This is a gripping fantasy set in WW2 but firmly based on fact. During WW2 there were a number of Wiccans fighting for the British war effort and led by Gerald Gardner, the man responsible for reviving the pagan belief system. In 1940s Britain, fearing they might soon all be under The Nazi boot, these pagans did their bit to defend our shores from invasion. Well, what exactly did they do? According to Gardner, through ritual practices, they manufactured a ‘Cone of Power’ which was supposed to affect Hitler’s reasoning powers.

Did it work?

Nobody really knows, but this is the jumping off point for Suzy Henderson’s new book, which describes itself as a historical fantasy. Within the clandestine world of witchcraft nothing is what it seems and the author uses this to her advantage. With a band of fascist sympathisers intent on sabotaging England’s efforts, Eliza, a natural born seer, is recruited by MI5 to help them in their mysterious work. Little does she know that another of her relatives is also involved in this kind of secret undercover activity, but alas she is tempted by the ‘dark side,’ and this leads to multiple plot twists and complications.

The premise gives plenty of scope for heart-stopping moments and tension as the group of fascists and the coven of witches try to outwit each other. There are several interesting support characters in Eliza’s family, such as her grandmother and her father, and her boyfriend Jim, who ground the narrative in reality, and help us to root for Eliza. If you like books with witchcraft, history, a touch of romance and all the tension of a spy novel, you will enjoy this fascinating and unusual story.

Suzy Henderson is the author of The Beauty Shop, Madame Fiocca, and SPITFIRE, novels which are set during the turbulent times of World War Two. She also writes romance and recently released a novella, Christmas in the Highlands, a best seller on Amazon UK.

Her debut novel, The Beauty Shop, was awarded the B.R.A.G. Medallion. It is based on the true story of pioneering plastic surgeon, Sir Archibald McIndoe, and the Guinea Pig Club – an exclusive club for RAF pilots and airmen who required plastic surgery as a result of their war injuries and were under the care of this enigmatic New Zealander. Madame Fiocca is also based on a true story. This gripping adventure follows the tempestuous life of SOE heroine, Nancy Wake before and during the Second World War.

Suzy lives with her family on the edge of the Lake District, where she can be found rambling around lakes, country lanes or roaming the fells. Armed with a pen, a love of reading and a growing obsession with military and aviation history, she is often lost in the 1940s, writing historical fiction.

WEBSITE: https://www.suzyhenderson.com

TWITTER: @Suzy_Henderson

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSuzyHenderson