never knew she possessed, powers that will place her life in danger if they are discovered by the villagers. Witchcraft, politics and religious ambition combine in this gripping and wonderfully realised novel set in the Somerset of the 1500s.

Lucy Jago lives in London with her family. This is her first book for young readers. She has previously written two non-fiction titles for adults. The setting of this novel is real, a beautiful village in Somerset.

'This impressive historical debut is a beguiling mix of politics and witchcraft' The Bookseller 'Jago writes lyrically and handles a complicated plot with aplomb' Financial Times 'Lucy Jago pens a gripping murder mystery ... Witchcraft, political intrigue, family secrets and religious ambition combine to create a powerful novel' National Trust magazine 'This action-packed murder mystery is full of interesting period detail woven into the narrative with a light hand ... Her engaging heroine and the unfolding drama of this debut novel carry the reader along at a cracking pace' Books for Keeps